Our nation is not only divided but also often vilified for acquiring land immorally from native peoples. What can we learn from our history of war and atrocities without falling into the pitfalls of collective guilt? Pastor Lutzer shares from his heart, offering a bold prayer for our nation. Imagine the difference Christians can make as active citizens, living for our eternal home.
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Transcript: Welcome to “5 Minutes with Pastor Lutzer.” I’m so glad that you joined us again today as I continue the discussion of my book, entitled, “No Reason to Hide: Standing for Christ in a Collapsing Culture.” And I think we all agree that our culture is collapsing. One of the chapters has to do with racism, collective guilt and whether or not we should be guilty because we have stolen the land. Today I want to share my heart with you unscripted. I haven’t taken notes. I just want to share with you about the United States of America. I have to say that I was born in Canada; I’m a naturalized citizen. I’m proud to be an American but deeply grieved over what is happening.
Let’s take, for example, the issue of the stolen land. In order for us to know why it is that America so often is being vilified today, we do have to go back to cultural Marxism. See Marxism says that the only reason that capitalists are successful is that they have done it on the backs of the poor. Therefore, because America is probably arguably the most wealthy country in the world, America owes the rest of the world. America is the great aggressor. America is the country that has imposed itself upon the world, and therefore, as I’ve mentioned, it owes the world. So the goal oftentimes is for professors in our universities and teachers in our schools to vilify America in one way or another.
I quote an educator who says to her students, “You are living on stolen land” and then she said “I hope that you feel guilty. I hope that you feel depressed, because my goal is to make you depressed.” Let’s just look at that for a moment. I’m not denying that there were many atrocities that were committed but when we look at America, we have to ask ourselves, on balance, are there some things positive that we must emphasize and not merely constantly emphasize the negative. And I say the answer is yes. If you were to judge other countries the way in which America is being judged today. You’d discover that it is no different because virtually all nations have arisen with wars and conflicts and land grabs to quote the words of the historian, Toynbee, he is quoted as saying, “Blessed is the nation that has no history, for history is the record of war.”
My parents were born in the Ukraine during World War I. They suffered terribly. They were had to travel in box cars, all the rest—everything that you see on the news today. And then after the war was over they were able to eventually come to Canada and they gave thanks to God almost daily for Canada. Were they wrong in doing that? There are people today who tell us we should not give thanks to God for the United States because after all this land was stolen. And there are those in Canada who say that the British stole the land from the French. If you know anything about Canadian history you know that there was a great battle between the French and the British and Britain won.
Here’s my point: What we must do is to realize that God is going to sort out our past. The evils will be judged. The good will be rewarded. But at the end of the day, we can indeed say that America, with all of its faults, God gave us this land. My heart is greatly moved and heavy for what I see today. What I see is our division politically, morally, and on every level. We are shouting at one another. We are condemning one another when actually we should be held together by the constitution. We should thank God for America’s good history, as well as studying carefully its bad history and learn from both. But at the same time, always remember this, that when we see America vilified it should deeply grieve us. God has given us many privileges in this land and even as we think about voting for our leaders, we should do so with care, with prayer, with hope, because America is a great country. And as a naturalized American citizen, as I’ve already mentioned, I’m proud to be an American.
Would you join me today as I pray for this country? Father, our hearts break as we see the news, as we hear what is being said, and what is being done by our political leaders. Bring us to a point of repentance. Help us to not only see the dark pages of our past but also the good pages. Help us to build on what we have done and where we have been. O God, we pray, that the gospel of Jesus Christ may still continue to go forth in freedom through the transformation of lives we beg you, for the United States of America. In Jesus’ name. Amen.