In a moment reminiscent of 2 Chronicles 7:14, a crowd at Charlottesville’s Woodbrook Chick-fil-A (CFA) restaurant burst into prayerful song as a show of gratitude for their country.

The stage was set, Wednesday, as millions of patrons nationwide observed CFA Appreciation Day in response to a threatened boycott of the Christian-based business. Customers waited up to two hours to place food orders, often passing time by meeting and conversing with like-minded CFA supporters.

At the Charlottesville Woodbrook location, an as-of-yet unidentified man stood on a chair and in full voice led the assembled Chick-fil-A patrons in a spontaneous round of Irving Berlin’s heavenly petition, God Bless America, as they awaited or enjoyed their chicken.

A local innkeeper, personally moved by the event, has offered a free weekend stay at his inn as well as a free dinner for the singer. If you know the identity of the vocalist in this video, please contact The Schilling Show.

(Video courtesy of Pastor Fernando Garay)

God Bless America
(Irving Berlin)

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
God bless America, My home sweet home.

22 COMMENTS

  1. Can you identify the singer in this video? A free dinner and inn-stay await him. Watch this moving rendition of God Bless America, footage courtesy of Fernando Garay, videographer.

  2. The key verb in II Chronicles 7:14 is “humble.” And it’s not a synonym for “don’t do all those ‘evil’ things the ‘Satanic Left’ does.” It’s not a synonym for ‘display your righteousness in public.”

    God bless this singer because his heart was probably overflowing with actual patriotism and not just the usual bigotry towards the Left to be heard on the Schilling Show. But Jesus told us to pray, and to do that in secret. That’s where the real work is, and it’s a far cry from the Schilling Show’s take-our-country-back triumphalism.

  3. “But Jesus told us to pray, and to do that in secret.”

    Ken, is this all part and partial of what and how you consider every aspect of christianity?

    I do have to wonder. Do you keep your light under a bushel? Have you ever heard the words of the old hymnal “Onward Christian Soldiers?

    Oh and please note, I do NOT say this as being always perfect christian nor as someone who’s never heard the axiom “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

    What do you consider to humbly denote “turning from wickedness?”

  4. Ken,

    There are many action verbs in that scripture, not just one. The theme of II Chronicles 7:14 is the repentance of a people as a whole nation. You are cherry picking words to attack Rob and others like him for being a stark contrast to many of the things that are wrong with our nation. The left is not the only group guilty of turning their face away from God, there is simply a high concentration of them displaying it in public. Homosexuality is not a right left thing, it is a right and wrong thing. We all struggle with sin, and you don’t accept that particular act as being a sin. Truth is “hate speech” to you.

    However speaking of the left, you would like noting more than those opposing them to fade into the closet and act in private, that way there would be no contrast with the sinful actions being displayed and the attempt to turn it into a public spectacle standing alone.

    “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord”, is not a private event. It is for all the world to see! We need more brave actions like this and more public examples as Rob Schilling.

    God Bless you, Rob!!!

  5. Spade, Harrison, I’m not condemning public prayer and public expression of religious values. I’m condemning triumphalism and lack of empathy. Jesus warned against vainglorious displays of piety, and he didn’t stick his own piety in people’s faces. What book, chapter and verse is Onward Christian Soldiers from? Was Jesus warlike? Did Jesus lead a “triumph song”? Or does it just feel good to lash out at one’s enemies? There are more accurate and more effective metaphors to use for preaching the gospel and holding onto Christian values.

    It’s true that I no longer think the scripture condemns gay monogamy between equals, something pretty much unknown in ancient times – or rather, I doubt it does – and I’ve come to that position after a great deal of study and discussion, by the way. Still, I absolutely honor and respect the traditional Christian view of homosexuality, and I honor and respect Cathy’s right to stand up for it and to use his money to support it. But it’s deeply uncharitable, or at best deeply ignorant, to accuse gays of shaking their fists at God just because they want to marry each other.

    Imagine for a moment what it might like to be gay. Imagine loving someone – not just lusting after, but deeply loving – someone of the same sex. You didn’t decide to be gay. You didn’t decide to love them. That’s just the way you are. That’s just the way it feels like God made you. Let’s also imagine that you’re fortunate enough not to have been hurt and traumatized at a young age by the sneers of people who used words like “fag” and “pervert” like weapons against you. Let’s just imagine that you haven’t encountered people like that who called themselves Christians and said they cared about your soul but obviously didn’t like you just because of your sexuality. Let’s imagine in other words, that you might be willing and able to consider the argument that homosexuality is sinful and that you should remain celibate. You might be willing to consider that God was speaking to you when you heard that message. You’re actually very lucky, because most gays know what it’s like to be put down for a choice they never even made by a conservative community that often can’t control its own sexual urges, a community full of pregnancy outside of marriage and adultery and divorce. (Just check the stats if you don’t believe me).

    Just imagine that you’re miraculously lucky like that, and then some big business owner stands up and says that just because you want to marry that person you love, you’re proud and arrogant and are shaking your fist at God. And then when you angrily object, a million Christians stand up and defend him. How does that sound to you? Do these Christians sound like good people just standing up for what they think the Bible says, or do they sound like jerks who haven’t even tried to understand you and to feel your pain as a fellow human being before they tell you what they believe, but are just imagining the worst about you?

    We’re called to speak the truth in love. When we love people, we see the best in them instead of always imagining the worst.

  6. “Jesus warned against vainglorious displays of piety, and he didn’t stick his own piety in people’s faces. What book, chapter and verse is Onward Christian Soldiers from? Was Jesus warlike? Did Jesus lead a “triumph song”? Or does it just feel good to lash out at one’s enemies? There are more accurate and more effective metaphors to use for preaching the gospel and holding onto Christian values.”

    No Ken, Jesus neither shoved piety (humble or otherwise) in others faces nor is a hymnal the Holy Bible. Maybe your condescension over a plain and tenacious hymn could also be from forgoing the traditional for more strictly contemporary sermon services. However, let’s not confuse piety with turning away from wickedness and following sound Jeudeo-Christian principles (tangible, spiritual and otherwise.)

    As for your self-purposed “warlike” and “triumph” quips, would your reasoning follow the same with lyrics to a song such as “Jesus Loves the Little Children?” I’d shudder with chills and restrained temper to think you’d possibly ask, was Jesus a pedophile? Does Jesus command a pacifist lead marching tune?

    Yes, there are probably more accurate and effective metaphors available, in spreading and sharing the gospel and holding firm onto and standing fast for Christian values. Still even considering every metaphor throughout existence, in what manner does the spirit of the holy scriptures assuage you?

    “Do these Christians sound like good people just standing up for what they think the Bible says, or do they sound like jerks who haven’t even tried to understand you and to feel your pain as a fellow human being before they tell you what they believe……”

    First: a challenge being that present day Christians are either so above or impervious to the actual world, that such beings fail as they are in (if they do) trying to understand and attempting to empathize. I suppose Ken, someone should give in to everything being relative and uphold that secular pretense of what’s popularly passed off as “I feel your pain.” Second: the telltale character associated with the compendium of Ken’s postings is represented well in vast volume. You don’t want to be (much less than approached) even told how or what you should believe. Do unto others and tell them what Ken believes, before others do unto and tell you (as you said)”what they believe.” The tip off about where you do vainglorious, as you accuse the broad swath of Christdom, is “do they sound like jerks.”

    “…but are just imagining the worst about you?
    Who has the most overactive imagination, whether here or all around? What if you were obese and all you heard was people ever talk about nothing but being fat? All this just really sounds like right out of a classic Family Circus comic strip. I’m not imagining the hyperlink Ken went to the pain of setting up here. https://www.schillingshow.com/2012/07/26/yellow-dogs-dem-friendly-voter-participation-center-seeks-to-register-pet-dachshund/comment-page-1/#comment-85405

    We’re called to speak the truth in love. When we love people, we see the best in them instead of always imagining the worst.”

    Yes, not only called to speak truth in love, but also with it and how! What is the truth anymore that anybody can’t handle? The reality happens to be a self preception, precluded notion and preoccupation with what (you see, nay deem) NEGATIVE is. You can persist with imparting and insist on following – “hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil.” However, your masochist idea of evil and own negativism appears on up there with “always imagining the worst,” “vainglorious displays of piety” and the passing of quick or remiss judgement. You can still see the best in others (or in the stereotype of “THEM” as Ken uses) but, there are christians who will not do so at a compromised price or for the sacrificed cost of truth, spoken or unspoken!

  7. Spade, I prefer traditional worship services, and my criticism of Onward, Christian Soldiers doesn’t logically transfer to Jesus Loves the Little Children. No offense intended, but you use a lot of big words and fancy sentence constructions that are really above your head. You probably think you’re being eloquent, but you’re just being hard to understand. Say it simply. There is a time for fancy language, but as a rule of thumb, if you can’t say it simply, you’re probably not thinking straight.

  8. Who is “THEM”?
    Who is “THEM”?
    I guess I am one, since I don’t seem to fit Ken defination of who a Christian should be.
    Ouch, it his list of should’s not mine.
    In fact, Ken should be more concern about his soul instead of mind. Is there not something in written word that say we could be more concern about our soul and don’t do anything to put the other individual soul in jeopardy?
    If the current president like using fancy language, does that mean he too is not thinking straight.

  9. votes, just because I criticize your politics, that doesn’t mean I think you’re not a Christian, or that your soul is in danger. Rob’s the guy who seems to think liberals are in jeopardy of damnation – I don’t make that judgment of anyone. And I don’t presume I’m a better person than someone else just because of their politics.

  10. Ken:
    sometimes the problem with being a fallible human being, is we all think we know the correct solution to the problem or issue. When in fact we are just scratching at surface. Only Christian and myself will know for sure if I am or am not a Christian. we will discuss that at next board meeting or annual review of my life.
    I understand where Rob is coming from, I understanding where you are coming from. You might say I know several liberals by just way they act and what they say, one could say that they are in jeopardy of damnation. But I also know several other group of individuals that one could say that they are in jeopardy of damnaiton. But that is between them and big man up stairs. There is nothing wrong with a individuals standing up for a just cause, however that seem of later what is a just cause. I don’t need a city council or anyother group to tell me that just because I am Christian, I should be more tolerate. When I don’t see them behaving in manner that they want Christian to behave (that is problem being a falliable human being). That is what Mr. Schilling does bring out when one’s read between the lines or listening between the lines. There has been numerous individuals who have say the same thing on this blog. I am tired of Crhistian being blamed for standing up for Christ and getting sand kicked in our face. But than I am just a tired 57 yr old male who is watching our county heading down a path of no return. Lack of accountable, the so-call need for daily government intervention, and lack of honor. It is time to wake up and just let us be falliable human being just be falliable human being without a someone(s), (to include government) telling us what we have done wrong, why we need to pay more in taxes, what soical services we need to support, the list goes on and on. At one time, it mean something to stand up for oneself with honor, it mean something to say I am a Christian, it mean something to hold oneself accountable. It mean something to do a good day work for a good day pay. Instead chaos seem to be song of time. As I have say and written before, being a Christian is a way of life, to understand,to learn, it is not an exercise of who can come up with most cerebral explanation for anything and everything. Be well.

  11. votes, a lot of stuff you and others here write in response to my posts has little to do with what I myself wrote. I’m not judging who’s a Christian and who’s not – I’m saying that we Christians are supposed to love our enemies while we criticize them, not be offended by their opposition and gloat when we win political skirmishes with them, like at Chick-Fil-A.

    Jesus told us we’d have sand kicked in our faces, but he wasn’t angry about it, so why should we be? Instead of railing at Judas, he admonished Peter for attacking the centurion. He said “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Yes our religious freedom is under attack, but that’s something he told us to expect, not some “outrage” we can eliminate if we just have enough demonstrations and denounce our opponents and vote the right way and “take our country back.” That was not Jesus’ way, and when he told us we’d be hated, he as much as told us that that wouldn’t work.

    If we love our country, we’d do well to drop the culture war mentality, which just makes us look no better than our opponents. Better to think long and hard and prayerfully about what it means to love our enemies. Only when they can see that we love them, will they listen to us.

  12. “…He said “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Yes our religious freedom is under attack, but that’s something he told us to expect, not some “outrage” we can eliminate if we just have enough demonstrations and denounce……..”

    And you Ken, haven’t somewhat indulged a good deal to demonstrate and denounce here throughout the Schilling Blog too?

    And you shall know them by the fruits of their labors.

  13. Spade, I don’t denounce anyone. In fact I’ve explicitly said on more that one occasion here that I don’t presume the people I criticize are bad people. I’ve even defended Rob and Carole Thorpe 2-3 times.

    On the other hand, do I need to offer examples of how Rob relentlessly denigrates not just liberal policies but liberals themselves, individually and collectively, all the while claiming his show is hate free? I can do it but I shouldn’t need to.

  14. So which is it Ken?

    Lead us not into temptation BUT deliver us from evil

    -or-

    Lead us not into temptation AND deliver us from evil?

  15. did we change the subject? or is the subject so board that it has so many different facets to look at.
    A pray that I read this morning:
    Father, makes us aware of reality and give us courage to address those pressures that would destory our marriage, family and legacy. == Mr & Mrs Rainey.
    That is the issues allot of subjets that Rob brings up and his guests have done. The reality of world is different to each of us as falliable human beings. However as my executive team would say there are too many groups out there telling us being a Christian is wrong. That a Christian is suppose to be warm and fuzzy all the time. Excuse us, but when a Christian takes a stand and few don’t like it they want to hand us our lunch. Why do you think this Chik – fil – A mess has hit a nerve in allot of Christians? So did we — guy change the subject. Not really, it is a reality that has so many different facets and so many different answer to. The problem is finding the answer and only way something is through prayer and mediation. the question my executive team would ask of all of us — do we try to walk in step of our Lord Jesus Christ or do what is least offensive to rest of the world, especially here in City of Charlottesville and surrounding area.

  16. did we change the subject?

    ;-) Here’s a challenge for you: please take the second paragraph in my August 9 post, and respond directly to it. Tell me why you think I’m wrong or right. Start by answering the question in the first sentence.

    In his fantastic book “The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion,” UVA professor of social psychology Jonathan Haidt writes that “moral diversity can so easily divide good people into hostile groups that do not want to understand each other.”

    Kudos to Rob for taking calls and emails from liberals and inviting the occasional liberal guest on his show, but mostly what we get on the Schilling Show (and on FOX News and MSNBC) is what we got from Dan Cathy – a caricature of the other side’s positions that suggests great reluctance to understand the actual moral views behind them (because once understood they deserve respect – respectful disagreement – and leave little or no room for moral superiority).

    It’s fine to oppose gay marriage because you take the Bible literally. It’s not fine to say that people are prideful and arrogant because they want to marry the people they love. That’s willfully stupid. That’s a refusal to love one’s enemies by empathizing with them. And sadly, that’s all too characteristic of the Christian Right.

    And that’s all I have to say.

  17. To answer Ken challenge — to love one’s emenies.
    For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers …. the powers… the world forces of this darkness. Ephesians 6:12
    Simple put the enemy is inside of us. the daily struggle to do what is right or what is easy. the daily struggle to practice one’s religion or not. Do not what is expected by the few, instead of majority.
    to be Christian into world is a challage, a struggle that was not like when I was a child learning word and work of Jesus Christ and his disciples.
    But than I am just average fallible human being. With this and 50 cents I can get a senior coffee at McD.

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