While on our mission trip, several youth admitted they were struggling with their faith. What quickly became clear was that it was not "faith" they were struggling with, but rather "religion" and the Church as institution. They firmly believed in following the way of Jesus, but they were skeptical that this is what we are asked to do in our churches. I wonder that they might relate to the words of this song:
I dont need to be a global citizen
Because Im blessed by nationality
Im member of a growing populace
We enforce our popularity
There are things that
Seem to pull us under
And there are things
That drag us down
But theres a power
And a vital presence
Thats lurking all around
Weve got the american jesus
See him on the interstate
Weve got the american jesus
He helped build the
Presidents estate
I feel sorry
For the earths population
cuz so few
Live in the u.s.a.
At least the foreigners
Can copy our morality
They can visit but they cannot stay
Only precious few
Can garner the prosperity
It makes us walk
With renewed confidence
Weve got a place to go when we die
And the architect resides right here
Weve got the american jesus
Overwhelming millions every day
(exercising his authority)
Hes the farmers barren fields
The force the army wields
The expession in the faces
Of the starving children
The power of the man
Hes the fuel that drives the clan
Hes the motive and conscience
Of the murderer
Hes the preacher on t.v.
The false sincerity
The form letter thats written
By the big computers
Hes the nuclear bombs
And the kids with no moms
And Im fearful that
Hes inside me
1 comments:
This song is important because it ties many different complicatedissues together in a fabric that makes sense, but it doesn't spell it out, you have to think about it. It addresses, Globalization, Nationality, Poverty, Religious power structures, media, basic social problems and war. The song does not blame Christianity alone for these things, but claims that they are a result of a conglomerateion of functionally interrelated elements of society which do create it. The significance of American Jesus is that religion is part of of and protects this superstructe. I find this truth to be inescapable.
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