15 January, 2008

Pledge to the Flag Daily

Hillary Clinton thinks that every child should say the pledge of allegiance every day.

"...I personally believe every American child should start the day saying the pledge of allegiance. I did, and I believe every child should.”
I grew up saying the Pledge of Allegiance every day up through most of high school. This is when I thought that it is a Christian's Duty to "submit to the governing authorities," "rendering unto Caesar that which is Caesar's." Later in college, I began to understand that national boundaries are man-made; depending on your view of free will, there may or may not be implied approval from God about them. I have come to the conclusion that my first allegiance is to the Kingdom of Heaven, not any kingdom on earth. I am a stranger here and my identity is not of this place.

Religious considerations aside, Americans need to start thinking globally. Prevailing attitudes about other countries, (short-sighted and "unilateral") are mirrored in our disastrous foreign policy of late. We need to think about environmental and quality-of-life issues for people other than ourselves. Pledging our allegiance to a country (in the name of God) is more serious than we think. It could also take on the mantra-like quality of a nightly conversion at bedtime.

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