the other night I was on the phone with my mom and I understood, for the hundredth time, that things are not as they used to be.
we were talking, and I said something about the united states and how I have trouble saying "we" when talking about the actions of the government. like, "we're spending 300 million dollars a day on the war in iraq" or "our priorities are skewed." because I'm not spending 300 million dollars daily and my priorities aren't skewed. (well, they probably are, but not in the same way as the u.s. government's.) I can't say "we" because I just can't identify with all that.
my mom didn't get it really, so I referenced something I read in one of shane claiborne's books, the bit about how as christians, our "we" changes to mean the family of god. it makes it hard to say things like "our troops" when your "we" is the body of the non-violent jesus.
"don't you think it's possible," she said, "to be both christian and support your country?"
and there it is -- that's the thing! is it?
"I don't know," I answered. "but for me, it's really hard to disagree with the majority of the u.s. government's policies and still say the pledge of allegiance."
I think she thinks I'm planning to overthrow the government.
no, she knows I couldn't motivate myself enough to pull off something that big.
I think she thinks I'm planning to support someone who's planning to overthrow the government.
I also think she thinks I'm in a phase. like, a liberal hippie college-aged phase. and that eventually I'll move back to new england and own a house. with a fence and a yard. and a dog.
and who knows, maybe I will.
I sure don't think so though.
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