I'm going to share a personal story with you. When I was a child I hated Memorial Day. And I no longer recite the pledge of allegiance.
My dad was on our local cemetery board and every Memorial Sunday they had services at an old unused church across from the cemetery. Since my dad was on the board the whole family had to go and attend the services. As a 5-13 year old Memorial Day meant nothing to me. I really did not care. The services were boring, before the services the cemetery board had a business meeting. That was boring too.
Also my third grade and first grade teachers attended the services as well. They were mother and daughter and were also involved with the cemetery. I did not like these teachers because they would scream and holler at me and my classmates for the slightest transgression like coughing or calling out the wrong answer. The third grade teacher yelled so much that one time she got laryngitis. Sitting in that church with them made me physically ill, even after I was no longer their student.
As soon as I was old enough I started getting out of going to the services. This was early high school. I have never attended a Memorial Day Service since then.
As for the pledge of allegiance during the services, and the they would march the flags in and we would recite it. During my twenties when I started re-reading the bible I got to the commandments the first one is "You shall not have any Gods before me" I thought about it and came to the conclusion that the Pledge of Allegiance is against God's word. When we were reciting it we were idoling a piece of cloth sewn to a flag. That would be a sin. And the part "one nation under GOD" is blasphemy. Because of that conclusion I stopped reciting the pledge.
Don't get me wrong, I respect the flag, but I will not worship it. Also I do not attend any church services even the one at my own church on Memorial Sunday because of fear the may recite it. I do not want any dirty looks for not putting my hand over my heart and saying something blasphemous.
Your thoughts?
I thought I was the only one who refused to say the "Pledge" to a piece of cloth. Thank you! I am not alone! I have trouble with the "Star Spangled Banner' too. Why are we lionizing war in our national anthem? Yes, we are braqve and free, but at what cost? Do they think God approves our soldiers killing and being killed? And for what? How have we helped the Earth, God's creation, be a better place? How have we helped the poor? The sick? The hungry, the children? Dropping bombs from planes is not in God's plan. Blowing up schools and hospitals is not God's plan.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a different perspective regarding Memorial Day. Personally, I don't believe that "pledging allegiance" is on the same level as worship, so I do not think it blasphemous. I think "to the flag and to the Republic for which it stands" is poetic phrasing, which so far the courts agree is the case. (If destroying a flag representing free speech is illegal, then what on earth does the flag represent?)
ReplyDeleteI do agree that the "under God" phrase is wrong! I am not enough of a theologian to know if it is blasphemous. My understanding is that it was only added to the pledge during the 1950s at the height of the cold war and was intended as a swipe against the "Godless commies." It excludes patriotic citizens who may be unbelievers in the Christian god (sort of stands the "one nation, indivisible" clause on its head).
And I agree that no one with a principled objection to the pledge (such as yourself) should ever have to feel intimidated about reciting it! What a meaningless pledge if it is recited out of fear! And it is so much worse if that anger and judgmental behavior takes place in church!
My grandfathers fought in WWII, one a Marine and the other a Naval Aviator. My father is a vet. I served in the Navy. My youngest son just finished his first year at the Naval Academy. I always associate Memorial Day with long weekends, BBQ, and paying homage to veterans. And my best friend´s son, who was killed in Afghanistan. My oldest son and I were pall bearers.
ReplyDeleteNot a single fiber in my body finds fault with anything you wrote.
I'm not a flag person,period.I won't swear allegiance to a flag nor salute it.I personally feel a flag is a symbol of nationalist ego,false patriotism,conquest,and is a very divisive symbol.People who think adorning their home,car,and even themselves with American flags makes them oh-sooo-patriotic are some of the most irritating boogers on the planet.
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ReplyDeleteI pledged allegiance when I went to school and at home when it was proper. My parents came from oppressed Hungary in the early 1900's and kissed the ground at Ellis Island when they arrived here and then later became citizens. We saw nothing wrong with saying the pledge and were happy to do so.
Deleteps...my parents were Christians as well.
Peace.