Is there a connection between the Christian use of "God" and the American use of "country"?

Question

I'm sorry, I truly like most Americans I know, and I also truly like most of the Christians I know. But this is getting annoying in a Religious section on a World Wide Web. (Emphasis on Religious and World)

In a religious section it's nice to state which god you are asking about. It shows respect to believers in other gods than yours.

On a world wide web it's kinda normal to state which country you talk about when you ask a question that involves words like "my country". I truly can't guess where you live, when you're online.

In 99% of the cases it appears to be the Christian god, and the country named USA.

What is that? Arrogance? Simply not thinking about others? How does that work? Please explain it to me.

The world is a big place, with many countries, really. Religion is a huge subject, with 10,000 gods, really.

Answer 1

Yes, there's definitely a connection between geocentricism and piousness. Here's the connection though, in our defense.

Many Europeans I meet are surprised to learn that most Americans don't have passports. But then they come over here and notice just how big the US really is: you can go from 14,000 foot (4,000 to 4,500 meter) mountains in Colorado to sandy beaches in California to the desert of Arizona, and you've only been in the "western" United States.

So in all our media, our books, and our culture, we're exposed to people from different states like the way you are exposed to people from different European countries.

Religiosity is even stronger in the rural parts of the country, especially the Bible belt, where you really are unlikely to meet a single foreign-born person in your whole life -- possibly with the exceptions of Mexicans and Canadians.

So I can see why they get in the habit of referring to "this" country, even on the Internet where that's clearly ambiguous. The less religious people in the US tend to be from more urban areas, where there's more internationalism anyway.

Answer 2

This is a valid point. We have a great deal of diversity on this site; all are welcome to use it who have comments on religion,as long as they avoid derogation. As to the apparent presumption of using "God" as synonymous with the Christian conception of a Supreme Being,I think one must be practical and acknowledge that after all Christianity is the largest or most common religion in this part of the world,but more importantly they are,so far as I know,the only to employ the term "God",particularly when capitalized. Even Jews write "G-d". So I don't think it should be a source of contention that Christians might feel free to use the term without preface,as in "the Christian God". There are no pagan or Wiccan groups using "God" so there is no need to qualify the term. If they were referring to anyone other than the Christian Deity,then wouldn't use "God". Sorry,Markky - you're kind of making a mountain out of a molehill. As to respect for believers,I'll agree with that. I wish atheists would practice it a little.

Answer 3

As for the God part, most other gods are often called with specific names we rarely would call Zeus god, (very few people call the monotheistic God, Yaweh).

As for the country, the United States, it probably has the largest number of english-speaking people, that are internet-savy (I am unsure about India). Also the USA could annihilate any other english speaking country hands down so there.

Answer 4

all and sundry who fights and dies for this united states is an American hero. u . s . a . is an section the position all religions and ideology are tolerated. those that provide their lives must be respected because freedom isn't loose and the cost is large! Many from all faiths have paid the most suitable cost! even with adjustments we would have in this united states, we ought to ALL carry expensive the blood that replaced into shed to keep us loose!

Answer 5

There is only one God who can actually save you no matter what country you are living in. That is God of Abraham. No other God has ever come to the earth and offer to die for me so that I can have everlasting life...

I respect other people's choices, but I am not going to agree on things in the name of "peace on earth". This home is not our final home. Only Jesus has claimed to be Savior. Christianity is the only way of life that offers Savior. : )

Answer 6

I'm sure it differs according to individuals, but ignorance, perceptions, ego, etc. are all a part of it. I take the Native American view and Buddhist logic on land owned and named... since I believe it is an integral part of everything and everybody, and not something that can be parceled out and "owned" per se. That's just me though...

_()_

Answer 7

It's our education system. It sux.

Globalization here we come. Arrggghhh.