i repent, i repent of living like i deserve anything
of my house, my fence, my kids, my wife
in our suburb where we’re safe and white
i am wrong and of these things i repent
i repent, i repent of parading my liberty
i repent, i repent of paying for what i get for free
and for the way i believe that i am living right
by trading sins for others that are easier to hide
i am wrong and of these things i repent
i repent of judging by a law that even i can’t keep
of wearing righteousness like a disguise
to see through the planks in my own eyes
i repent, i repent of trading truth for false unity
i repent, i repent of confusing peace and idolatry
by caring more of what they think than what i know of what we need
of domesticating you until you look just like me
oh i am wrong and of these things i repent
—
Derek Webb, I Repent (I See Things Upside Down)
—
It’s been long enough. Let us – ambassadors of the Kingdom of God – repent of the Cult of America, where we bow down and pray to Wall Street, the free market, capitalism, and patriotism. Where we brainwash our kids by making them recite the pledge of allegiance and sing the national anthem, so they will be unquestioningly loyal to the god of america. Where we have tossed aside YHWH, God of the refugees, and His Son, a middle-eastern radical hobo, for Mammon, god of wealth and greed, and the power of empire.
And let us remember to hear the call to live with the same radical love that Jesus had, regardless of what is “acceptable”, what is normal, what is lawful. Declare the hope of the gospel in defiance of and in direct opposition to kingdom-of-the-world ideology (one of retributive violence, personal and nationalistic self-interest, and comfort over compassion); declare that the kingdom of God is continually sacrificial and constantly loving. Love desires justice and peace for all mankind, whether american or somali, upper class or homeless. Love moves past nationalistic feeling, man-made borders, and socio-economic status.
We have a higher allegiance than the american flag.
We have a higher authority than the united states government.
We have a higher law than any handed down by congress.
