Christian college lifts 116 year ban on Star Spangled Banner

[applecorped]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100220/ap_on_re_us/us_star_spangled_college

GOSHEN, Ind. – For more than a century, there was no playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Goshen College — a small Christian college with ties to the Mennonite Church.
That's about to change. For the first time in the school's history, Goshen College will play an instrumental version of the national anthem before many campus sporting events.
The decision to reverse the ban on the anthem is aimed at making students and visitors outside the faith feel more welcome, but it has roiled some at the 1,000-student college who feel the song undermines the church's pacifist message and puts love for country above love for God.
Since college President Jim Brenneman announced the decision in January, about 900 people have joined the Facebook group "Against Goshen College Playing National Anthem," hundreds have signed an online petition protesting the move and letters sent to administrators and the campus newspaper have overwhelmingly voiced opposition to the change.

[shuize]

I understand Vicksburg, Mississippi is celebrating the Fourth of July again, too.

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

For once, I'm on the Mennonites' side. There is no reason for the national anthem to play before a sporting event. Maybe if the USA is playing against another country, yes, as in the Olympics but when Lancaster High is playing against Harrisburg? Why? How is basketball at all patriotic?

And the song is rather violent, that's true. If their church and college denounces violence as a policy and places religion above loyalty to countries and governments of any kind, they shouldn't play the song.

[Psi Baba]

Hmm, I wonder what their position on removing the phrase "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance is.

[Fnord]

"Christian college lifts 116 year ban on Star Spangled Banner"

Well, that's ... uhh ... progress, I guess ... the song is all about drugs, anyway ... or sex ... or not ... whatever ...