A "Christian Nation"?

I heard of a politician ruffling because our President said something about this not being a "Christian Nation".  I have to agree with the President.

Does this nation reflect "The Christ"?  (Jesus, as we have His teachings and example in the Gospels)
Do we exhibit signs of being His followers, as a nation, in our actions and words?
Now, some will go off here, into personal devotion to Him, lip service to God and country, etc., etc.  But I am talking about what came out of Jesus' mouth, according to the Gospels and what He exhibited in how He was in the world, not some general, civil religion (create Jesus in OUR image) kind of stuff...

Some of those who ruffled partly over the thought of including non-Christians in the definition of the nation, while Jesus included the gentiles, samaritans, even Roman officials and other "strangers" to the faith He practiced in His healing, teachings and encounters in love.  When we do not respect others in their faith practice, are we representing "The Christ"?
When we exploit others in other nations for cheap labor so we can have cheaper goods, waste their resources and pollute their air, water and ground for our cheap goods are we representing "The Christ"?
When we manipulate NATO, The WTO and other world organizations to benefit us at the expense of others across the world, are we representing "The Christ" of all nations?
When we hurt our own citizens financially, in their civil rights and otherwise, so that we can benefit the few over the many with more power and wealth, are we representing "The Christ" as a nation?
When we create more poor folks with a system designed to lift a few up and keep the rest down, and ignore them or exploit them to make more money off their backs, are we representing "The Christ" who identifies with "The Least of these" as His brothers and sisters?
When we put political power and getting and/or keeping it above the wellbeing of our citizens, voting against bills designed to help them just to make the President look bad, are we representing "The Christ"?
When we do all we can to get/keep political power, including putting up barriers for certain segments of the population, so that they will find it hard or impossible to exercise their rights to vote, or blatantly take away the rights of some of "those people" to vote are we representing "The Christ"?
When our politicians, elected in a "democracy", rather value only limitless capitalism (an economic system put over the governmental one here), and represent not the poor and lower, middle class but only the wealthy and powerful in their lawmaking, are we representing "The Christ" who blesses the poor?
When we vilify and scapegoat the sojourners in our land, treat the aliens in the land shamefully and then try to deport them after we have exploited them for generations, are we representing "The Christ"?
When we march into other lands, kill citizens there, occupy their lands like the Romans did Jesus' land, are we representing "The Christ"?
When church leaders and members remain silent in the face of civil and economic injustice, because it might offend the powerful and wealthy in their churches, are we representing "The Christ"?
When the church in America reflects the world's passions for power and wealth, rather than address them with the Good News of Jesus in the church that bears His name, are we representing "The Christ"?
When the church in American that bears His name preaches personal power and prosperity, instead of community wellbeing and love for neighbor as self, are we representing "The Christ"?

Believing is also following, isn't it?  Isn't Agape love a committed act on behalf of "the other"?  If we claim to be Christian, as an individual, church or nation, do we not have to represent "The Christ"?

"This is how they will know that you are my followers (not in that you have more power and wealth, wave the American flag more and confuse country for God, ignore the needs of others and undertake only your own prosperity), in that you LOVE ONE ANOTHER."
"By their fruits you will know them."
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Our national heart and soul is not where Jesus' teachings and examples are, for we treasure our biggest idol as a nation - our selves.
But we want to be called "A Christian Nation"?

I pray that we will exhibit The Christ in our values, rhetoric and actions in the future.  Right now, as a nation among nations, we do not.

Pastor Jamie