It's been a while since I posted a blog, so here's a nice, controversial one to kick things off again. Don't take the topic too seriously because I don't, really. I just wanted to toss out something spicy to see if I can get this place moving again :)

... god bless these ones, not those ones ...
- Jack Johnson: Times Like These

I can't help it. When I hear some people say, "God, bless America," what I really hear them saying is, "God, choose me over them." I think this is because a lot of people also strike me as self-centered enough that they would say something like that and imagine only how they or those immediately around them could benefit from it. In my head, I extrapolate this to see these same, selfish, juvenile, egocentric people as those that I am not sure deserve to get what they are asking for at all. In fact, unless the person immediately strikes me as an exceptionally aware, unbiased person, I just hear them asking to be favored over others for some narrow belief that their way of going about life is the only way. Or worse, that they haven’t even considered what it would mean if they were favored over everyone else, except that it would make them happy.

Of course, there are plenty of good, mature, caring people out there. When those people say, "God, bless America," they might really mean, "God, bless America and everyone else too because all men are equal in your eyes." But, I tend to think those people are the rare exception to the norm.

I mentioned this to someone else recently and got in response, "Yeah, I think it can be egocentric to ask that, and want to be blessed, but I also feel that wanting to be blessed is just human nature."

Sure, wanting to be blessed is human nature. I agree with that. Everyone wants to feel special and to think they matter. It's similar to wanting your parents to approve of you, I'm not sure that it can be helped. Yet, it's still a juvenile need, and everyone knows juveniles are often egocentric, not really understanding that they are a part of something much, much bigger than themselves. Hence, the reason I hear this sort of thing and usually think it's coming from a juvenile, egocentric person.

Having said all of that, understand that this is not a blog meant to bash America or God. Rather, I just happened to choose "God, bless America" in order to get your attention. I could just as easily have chosen, "God, bless England." Or, "I know my way is the only way," etc. I could have chosen any number of statements that could have the same, general meaning. The point is, while these sentiments are probably said in a heartfelt, sincere way, I think they are still dangerous things to say. We live in a world of over 6.5 billion people, something like 200 countries, countless identifiable religions, and even more across the numerous civilizations stretching back into antiquity. Yet, somehow people are able to comfortably shrug all of that off, or ignore it altogether, and continue to express that their lot should be favored, or is truer than any of the others. Such expressions, for me, are far more likely to be based in thoughtless ignorance born of--again--a juvenile, egocentric perspective, desiring nothing more than a simplified life for a select few, never mind the billions of unknown people on the losing end.