God or Country?

(3 of 3)

I thought about that phrase "than is underestood by secular Americans to be the basis of the cultural contract." It reminded me that for a percentage of the population, the Declaration of Independence and Constitution have additional, divine signatories; and that if you take it seriously — and they do — it lends a whole new meaning to the term Original Intent.

Finally, I brought up France. Not the rioting part; just that its "Muslim first" numbers were roughly comparable to America's "Christian first" figures. Mohler picked up the gauntlet.

"This is anecdotal," he said conversationally, "but in recent weeks there have been a number of stories in the British press about British Muslims and youth being more committed to Islam than to Britain. And I looked at all that outrage and thought, 'what in the world does it say about Christians in Great Britain that they appear so perplexed by this? You would certainly have to hope that Christians in Britain would understand that they, too would have a higher allegiance than to Crown and kingdom."

It sounds like tolerance, but it's not — since the allegiances are to two different Gods. It's something else, a common meta-citizenship upholding the primacy of theology, held by theologically opposed parties. A meta-citizenship it turns out I'm not interested in holding.

So I guess I'll go buy myself an "American First" bumper sticker. Who knew I was such a patriot?