It’s Memorial Day in the USA. Many people have hung flags with pride and celebrated soldiers like saints.
I’m different. I’ve been humming a non-patriotic song.. Every day I remember the sin and horror of war and cry out to God for forgiveness and conversion. Today is no different. I pray in thanksgiving for the non-violence of the cross and remember the many non-violent, civil-disobedient martyrs who have helped me know the real peace of Christ. Like the non-patriotic song says, Jesus Christ is the only thing that freedom means to me!
“Anthem” by Five Iron Frenzy
A nation stands with heart in hand
To sing their anthem proudly
Voices raised to sing their praise
Of their hollow country
All this talk of freedom
And some talk of liberty
From your plastic podium
You try and convince me
I can’t fall anymore
For some silver-tongued song
Your freedom isn’t free
So let me say what freedom means to
I can’t see red, white, and blue waving in the air
I don’t hear the bombs bursting and I don’t even care
I’m sorry for my lack of faith I’m not the greatest patriot
If this is all there is to freedom I don’t want it
I can’t fall anymore
For some silver-tongued song
Your freedom isn’t free
So let me say what freedom means to
Pushing us a drug that you call freedom and democracy
Promise us that selfishness is the means for happiness
I burned that bridge so long ago that I can hardly see
Anything but solace in what freedom means to me
I can’t fall anymore
For some silver-tongued song
Freedom isn’t free
So let me say what freedom means to
It cannot mean to serve ourselves
That doesn’t mean a thing
It doesn’t mean to give the license
To seek ourselves in anything
That would be slavery to ourselves it isn’t free
Jesus Christ, the only thing that freedom means to me.
