This commentary may offend or upset some of you.  It is not my intention to upset or offend, just to challenge you to think and examine our nation's attitude.

I was driving to church recently and listening to my wife's southern gospel radio show.  There was a song playing about how much of a shame it is that people are trying to take God out of schools and off our money and out of the Pledge of Allegiance.  I began to think about these things and actually started to feel that I did not care if God was taken out of these things. 

I know this may be a shock, but I really am not concerned with God being listed on our money; in fact, I am almost in agreement that His holy name should be removed from our money.  The line “in God we trust” is really a lie for most people using the money.  It is a lie for our nation to have that line on the money when we do not trust in God in the reality of living. 

I have noticed this Christmas season how flippantly television shows throw around the name of Jesus, like it is just any other name.  What is happening is that they are using God's name in vain and breaking the third commandment. Exodus 20:7 “ Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Taking God's name in vain is not just using it as a curse; it is using it any time when we don't really mean it.  If someone says “thank God” and does not truly mean it, that is using His name in vain.

When we see someone like Christina Aguilera singing disgusting songs one night and beautiful Christmas hymns another night, it is obvious that she does not truly understand or believe what she is singing.  The world has such a warped sense of God and what Christianity is.  Christianity is not a nationality; it is not imparted to us because we were born in America.  We are not born Christians; it is not something you can just call yourself expecting to reap the benefits of what it truly means to be saved.  I love the old saying, “Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger.”

So many times I hear people say how great it is when some musician thanks God at an awards show, even though they are winning an award for a song that mocks God's law and Christianity.  Or an actor thanks God for an award for a movie that is vile and disgusting.  I would say that they are using God's name in vain; and as the commandment says, the Lord will not hold them guiltless for taking His name in vain.

Being an American does not automatically mean you can claim Christianity. Nationality has nothing to do with Christianity, and in all reality most of our nation mocks Christianity -- it is simply a label people wear that means nothing to them.

Having “In God we trust” on our money is not going to save us. Saying “One nation under God” does not make us Christian.  In fact, when it is said and not meant, it is a sin and the breaking of a commandment by God. 

So I say let America stop pretending to be something it is not.  Let's not let people think they are OK in God's eyes just because of empty words or thanks.  Singing a hymn is not going to get you into heaven, and we should not let people think that it will.  Having God's name on our money will not protect our country.  These things are just false securities and will do nothing to save anyone. 

Instead of worrying about keeping some empty words in the Pledge of Allegiance.  Lets give this country what it really needs, the Gospel of Christ.

Just something to think about.

For Christ I stand,

Bryan Kemper