I am hoping that this is not an argument starter. I don't intend it to be. And I must say from the beginning that I am not Anti-American - I am just more pro-Christ and his worldwide kingdom than I have ever been before. So here are a few points of why I have stopped saying the Pledge.
First, the pledge assumes that my highest allegiance will go to my country. Do I really pledge my "allegiance" to my country? Is this just another way of saying that "Caesar is Lord"? Does the pledge relativize my commitment as a Christian to Christ? Isn't the pledge competing for my allegiance that should only belong (in the ultimate sense) to Christ?
Second, the pledge reinforces boundaries that are nationally drawn. In other words, we are being asked to support "our" country. Doesn't this claim compete with the Christian claim that the "Body of Christ" knows no national boundaries? As William Cavanaugh points out in his great book, "Theopolitical Imagination", states tend to promote salvific myths about themselves. But it is only in the church that a truly transnational community can be developed.
Third, the pledge is used as propaganda to instill concepts of ultimate allegiance to the state. Ever wonder why the pledge is one of the first things you learn in school? I am told that after 9/11 many schools that had become complacent about the pledge in the mornings, have now redoubled efforts to make sure that the pledge is recited. This is another sign that the state is competing for absolute allegiance.
Fourth, the pledge adds confusion to the strange concept of a national God. "One nation, under God" sounds cool, but what does it mean really? Isn't it another attempt to state the myth that our nation is a Christian nation and somehow blessed of God more than most other nations? Isn't this just a step away from saying, "pledge your allegiance to our state, because we have God on our side".
Enough already..I simply want to end by restating a pledge that was written by June Yoder and J. Nelson Kraybill of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary as an alternative.
"I pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ,
and to God's Kingdom for which he died -
one Spirit-led people the world over,
indivisible, with love and justice for all.
14 comments:
I like it. I have actually been thinking about this concept a little bit lately. I read something recently that sparked a thought or two...I can't remember where, but it might have been in a book written by a Mennonite :).
Do you still sing the national anthem, or does that fall into this category too?
Great thoughts. You've been reading Yoder. Jen Swift told me about you and my brother-in-law Josh Howard forwarded your sight to me. I like what you've written because it speaks to the very nature of the Church and the problem of civil religion. Be careful, the Wesleyans might excommunicate you if they ever find this blog :)
Good question Jess. Actually saying the pledge is a pretty safe comittment, because I am not asked to say the pledge with any frequency. However, I am at many events where the national anthem is performed. And no, I have not sung the anthem for a couple of years now - basically because of its rendition of war, freedom and bravery. I have always stood when it is sung - but I also do not put my hand over my heart (which is another curious act).
DB
Kevin,
Good to hear from you. I don't think we have met, but I have been told about some of your sites as well. I believe someone forwarded me a site about the topic of war that you were teaching somewhere. Love to meet sometime. And yes, I have had a good dose of Yoder.
I am waiting for the Wesleyan police to show up at any moment - actually I have been thinking about writing a piece on "Why Wesleyans should be pacifists", but haven't gotten it all together yet.
Thanks for writing.
DB
Dwayne,
Please write a post on why Wesleyans should be pacifists. Frankly, the reason we should be pacifists is because if we aren't, we can't truly call ourselves "Wesley-an." Our doctrine of Christian Perfection does not accept the presuppositions of Reinhold Niebuhr's justification for war (by far the most prevalent view in the Church today) and thus we are left with a just war doctrine that is impossible to abide by. Therefore, what other options is there for Wesleyans and war, besides surrending our doctrine of Christian Perfection more than we already have?
Glad you two have finally met!
thought of you today as noah's kindergarten class said the pledge of allegiance together. i looked around the room as it was being said and noticed the few people who weren't participating and wondered what their reasons were.
Nice summary of many good reasons to not say the pledge. Let me add one more. The pledge of allegiance was originally used for an advertisement for the sale of flags. It was later adopted for use by the government for many of the reasons that you have already stated.
I'm not Christian but I have never said the pledge of allegiance, not even in school as a youngster. My parents were religious and requested that I not participate. It made a free thinker out of me!
Nice summary of many good reasons to not say the pledge. Let me add one more. The pledge of allegiance was originally used for an advertisement for the sale of flags. It was later adopted for use by the government for many of the reasons that you have already stated.
I'm not Christian but I have never said the pledge of allegiance, not even in school as a youngster. My parents were religious and requested that I not participate. It made a free thinker out of me!
I suppose that what one meant when they offered the pledge would determine whether or not they had crossed over into 'state idolatry'. If one means 'I pledge allegiance to the flag inasmuch as the country for which it stands remains under God', I think that perhaps it might be acceptable. However, I think that most who say the pledge do so from ingrained rote memory resulting from childhood conditioning. Many will have the same 'religious feelings' saying the pledge or singing the national anthem as they will have going to Church, and so they strongly associate the two. I praise God to have been born in the United States, and I further thank God for the sacrifices that many have made in order to secure the many rights that I live with. However, I am in complete agreement that only Christ has my ultimate allegiance, and so I will respectfully stand and salute, but I cannot, in good conscience, pledge my allegiance to another but my blessed Lord.
tinyurl.com/cs52674
Like you, I won't recite the pledge. My reasoning is similar, but it leans more toward the idea that a pledge is a promise, and the Bible warns on many occasions against promises:
Matthew 5:37 ESV
Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
There are many more, but that was the strongest on my mind. Then comes the issue of Francis Bellamy, who wrote the pledge, and was also involved in a bit of conspiracy to sell a lot of flags -- hence why you pledge yourself to a flag and not to a country itself.
I don't like the concept or the wording. I also plan to leave the country in a few years. How can I promise myself to something I'm already planning to turn my back on?
Another reason...You are swearing and affirming several untrue statements. "Liberty and justice FOR ALL? " Not true...a good aim, yes, but never achieve. True liberty is only in Jesus Christ. You will know the truth- and the truth will make you free. The truth being Jesus Christ. And you do not see Jesus or any of his disciples pledging allegiance to Rome...nor should we.
However, though I concur with the 'Gist' of your comments concerning Pledging Allegiance to a 'Flag' (I pledge my allegiance ONLY to the PEOPLE of his country), can you not give the same arguments regarding 'Religion' and how it is used to advance demonstrably UN-Christian goals of War, Invasion, Police State, Government Perfidy and Crime? Look at all the so called 'Christian' shilling for war and slaughter of Arabs and Persians 'In The Name of God!' The same people who purport that their 'God' is the 'Prince of Peace,' and 'Respect the Sanctity of Life' are some of the most blood-thirsty proponents of War and Empire on a global scale, and literally take a 'Crusader' mentality not seen since the 11th Century.
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