As published in the Newport (TN) Plain Talk
Jul 7, 2011
Column Number: FM 1127
“UH; WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?”
Unless you have been living under a rock somewhere, you probably just might accidently know that there is a current controversy raging over those extremely inciting words “Under God” in the Pledge to our ‘Murican Flag.
When I was a kid (a hundred years ago, it seems), we recited that pledge in school; and – oh my, hide the children – the teachers led us! I started school in 1947 at the Dayton, Tennessee City School; “Miss Rose” was my teacher; and although I don’t remember nothin she learned me (especially English as a first language); I do vaguely remember standing and facing the flag and repeating some words after her. I learned later that these were the words we recited:
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America; and to the republic for which it stands; one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all”.
Now, I’m not going to tell I actually remember leaving out the words, “Under God”; but I know we did because those words weren’t added to the Pledge until 1954; and I am certain Mrs. Wade Butcher taught us seventh graders to add those two little words in the Pledge as were recited it. For your information, a simple Internet search to Wikipedia reveals several changes to the Pledge since its first use in 1892, as written by Francis Bellamy:
(Original) "I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
(Revised in 1892) "I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
(Revised by the National Flag Conference in 1923) "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
(Revised in 1924) "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands; one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
(Revised in 1954) "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." (Please note the comma after “God”, but not after “nation”. There should be no pause after the word, “nation”.)
According to the Flag Code (latest edition), the Pledge “should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present and not in uniform may render the military salute. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute”.
The phrase, “under God” was basically taken from a quote in President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863; but I think it goes back even further than that.
Are you aware that the National Anthem actually has four verses; and the last one has a line that says: Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: "In God is our trust”.
So, you can see that phrases like “The Power (God, no doubt) that has made and preserved us a nation” and “In God is our trust” have been around since Francis Scott Key penned those lines after seeing the flag still flying after the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore during September, 1814.
By the way, that line “In God is our trust”, goes back way further than 1814. Those words are taken from Scripture:
(Psalm 20:7) – “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God” and (Psalm 56:11) – “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me”
Those words became the basis for the adoption of our national motto: “In God We Trust”.
That was in itself quite a debate. The phrase had been on U S. coins since 1864; but not on paper money. On July 11, 1954, Congress passed the requirement that “In God We Trust” be printed on all coins (except the penny and nickel, which came later) and all currency. It took two years; but the law was signed by President Eisenhower on July 30, 1956.
Well, this just goes on and on; and I have much more material than can be merely perused in five minutes; so I’ll be back later with some more good stuff you need to know. In the meantime, honor our service men and women; and honor the flag of our great nation “under God”.
Tom Mooty serves as Senior Pastor of Newport’s West End Baptist Church; and can be reached with your comments at tommooty05@comcast. This column can also be accessed on the church’s website: www.webaptistchurch.org (click on “pastor’s blogs”).
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Monday, July 11, 2011
HAPPY 235th BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!
As published in the Newport (TN) Plain Talk
June 30, 2011
Column Number: FM 1126
“HAPPY 235th BIRTHDAY, AMERICA”
Unless you were living under a rock somewhere (or maybe even not born yet), you probably just might accidently remember where you were and what you were doing on July 4th, 1976.
I was in Seminary; and awaiting the famous promise by the premier of one of the world’s conglomerate communist nations that the United States would be “buried by her 200th birthday”.
While we were the “envy” of free peoples everywhere, we were the “enemy” of their governments. Shucks, we could drive from city to city, county to county, even state to state without having to show papers; we could go to either an enormous grocery store or a local “mom and pop” and buy toilet paper and cucumbers any day of the week; and we could fill our gasoline tanks with high quality fuel at every little crossroad along the way.
That’s why we were the peoples’ envy and their government’s enemy.
This experiment in a democratic republic form of government was working. We had a relatively peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next; we could peacefully petition our government; and even walk the halls of our nation’s capitol and leisurely study the multitudes of paintings, documents, statuary, and exhibits that were on display.
People all over the world were literally dying for no other reason than that they were Christian; and we had churches of every shape, size, denomination, and enumeration on every corner. One pastor behind the “Iron Curtain” preached to his underground congregation from one page of Scripture and prayed for seventeen years for somebody to come and tell him what happened on the next page; and we have Gideon Bibles in every motel and hospital room, study Bibles in church pew racks, and several copies of our favorite version in our homes.
Yes, I was waiting on the “big bear shoe banger” (Khrushchev and his successor, Brezhnev) to make good on his promise. I was waiting, knowing it wouldn’t happen; and it didn’t happen. His successor (Gorbachev) subsequently “tore down that wall”; and even came to set up shop within these borders.
Why was that? Why is America so blessed?
Not because of our vast natural resources; the little Dead Sea in Israel has resources enough to almost pay off our national debt with one check.
Not because of our huge size; modern day Russia is so large, it has eleven time zones from here to there.
No! America is blessed because of our Judea-Christian background, our foundation, our “up-bringing”. If you think of it, our basic structure of law is based on the Scriptural law (which can be condensed into Ten Commandments).
We are very patriotic in our church. We unapologetically recite the Pledge of Allegiance (do we include the words, “under God” – oh, please!). We wave the flag and salute the flag and display the flag; and the flags of all five of our military branches. One man (and yes, he was Baptist) took me to task because we are so patriotic, citing allegiance to worldly endeavors, even calling it “idolatry”; and I reminded him that as long as the American Flag waved, the Christian Flag would wave also!
I know we are citizens of heaven; but while we are here, I am so very glad to be a citizen of these United States. I don’t see us building a wall to keep our folks in!
Now, having said all that, I am concerned about our nation. I am concerned about the way we treat our military. I am concerned about the way we are drifting away from our Judea-Christian roots. I am greatly concerned about our changing attitude toward Israel!
You see, while everything else is nice to know and wonderful to enjoy; the mandate to “bless Israel” is Scriptural; and we violate that at our peril. I am concerned about that!
You should be as well; that is if you are patriotic, if you love our country, if you still get a lump in your throat when the National Anthem is performed; when the flag is displayed; when a member of our military walks by (or limps by, or wheelchairs by, or is pushed by a caring care-giver); when you see row after row of little white crosses in military cemeteries; when you hear a firing squad giving a twenty-one gun salute; when you see the missing pilot formation; or the riderless horse with the backward boots; or the names on the wall!
Jesus is coming; of that, we can be assured; but we are told to occupy until He comes; and our free nation is the best platform from which to preach the Gospel to everyone who does not know and has not heard.
God bless America – again, please!
Tom Mooty serves as Senior Pastor of Newport’s West End Baptist Church; and can be reached with your comments at tommooty05@comcast.
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June 30, 2011
Column Number: FM 1126
“HAPPY 235th BIRTHDAY, AMERICA”
Unless you were living under a rock somewhere (or maybe even not born yet), you probably just might accidently remember where you were and what you were doing on July 4th, 1976.
I was in Seminary; and awaiting the famous promise by the premier of one of the world’s conglomerate communist nations that the United States would be “buried by her 200th birthday”.
While we were the “envy” of free peoples everywhere, we were the “enemy” of their governments. Shucks, we could drive from city to city, county to county, even state to state without having to show papers; we could go to either an enormous grocery store or a local “mom and pop” and buy toilet paper and cucumbers any day of the week; and we could fill our gasoline tanks with high quality fuel at every little crossroad along the way.
That’s why we were the peoples’ envy and their government’s enemy.
This experiment in a democratic republic form of government was working. We had a relatively peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next; we could peacefully petition our government; and even walk the halls of our nation’s capitol and leisurely study the multitudes of paintings, documents, statuary, and exhibits that were on display.
People all over the world were literally dying for no other reason than that they were Christian; and we had churches of every shape, size, denomination, and enumeration on every corner. One pastor behind the “Iron Curtain” preached to his underground congregation from one page of Scripture and prayed for seventeen years for somebody to come and tell him what happened on the next page; and we have Gideon Bibles in every motel and hospital room, study Bibles in church pew racks, and several copies of our favorite version in our homes.
Yes, I was waiting on the “big bear shoe banger” (Khrushchev and his successor, Brezhnev) to make good on his promise. I was waiting, knowing it wouldn’t happen; and it didn’t happen. His successor (Gorbachev) subsequently “tore down that wall”; and even came to set up shop within these borders.
Why was that? Why is America so blessed?
Not because of our vast natural resources; the little Dead Sea in Israel has resources enough to almost pay off our national debt with one check.
Not because of our huge size; modern day Russia is so large, it has eleven time zones from here to there.
No! America is blessed because of our Judea-Christian background, our foundation, our “up-bringing”. If you think of it, our basic structure of law is based on the Scriptural law (which can be condensed into Ten Commandments).
We are very patriotic in our church. We unapologetically recite the Pledge of Allegiance (do we include the words, “under God” – oh, please!). We wave the flag and salute the flag and display the flag; and the flags of all five of our military branches. One man (and yes, he was Baptist) took me to task because we are so patriotic, citing allegiance to worldly endeavors, even calling it “idolatry”; and I reminded him that as long as the American Flag waved, the Christian Flag would wave also!
I know we are citizens of heaven; but while we are here, I am so very glad to be a citizen of these United States. I don’t see us building a wall to keep our folks in!
Now, having said all that, I am concerned about our nation. I am concerned about the way we treat our military. I am concerned about the way we are drifting away from our Judea-Christian roots. I am greatly concerned about our changing attitude toward Israel!
You see, while everything else is nice to know and wonderful to enjoy; the mandate to “bless Israel” is Scriptural; and we violate that at our peril. I am concerned about that!
You should be as well; that is if you are patriotic, if you love our country, if you still get a lump in your throat when the National Anthem is performed; when the flag is displayed; when a member of our military walks by (or limps by, or wheelchairs by, or is pushed by a caring care-giver); when you see row after row of little white crosses in military cemeteries; when you hear a firing squad giving a twenty-one gun salute; when you see the missing pilot formation; or the riderless horse with the backward boots; or the names on the wall!
Jesus is coming; of that, we can be assured; but we are told to occupy until He comes; and our free nation is the best platform from which to preach the Gospel to everyone who does not know and has not heard.
God bless America – again, please!
Tom Mooty serves as Senior Pastor of Newport’s West End Baptist Church; and can be reached with your comments at tommooty05@comcast.
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