Oh Really?

The Sad Dating of Western National Anthems Just recently I found the Star Spangled Banner in a song book. The unashamedly confessed dependence on God stood out in the text to this reader. It got me thinking of how far the Western nations have removed themselves from their once professed Christian moorings. Considering core sections and themes in various countries established on Christian foundations, it is with a sense of sadness to observe how secularised these countries have become. The sections below show just a few of the anthem sections denoting a once Christian heritage and worldview guidance. New Zealand God of Nations at Thy feet, In the bonds of love we meet Great Britain God save our gracious Queen! Long live our noble Queen! God save the Queen! Canada God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. United States of America And this be our motto: "In God is our trust": And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. The Netherlands A shield and my reliance, O God, Thou ever wert. Ill trust unto Thy guidance. O leave me not ungird. That I may stay a pious Servant of Thine for aye.

If you wish to assess a nations political, educational, and social direction you only need to check the premises on which such a nation chooses to rest. It is to the shame of the Christian Church in these (and other) countries that the prevalent climate of political correctness now dominates the societies to the point that Christian prayer is banned in many public schools, even when done privately, and your job is seriously at risk should you endeavour to strike up a conversation with a work mate on issues of eternity Biblically understood. 1 Peter 4:17 informs us that the judgement of God must begin at the house of God, i.e. His Church. The people of God have failed to protect and fight for their Christian heritage and the preservation of the nations Christian moorings that are (still) professed in the national anthems. The shame is on us for passivity in the face of secular seduction. Failure is not our only punishment for laziness; there is also the success of others, Jules Renard, French Dramatist, 1864-1910) once shrewdly observed. All that the righteous have to do is nothing for the moral tiller to steer the ship away from the Biblical course it once set out on. The Church fails to set the nations moral courses as it once did because of either laziness, gullibility, or a combination of both. This creates a moral vacuum which must be filled. In our nations the rapid filling by others, those with an agenda different from Gods, denotes success of worrying dimensions. It is expressed even in language usage. Take for instance the way personnel in a business is denoted nowadays. When I was looking for a holiday job during my student days, I was told to see the personnel manager. Today, if I were to apply for a job, even in Christian circles, I am to send my curriculum vitae to the human resource manager. Whereas I once was a person, I 1

am now a human resource, on parity with other resources to work the business, like toilet paper, erasers and pencils at least linguistically. The dehumanisation of man by himself (!) in once Christian nations is a logical consequence of man slipping back into the old sin of Adam and Eve as that couple strove to blend in with nature in order to hide from God. However, it is also the consequence of the Christian Church failing to hold the rulers to account in terms of how they are to lead under God. The Westminster divines in 17th Century England were commissioned in 1643 by the English Parliament and there was agreement between the State and the Church regarding the role of the State in relation to the Church. Article 23, paragraph III: Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; yet he has authority, and it is his duty, to take order that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administrated, and observed. For the better effecting whereof, he has power to call synods, to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God. Note how the basis for Commonwealth government was the Word of God, how the politicians were to protect the Church and promote her activities. This is consistent with the sentiments expressed in the national anthems of once Christian nations. Article 36 of the Belgic Confession (1618) declares: And the government's task is not limited to caring for and watching over the public domain but extends also to upholding the sacred ministry, with a view to removing and destroying all idolatry and false worship of the Antichrist; to promoting the kingdom of Jesus Christ; and to furthering the preaching of the gospel everywhere; to the end that God may be honoured and served by everyone, as he requires in his Word. What our political leaders ought to do under God and what they generally engage in appear to be well nigh in juxtaposition to each other. Some groups of people in the nations highlighted here voice the opinion that the national anthems need to change to reflect the humanistic reality. (I think that the Australians with their poor anthem content actually have the right societal reflection, i.e. no mention of God, but lots about nature and mans material paradise. No hypocrisy there, no God-dependency acknowledged either.) That would be one way to go and it would erase much hypocrisy in the current situation where everybody still sings these anthems without actually backing the words in real life. Another possibility is for the Church in these countries to man the ramparts and defend the remnants of Christian ruins left, then pray and work revival, God helping her Church as she has done in times past. Dr Herm Zandman 01/11/2011