The Truth Behind The Battle "Hymn"

[SouthernByGrace]

I found this article to be very interesting indeed. It kind of goes along with what subdjoe talks about in another thread. I would never have sung the Battle "Hymn" of the Republic under any circumstances before reading this, but I especially wouldn't sing it now. 


http://www.plpow.com/Atrocities_BattleHymn.htm



SBG

[williamlayton]

This is not a new Revelation recently discovered. Here is a blog which covers the apology of the Unitarian much better.
Needless to say that God can turn the bad to good--which He most assuredly done with this song.
http://herescope.blogspot.co/2010/11/battle-hymn-of-republic.html
Blessings

[SouthernByGrace]

That's a dead link William. Do you have another way to get to it?

SBG

[JoeG52]

It looks like the m is missing in the .com of the url.
This should work.

http://herescope.blogspot.com/2010/11/battle-hymn-of-republic.html

[williamlayton]

Thanks Joe- I am so stupid when it comes to computers. If I had to take a test to own a computer, I wouldn't be able to buy one.
I made the statement about God being able to turn bad to good. In this song--and I disagree with the apologist--It is evident that God destroyed Sodom, and many of the nations that stood against israel---He also used many of these same people to bring Israel back to Him.
American is cut from the same cloth--We are in fact grafted into the root of the vine.
As long as we stand in the shadow of the Cross, we will not fight but it is God's power, might and will that fights.
The song expresses to me the power of God and the power God gives to those who stand in His shadow.
I am not ashamed of the song, or unwilling to sing it. It does not produce feelings of murder or lust for glory in my heart. It produces feelings of gratitude and praise for the one who Carry's the power--and the GRACE--to all the people of this earth--and---it expresses the thought of who is going to be the final one standing in this battle that satan decided to start.
Blessings   

[subdjoe]

I've never understood how the BATTLE Hymn of the REPUBLIC could be considered in any way a piece of
religious music.  Might as well consider the Marine Hymn religious music.  But then, I was raised Roman
Catholic and am now Eastern Orthodox, so a lot of the things that Protestants do seem odd to me.  But to
espouse apostasy and heresy from their own sects teachings seems strange even for Protestants.   

[williamlayton]

Well Joe, heresy is an easy read--all heretics simply deny the Deity of Christ.
Blessings

[subdjoe]

Well Joe, heresy is an easy read--all heretics simply deny the Deity of Christ.
Blessings

Nope, wrong again, Willy.

[williamlayton]

Well THD, what is herecy? You leave me on pins and needles.
Blessings

[subdjoe]

Well THD, what is herecy? You leave me on pins and needles.
Blessings

Depends.  But your blanket statement that only denial of the divinity of Christ is heretical falls on its face.
For one example, I give you Monophysitism which rejected Chalcedon and proclaims that Christ has only
one nature, the divine. 

I'll leave it to you to look up other heresies that have been condemned. 

And, I apologize for the odd formatting here .... something has gone screwy and I don't seem to have a right margin.

[subdjoe]

Weird, it shows fine when I post, but I can type forever in one line when composing. 

ADDED:  This is the last I will post on strictly religious matters.  They are beyond the scope of this forum.

[williamlayton]

I did not bring it up.
That is also herecy. Denying the Deity of Christ is surely herecy---you said that was not correct.
You are correct though there are other things that are heretical. Monophysitism is hereetical because why?
Blessings

[subdjoe]

I did not bring it up.
That is also herecy. Denying the Deity of Christ is surely herecy---you said that was not correct.
You are correct though there are other things that are heretical. Monophysitism is hereetical because why?
Blessings

Nope, and I didn't in any way make any claim that you brought it up, did I?  Your passive/aggressive garbage is wearing real thing, billy

I brought it up in connection with the song, and gave the reason that I can't consider it a religious song. 

I said that your blanket statement

all heretics simply deny the Deity of Christ.

is false, which is tis..  See the difference?

[williamlayton]

And they do---I use your example. They also employ other heretical thought.
Blessings

[ironfoot]

I always liked the song.
I never knew all the lyrics as a kid, we  usually just sang the first verse.
My favorite verses are:

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:His day is marching on.
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,While God is marching on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_Hymn_of_the_Republic
 
There are quite a few militaristic songs in the Christian church, like Onward Christian Soldiers, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, I'm in the Army of the Lord.
 

http://dltk-bible.com/in_the_lords_army.htm
 
I think a lot of Christians struggle with reconciling the Golden Rule and the command to love our enemies with the concept of a just war.