Constitutional Christian

In order to be properly Christian, it seems to me (at least on a subconscious level), one needs to be American. Not because of doctrinal or ethnic distinctions, but rather geographic dwelling locations. As an American, I (we) will fight you if you challenge the integrity of our constitutional rights.

For some reason, when it comes to domestic peace and tranquility, I tend to group constitutional-geographic defense into my Christian faith. And I tend to justify this by grouping those who oppose the American constitutionally upheld rights as being non-Christian, either by the mere geography of their allegiance or because I perceive their government to be of non-Christian roots.

As an American Christian, it is difficult to discern the difference between supporting my own government who is supposedly defending our ‘Christian’ constitution; and loving my neighbor as myself, when that applies to my Middle Eastern Islamic neighbor.

How do I reconcile the God of the Bible who would destroy nations for their disobedience to His direction with the Jesus who implores me to simply turn the other cheek when my enemy strikes? As a father, I would stop at near-nothing to protect my own family from any evil or threat this world might present(foreign or domestic), but do we protect our fellow countrymen from the same if potential dangers appear on their horizon from our non-national neighbors?

How do I turn the other cheek and be patriotic (obey the laws of my land) at the same time? It seems a sliding scale for me. My greatest commandment is to love God and secondly, my neighbor as myself. This would infer that I ought to follow the laws of my neighbor’s government because of its inclusion in the characteristics of lowing myself and therefore apply for loving my neighbor also. Hence, I’m stuck. I’ve directives that oppose one another. Or maybe this doesn’t even matter. Maybe God will rain fire and brimstone down on my own country and save me the trouble.