HI.

I'm an evangelical Christian and I have thoughts about this recent tweet in which it was suggested that the DNC didn't include the word "God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Short version: Even if it were true (which it mostly isn't), who cares?

(A Thread)

So, first, okay, let's examine if this particular claim is true.

Here's a video stitching together the four main nights of the DNC's recitation of the pledge:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1297149526021636097

As you can see, they're definitely saying "under God."

NOW, what is true, is that a couple of the DNC caucus meetings omitted "under God."

One was at an LGBTQ caucus:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1296164465432580099

The second at a Muslim caucus: https://twitter.com/i/status/1295765755917672448

Note that in the LGBTQ caucus video, Dr. Marisa Richmond leaves room for others to say the words "under God."

This is a respectful and thoughtful way to leave room for others to say it should they wish. I don't believe Dr. Richmond *should* say it if it doesn't fit her beliefs.

(Here's your occasional reminder that many LGBTQ people are religious, many are Christian, and many are even Evangelical. There's a lot of diversity in the LGBTQ community.)

And then there is the video of the Muslim caucus, led by AJ Durani.

What percentage of Muslims believe in God, do you think?

100%?

That original tweet certainly seemed to suggest that omitting God was because of some godless impulse of the Democrats.

Here's what the Supreme Court had to say about forcing students to say the pledge *at all* in 1943 (Jehovah's Witnesses believed the pledge to the flag to be idolatrous).

And... the pledge has changed over time. The words "under God" weren't added until 1954. The Jehovah's Witnesses were objecting before that part was even added.

And here's a picture of kids pledging allegiance in 1941. Obviously we don't do that anymore.

None of the founding fathers ever pledged allegiance to the flag. They were all long dead before the pledge came into being.

Coming from an Evangelical point of view, scripture is clear that our first loyalty is not to any nation, but to where our true citizenship lies: the Heavenly Kingdom (Philippians 3:20). Christians cannot be trusted to be loyal to any pledge of allegiance to an earthly nation.

And, just a reminder: *most* Christians in the world are not Americans (of any kind):

In the end, the concerning thing about this tweet isn't the pledge, it's that this person is making a gross attempt to manipulate Evangelical Christians. It's deceitful, it's dishonest, and it has a core misunderstanding of what it means to be Christian in a democratic republic.

As for the original tweet, I don't want to give the impression I completely disagree with it. I don't.

To sum up:

If people don't say "under God" because they don't believe in God, or because it's irreligious to mention God in a nationalistic pledge, or for any other reason... they should be welcomed in our pluralistic republic, not shamed, not feared, not ridiculed.