[absolootezer0]

he calls the song a prayer. don’t most ministers/ pastors/ priests, usually ask you to rise for a prayer?

as far as who the crap about asking for a blessing for our nation isn’t right as we aren’t blessing everyone, seriously. i’d bet every time he preaches he prays for a blessing on a much smaller subset of people. so should i be mad that he doesn’t include me in his blessing for his congregation?

[exit82]

“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. “

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.”

Wow. This cleric has a problem with this?
It is a simple prayer, and excludes no one. It acknowledges that blessings come from God, and we humbly ask Him to bless our land.

Except for fruitcake Methodist ministers.

[silverleaf]

It is a prayer
In context, the song was written during WW1 but never really released to the public, then Irving resurrected and completed it as shades of WW2 gathered over the world
Why would any American, much less a minister, sit while his fellow citizens rose around him to ask God's blessing on America
Why is it offensive to this man that we ask God to guide us and keep us safe? Haven't we proved that we are willing to share God's blessings with the rest of the world?
We teach the GS to sing the entire song including the intro:

God Bless America
While the storm clouds gather
far across the sea
Let us swear allegiance
to a land that's free
Let us all be grateful
for a land so fair
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.....
IRVING BERLIN - GOD BLESS AMERICA LYRICS