From: Timothy D. Manning – timanning1@gmail.com
Date: Sat, Jul 24, 2010
Subject: Thinking Southern & The (new) American Patriot’s Bible
Dear Friends of the South,
There is a great and largely unconscious confusion in the United States about 1) the nature of patriotism and nationalism, 2) the relationship of a citizen to his representative government, 3) the relationship of a State government to that of the central federal government and 4) the relationship of churches, Christianity and Christians to both the State and federal governments. These authorities and ideas have become dangerously joined and co-mingled. The result brings us to a position that has divinised (given the highest level of authority to) the government, particularly the federal level of government, and to a continuous flow of self-justification concerning nearly every turn of events about the authority, powers, actions and decisions of the U.S. central government. Government "of" the people and "by" the people has devolved to government "over" the people. This is not just a play on words.
The United States is now nearly the only country in the world in which its subjects or citizens "want" to pledge their personal allegiance to their central government. Even some Christians place their hands over their hearts to perform their pledge of faithfulness to their central government. This is a very recent historical phenomena. To question anything about this practice is nearly to commit immediate public political suicide. Churches have actually excommunicated longstanding and faithful members of their congregations over their refusal to repeat the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance in their church services on dedicated July the 4th or on Memorial Day services. Echoing through the halls of time I can just picture the early apostles reactions had some enthusiastic Roman tried to flag the Roman Eagle in a first century synagogue or church. A sense of the "Holy" is becoming increasingly obscured in western Christian churches and in their doctrines.
Most States now fly the national United States flag "over" their State flags flying over their capital buildings which indicates that the States are no longer free, sovereign and independent, but rather a vassal to a higher ruling government. The States also fly the U.S. national flag in the superior position to their State flag in the halls of government and in their court rooms where State laws are being administered. This also is a very recent historical phenomena. The States since 1865 are to the U.S. federal government more like a county is to its State government. The States are now the servants of their central government rather than having their central government as their servant exercising only powers delegated to them by the States. There is no longer a check on federal power and authority. It used to be the States that limited federal overreaching of its delegated authority. This is also a relatively new practice that the Founders of the united States would have found offensive.
Many consider the most offensive practice today is that churches fly the United States flag in the "superior" position with the Christian flag in the "interior" position inside of their houses of worship meaning that the highest authority of that church is not God but rather the newly divinised government of the United States of America. Such a practice would have been seen by Christians living in empires of the past as blasphemy against their God. They would not have had a national flag in their churches at all much less have flown it in a superior position to the symbol of the Cross of Christ. Many now believe that such church denominations and pastors are no longer morally or spiritually qualified to offer a legitimate opinion on the relationship of church and state. These churches are quiescently compliant to the centralised state.
A new book titled The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance: A Sacred Prayer to a Secular Power considers just what is a reasonable assessment of the above commonly accepted practices in the United States of America. The book also contains a large Appendix that presents U.S. laws and regulations regarding the proper display and handling of a State or national flag and how ceremonies should be conducted where such flags are utilised and honoured. Flag protocols have also been obscured during the last 50-100 years. This paperback flag resource and history of the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance can be ordered for $19.95 plus $3.99 for shipping. Make the check payable to "Tim Manning" and send to: TSPR, c/o Tim Manning, 160 Longbridge Drive, Kernersville, North Carolina 27284. Or purchase at www.thesouthernpartisan.com.
This weeks attached essay is a thought provoking assessment of the new American Patriot’s Bible: The Word of God and the Shaping of America by Lawrence M. Vance.
May God bless you as you read.
Deo Vindice.
—
Timothy D. Manning, M.Div
Executive Director
www.TheSouthernPartisan.com
160 Longbridge Drive
Kernersville, North Carolina 27284
Phone: (336) 420-5355
Email: tim@thesouthernpartisan.com
The essay file below is in PDF format. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer to view this document. CLICK HERE to download a free version of this software. If you already have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can click on the link below, then when it opens, click "Save A Copy". NOTE: The PDF will open in a separate window.
