"U.S. Governement to Release New Dollar CoinsAbout every six months or so, I receive an email much like the one above from a Christian who has received it from someone else and thought to pass it on to me. It just so happens that I received five this week all relating to the same, false story. I never bother responding to the emails to let them know that these urban legends have been floating around for years. I figure they will find it out themselves eventually.
Somebody somewhere comes up with these things and floats them on the internet just waiting for somebody to get upset and perpetuate their myth. I'm sure some clever lad is sitting around somewhere getting a kick out of his last chaotic creation! People swallow these things whole...and it provides a great deal of comic relief for those who spun the yarn!
The "In God We Trust" legend is one that particularly interests me. It gets circulated with great fervor, as if the removal of those four words was a wholesale persecution of Christianity. I do not agree with the secular progressive agenda to remove all references to God and faith from public life, but I am also not surprised that there are those who would want to. I fully expect that someday those words will be struck from our coins and currency, but to be honest with you, it doesn't bother me that much.
Does anyone really believe we are a "Christian" nation anyhow? Does our government act in a Christlike manner in all of it's policies and practices? Does our governement represent much of anything other than it's own self interests? And does anyone really believe that an engraven image on a coin makes us a Christian nation? Jesus said that we should give to Caesar what is Caesar's (refering to his image on the coins in Jerusalem). I'd say that the goverment can do what it wishes with the government's money, but the people of God should be concerning themselves with what concerns Jesus. Jesus wasn't terribly concerned about currency!
If we are going to "make a strong statement" as the people of God, there is no stronger statement than to live out our faith as followers of Christ by loving and serving our brothers and sisters and our neighbors. Remember, it was Peter who drew the sword to defend Jesus in the garden and Judas who wanted to take the zealot approach when dealing with the government. Jesus didn't accept either way as his Way! I don't recall him boycotting or making political statements, although I do seem to remember a story or two about him protesting against money-making in the Temple.
I know that in our America, it seems that everything is political. I just don't think everything should be political! It's easy for us to rally around a cause, brandish our swords, and feel like the whole world is against us. We're really not to concern ourselves with all of that. When our coins have turned to rust and our bodies have turned to dust, it is the Kingdom of God that will remain...and it is the Father's business that should get our energy and attention!
"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight..." (Jesus, John 18:36).
1 comment:
ha.. at first i was like i can't believe mark is agreeing with this, but i did figure out you were quoting someone before i finished reading their quote.. my instincts took over which know you well enough.. ha
Post a Comment