ValiantforTruth
Puritan Board Freshman
Our beloved church, where I have become a ruling elder in the last six months, has an (in my opinion) regrettable custom of mixing nationalism into the worship service on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day. (Patriotic readings; recognition of veterans; nationalistic music). I object to this rather strongly, and I will be bringing it up at our next session meeting. I would be grateful if anyone else can think of any cogent arguments against this practice in addition to those I list below:
1. I will appeal to the regulative principle and the idolatrous nature of it.
2. I will share that I have met people who visited our church on July 4 and didn't return because they came to worship Christ, not Christ and the American State.
3. I will share that my wife, who is Brazilian, when I asked her how it made her feel, said "That's just how Americans are."
4. I will share that I would not dream of inviting my unbelieving friends to church on a Lord's Day where I knew we would be mixing nationalism with the worship of God.
I hope I don't offend anyone here on PB. I especially have no quarrel with veterans; many in my family have served in the military, including my brother currently. I just don't believe that nationalism has any place in the church.
1. I will appeal to the regulative principle and the idolatrous nature of it.
2. I will share that I have met people who visited our church on July 4 and didn't return because they came to worship Christ, not Christ and the American State.
3. I will share that my wife, who is Brazilian, when I asked her how it made her feel, said "That's just how Americans are."
4. I will share that I would not dream of inviting my unbelieving friends to church on a Lord's Day where I knew we would be mixing nationalism with the worship of God.
I hope I don't offend anyone here on PB. I especially have no quarrel with veterans; many in my family have served in the military, including my brother currently. I just don't believe that nationalism has any place in the church.