ok, theres this girl i know and in her religion they refuse to stand for the national anthem.. she even purposely missed the rememberance day assembly..? I forget what its called, but she says her religion worships gods, nnot a flag. but when we sing the national anthem we're not worshipping a flag, right? it represents that we're thankful for all the priveleges we have here, and rememberance day is about the people who died to give us these priveleges we now have. Is it not rude for her to do this, as she enjoys our country, shouldnt they show respect?
If it makes any difference, i live in Canada
2007-11-09 12:44:49 · 54 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Anna!
I agree with you ! unfortunately we have diversity in Canada and for some reason he Government is too lenient on certain issues . I will bring you a example ,if I was to come to your house I would show respect to you and your parents and if I was a guest I would obey the rules of your house because you were nice enough to welcome me in your home. So it should be the same for people that go in another country ,when they are in private they can do whatever their culture is ,but when they are in public they should respect someone else culture and customs. I find that they are disrespectful to our country by behaving this way. But if the Canadian Government let's them abuse our traditions we will soon loose our roots and the things that were taught to us .
When in Rome do is the Romans do!
When in Canada do is the Canadians do "
In Flanders fields where poppies grows....
"We will remember them"
Be proud to be Canadian!
We, as Canadian have every right to be offended when someone doesn't bring respect to our country or our flag, because our motto is "united we stand" .
2007-11-09 13:06:39 · answer #1 · answered by bornfree 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it is rude. I think her problem is not so much a "worship" of the flag as pledging allegiance to an earthly nation. If she is a Jehovah's Witness she believes that she can only pledge allegiance to God's kingdom, and singing a national anthem or saluting a flag is to threaten that allegiance. Arguably, you can only have one true allegiance (since if you were to have two, they theoretically could come in to conflict, forcing you to choose which was your "true" allegiance.) If this is the reason she refuses to pledge allegiance to her country, she is, in all honestly, at least taking the pledge more seriously than most who make it do. Usually it is an unconscious action which requires no sacrifice and carries no meaning. For her, it obviously does have meaning.
You say she "enjoys" your country. I take this to include the freedoms of your country. Since one of those freedoms is freedom of religion, her following the teachings of her religion and not singing "O Canada" is a part of "enjoying" the country. If you think she should not be allowed to do this, you paradoxically remove one of the very reasons she has to live in Canada.
I have no special sympathy with Jehovah's Witnesses, but at least they seem to remain true to the otherworldly spirit of Christianity at a time when too many versions of Christianity equate patriotism, capitalism, wealth, or other worldly goods with godliness.
2007-11-09 13:03:47 · answer #2 · answered by student_of_life 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I also live in Canada. I'm proud to stand and sing the anthem and I am so glad to live in a country where people are free to take a stand on whatever they believe. That's what our flag represents! I don't think she was being disrespectful by standing up for what she believes in, even if it means doing something unpopular. Flag burning or mocking the anthem would be rude and disrespectful, but respectfully declining from participating in the anthem because you believe that to do so would be idolatry is not.
2007-11-09 12:53:34 · answer #3 · answered by abbasgirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well for one thing i guess she mixed up everything. I do have a religion and it never says I can't stand up to give respect to the others.
you're right, we are not worshiping the flag when we sing the national anthem. It's a symbol of your gratefulness to live in that country and proud of it. Heck, wouldn't it be scary if we worship a flag that's lifeless?
by the way, it's just the same concept when we enter other's worshiping place. example. when we visit an Indian temple we have to take of our shoes and wear this hand band or something right? In our hearts we don't vow to change our faith but it's a sign of respect towards their believes and their norms.
2007-11-11 00:00:25 · answer #4 · answered by AyJay 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it can be seen as worshiping the flag, but i tend to think that the flag represents the country. some religions (islam) do not allow depictions of their gods because god is too perfect to be depicted. I agree that people should at least stand for the pledge, or national anthem as a sign of respect for those who want to observe. Out of respect, she should stand, and after all, she should be as grateful as anyone else for the ultimate sacrifices that totally selfless people make for us
but that's just my opinion
2007-11-09 12:51:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree that it isnt literally worshiping the flag, and i think everyone should be proud of their country. But at the same time, no i dont think its rude of her, because she just simply is not participating, shes not putting down anyone else.If she was that would be different, I had kids i went to school with, that did not attend any holiday events, stand for our pledge of allegiance, they were not even allowed a cupcake if someone had a birthday, but they were never rude, they really never said anything about it at all.
2007-11-09 12:53:48 · answer #6 · answered by ♥mama♥ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She is probably Jehovah's Witness. They don't celebrate birthdays, either. A member of this religion once tried to explain it to me this way: They don't celebrate or honor anything that is not Jesus Christ or God. Celebrating a birthday would take the focus off of Jesus. I guess they think if we are honoring the flag, we are taking the focus off of Jesus, too.
Personally, I have enough love and honor in my heart for my Savior and my country.
As far as being offended by this. I would be a little. But I would try and remember that she has rights, as well. She has the right to not honor her country's flag. In my opinion, she shouldn't ever ask for any federal benefits, though. If she is not willing to stand up for her country, she shouldn't benefit from living there.
2007-11-09 12:49:45 · answer #7 · answered by artistagent116 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not rude at all, that's just part of her beliefs. As her beliefs aren't affecting anyone else or hurting anyone, she should be able to do what she wants. I never said the pledge but I did stand for the anthem, but that doesn't mean I have any less respect for my country.
In the US, our pledge has the words "Under God" in it, and I never said it because I don't believe in God. That doesn't make me disrespectful toward the country, I just don't want to honor something that I don't believe in.
Rude would have been making her go to the events or making her stand for the anthem. She doesn't have to if she doens't want to.
2007-11-09 12:49:19 · answer #8 · answered by mathaowny 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is not the girls religion, she probably has crazy parents. Anyone with common sense and no matter how religious someone is anyone and everyone knows that saying the national anthem is not worshipping the flag. If that were the case Christians couldn't say it either as Christians also can't worship other gods. People like this shouldn't be allowed to live in the US or Canada, they should go back to their country if this is how they feel. I would be mean to her at school and encourage other kids to be mean to her.
2007-11-09 12:48:36 · answer #9 · answered by chillinginchicago 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
People have different views. Her interpretation of that religion may very well be that God comes before country. That is not to say that she doesn't support the country she lives in. The country has given her a place to freely practice her religion and be whatever type of person she chooses. If it came down to it, maybe she doesn't stand for the pledge, but would she defend it in a situation that called for it?
2007-11-09 12:48:07 · answer #10 · answered by מימי 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋