Religion, not patriotism, truly is the last refuge of the scoundrel. While most believers want to worship God and serve their fellow human beings, a few people twist the sacred for personal and political profit. Indeed, claiming that "God is on my side" plays the ultimate trump in any dispute.
This played out in the tax debate in Alabama a couple of years ago, when we were assured that Jesus would want a more "fair" tax code, which of course meant raising taxes in order to fund more government social programs.
Perhaps it's best if we rely on Jesus for what He actually did say about transforming our lives from practicers of the deeds of the flesh to those who demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. He seemed to have been more concerned about proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom than giving stump speeches.
