the reasons i decided not to celebrate the fourth of july were to remove myself from the routine i have been a part of for the past twenty three years, to take a look at the reasons for which the people around me were celebrating, and to contemplate the question “what is the point of christians celebrating the fourth of july”. i took a look at the reson for the fourth of july: a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the declaration of independence and a celebration of the history, government, and traditions of the United States. i think the tendency in this celebration is to promote america/democracy as intrinsicly “good”, when i am not convinced that is the case. the entire day i had the story of king solomon running through my head (1 Kings 11). the son of king david, solomon knew the lord, but he began to make alliances with other nations when the lord had commanded “you shall not…for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods”. solomon’s heart was compromised. is my taking part in raising up america a way of making an alliance? do i compromise my faithfulness by pursuing the “gods” of america (i.e. consumerism, safety, my “rights”, control)?

i think that as christians we can be thankful for the places in which american history, government, and traditions have aligned in some shape or form with the working of God’s redemptive story, but i am not convinced that we should particpate in the praise of this nation-state. the point of not celebrating the fourth of july is to raise questions and to challenge the common acceptance of a pagan holiday by the community of believers.

2. how did i not celebrate?

well, it was interesting as i was on a mission trip with our high school youth group here in seattle. one of the organizations we were working with invited us to come watch the fireworks over elliott bay from their location that has a stellar view of the bay. so, my not celebrating the fourth of july took the form of raising the questions i have in my own mind/heart. having coversations. listening to other interpretations. and trying to interpret further what my role as a christian is in this nationalistic celebration.

3. why live here?

i am not advocating for christian abandonment of america. i live here because this is where God has led me. this is my place of ministry.

i can see your point, but let me say ask these questions:

1.what is the point of not celebrating 4th of July?
2.how do you not celebrate it?
3.if you cannot celebrate it in good faith, then what is the point of living here?

personally, i chose not to celebrate the fourth of july, this year being the first of my twenty-four year run here on earth, because more and more i am finding its theologically a scandal. i believe it is in and through the community of believers, church, that God desires to work his plan of redemption. now, the actions of the powers that be (i.e. america) may occasionally align with the work of redemption, but they are not the primary community through whom God works. i think the church, disciples of christ, have to come to rely heavily on the political system and with habits that are hard to break, the church has given a kind of allegiance to the nation-state and compromised its witness. i am not trying to advocate for a withdrawl of Christians from politics and culture. i think “we can use the machinery of democracy for our own and our neighbor’s advantage. But we should not, thereby, be lulled into believing that ‘we the people’ are thereby governing ourselves. Democracy is still government by the elite, though it may be less oppressive since it uses language in its justification that provides ways to mitigate oppressiveness. But that does not make democracy, from a Christian point of view, different in kind from states of another form” (hauerwas).

Also, in multiple conversations and other blogs i hear people say they are thankful for the freedoms this country provides, and i have to admit that I enjoy those freedoms as well. But I am often haunted by the thought of “at whose expense do i appreciate these freedoms?”

just some incomplete thoughts.

t

Looking in Scriptures Christ’s perspective on “blessed” is in direct contradiction to the American (commercial) dream
And then you’ve got a guy like Limbaugh, in a free market, making enough money to provide clean water to the world? Again, sick to my stomach.

i do a lot of things to be hip, but saying “yo” isn’t one of them.

I would, say the same thing..

Of course, it would have been better had you said, “i’m just sayin…YO!”

That’s more hip

“The government then is a sense has more parenting power by what is taught at schools, universities, and what becomes law or not.”

This is what drives me to be an active Christian participant in my community. I understand that Godly principles and morals will always be good for the community, but they do not. But it seems the Christian community has become a very quiet voice, so their are others that are speaking for us. The sticky part is either to become a silly radical right wing group that enforces everything on everybody, or to become those that actually extend the love of Jesus to others and show our world the Godly principles and morals that we say we believe in.

Love your last statement. That would be awesome.

Jay