"Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me."
Obviously, the United States of America has its issues. I am concerned for the future as political and corporate corruption, reckless fiscal policies and incompetent or inept government gains power. Our history as a nation is not all that clean either. We've done some things that all of us should be embarrassed by and ashamed of. The same can be said of any nation or ethos.
As I stop, along with basically everyone else in America, to remember the events of September 11, 2001 and honor the memories of those who were killed and those who gave their lives to save others, my thoughts gravitate toward two truths about America and about God that the enemies of each should never lose sight of.
The Rod.
History records events in broad strokes. The World History article about 9/11 that will show up in textbooks 50 years from now will say something like, "Islamic fanatics, through an organization called Al Queda, attacked the United States by destroying the World Trade Center, killing 5,000 innocent people in the process. The United States responded by strategically dismantling two (or maybe three depending on Pakistan's near term fate) countries that harbored and aided Al Queda operatives known as terrorists."
I know that there has been much squabbling and grandstanding about the war on terror, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and US foreign policy overall. I am very proud of our military, and our resolve. Our enemies should be as afraid as we should be proud. Osama bin Laden characterized himself as the man who would inflict judgement on the U.S. As a result, he lived like a rat for 10 years until we finally found him and blew his fucking head off. The next sorry SOB that wants to live that life, please step forward. Seal Team Six will be more than happy to accommodate you.
If there is no God, there is no point to being his enemy. Therefore those who rebel so proudly and openly against God and what he stands for gain nothing by their hostile words and actions toward him. If there is a God, hostility toward him should be tempered by the knowledge that even the hostility exists because of his benevolence.
The preceding three paragraphs represent 10% of my thoughts.
The Staff
The other 90% of my heart and mind today are about the distinctive and unprecedented good that the United States and Americans impute to the rest of the world. How much food did Al Queda send to Japan or Haiti during the natural disasters that did so much damage? The USA, and Americans from every walk of life, contribute more in terms of humanitarian aid, financial help, educational outreaches, medical assistance, etc. to third world, underdeveloped, war torn and disaster ravaged countries than any other nation in the history of man.
Overall, it really is our heart to be a help and a blessing to the rest of the world. Desiring to do good things for hurting people, all kinds of aid organizations from missionary outreaches to secular institutions impact practically every country on the planet. And, though the tactics are not always beyond criticism, the intent is genuine and sincere. I am very proud of this aspect of our society and our people.
Our enemies (be they militant terrorists or corrupt politicians) should understand that their efforts to destroy us are efforts to destroy a powerful force for very good in the world at large. Their efforts and their disdain for all that we are doing and everything we stand for are inappropriate. We are a nation of good hearted people who express that goodness every day in every corner of this planet.
God, and all that he stands for and represents, is good. What do his enemies hope to accomplish by opposing this goodness? What do they offer to replace it with?
I am proud of our nation, even considering all of its faults, and of God, even considering thee erroneous and misguided ways of some who claim to represent him. I am comforted by the rod and staff, the power and the goodness of both. Let the enemies of each be ashamed and confounded, for their efforts are self defeating.