Isn't "allegiance" a more complicated thing than that? Especially when the president thinks the Constitution is "just a piece of paper"? I just can't quite get behind the Commander in Chief, and don't want to teach people to follow authority blindly.
2006-08-26 10:28:42 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You’re a nation, bold free!
You’re a nation, with liberty!
You’re a nation! You’re a nation!
You’re a nation of gold and green!
You’re a nation of streams and lakes!
You’re a nation the sunlight bakes!
You’re a nation! You’re a nation!
You’re a nation everyone makes!
You’re a nation! You’re a nation!
You’re a nation everyone makes!
Maybe belief in myths about a spiritual conflict of a good one in heaven and an evil one cast down to and ruling over Earth creates blind obedience, flawed character, and misguided loyalty that are capable of best satisfying the need and aspiration of a mercenary plutocratic predatory few to achieve and maintain authority, power, order and control. Maybe some fundamentalist states need to produce in the minds of their peoples a belief that myth about discovery, word, will and law of an angry perfectionistic judgmental masculine god is true in order to maintain authority, power, order and control. Will the fabric of a just society disintegrate into anarchy without belief in myths a good spirit and evil spirit terrorizing right and wrong doers? Maybe ideological authorities use such heavy-handed tactics such as promises of eternal rewards and eternal punishment to coerce communities of faithful believer into obeying laws of a good one at war with an evil one here on Earth. Maybe ' the good news' is actually spiritual blackmail. Maybe the will attributed to such a good one is determined largely by the mercenary plutocratic predatory few.
Maybe many millions of followers are lead by ideological traditions originating before ancient paternalistic theocracies to gleefully look forward to a catastrophic war said to precede return of good one to earth control. Maybe some believe that an evil one must rise to power before this catastrophic war can take place. Maybe some unconsciously support the rise to power of whom ever they consider a good candidate for an evil one. Maybe this ends up creating a string of bad leaders.
2006-08-26 10:41:30 · answer #1 · answered by H.I. of the H.I. 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The person of the president is currently filling the 'office' of the president, with those powers and duties defined in the constitution and other documents. Same with the congress, and the supreme court. All together, these provide justice, defense, general welfare, and liberty and freedom to those who pledge allegiance to its tenets. If those are things you value, then that is why you would pledge allegiance to this country. You can certainly disagree with the president and still pledge allegiance to the ideals of the country, and you have the freedom here to say so. If you think you could do better elsewhere, you also have the freedom to do that.
2006-08-26 10:33:07 · answer #2 · answered by Rjmail 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
President Bush needs serious help....He is a great example of a human being who has little if any wisdom and a haughty attitude. What a bad combo.
And, here's a good example of the people who are running our country. I just got off the phone with my dad who recently retired as a comptroller for the State Senate of Arizona....He said that the US Congress just voted for a $40,000 pay increase for each congressman, but declined to increase the minimum wage...That pretty much sums it up.
I am glad that I live in America, but I do not pledge allegiance to that kind of behavior.
2006-08-26 13:59:10 · answer #3 · answered by Denise W 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The saluting of a flag is an act of worship. Allegiance or worship should only be given to God alone. (Matthew 4:10)
Many people do not consider the flag sacred or that saluting it is an act of worship. However, consider what secular authorities say about this: “The flag, like the cross, is sacred. . . . The rules and regulations relative to human attitude toward national standards use strong, expressive words, as, ‘Service to the Flag,’ . . . ‘Reverence for the Flag,’ ‘Devotion to the Flag.’”—The Encyclopedia Americana (1942), Volume 11, page 316.
“Nationalism’s chief symbol of faith and central object of worship is the flag, and curious liturgical forms have been devised for ‘saluting’ the flag, for ‘dipping’ the flag, for ‘lowering’ the flag, and for ‘hoisting’ the flag. Men bare their heads when the flag passes by; and in praise of the flag poets write odes and children sing hymns.”—What Americans Believe and How They Worship (1952), by J. Paul Williams, pages 359, 360.
You may feel that the above are extreme views. However, it is interesting that in the colonial days of America the Puritans objected to the British flag because of its red cross of “Saint” George. According to The Encyclopædia Britannica (1910-1911), they did this, “not from any disloyalty to the mother country, but from a conscientious objection to what they deemed an idolatrous symbol.”
One of the Ten Commandments forbids making an object to worship with “a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath.” (Exodus 20:4, 5) As Christians, we should feel bound by the Bible’s command to ‘guard ourselves from idols.’—1 John 5:21.
That the flag salute is related to worship, is also found in the following comments: "Christians refused to . . . sacrifice to the [Roman] emperor’s genius—roughly equivalent today to refusing to salute the flag or repeat the oath of allegiance.”—Those About to Die (1958), by Daniel P. Mannix, page 135.
“The key assumption is that saluting a flag constitutes an act of religious devotion. . . . This view, while odd, is not entirely without biblical support. . . . If saluting is a religious act, then it is forbidden by God’s law however worthy the object of respect. In other words, refusal to salute need imply no disrespect for flag or country.”—Render Unto Caesar, The Flag-Salute Controversy (1962), David R. Manwaring, assistant professor of political science, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, page 32.
2006-08-26 10:55:18 · answer #4 · answered by Micah 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually we are pledging allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and the republic for which it stands.
2006-08-26 10:30:37 · answer #5 · answered by pooh bear 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
You shouldn't pledge allegiance to any country as that means you support and would take for truth everything they do, and that is virtually impossible.
2006-08-26 10:34:49 · answer #6 · answered by notfan_football 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Are you disavowing allegiance to the United States?
2006-08-26 10:31:58 · answer #7 · answered by Albannach 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Even as a kid growing up on military bases, I found the idea of a pledge to a flag something more appropriate to soviet or fascist countries.
Then, they tampered with the darn thing during the McCarthy era, adding in the 'under God' - which, by the way, was never added on the miliary bases while i was growing up - and just ruined the pledge completely.
2006-08-26 10:31:01 · answer #8 · answered by t jefferson 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
America has a lot of things wrong about it but it is still the best country in the world
2006-08-26 10:31:20 · answer #9 · answered by glass man 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
H.I SAID IT THE BEST...WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU POSTING QUESTIONS LIKE THESE....if you lived in another country where ppl dont have the freedom like we do...u would be saying stuff like this!
2006-08-26 10:44:34 · answer #10 · answered by Princess_777 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋