UNDER GOD – people – UNDER GOD!

A few days ago during NBC’s coverage of the US open NBC aired a tribute to soldiers.  During that tribute they captured voices of children reciting the pledge of allegiance. 

So far, no big deal.

During the editing process they cut the words “under God” out of the recording in effect removing them from the pledge.

Within minutes NBC began receiving hundreds upon hundreds of phone calls.  This prompted an immediate, on the air apology and a press response in which NBC claimed it was a simple oversight.

Well – I do not believe it was an oversight – I believe it was 100% intentional.  I also believe they did not expect the outrage that followed.

They made a huge mistake.

A few days later I was asked a simple question by a friend of mine.  He asked “were you more offended as a Christian or as an American."  He then said, “you can only pick one.”

For me, the offense was to my patriotism as an American.  In my heart I know and believe there is a God.  He has a name and I worship him.  It is not my place to ram that down your throat.

Now – if you do not share the belief of a God, or if you think this issue is a merger of church and state, I am going to invite you to take a deep breath and read a little farther. 

GOD is important.

Lets start with some simple facts:

First – the words “under God” are not specific to a specific God.  Is it the Muslim God?  Is it the Jewish God?  Is it Jehovah?  Is it Allah?  Is it Buddha?  Is it Jesus?

Second - the words “under God” are specific to the concept of a higher being, a creator.  Simply put, the words give credence to the ideal that our FREEDOM and our LIBERTY are granted to us from an higher source of power than mere men.

Consider this, if there is no concept of God, a higher power, or a creator who has granted us certain rights, then our freedom and liberty are only temporary to the ruling class or the government at hand.

This country – LIKE IT OR NOT – was founded on the premise that our FREEDOM and LIBERTY were given as a grant of rights from a creator who was out of the reach of mankind.  Thus, one man or a group of men, cannot take the LIBERTY and FREEDOM of another man against his will for the purpose of service to the ruling class or the government.

To remove God from the pledge is A MAJOR STEP in eroding the idea that freedom and liberty are rights granted to us by a creator or something out of the reach of mankind. 

IT IS DANGEROUS GROUND to remove the “concept” of a creator who has endowed us with rights. 

IT IS DANGEROUS GROUND for us to allow those thoughts to be chiseled away.

Why? Because if a man or a ruling class can remove God or the Creator from the driver’s seat of granting freedom and liberty, then that same man or group of men can take control and deny us those rights based on their personal desires and what they believe to best for the good of the whole.

YOUR FOUNDING FATHERS DID SOMETHING BRILLIANT BY IDENTIYING A CREATOR AND PLACING OWNERSHIP OF FREEDOM AND LIBERTY IN HIS HANDS.

Simply put, if we share the idea that we are granted freedom and liberty from a creator, then mankind is not granted the right to take them away. 

CHANGE THAT THOUGHT,  TAKE GOD OUT and THE RULING CLASS CAN TAKE CONTROL.

So, if you are struggling with the concept of God in the pledge, please realize that it has vast consequences to remove it.

For those of you who know history, I will be disappointed if I don’t hear from you about those words.

So – what did I do about about NBC.  Simple – I bought a dishwasher this weekend and it was not ,made by General Electric.  There will be no more purchases of GE products in my home again – ever.

And by the way, I am sure George Bush was the lead editor of the NBC tribute.