Belief in God?

I received an email today that struck me as interesting. While there are many aspects of it that I questioned, one stood out to me in particular. I'll see if I can summarize.

The email was challenging the United States of America's foundation on Christianity and questioning why we, as a nation, have abandoned our Christian roots. While there are many facts presented in the email, the closing paragraph is what stood out to me the most. It reads:

"It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, it is very hard to understand why there is such a mess about having the Ten Commandments on display or "In God We Trust" on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don't we just tell the other 14% to Sit Down and SHUT UP!!!"

If this is Christianity then I want out! Please do not associate my belief in God, my relationship with Christ, and my fellowship with others with this kind of thinking. Allow me, if you will to take a real look at this previous paragraph.

86% of Americans believe in God.? I find this, simply, hard to believe. I do not see 86% of America living a life that reflects this kind of belief. Are 86% feeding the homeless, taking care of the widowed, and taking steps to preserving God's creation? Are 86% loving the Lord their God first and then their neighbor as themselves? Are 86% involved in going and preaching the good news and baptizing in the name of Christ? Are 86% worried about the AIDS epidemic in Africa or the fact that in the last year some 35,000 Iraqi citizens perished in war fighting?

Yes, I see moral benefit to the 10 commandments. I also recognize that Jesus commanded that we love the Lord our God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. This is the message that needs to be proclaimed.

When we shout "In God We Trust" do we mean it? Trust Him to what, protect our American, middle class lives? To keep everything running smoothly so we can pretend that we are God's chosen nation and everything we do is blessed by Him?

Then to top it all off, since we have it all figured out, we want to tell the other 14% who don't have a clue to "sit down and shut up". Please, tell me where in God's word this is an appropriate action.

No, let me propose an alternative. 86% of the people living in this nation don't believe in God. They may believe in a god, but not the God spoken of in the Bible, and not in the Christ spoken of in the New Testament. Maybe though, as New Testament believes, we should not tell anyone to sit down and shut up. Maybe we shouldn't waist our time arguing over the 10 commandments and the print of money, but we should focus instead on investing in the lives of those around us. Maybe we should give to the less fortunate. Maybe we should show love to those who have not experienced what it means to live in community and to be in relationship with, not a god, but the God. In this way we will see this nation begin to act like a people in which 86% not only believe in God, but know Him, and don't use this to persecute the 14% who don't, but to attract them to the love of God. Isn't that the point?