A few things I find intriguing about McHaughton, while I can’t find anything that states just what exactly his faith is. I would suspect he’s a Mormon. He claims a frontier heritage in Utah, a scholarship to Brigham Young university. And certainly his own large family. Circumstantial I admit! (I’m still hunting for more info)

So, as we start to criticize his painting from a Christian perspective are we criticizing a painting by a Christian? Albeit I’m sure that there is a fair share of Christians’ swooning over it.

Scotty,
The large family observation is circumstantial. Some people still hold to God’s first commandment even if they are not Mormon or Catholic, “be fruitful and multiply”.:-)

troy
dad of seven

NOT to offend

I really like his responses entitled, “McNaughton’s response to liberal criticisms of “One Nation Under God.”

There are just so many ways that sentence can be interpreted. Are the criticism liberal? The people criticizing it? It just cracks me up when people use the word “liberal” as substitute for “evil” or something like it…

His response to Boyd’s post is just, well, sad, for lack of a better term. The saddest is probably this in response to Boyd calling the painting idolatrous (which it undoubtedly is):

Usually, this description would imply the worship of false gods to a Christian. Obviously my view of Christ is different than yours. That is OK. The reason I painted this picture was to make a statement about my love of Christ, this country and my feelings about where we are headed.

He also cites the book, “Five Thousand Year Leap” which is basically a Mormon fairy tale, so I would be willing to bet he’s Mormon. Although, because Glen Beck has endorsed this book, I’ve actually run into more and more Christians who are buying into the garbage in the book.

There is only one nation under God; it’s called a “holy nation”.

A little known fact: James Madison’s slaves held the candles so Jesus could write the Constitution at night.

I agree but, I think it does change the perspective of the why of what the artist did. Just as Troy mentioned and, I was going to bring it up in the rest of the conversation, the Mormon perspective of the Constitution. Certainly not a concept that a lot Christians hold as I personally think the “nationalistic” Christian is a minority. That being based solely on my experiences.

Understanding the POV of the artist is important when we consider what Boyd said, calling it “Painted Idolatry”. My point being, well…….DUH!! He’s a Mormon!!!

I don’t know if Boyd knew the guy was a Mormon or not. I do agree with you that the hardcore “nationalistic” Christian is probably a minority, but I think there are degrees of this. The other thing is that the hardcore folks tend to be a rather vocal minority, and as such they can kind of become default the default spokespeople for the American church.

This isn’t necessarily related to the original post, but I have noticed that in the public eye that people don’t view Mormons and Evangelicals that differently. I don’t know if the mainstreaming of Mormonism, the marginalization of Evangelicals, or a combination of both.

But I think I would disagree that this is a minority view among evangelicals

I’ll side with Phil. It’s the squeaky wheels getting the grease most times. The more the noise they make the more the attention they get!

There’s a silent majority, out there, that tends to keep their political views close to their chests.

But the tide is turning! Even Chris L. has a problem with the flag in a church.

Canada is a European country attached to North America!!

You Canadians are just jealous!

Here is a news article that will not be linked to by the sensationalistic blogs. News like this compromises their message.

Scotty – There is no doubt that this man should have been on the radar screen, and there is also little doubt that Muslims must be watched a little more closely. But even though many Muslims are sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, the majority reject violence.

Our enemy is the devil, not Islam. I do wonder if things would have changed if a compassionate Christian would have reached out and befriended this man and been Jesus to him? Insetad, it seems, he was belittled for his faith.

We need to learn the power of love.

Identifying “Islam” as the enemy, and more specifically “Muslims”, is contrary to the gospel and presents a false war. It smacks of the Crusades. Although Phil’s comment is factual, we will never be obedient to our calling if we continue to categorize people as does the world.

It used to be that when a black man in America went on a killing spree the white community understood that with a racial component. Now when a Muslim kills many see it completely in religious terms.

It is noteworthy that this act of sensless violence was carried out in a place where men and women are trained to kill. In the economy of nationalism, there are approved methods of violence and unapproved methods of violence.

The entire apparatus should be a call to the gospel and not create a compatability with it. The mother in Northern Pakistan whose baby was killed in collateral damage done by a drone is blind to distinctions concerning accepted and unaccepted violence.

Violence is violence. Tragedy is tragedy. But the gospel is the gospel. The latter being our mission.

I don’t know if it’s just me, Neil, I can’t see your gravatar. Whenever someone does a blockquoute it blocks the garvatars…is there a fix??