“One legacy of John Winthrop, John Cotton, and other Bay Colony founders is the myth of America as a land specially favored by God, a myth we still live with today.” In what ways do we live with this myth today? Explain your response. Be sure to reply to one of your classmates as well!
27 Comments
Craig Judy
9/21/2009 10:47:26 am
Over the years the myth has slowly changed. It began as a land favored by God and now we see it as "the best country". Many Americans do see it that way. We are the land of the free. Our country is based upon the theory that if you work hard enough for something, you'll get it. All these opportunities that the U.S. offers makes Americans feel that we are favored when the big guy upstairs is looking down. We still live with this myth and always have.
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Molly Gorczyca
9/22/2009 10:45:09 am
The myth that America is a land specially favored by God is in our everyday lives. It is particularly evident in many of our common sayings. We start everyday with the Pledge of Allegiance. In it we say, “one nation under God.” We are implying that America was founded under religious beliefs in God and that we are favored by God. This stems from John Winthrop, John Cotton, and other Bay Colony founders. They believed America was favored by God and thus our country today has adopted the same idea. It is apparent this myth has still remained in many other common sayings we hear, such as, “In God we trust,” which appears on all our money. “God Bless America” is also another quote that confirms our belief in America being favored by God. Generally you wouldn’t ask someone for a blessing if you didn’t think they favored you. So, since we are asking for Gods blessing, or saying “God Bless America,” it confirms that America today still believes it is a land favored by God.
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Muma
9/23/2009 04:37:24 am
Today we often have to live with the myth that the U.S. is favored above all other countries by god. One example of that is we often go headlong into war without thinking of the consequences that our actions may have. It is generally our wise elders that tell us to go. Not the actual people that have to fight and die. These elders are generally over zealous zealots that view war as an "auto-win" because they think that god is on their side. Just remember war is old men talking and young men dying.
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Ashley Coveney
9/23/2009 05:58:59 am
We still live with this myth today by thinking we are the superior country. We feel that since we are so big and bad and so well off compared to others that we were looked favorably upon by God. I think that our form of government and how hard everyone in this country has worked is the reason we are such a great country. True without the belief of God some may not have tried as hard in the earlier years and today but I contribute our wealth on hard work, dedication, and intelligence.
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Ted Sharkey
9/23/2009 11:51:20 am
Americans are definitely the most self righteous people in the world. Just look a magazine and see why. We all want to be the best, greatest, most beautiful, and strongest. Most americans also believe all of these things. This is taking the myth to the next level. There is no doubt in my mind that America is still thought as God's favored land (at least by Americans).
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Craig Judy
9/23/2009 12:43:11 pm
Response to Sharkey...
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brian winters
9/24/2009 05:20:53 am
i don't think tht America is gods favored land. we all are god children and the USA is not a favored place no country or land is favored. if any country or land was favored it would be Jerusalem b/c thts were gods word came from.
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Amberleigh Varney
9/24/2009 12:49:16 pm
The United States is an exceedingly diverse nation, but as a country, we still incorporate many Godlike aspects despite our numerous cultural differences. When you are in court, you usually swear upon the bible. When you swear into office, your ending statement is more often than not “so help me God.” “In God we trust” is printed on our money. There is no postal service on Sundays. Stores do not sell alcohol on Sundays until after noon. Almost every single business is closed on Christmas, even Meijer. Washington DC, the capital of our country, is mainly a Baptist and Catholic city. None of our presidents have ever been recorded as Atheists. Therefore, I would have to say that we still carry on the myth of the U.S. as being favored by God.
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Amberleigh Varney
9/24/2009 12:55:42 pm
before responding, i would also like to add that we say "god bless you" when someone sneezes...
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Molly Gorczyca
9/25/2009 05:52:52 am
In response to Craig…
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Taylor
9/26/2009 03:04:39 am
I think that back then, when this continent was being populated, they came for religious toleration and so they thought they were doing everything right. It didn't matter that tons of Indians were being killed and that certain religions were being rejected by colonies. They thought that they were doing the right thing, so they must be favored by God. Everything they did was related to a religion. I think sometimes people see the United States as a place for opportunity and that we are better than some countries and we must be God's favored place. This country didn't get to be where we are today by happy things and smiling faces. We have some very dark times in our American history. Some things that we've learned from and things we still deal with like discrimination and prejudice. We don't really comprehend what we have until it's gone.
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Taylor Dean
9/26/2009 03:09:46 am
In response to Molly:
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Bobby
9/26/2009 10:50:34 am
I believe that the sense that this is God's country has faded to almost nothing. When America was founded religion was the most important thing. Being able to say you were the most religious person or you were favored by God meant something then. Now having wealth is a very important thing today. America has moved on to the next fad among powerful nations.
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Ashley Coveney
9/26/2009 10:56:27 am
In a way I agree with Craig. I can see how people would feel favored by God while living in a country with so many opportunities and freedoms. Although I do not think it is that people think its God's work but more of a human rights and labor success.
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Bobby
9/26/2009 01:29:12 pm
Ted, I do have to agree with you that most of us are too self-rightous. The rich that act superior and get to travel to many distant places give us a bad name. Once in awhile I hear somebody telling me that on their vacation the conuntries native people disliked Americans because they think all of us are too self-rightous.
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ZAIN!!!!!!!!!!
9/27/2009 09:16:43 am
i think im a little late but whatever...
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Zain
9/27/2009 09:22:21 am
i agree with Muma it generally is the older who are more zealous as religion in America has definitely started to take a lesser role in many American lives. these over religious elders typically dominate our politics and are holding the leadership roles making the statement under god a symbol for how our lives are dominated by religion, whether we believe in it or not.
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Paige Luppo
9/28/2009 10:38:42 am
We live with this myth in many ways today. One way is by reciting "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. This is just one of those little way that we show that America is a land favored by God. Another way we show this is by expressing patriotism, the love for our country. I believe this is a way because by showing respect for our country by the words of the myth, we are showing respect towards God as well.
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A-man
9/29/2009 02:54:19 am
I agree with paige on her 'under god' thing. It shows that we see ourselves as unique, and it also shows that the government thinks it's okay to try and group our people under one religion.
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Gaston
9/29/2009 02:54:25 am
A way we still live with this myth in America is that we have God put into our lives everyday rather want it or not. We hear the talk everyday see the advertisement and church on T.V. and we say the pledge daily.
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Gaston
9/29/2009 02:57:23 am
I agree with paige by saying under God in the pledge everytday we are saying that America and the people are a country of God therefore continuing out the myth.
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Austin B
9/29/2009 03:18:21 am
I believe that America is far from 'God's Country'. But we live with this myth today because we believe that since we have a democracy and freedom of religion and blah blah blah that we are the true chosen people. Not the Jews. As far as seeing ourselves as the 'world police' and sticking our noses in other country's businesses, we definitely feel as though we are entitled to. This is not how it should be, but the thought of America as being a land of the mightiest and the bestest is still very evident today.
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Ryan Howe
10/1/2009 04:57:42 am
I agree with Craig. america is seen as a land chosen by God because it was where the Europeans could have there freedom and start anew. Nowadays, people still see it as that. In the United States a nobody can become someone of importance.
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Paige Luppo
10/5/2009 01:49:38 am
I agree with Brianna in her saying that God is put into our daily lives through advertisements, tv, and church. This is a way for people to be more informed and to not forget about him.
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Sarah
10/5/2009 03:29:00 am
I think that a lot of people in the past and today think highly of the U.S. Our country is pretty great, because everyone is entitled to equal amounts of freedom and opportunities. But by no means is the United States God's country, or the best. I agree with Austin on this. We think we're the best and that we have to take care of everyone else. But in 'land of the free' why do we always tell other countries what to do? We may not still believe we are favored by god or whatnot, but the U.S. certainly thinks we're favored by something........
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Zac Lantis
10/5/2009 11:28:12 am
I think we still live on the myth that our country is god's country due to the fact that we still have a lot of christian ideals in place. Swearing our oath over a bible, "under God", "In God We Trust". I do not necasarilly think it's a bad thing due to the fact that we are not the only nation that does these sort of things. To Each Their Own i guess.
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Zac Lantis
10/5/2009 12:13:33 pm
I think i would have to go with Zain... The U.S. is kind of full of itself and very arrogant due to the fact that we got someone watching over us.
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