Jamie_L

For all it's innumerable flaws, one thing that made me smile in the movie "Head of State" was the opposition candidate who always ended his speeches with: "God Bless America. And no where else."

It sounded so mean-spirited to say it like that, but on further consideration, it's really identical to the normal way of saying it, just slightly more explicit.

Jamie

Hazel-rah

I read a magazine article shortly after 9/11 when that was suddenly the nation's new hit song in which the author said the song demanded that God present his citizenship papers. (Wish I could remember the article; it was funny.)

On a tangent: I used the word "Dadgummit" today at work. My boss sardonically asked me how to spell that. I said "g-o-d-d-a-m-n-i-t, pronounced 'dadgummit'." He found that pretty amusing.

Clete

The thing I've always wondered is: what the hell does "God bless America" even mean? Is it a request, as in "Oh hey, God would you mind coming over here for a second and blessing America? Thanks!" Is it an order? People use it as if it were some kind of declaration like "I love New York", but it seems to me that it's more like saying "Police, patrol New York". Seems kind of odd.

What's crazy is how riled up people get about it. I suspect that, if you asked, the majority of them wouldn't be able to describe what the words are actually supposed to mean.

Any thoughts?

disgracian

it just sounds like insular narcissism to me.

Clete

"Insular narcissism" is definitely a good way to describe the feeling behind it. But what do you think the phrase actually means? Or what do you think the people with the "God bless America" bumper stickers think it means?

Jamie_L

"God Bless America," as actually used, seems not to really have much to do with the literal meaning of the phrase anymore.

People who use the phrase, as best as I can tell, are using it to simultaneously make several statments:

1) America is great.
2) God/Christianity is great.
3) I am intensely proud of both 1 and 2.

Jamie

Clete

I think that's a pretty good assessment of what they take it to mean. But it really doesn't make too much sense. It's kind of like me saying "Sammy help the Cubs" when what I mean is "I love Chicago!"

I wonder what the original intent of the phrase was. Do anyone on here have any idea on this? Does anyone know where or when the phrase came from in the first place?

Silent Acorns

I've always interpeted the intent of "God Bless America" as "America is a wonderful place thanks to the grace of God alone and I hope God will continue to bless it/us".

Rational BAC

I always thought it had something to do with America sneezing.

Jamie_L

I think the phrase was originally intended in it's literal sense: asking God to grant blessings to America. There is a long Christian tradition of asking for God's blessing, for oneself and for others. Another way of using the phrase that I've heard is to add a "may" at the beginning: "May God bless America." Here, it is more a statement of hope and/or desire.

Over time, the phrase probably became a way to identify oneself to others as being likeminded. "See, I ask for God's blessing on our country. I am one of you - a Christian and a patriot."

Funny that in some ways, this religious statement has become a prideful boasting - something often considered a sin by that very religion.

Jamie