God Bless America?

[Charlie Monoxide]

Can someone help me out with this ubiquitous phrase I see everywhere? What exactly does it mean? In my cynical way I see it as "god bless us Americans and screw everyone else!" Heck, even the pope was quoted as saying it to Bush when he visited the Vatican. Apparently it is also a rousing jingoistic song as well.


Charlie (I'll help you out, the door is over there) Monoxide

[Skeptical Greg]

Maybe the way he blessed his ' chosen people ' ?

[RCNelson]

It's just something people say when America sneezes. :D

[Houngan]

Originally posted by Charlie Monoxide
Can someone help me out with this ubiquitous phrase I see everywhere? What exactly does it mean? In my cynical way I see it as "god bless us Americans and screw everyone else!" Heck, even the pope was quoted as saying it to Bush when he visited the Vatican. Apparently it is also a rousing jingoistic song as well.


Charlie (I'll help you out, the door is over there) Monoxide

The problem, as you say, is your cynical outlook. When Tiny Tim says, "God bless us, every one!" He's referring to those at the table with him, but in no way do you watch the movie and think, "How selfish to only ask for the blessing of his family!"

Quit being negative, Nelly.

H.

[Beleth]

Originally posted by Houngan
When Tiny Tim says, "God bless us, every one!" He's referring to those at the table with him, but in no way do you watch the movie and think, "How selfish to only ask for the blessing of his family!" I think that coming out of the mouth of a child, "God bless us" has an entirely different connotation than when it comes out of the mouth of the President. Or when it appears on the bumper sticker of a car.

It goes along with the distasteful way winners of sporting events thank God for their victory. As if God would choose sides over something as trivial as that.

[fishbait]

Originally posted by Beleth

It goes along with the distasteful way winners of sporting events thank God for their victory. As if God would choose sides over something as trivial as that. [/B]

While I'm sure that some athletes truly believe that God has chosen his or her side, have you considered that some are thanking God not for the victory but for the skils and abilities that
made the victory possible? Is it distasteful to be appreciative of the strength and agility with which one has been endowed regardless of the source? While I do not know for sure where my abilities come from, I am grateful for them nontheless.

A friend of mine, who I would characterize as a serious underacheiver, was recently complaining that he had difficulty making a living wage. Another friend, who is New Age in his thinking, remarked that "the universe will provide". As I rolled my eyes at this remark, I was called a cynic for not believing that the stuff we need somehow just appears like manna from heaven. I explained that, yes, the universe does provide, but in a more subtle way than either of these guys believed. The universe provides us with arms and legs and eyes and ears and brains so that we can work and play and reproduce and build and chop wood and carry water. Everything HAS been provided but it is up to us to make sense out of it all and do what we have to do, given our abilities.

In this sense I am thankful for my fingers that enable me to press on the strings of my guitar and make music, my abilty to speak, my strength to till the garden. Regardless of where this comes from, I am grateful.

When I hear the words "God bless America", I feel that many people are reaffirming their hope that we wisely use what has been provided as we work for the common good of everyone. To interpret the phrase as an appeal to favor Americans over any other nation is not, in my opinion, the intent of it. The reasonable believer will pray "God, grant me strength to do what I must do" not "Dear God, please do the work for me 'cause I'm tired and don't feel like it just now".

[Yahweh]

In the 60s, the phrase "God Bless America" and "In God We Trust" started to appear all over our money and govermental buildings. Why? Because during that time, America was very paranoid over the actions of the Russians (the "Godless Commies"). Nobody wanted to be associated with communists. To be openly atheist was considered sympathizing with communists. Well, of course no political figure wants to do that. All of America suddenly became reborn UberChristians. Since then, the 2 phrases have stuck.

[Charlie Monoxide]

In the 60s, the phrase "God Bless America" and "In God We Trust" started to appear all over our money and govermental buildings. Why? Because during that time, America was very paranoid over the actions of the Russians (the "Godless Commies").

Okay, let's just say I agree to the "why" you stated above. My initial question is "what does it mean".

Thanks ....

Charlie (what is what) Monoxide

[crocodile deathroll]

Intrinsically, America is really no more "blessed" than Bangladesh. I find is extremely irrational, nationalistic and arrogant to think the one country in the world has be chosen by a god to be a sanctuary for his chosen and any other foreigners are really expendable and is less than human. Belief in such nationalist theology only serves to do the US extreme harm, and may ultimately be its downfall.

[TwoShanks]

Not that I want to perpetuate the idea that all Americans are god-bothering zealots, but I recently saw a BBC TV report claiming that a study showed a majority of Americans believe that "God has set aside a special place for America". Struck me as a bit arrogant, but I imagine the "special place" somehow involved outlasting the Godless Commie scum..

[KS_SKEPTIC]

Originally posted by Charlie Monoxide
Can someone help me out with this ubiquitous phrase I see everywhere? What exactly does it mean? In my cynical way I see it as "god bless us Americans and screw everyone else!" Heck, even the pope was quoted as saying it to Bush when he visited the Vatican. Apparently it is also a rousing jingoistic song as well.


Charlie (I'll help you out, the door is over there) Monoxide

:wink8:

:rolleyes:

[Jet Grind]

I think it means just what it means, God bless america.

I take it about as seriously as "May the tooth fairy watch over us."

[Charlie Monoxide]

Thanks all for the replies. I too have always felt it was an arrogant catch-phrase. It seems somewhat sinister in that it is everywhere in the states. I feel that most Americans have never given the phrase a second thought. I'm not sure of the history of it, but it feels like something that might have came out of the WW II (or I).

Charlie (Sgt Rock is going to save me - XTC) Monoxide

[thaiboxerken]

Originally posted by Charlie Monoxide
What exactly does it mean?

It means that theists decided that the USA is a christian nation and has decided to pass acts that assert their position.

[SteveW]

Im suprised no one has thought of where the phrase came from. It was immediately a huge hit from an Irving Berlin musical from about 1910 (?). Sorry, I don't remember the title (some crazy thing like Boom LaLa Looza or something like that).

And no one sang it better than Kate Smith.

[Roadtoad]

Originally posted by KS_SKEPTIC


:wink8:

:rolleyes:

LOL!!!:roll:

[TexasBEAST]

1. In the song, it's the religious reaction to good stuff. "God musta dun blessed us, cuz we gots all kinds o' good stuff up in hea'." Seeing the active hand of God in life is like seeing Britney Spears' naked body in the clouds. You wish!

2. In the political rhetoric jingo:
a. In some small number of cases, it's a plead. "Bless us God by comforting us as we get through this tough time."
b. But mostly, it's just a catchy polysyllabic end to a speech. "And God bless the United States of America!"

(Incidentally, the Founders rejected the notion of the divine right of kings taught in the Bible when they rebelled against the English Crown and founded this country. They believed that a country stood or fell on the strength of its people--not on the strength of any would-be "blessings". Unfortunately, in only a short time after the Nation began, revisionists began this nonsense about America being a chosen people and freedom a blessing from God, Manifest Destiny, the White-man's burden, etc. etc. ...)