Why do We Pledge Allegiance to a Flag, Instead of . . .?

[Vincentc]

I know it's symbolic, but standing in a group and pledging allegiance to a flag seems a little curious to me.

When I joined the Army, I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and recall reciting similar statements on only a few other occasions during the 40 years or so since then. Other than those events, I have difficulty recalling much recognition given to a document which has singularly allowed us to resist society's almost inevitable gravitation to serfdom.

A little more than 200 years ago, the nation symbolized by that flag was formed on the premise that our individual liberties are God given and after a revolution which, best I can recall, is the most successful, and one of the few successful revolutions, that I can think of, in the history of the world. I say this when compared to the consequences, measured in the loss of individual liberty and life, of revolutions in say France, Russia, China, Cuba, and Cambodia.

Is the Constitution not responsible for that success? Why did it take me almost 60 years to think of this?

Would it make more sense for us to recite a pledge of allegiance to the Constitution at weekly service club meetings or even classrooms?

What am I missing?

Regards,
Vincent

 

[rsmith]

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands

There is more to the republic than just the constitution.

 

[Vincentc]

Yes, but would we have a republic without adherence to it?

 

[rsmith]

Yes the constitution has been modified by amendment but the republic still remains the same (for how much longer is the question a lot of people are asking right now)

 

[Vincentc]

I do not have a problem with modifcations by amendments, except prohibition and perhaps income tax. It's those unauthorized modifications that trouble me.

I'm trying to recall, Did Rome call itself a republic even after it had an emperor?

Regards,
Vincent

 

[garyd]

Doesn't it also go "One Nation Under GOD" meaning the GOD of the Trinity.

So we have a very important word "Republic" And one Ultimate word "GOD". The sad thing is most people don't know we are a republic nor what that even means. And some people want to change us into a muslim or aethestic country.

Maybe the pledge was just for that reason so we never forget what is extremely important to the future of our children.

 

[Boatsb]

Sorry Gary but there is no mention of the trinity. G-D id just that in the pledge G-d. Not G-ds.

Call one of you Jewish friends and ask if you can borrow his G-d for the pledge.

 

[garyd]

Sorry buddy, but in every writing that our forefathers put forward even the devil himself understood it to mean the Trinity!

Even the folks of Jewish faith understood and understand this reality.

Do not try to change history because you can not.

 

[Boatsb]

Spoken by a true christian. That's the thing that scares me about the conservatives being so tied to the religious right. Under G-d meas just that. The trinity is 3 incarnations of the one G-d or is it Onion, garlic and celery? Either way there is one nation under G-d as in singular.

 

[garyd]

I've been called worse, lol and just like the left you did not answer factually but tried to answer emotionally. Research it, in the truth and you will find your answer.

Like I said blame shifting time is over it just is what it is a half a decade of bad/terrible leadership from the left.

 

[ron6785]

Spoken by a true christian. That's the thing that scares me about the conservatives being so tied to the religious right. Under G-d meas just that. The trinity is 3 incarnations of the one G-d or is it Onion, garlic and celery? Either way there is one nation under G-d as in singular.

PLEASE, PLEASE, can we not talk about religion, politics is bad enough!! We'll never get anyone to agree upon Religion and after all we don't want to jeopardize
our "Verbal Friendships". We can talk boats, marriages, friendships, politics, but please not our personal gods, can't we all just have our own personal gods and change the topic?? I can have my own God can't I ????????????

 

[Boatsb]

Yes you can have your own G-D but only one to a customer.


Gary you should rethink the reference to the left. I strongly disagree with the liberal BS that they push and am as far from the left as can be BUT I do not think religion should be part of the republican party's agenda.

They need to seperate their beliefs from their politics.

 

[Trojan]

The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines GOD as three divine persons, Father, Son and the holy spirit. coexisting distinctly as one being. You as a person can believe in anything you like.
But no matter how you look at it, it states, One Nation Under GOD As in Trinity. We are not talking religion we are talking about the definition of the Pledge.

BILL

 

[Boatsb]

The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines GOD as three divine persons, Father, Son and the holy spirit. coexisting distinctly as one being. You as a person can believe in anything you like.
But no matter how you look at it, it states, One Nation Under GOD As in Trinity. We are not talking religion we are talking about the definition of the Pledge.

BILL

I just keep missing the part where it mentions the trinity. Can you show me wher it is written in the pledge?

 

[garyd]

Well it might be time for everyone to understand one of the major reasons our forefathers set things up the way they did, and that was for the good of everyone. You can do as much research on the biginning of our great land and we were a solid Christian nation.

When you fix something you need to get down to the root cause. Straying from our original doctrine is a major reason we are struggling now. So we are moving to fix the root cause of our trouble. Maybe we are getting right with "GOD". I do like Ohio's new proposed bill that puts forth that life begins when you can detect a heart beat. I wonder if this will start the next civil war. GOD is not blessing America as we murder our way through 50 million babies. They would of called Hitler a madman for doing something like this. Somehow we allowed it happen.

You cannot seperate Religion from politics nor should you. We are and always have been a proud Christian nation. No excuses, the people that have tried to change that and have made those changes are at fault for what we are reaping. The people that stand idley by and let those changes take place are just as much at fault. Now that there is a group of folks that are no longer willing to stand by and allow this great nation to continue to slide down into the great abyss there are folks that are saying we can not have these people trying to right the ship we have spent too long trying to sink it.

They are a lot of people today that think our Forefathers had it just right. I agree. We are trying to move our country back to that reality and some folks are going to fight hard against that move. Sad because that is what we need to do! We need a move back to basics. Moral, ethical, religous and fundamental basics. Not horse buggy etc basics.

 

[UNIQUE_NAME]

You cannot seperate Religion from politics nor should you.

without really jumping into the debate but to play devils advocate, todays taliban
share your assertion.

 

[oldawg]

You cannot seperate Religion from politics nor should you.

“Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” . I think you can, and should, have that separation. I am also NOT paranoid about Biblical/religious influence in our political discusssions. Very little of what I know of the Bible is inconsistent with the things we need to do to maintain a healty civilization. Our political and cultural leaders practicing purely secular thought are failing us as a nation. Just my opinion.

 

[Avenger]

I'm trying to recall, Did Rome call itself a republic even after it had an emperor?

Recall the U.S.S.R.? Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. They could call it what they wanted, but it was none of those things.

 

[Vincentc]

without really jumping into the debate but to play devils advocate, todays taliban
share your assertion.

The Devil is in the Details.

We are supposed to have a limited government which includes a limited relationship between religion and government. Each protected from the other. The taliban and such theocracies are not limited, do not allow the free exercise of religion and are inevitably corrupted by their power.

The Constitution seems pretty clear:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; . . .

There is nothing I can find in the Constitution stating there must be a separation of church and state.
Unfortunately, perhaps in the name of creating a separation, could it be said, we have allowed the establishment of a state religion . . .

Secularism and "science" as the state religion, theories as dogma, and contrary thoughts as heresy?

Regards,
Vincent

 

[captddis]

You cannot seperate Religion from politics nor should you.

“Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” . I think you can, and should, have that separation. I am also NOT paranoid about Biblical/religious influence in our political discusssions. Very little of what I know of the Bible is inconsistent with the things we need to do to maintain a healty civilization. Our political and cultural leaders practicing purely secular thought are failing us as a nation. Just my opinion.

My thoughts exactly.