No Dancing?! Really!?

So I’m about a year and one million views behind on this issue, but I haven’t seen anyone gripping about the CIVIL RELIGION aspect of this yet. So here I come!

Basically, there was an ordinance made that says that national monuments are a place for “solemn commemoration”. So, without a permit, no one should be allowed to make a public scene of any sort that would distract from thinking about Thomas Jefferson in a solemn and reflective manner.

Hey! Your “jig” is messing with my personal devotional time with Thomas J. Cut it out!

If you haven’t heard the term “civil religion” is basically means using symbols and/or rituals to honor and lift up the State in one way or another. It how Nations become elevated beyond “your government” to “the State, which gives you life and breath and tells you when to die.” That’s exactly what this is. Well, at least it’s leaning in that direction.

The U.S. is so hot on itself that it is starting to codify the kinds of behavior that is or isn’t appropriate around national monuments. If you want to pray to Thomas Jefferson — that’s fine, or sit quitely and meditate on the writings of Thomas Jefferson — great! We encourage that! But dancing is not a dignified or pious way to respond to being in the presence of Thomas J’s memorial — so you get a weekend of bread and water on a partical board bed!

Don’t get me wrong, there are many reasons why we should comemorate our national history. The significant persons of our history should be remembered well, and statues made and whatnot. That’s all fine. But once those statues demand something out of our behavior and laws are made to punish those who don’t meditate before the feet of Jefferson — we’ve crossed a weird and scary boundary. Making our national monuments into totems or sphinx’s does not evoke respect in 21st Century America. Christians, who have a long record of naming and punishing idolatry should be concerned about this type of action.

Here’s the Sources:

D.C. Appeal Court decision making dancing illegal

A good summary of the arrests at the Huffington Post