I Spell God With Stars And Stripes
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 by admin | Posted in Unconventional Thinking | Comments
When I was a boy, my parents introduced me to organized religion. It didn’t go well. From the start, it became clear that I wasn’t big on anything “organized.”
Through the years however, I searched for the great value religion brings: something grander and greater than yourself to believe in. I always believed in God, but never in the flawed men and women who stood at the lectern and pretended to be His messenger.
I wasn’t proud of this nor did it make me feel right or wrong. It left me with a hole others could fill by putting on a suit and spending an hour at a house of worship once a week. I had no such rock to cling to.
But then, out of nowhere, in an oddly divine way, it came to me: America is my religion. Its freedom, its beauty, its exceptionalism, all come together in something I put my faith in, my heart in, my pride in.
Yes, I am more than an American. I am an “American-ist.” I am devoted to this nation, proud to be its defender, eager to crush its detractors. In its roots, it is freedom of religion, free enterprise–a big-hearted land of unlimited opportunity, soaring mountains, wild ambitions, powerful resolve and a potent ability to change course and correct its malfunctions (as it will soon do once again).
I know America is not and was never perfect but that is not the test. It is gorgeous and kind, strong and magnificent, inventive and immaculate. It is what I belive in. It is what I know was founded by leaders who knew they were engaging in a grand experiment. An experiment that thousands have given their lives for. An experiment that gave us a constitution, that produces
food for the world, that imagined Hollywood, that is still the bedrock of global finance, that conjures up dreams of success in destitute villages across the globe, that gave birth to automobiles, polio vaccines, Lincoln, Hemingway, motion pictures, lightbulbs, Google and Apple.
America is not just another country. It is a magnificent creation, imagined and defended by its people, yes, but more so, by a force greater than even its most passionate believers.
It is my religion. I spell God with stars and stripes.
Amen.
Mark Stevens
CEO
MSCO | The Art and Science of Growing Businesses
www.MSCO.com
www.YourMarketingSucks.com
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August 30th, 2012 at 7:50 am
[...] by business guru and writer Mark Stevens. Here’s its original publication (on line edition): http://www.msco.com/blog/i-spell-god-with-stars-and-stripes/. (I’m typing this in Word and it’s hyperlinked; if that doesn’t show up when I copy and paste [...]
August 30th, 2012 at 9:01 am
[...] by business guru and writer Mark Stevens. Here’s its original publication (on line edition):http://www.msco.com/blog/i-spell-god-with-stars-and-stripes/. (I’m typing this in Word and it’s hyperlinked; if that doesn’t show up when I copy and paste [...]
September 1st, 2012 at 3:03 am
[...] biblical world religion. The others being Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Related: here’s a scary post from a best selling author and businessman who basically admits that America is his [...]
September 10th, 2012 at 8:01 am
[...] openly idolatrous in their worship of country. A good example is Mark Stevens’ article “I spell God with stars and stripes.” But I don’t know if idolatry is always as easily seen as in that [...]
November 28th, 2012 at 1:11 am
Hi! I’ve been reading your web site for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Humble Texas! Just wanted to say keep up the great work!