Of music and idolatry

I’ve taken my political views over to Twitter where I expect everyone to get angry and saved my facebook time for poetry and music, but this is my blog, what some people would call my “safe place,” where I can write what I want. Actually, I’m not even trying to be political here, but I have a rhetorical question (a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer) for y’all: what exactly is being worshipped here? I try to understand and respect other’s belief systems. My own faith is Christian, and in that faith the only one deserving of worship is God, the triune God, existing in three consubstantial entities, one of them is Jesus. I do not and will not practice the idolatry inherent in this song. Christians are called to worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, not the flag, not a political slogan, not some nostalgic vision of the country we are fortunate to inhabit. I am a patriot. I served my country by protecting the men and women of our armed services. I am proud of my country, but I refuse to worship my country. I do not believe that God has a special place in his incomprehensible love that He reserves only for Americans. I believe He loves the world and everyone in it. For those of you who need scriptural evidence, I offer the words of John 3:16. I’m practicing great restraint in avoiding musical criticism of this song because I’m heeding the words of my Lord as recorded in John 8:7, ” “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone…”