I understand some of you may disagree with this post. That is why I am thankful we live in such a wonderful country where we have the freedom to agree to disagree.
According to the Library of Congress, America’s unofficial national anthem was composed by an immigrant who left his home in Siberia for America when he was only five years old. The original version of “God Bless America” was written by Irving Berlin (1888-1989) during the summer of 1918 at Camp Upton, located in Yaphank, Long Island, for his Ziegfeld-style revue, Yip, Yip, Yaphank. “Make her victorious on land and foam, God Bless America…” ran the original lyric. However, Berlin decided that the solemn tone of “God Bless America” was somewhat out of keeping with the more comedic elements of the show and the song was laid aside.
In the fall of 1938, as war was again threatening Europe, Berlin decided to write a “peace” song. He recalled his “God Bless America” from twenty years earlier and made some alterations to reflect the different state of the world. Singer Kate Smith introduced the revised “God Bless America” during her radio broadcast on Armistice Day, 1938. The song was an immediate sensation.
One minister recently stated in the Washington Post that he did not rise for the singing of God Bless America at a ballgame because he didn’t “have to”. He stated that being pressured to stand up at a ballgame for a song that seemed like a prayer was essentially “un-American”.
James P. Marsh Jr. said, “I’m reminded of the admonition not to pray just to be seen by others. More important, though, I’m concerned that this is a myopic way to exercise faith. I imagine that the God I believe in isn’t interested in dispensing special nationalistic blessings. (Or, perhaps more to the point, blessings for our bullpen, error-free fielding and sufficient run support.) When we ask for blessings to be bestowed only on “us,” we are in danger of seeing ourselves as set apart from the world. Faith is global, and one nation doesn’t get any more or less of God than any other.”
I would agree with Mr. Marsh that Jesus probably doesn’t really care about how many home runs are going to be hit and how many RBI’s there are at the end of the game. But asking God to bless America doesn’t mean we do not want Him to bless any other country. Faith IS global and my God is NO respecter of persons.
I want Him to bless our country and I want Him to bless the world with revival! We are desperate for it! America DOES need God! We desperately need Him!
It is anyone’s right to stand or sit through any song, prayer or anthem whenever they choose. Even a minister. This is America. But it is also our right to enjoy these privileges such as the National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America. They are a part of our heritage Mr. Marsh, and what once had made our nation great.
When we start sitting down because a prayer was “un-American” we are just all mixed up.
I think it’s time we stood up.
