Clarification

Someone I care about commented on my habit of disliking America, so I thought I would address it.

I'm not at all saying that America is an awful country. I'm grateful to have been born here.

I am a react-er. I react to things. Reverse psychology works on me extremely well. So I know that a large part of my dislike of America is a reaction to the (what I perceive as) over-love of America.

I'll be more specific about what I don't like about the United States. And I'm not at all saying that these problems don't exist in other countries.

I don't like the general sense of American superiority. A lot of people I know are incredibly ethnocentric. Of course not everyone. Of course people of other countries are ethnocentric. But I don't like it. I have been to many places around the world, and I think other places do certain things very well--better than America. Whether it's the awesome public transportation of Germany or the awesome social cohesion of Fatick, there are things that the United States could learn. Unfortunately, I feel that many people are unwilling to accept that the United States is anything but the best. If you don't know anyone like that, awesome. I do.

I don't like the materialism that is rampant in the United States. I used to own an insane amount of books. I still own far too many movies and TV shows. There are a lot of clothes in my closet that maybe get worn twice a year. My family tends to replace cars before it's actually necessary. I have too much stuff. I hate that. I am trying to change that. And I hate that I live in a culture where a typical social activity is shopping. I hate that advertising teaches us to think our lives will be better if we just buy some special product. Of course other countries do the same thing, but it doesn't make it okay that America is so obsessed with things.

I don't like the ridiculous obsession Americans have with looks. I hate that I feel ugly if I leave the house without makeup. I resent the fact that magazines and TV shows are plastered with unrealistically skinny people. I hate that a person's worth is often perceived as being synonymous with their weight. Do other countries do the same thing? Naturally. Some even switch the weight issue around. But I still don't like it in America.

I don't like the hypocrisy of our history. We fought for freedom, and then kept slaves. We made insane rules guarding against immigrants for centuries. We have exploited the immigrants we do allow in the country, and we abuse the illegal foreigners we claim to not want. For a land of freedom, we sure oppress, and have oppressed, a whole lot of people.

And I don't like the way Christianity works in America. I hate that it is often a social event instead of a radical lifestyle. I resent the fact that I grew up thinking following rules was an important step to salvation. I hate the way many Christians react to people with hate instead of love. I hate that people can call themselves Christians, and think they are saved, but never live one day of their lives serving Jesus. I hate that worship services have become an entertainment venue. Is Woodland like this? Not completely. I like Woodland a lot, if you haven't noticed previous raves on my blog. But I do not think Woodland is perfect. And I think a lot of churches throughout the United States are even less perfect.

It is my understanding that as a Christian, I am called to leave behind my citizenship of this world. I do not think that we will stand around in heaven claiming what country we were born in. I'm grateful that God created me in a country where I could hear about Him at a young age. I believe He did that so I could spend as much of my life as possible going to other countries to talk about Him, with the added bonus of having connections to people who are willing to give away the money God has given them through the American economy. This is a definite awesome thing about being from the United States. But my allegiance is to God and His kingdom, and I have a huge problem with people who put America before God, whether explicitly or implicitly.

I hate making all these caveats, but again, I'm not saying all Americans are like that. I know many Christians who love God and also have a healthy love for America. I am not one of them. When I see social ills, I react with extreme emotion. There's a good reason I chose to major in sociology.

And when I say I want to escape to another country, it isn't because I think every other country is better than America. I know that every country and every city is imperfect. Everywhere has its problems. But when I live as a foreigner, I feel less bound by cultural rules. Living in Senegal meant I didn't have to live as an American, but I didn't have to live as Senegalese either. I am free to mold my life around Christian culture without being overwhelmed by my home culture.

Anyway, hope that helps. I don't expect you to agree with me, but maybe now you know why I say the things I say. You can love America. I just don't all that much.