Recording Artist Sufjan Stevens is making waves across the world today, but not radio waves. In a powerful post, the singer-songwriter, who is also a well-known born-again Christian, broached the subject of America as (decidedly NOT) being a “Christian nation.”
Stevens’ “mini-sermon” is centered upon “breaking down why it’s theologically problematic to conflate patriotism and nationalism with Christianity.” Partial quotes from the excerpt include Stevens announcing that,
“You cannot pledge allegiance to a nation state and its flag in the name of God, for God has no political boundary. God is love, period.”
The artist continues on the subject, declaring boldly that, “A ‘Christian Nation’ is absolutely heretical,” and that “Christ did not come into this world to become a modifier. Look at what happened to the Holy Roman Empire.”
By utilizing such emotionally and connotatively charged words as “heretical,” Stevens makes no bones about unapologetically taking his stance on what he sees as “corrupt theological fear-mongering.” He argues that “To gain access to true love and true self, you must die to yourself, to your family, your heritage, your narrow-minded ideology, your ego, your ill-conditioned consciousness, and your false identity ...You must eradicate all the corrupt theological fear-mongering they preach from the pulpit and from behind the political podium.”
No comments:
Post a Comment