Leaving Egypt Ministries, Obadiah D. Morris 

Often when individuals experience a spiritual awakening to God, they conclude that attending “church” is a necessary step to further their journey. Such buildings as seen from many street corners, frequently adorned with the flags of the empire in their parking lots, seem to entice them into the idea that they must participate in the “worship services” going on inside if they are to live out the Christian faith. 

However, many of these churches lack true worship, which is better understood as the act of serving one another, eg., in mutual aid networks that actually fulfill the commandment to love one’s neighbor. Instead, they tend to engage in superficial displays of faith, perform empty rituals and irrelevant religious liturgies, or are focused on the celebrity pastor who commands all the attention of the church-goers, all while neglecting the essence of pure religion as articulated by the apostle James (James 1:27).

But it isn’t just the sins of omission in these churches—the lack of actually serving one another in charitable networks—that gives us cause to criticize many of these institutions, but also the positive idolatry and praise for worldly political institutions that is often found within them. Many of these organizations are little more than propaganda centers for the worldly ideology of statism, sprinkled with a faint notion of the love of God. 

At the very least, most of them fail to rebuke the systems of the world as ungodly and evil and call men to repentance from associating with them. They confine the role of “worship” to the Sunday meeting while allowing the congregants to resume whatever wicked jobs and foolish ideas they hold to for the rest of the week. They reduce the nature of “religion” to merely a spiritually matter while allowing their people to serve the institutions of this world and accept payments from them (eg, social security checks), all which are paid at the expense of their neighbors whom they are called to love, which represents the public religion that is an enemy to the pure religion of voluntary charity.

But as I have suggested, it isn’t just that they fail to do such things as call men away from the Babylonian system or set up an alternative kingdom of heaven that is prepared to serve one another. Many churches decidedly praise the political institution and its servants as doing the work of the Lord. Many of them not only fail to teach their people the ways of the Lord and the true gospel of the Kingdom of God, which is a rebuke of the kingdoms of this world, but sing the praises of the worldly religion of statism and see no trouble mixing Christ and Caesar. 

The church-state alliance

Back in the day, when a godly notion was stronger among men, the “church” and state connection worked hand in hand. The church authorities worked to sign off on state power, pitch its rulers as ruling by “divine right” and giving it their stamp of spiritual legitimacy. The two were often very intertwined and worked to apologize for each other’s alleged roles in society and the necessity or inevitability of their existence. As the American anarchist Murray Rothbard wrote,

“The union of church and state was one of the oldest and most successful of these ideological devices. The ruler was either anointed by God or, in the case of the absolute rule of many Oriental despotisms, was himself God; hence; any resistance to his rule would be blasphemy. The States priestcraft performed the basic intellectual function of obtaining popular support and even worship of the rulers” (Rothbard, Anatomy of the State, p. 23). 

In today’s more “secular” world where men openly reject God and demand more “scientific” reasons for political rule and intervention into society, many other people than some ecclesiastical body alone serve as the intellectual bodyguard for state rule: academics, professors, scientists, school teachers, journalists, media pundits, authors, etc. 

But this alliance of throne and altar is far from dead, at least insofar as that the institutional churches still play a role in spinning apologia for the State and tricking men into serving it. Though they may not be on the government’s payroll, the false pastors of the world still play a great part in spreading the worldly ideology of statism and turning men away from God and back to Caesar. The modern institutionalized churches, all who have their existence approved by Caesar through their 501c3 status, serve as a major center for state propaganda — hence why “render unto Caesar” is a popular “gotcha” for any challenges to their worldview of the State as ruling by divine right and for the service of the good of society. 

Though it wouldn’t be the case if these people actually read their Bibles and sought to know the Lord, unfortunately professing Christians are often just as statist as the rest of the non-professing public. They share a god with the atheists who they believe themselves to be separate from, not seeing that this matter of allegiance to God or the kingdoms of this world is a crucial dividing line for the one who professes to be faithful to the Lord. Though their own idolatry ultimately leads them here and permits this view, the institutional church has certainly helped to reinforce it with its teachings that human government is good and godly — especially in the United States, a country that has been more fooled by “God and country” crap than any other in the world.

The false churches

Besides the reality that the true “church” is the body of Christ which carries out the daily ministration of welfare to their congregations, and not the vain “worship” of singing songs in a State-approved building with pew-warmers who want nothing to do with the real activism, agitation, or the work of someone seeking Christ’s literal kingdom, there are many other ways to point out just how false most institutions that we call churches today really are and just how much they are actually involved in a false religion. 

If you didn’t know any better, ie., haven’t read the Bible and see what idolatry and blasphemy God thinks these practices are, you might think that this statism is genuine Christianity. (This is another purpose of the false mixture of statism and God: to turn people away from God by deterring them through the indeed appalling approval of the murderous and plunderous American empire). You might believe in the “God and country” propaganda of many of these type of people, many who are deceived themselves. 

But the pure “religion” of Christianity, which is better defined by serving one another without the violence of political institutions, and the false religion of statism that carries out acts of service through violence, cannot be anymore at enmity with one another. They are rival religions, so to speak. When one worships and praises the political systems of the world, sings their national anthems and pledges of allegiance, or says how they “back the blue,” they are showing themselves to be enemies of God and to be a part of another religion altogether. 

The state religion among “Christians”

Thus, when we see the religion of statism pushed among Christians, especially in the so-called churches, we know that these are reprobate men who have been given over by God to various delusions and worldly ideologies in their refusal to repent from these sins. This false religion of statism is prominent among many churches and churchians today, and it is a good reason to disassociate with it when you come across it.

American flags  

The first sign of a fake church that you’ll often encounter is an American flag in the parking lot — or perhaps even worse, in the sanctuary behind where the false pastor preaches. This is one of the first signs that such a “church” serves the false religion of statism and not the Lord. It shows where the allegiance of the heads of the church lies, and that the congregants are too foolish to identify it. True Christians don’t wave flags of empires. They know it’s an enemy of God. As the early Christian Tertullian said, “Shall we carry a flag? It is a rival to Christ.”

If anyone lacks discernment enough to ditch the flags, it’s likely going to be further downhill from here. For American flags are no innocent symbol that one has decided to keep around because they grew up with it or because they have their own interpretation of “what it means to me,” but are a false idol that are an outward display of a man’s inner idolatry, a bloodsoaked symbol representative of an evil empire that carries it with them into battle as they slaughter innocent men, women, and children around the world. 

So if you see a flag, expect this church and its people to be entirely unashamed to practice other sacramental acts of the state religion: thanking veterans for their service, holding military or law enforcement appreciation days, regarding these men as heroes and saviors, hosting military chaplains to give sermons, etc.

Military worship

Since the flag represents the empire and is not just an innocent symbol that one may fly without contradicting their service to the Lord, it should be expected that much idolatry for the military will follow from here. This tolerance or even outright praise of Caesar’s military is probably one of the worst parts of this false religion of statism that many professing Christians support, as this praise not only involves idolatry but openly supports the murder of men around the world and the imperialist expansion of state power and dominance, including its rule over the domestic slave population who are made to bear the tax burden of this monstrous institution. 

One “church” I came across in person even held going-away parties for recently enlisted soldiers who were being shipped off to boot camp. Whereas any true leaders of a flock of God’s children would harshly rebuke any attempt among their people to serve the satanic system of government, even disassociating with them if necessary, this church was celebrating it. And it makes sense why they would, as a false church who in truth practices the worldly religion of statism: enlisting in the military is itself a sacrament of the state religion — a sort of civil rite where one joins themselves with false gods to serve them directly and makes pledges allegiance to government and vows to obey their commands. 

Such people who throw going-away parties for men signing up to wear boots for Pharaohs do not have the first clue about the Lord, despite that they may vainly gather in His name in buildings called “churches.” They have come, as false prophets, to pretend that God approves of and blesses such deployments with Caesar. Besides doing such for their own members, other churches have gathered to just send off their “prayers” to locals who were deploying.

Another evil that can be found in the churches is having a military color guard march down the aisle of the church just before some national holiday. This is meant to make the lost sheep of the false congregation to look with starry-eyes upon those who serve the systems of the world, when their eyes should be fixed on the Lord.

Another related evil is praying for the safety of “the troops” as they go on murderous adventures around the world. “God bless our soldiers” is an evil heard among millions of professing Christians in America, most who are simply too foolish to realize their own evils and use of the Lord’s name in vain. 

General state worship

Another very evil example of the religion of statism in a church that I personally encountered was a sign just inside the door telling people to turn around if they don’t share the idolatry of that congregation. The sign read as a NOTICE that the people therein say “we salute our flags” and “give thanks to our troops” and that “if this offends you, leave.” Needless to say, I left. There was no reason to join in with these idolaters who share a different religion: the religion of statism.  

National songs of praise 

Another clear sign that you should hit the door running is a church that sings songs of worship to the State right before national holidays like the Forth of July, Memorial Day, or Veterans Day — or any church that celebrates these days whatever. This is popular in many churches; others rightly avoid it, at least to their congregants if not in their personal lives. Such songs of national praise, like the Battle Hymn of the Republic, is another sacrament of the American civil religion. Saying the “pledge of allegiance” to the American flag in churches is another great evil. 

The voting blasphemy

As we have covered in several articles, voting is one of the main sacraments of statism — a false religion that should not be practiced by anyone who calls themselves a Christian. This is one of the main ways that the religio-statists praise their false god State and show themselves to be servants of another kingdom contrary to Christ’s. 

Thus, the voting sacrament is another way of identifying that you’re part of an evil so-called church. Contrary to those statists who tell us a pastor can’t be trusted if he is not sermonizing on this alleged civic duty, any pastor calling upon his flock to vote is surely a false one who’s lost in the world. He is teaching others to share in his gods and make vows to them as he does. This should be another reason to flee a church. 

Furthermore, many churches allow their facilities to be used by governments as polling stations. In one local list of polling locations I reviewed, it seemed some half were churches. This is clearly another evil in the false churches of this country — evidence that they are little more than propaganda centers on behalf of the State who mix the holy and unholy without qualms. Any real congregation of the Lord’s people would absolutely deny their property to be used by county governments for obtaining votes. 

True Christians cannot take part in these statist sacraments, lest they betray God for the false gods of the world. As Tertullian wrote,

“There is no agreement between the divine and the human sacrament, the standard of Christ and the standard of the devil, the camp of light and the camp of darkness. One soul cannot be due to two masters—God and Cæsar.”

Conclusion 

We see just how much statism is a (false) religion. In every way, the State attempts to substitute itself for God. Whereas God promises to provide for our health, protection, and aid in all areas, statists say that we wouldn’t have any of those things without government, militaries, police, or welfare programs. And they praise these systems in the “churches” as giving us a “free country” today. 

It is no wonder that these “churches” are engaging in the false religion of statism. It is because they aren’t real churches and aren’t practicing pure and undefiled religion at all. If they were acting like the “church” is called to act, ie., if they were actually gathering in congregations that were working to provide for each other in a network of mutual aid, then they would be working to effectively abolish human government and replace it with the kingdom of God. But since they are doing nothing more than sitting around and singing songs and listening to some pastor give a motivational speech at best, or positively praising the empire at worst, naturally they are still able to look to the gods of this world (ie., the State) for their security and freedom, receiving neither in the end.

But there can really be no greater hypocrisy than to serve both Christ and Caesar, the former which is done by actually carrying out His commandments and loving your neighbor by caring and providing for them. Even men in the scriptures acknowledged the fact that devotion to Caesar meant enmity with Christ.

“They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!” (Acts 17:7; cp. Luke 23:2; John 19:12). 

Sadly, many who call themselves Christians today, evidenced by their idolatry for the State, are actually people who profess, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). 

It is no wonder that many churchians get mad at those repentant souls who refuse to participate in their civil sacraments like voting, waving flags, or thanking a veteran: the State is their god. Though such acts are the very acts of idolatry, they consider it blasphemy to not partake in them. 

Anyone or any church that engages in these sacraments of the American civil religion shows themselves to be blasphemers and idolaters who don’t know God and who buy into the false religion of the world. Not that we are called to congregate in brick buildings for the vain “worship” and motivational speeches by so-called pastors anyway, but if you see these things, you should definitely run — these are forms of worship of satanic governments from which men need to repent from. You have found yourself among worldly fools who are no better than the average man for vaguely proclaiming themselves to be Christ-followers while they have yet to come out of the kingdoms of this world. In fact, they might even be worse, for at least the atheistic statists of the world don’t bring God’s name aboad as they indulge in the ungodliness of statism.