Almost every speaker at the Democratic and Republican conventions says, at some point in their speech, “God Bless America”. What does this mean?
I’ll set aside the issue of the existence of this supernatural being for this blog, but I want to hear from people who accept it. What do they mean?
Do they believe that God interferes in the daily happenings in the world?
Are they asking God to do something differently from what he already planned to do? Do they believe that God listens to people, as if running an election, and if enough people ask him to “bless” the country, then he might interfere with the “natural” course of events?
Will he steer a hurricane if enough people pray for that, but not if they don’t? Let someone survive an illness or not, based on prayers received? Influence a basketball game?
What if nobody asks God to bless America? Will he “withdraw his blessing”, thereby causing something bad to happen?
Or is it just empty agreement between believers, saying “I believe in God, just like you.”
I remember a song by the Doors (not an ideal spiritual leader, of course, but anyway…) where Morrison said, “When I was back there in Seminary school there was a man who put forth the proposition that you can petition the Lord with Prayer. YOU CAN NOT PETITION THE LORD WITH PRAYER!!!”
Can you?