Singing Patriotic Songs in Church

admin · Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 2:04 pm Post subject: Singing Patriotic Songs in Church

Was wondering how you all felt about this. I think it's a little odd to sing patriotic songs in church, because Christianity shouldn't be involved with dividing country borders, it transcends borders.

Yet many churches sing patriotic songs, mine included. For memorial day we did God Bless America which is actually in the hymn book. I think the words were altered a bit in the hymnal.

Right after 9/11 I know a music director at a Catholic church who refused to play God Bless America when it came up in the service. He felt strongly it was inappropriate.

I side with him, but not enough to raise a stink about it too much.

P1234567890 · Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 2:08 pm Post subject:

I agree that patriotic songs have no place in Church, but there is a long and proud tradition of doing this.

People always think that God loves their country the most. Whenever a war is waged, both sides always claim that God is on their side, even if (especially if?) it's a war between two Christian countries.

In other words, there's nothing new going on in your church...

theseldomscene · Banned Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 7817

patriotic songs in church?....absolutely not...and never should a CHRISTian pledge to the flag....

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6650 Location: USA

Hmmmm...

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

I'm wondering if it is so much a patriotic song as it is a prayer of intercession?

P1234567890 · Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:32 pm Post subject:

FFT · Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject:

This is a lttle prayer dedicated to the separation of church and state. I guess if they are going to force those kids to pray in schools they might as well have a nice prayer like this:

Our Father who art in heaven, and to the republic for which it stands, thy kingdom come, one nation indivisible as in heaven, give us this day as we forgive those who so proudly we hail. Crown thy good into temptation but deliver us from the twilight's last gleaming.
Amen and Awomen.

-George Carlin

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6650 Location: USA

P, you are completely wrong, in so many ways...

Ana · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:36 pm Post subject:

Here is something I've been wondering about:

If you have a family, do you pray in church for God to keep them safe, bless them, save them, or help them?

I think that lots of people do this. So if you feel strongly about your whole country, would it make sense to pray for it in church? If that's okay, then isn't it okay to sing your prayers aloud, if the other people there also feel strongly about their country?

I wonder if it's such a weird thing after all...

Flashman · Pit Bull Joined: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 371 Location: MO

AMK · Kitten Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 133 Location: Norway

Good question Smile

personaly I think its ok as long as the song does not contain words that pull another land down or insult another land. If you are proud of the land that God has you living in, then by all means sing about it and thank God for the wonderfull land he has let you live in.

In England you often here people in church, Sing: There always be an England. There proud of there country and thankful to God for it, But at the same time it ofends many scottish,Irish and welsh people because it apears to leave them out of it. Scotland solved that proplem in 1920 when the corries wrote Flower of Scotland, which many scots today sing, But the song pulls down the english. Happily I have seldom heard this song in church.

Mattathias · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:19 pm Post subject:

Every hymn I sing in church is a patriotic song. (The key, in my opinion, is in defining which kingdom we are singing about. Mine is the kingdom of God.)