You're right, APL!
I had forgotten about that one...I guess because I never heard it sung in church, or I don't remember hearing it sung there. (It's been a long, long time since I attended a regular church service of any kind.) But when I was a kid going to the Vacation Bible School sessions in the summer, we always lined up outside the church door. Three kids were chosen to lead the line into the church. One to carry the American flag, one to carry a Christian flag (don't ask me about this because I don't remember much about that flag) and the third child, always in the center, carried the Bible.
We marched into the church as the piano player banged out "Onward Christian Soldiers." There was an activity called "Bible Drill." Kids would compete to see who could locate certain verses the fastest. We'd stand in a line at the front of the room, holding our Bibles down by our sides in our left hands. And the "commander" would give these commands to do the Bible Drill: "Attention! " (We'd stand stiffly, staring at nothing, like soldiers.) "Draw Swords!" We'd bring our Bibles up and hold our right hands on the cover, ready to open it when the "commander" said "find this verse...., and then the commander would say "CHARGE." And we'd scramble to find that verse FIRST. The one who did, stepped forward, was recognized by the "commander," and then the "winner" got to read the verse.
Heady stuff!
Think of all of those Christian fighting songs, such as Onward, Christian Soldiers and Stand Up, Stand Up, for Jesus!; Lead On, O King Eternal; or Soldiers of Christ, Arise! Christians boast that their god is a Conqueror. They carry the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit. They put on the Whole Armor of God, and wear the Helmet of Salvation. Christianity is a very macho religion, imo.
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