What do we owe our government?

This latest seems appropriate in light of the current elections. What do we owe our government? And what does it owe us? A recent poll in England found that fully 80% of Muslims identified themselves as Muslim first, and British second. The results have been decried all over the media and internet, with some of my friends at Military.com claiming that these people must be whackos. Here is my response.

Let me be the first to announce that I am a certified whacko. I am a Christian first, and an American second. My first and highest obligation is to God. I am ultimately answerable only to Him. Fortunately for the sake of civil tranquility, I largely take my direction from a scripture and tradition which tells me I should accept earthly authority and obey my masters as I would Christ. Not that I live up to obeying either Christ or my masters as I should.

Of course, the Teacher answered this question a while ago rather brilliantly, "Whose face do you see on this coin? Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's."

Here is an interpretation, take it if you will:

"Caesar" owns the land and the currency and the military and many other material things, and so we owe the State a tax and political allegiance and military service when called upon. God owns our lives and our world, and our tax, if you will, is what we do with them.

What he is saying, in large part, is:

Fulfill your obligations. All of them.