As a Canadian, I pride myself in very few things. Canadians just don’t do that pride thing very well (maybe a little when we beat the US at something). We keep to ourselves, we’re a reserved bunch, only to come out when it’s winter and there is a hockey game, curling bonspiel (that’s what it’s called, really!), or enough snow to go sledding. We may get riled up when some intolerance raises its ugly head. While the leadership of Canada is often very liberal- borderline Socialist as far as I’m concerned, when you talk to Canadians they tend to be pretty conservative. We tend to be the oft-ignored, further north, isn’t-Canada-like-another-state, sort of place. And for the most part, Canadians are OK with that.
As a Christian, who happens to be Canadian living in the US, well, things get a little dicey when talk about patriotism comes up, or politics (although my politics have certainly changed in the last twenty years of living here). Let me tell a story: my second day living in the US, in Abilene, TX, at ACU, I was confronted with all of this stuff. Opening day chapel, balloons, large American flag being revealed, pledge recited, all that pomp and ceremony. I stood when everyone stood; I was respectful (although I didn't recite the pledge). In those days at ACU, we all had assigned seats. You had to sit where you were assigned 'cause they took pictures of each section, and if your seat was empty you were absent. We all prayed for some girl to be next to us so she could bring her boyfriend with her to chapel and he would sit in your seat! Then you could go sit anywhere you wanted (hey, I know what you're thinking: I ducked out of chapel at that point to go take a nap or play video games or ping pong or take a nap! I didn't do too many of those things, really).
But I digress. Opening day chapel- very patriotic. I thought it was neat. Canadians just don't do that. We didn't even have a flag that was ours or a national anthem that was ours until the 1960's I think. I have to say that my assigned seat that year was in the nosebleed row of section "D" in Moody Coliseum. So there really wasn't any chance I had of someone sitting in my seat anyway becuse there were only two of us in that entire row that semester! OK, chapel is over and I see the other person in my row making a beeline towards me (I thought initially he was being Texas friendly- because he was a cowboy-looking guy complete with cowboy hat, starched Wranglers, snakeskin boots, and the belt buckle that could double as a plate). He proceeds to get in my face. Then he starts asking me questions like, "Aren't you patriotic?", "Don't you love your country?", and "Why didn't you recite the pledge?" I let him rant until he was done, staying calm- although I wanted to deck him, and then I said, "Did you stop to think that I might not be from this country? I am Canadian". It was over at that point. I felt bad for him, because it was really embarassing. But it was a weird second day in the country.
On top of that, there has always been this tension for me about Christianity and America, or the USA being a Christian nation. It’s not a bad tension. It’s just an odd feeling. American Christians that have never traveled overseas cannot relate to this feeling. Those of you who have lived and traveled extensively around the world know what I’m talking about because you’ve probably had someone talk to you about it.
Let me get to my real point today: Lynn Anderson has a great article on his web site entitled, "Waving the Red Flag." It is actually a speech he gave at an ACU luncheon in February. Some of it is about what I talked about above. He is very strong and passionate in his beliefs on this stuff (Lynn tends to be that way with everything he speaks about – I’ve always appreciated that about him). Lynn has a unique take on this stuff because he is Canadian as well. Reading this may make you a little uncomfortable, but it may let you in on some feelings this Canadian has experienced over the last twenty years of living in the USA. You can access it by clicking on the word article above or this link: http://www.lynnanderson.org/content.asp?CID=88768
Have a great day, eh!
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