The DNA of Independence Day

Overheard:

“Well Clive, here we are, another July 4^th. How are you going to celebrate?”

“It’s so hot Clyde, I don’t think we’re doing much, probably staying at home after the parade. July 4^th isn’t as simple as it used to be for me.”

“What do you mean it isn’t as simple? It still falls between the 3^rd and 5^th of July, they haven’t changed the date the way they have Memorial Day.”

“I mean that there is a tension in Independence Day for me. When I was growing up it was simple, we were an oppressed people and we fought for our freedom. When I was a young man it was still simple, the British weren’t treating us right, were taxing us without our consent, and when we protested they garrisoned Boston with soldiers and one thing led to another and “bang!” we had Lexington and Concord.

“But then a few years ago I got to thinking about our DNA, about the legacy of being a people who founded a nation by rebelling against a duly constituted government – and I was especially thinking about this from a Biblical point-of-view. Even when it comes to what is called “Just War Theory” I don’t recall taxation being ranked as a reason for war, not to mention rebellion.”

“Does this mean you aren’t going to the parade Clive?”

“No Clyde, it doesn’t mean that. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love this nation. It doesn’t mean that I’m not patriotic; I guess it does mean that I’m learning to read history through the lens of Romans 3:23: we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, all individuals have sinned and all peoples have sinned and all nations have sinned – and to white wash the history of my country is akin to white washing my own life, it is akin to pretending that I’ve never sinned – that is denial of the worst kind.”

“Can’t we just watch James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy and call it a day with the philosophy?”

“Now there’s a good point Clyde, why even the way the personal life of George M. Cohan is portrayed in the movie is far from the truth – but as long as it makes us feel good who cares? And I think the way we treat history can be like that, as long as it makes us feel good, or achieves some contemporary political end, who cares if it is the whole story?

“We are known for our individualism, but is that good? And is that the truth? As a professing follower of Jesus Christ I’m taught that while I have a personal relationship with God that I am to live out that personal relationship in community – I am not to live for myself but for God and others. And the individualism may have some myth to it in the sense that the average American doesn’t have as much control as he thinks he has in many respects, but that is a less important thing to me – the myth is what is important because it is part of our national consciousness, our DNA, and it informs the way many of us think about life –why even how Christians think about Christ and their own lives – they usually see themselves as in control rather than viewing themselves as slaves of Christ.”

“Clive, I haven’t even had my coffee yet and you’re throwing all this at me.”

“Sorry. But think about it; is taxation worth a war? Is taxation worth rebelling against duly constituted authority? Plus, it wasn’t as if the population thought revolution was the thing to do, it wasn’t even that 50 percent of the population agreed with the rebellion. Perhaps this was just one more civil war in the history of England, but this time it was fought away from the British Isles and its result was a new nation? And it wasn’t only the British government that was engaged in coercion prior to Lexington and Concord, the Sons of Liberty throughout the Colonies made life rough for agents of the Crown and those who expressed loyalty to England.”

“Are you sure you’re coming to the parade?”

“Yes I’m coming. Don’t get me wrong – I get teary when I think of the farmers gathering at Lexington and Concord, or the Continentals at Valley Forge, or think of Trenton in a cold December; and I can get sick when I think of the atrocities that Tarleton perpetrated on colonists. That’s one of the tensions of history – there is the personal thread of the story as well as the political thread, the philosophical thread, and the religious thread; and goodness knows there are more threads. But what I celebrate I must also ponder and critically consider – especially as a follower of Jesus Christ for my primary citizenship is in heaven.”

“Look Clive, I’ve got to get some coffee. Can we pick this back up at Panera?”

“Sure Clyde.”