I am a catholic, I have a supranational identity.
I will not bow to my knees but before the Christ. I am a member of His Kingdom.
Yet, in my travels, I have found many who equate God and Nation. They believe that their Nation is a messianic kingdom. I tell them the messianic kingdom was established 2014 years ago, long before their nation even existed. Yet, their identity is intimately fused to their nation.
On the contrary, my identity is Universal, without borders, for the Lord told us to go to all nations to preach the Gospel of Eternity, of Jesus Christ. I admonish these individuals telling them the Kingdom of God is multinational, supranational, and knows no boundaries, and is amongst us. However, I have found that in their minds nation and God, State and Religion, are fused into one identity.
I guess that having many nationalities, and having lived in three nations, makes me different to my neighbors. I do not distinguish my identity with the religious identity of a sectarian group that enshrines their nation as the kingdom of God on Earth (Henry VIII). On the contrary, I believe the Kingdom of God is an organization of individuals under one leader (Saint Peter) who has chosen one church composed of those that have been baptized in the name of Jesus: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The founding leader of my faith is Jesus, Saint Peter and the disciples, 12 in total, his one and only Church. I believe we were established as a Kingdom 2014 years ago.
I cannot see myself as a devout follower of a Nation on Earth, but rather as a follower of Jesus, who established his kingdom on Earth. His kingdom is not from this world.
Nations on this world have proven, on many instances, to be persecutors of the Citizens of Heaven. Yet, Nations come and go, they rise, the fall. There is no nation on Earth who will stand the millennial test of time, which means they will not become the Everlasting New World Order, or Sharia State, even though they may claim they are the messianic kingdom.
I believe all the kingdoms and nations on the world belong to God. I believe he allows them to rule, and if they fail (inevitable); their rule is handed over to other kingdoms. History proves my words.
Hence, why should I bow before a Kingdom of Earth, and its representative, money, if I know they are just passing by and they will fade away. Why would I chose my identity to be equated to the identity of earthly kingdoms. I am not a nationalist, how could I?
Being a nationalist, knowing the nature of earthly kingdoms, who come and go, would set my identity on defeat and vanishment. It would be like worshiping a currency!
Since there is no everlasting kingdom on Earth, why would I chose to dress myself with their identity when I have the everlasting kingdom of God as an option and I am already a citizen from heaven? It would make no sense!
I know so many people whose identity lies on a nation and its money. I know others whose identity lies on the words of one man and his book. Muslims have an identity, supranational as well. Their duty is to convert by subjugation and force. They preach their messiah is about to come to subdue us all under Sharia Law. They aspire to become the voice of the state and expand their kingdom throughout the Earth. What is then the difference?
Muslims believe State and God should be the same. They are similar to atheistic states which impose a religion from within the state. They are like the kingdoms that announce a messiah coming to rule the world.
The difference is that Christian Catholics want separation of Church and State. We believe in free will. We believe the State and educational institutions have no right to indoctrinate its citizenry under one State Religion: muslim, atheistic, Protestant, or even catholic. Since we, Catholics, are a supranational organization, we preach the Gospel of Eternity and make disciples by preaching. Convention is a personal decision which we cannot force on people. You have to freely choose to believe! We Catholics refuse to identify ourselves with the World and its kingdoms. We live amongst them, but we have a higher calling.
Another difference is that Christianity will be here until the end of times. We do not need a kingdom of Earth to sustain us to eternity.
Kingdoms come and go, we, His Church, will remain on Earth until he comes in Glory, even if we are persecuted, discriminated against, told to leave, stone, beheaded, crucified, or simply assassinated in our character.
The greatest enemy of the Church is Satan, yet he will be defeated in the end. He sends his liars and assassins to destroy us; yet here we are standing through the test of time. Thus far we are about to celebrate our 2015 anniversary, the birth of our Jewish God, Jesus Christ.
Who am I? What is my identity? What group do you belong to? What is the color of your flag and nation? What do you believe in? Who do you follow? What is your agenda? Who are your brothers and sisters? Where is the source of your power and strength? Who are your alliances with? Who do you serve? Who do you bow to? Who are your friends? Who are your enemies? Where are your headquarters? Who is your president and commander in chief? What is your Constitution, your creed?
The answer all those questions:
I am a Catholic, universal, eternal.
