I touched on freedom in another post. How freedom in America is tied up with the landscape, and the past of the people, and the ideological or political aspect is secondary. Then I am reminded about the other overly sentimental soundbite of Americans, tied up with liberty. That is one "nation under god".
Now I discussed this with my wife. It started with me asking how a certain Jehovah's Witness we both know could come to be an American Citizen, without being a raging hypocrit. There are two facets that would be contradictory to a JW's beliefs in the mandatory contract between the government and aliens wishing to become US Citizens.
One is, you have to accept that you may be called to fight for the USA, or at least give some military help if needed to. So a JW taking this oath is either taking it with crossed fingers (lying), or they are ready to break their oath of pacifism and neutrality to god at some possible point. Or more than likely they feel the event so unlikely, they under-value the contract they are now taking between person and state.
Secondly; you have to pledge allegiance to the flag, and this 'nation under god'. Something the JWs fought tooth and nail with The Supreme Court over.
The day may come when I have to do this. I have no qualms that being part of a nation state, seeking its protection, you may have to contribute towards its safety and pick up a gun. Its unlikely in this day and age, but if my citizenship comes along, I will take my duties and contract as a citizen of the United States as seriously as I took those being a British Subject.
But as for the phrase "one nation under god". I detest it.
Now in my discussion with my wife on this, she pointed out that the pledge of allegiance adopted that sentence in the early 1950's. It doesn't go that far back in US history. I bowed to her knowledge there, when I found it confirmed by Wikipedia to be 1954. However, it does go back a bit further, as wasn't it that three minute speech by Lincoln, The Gettysburg address? "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom"? So while not in the pledge of allegiance, for a long time it has been in the forming of this nation. For many a longtime "in god we trust" has been blazoned across the currency. God and nation are very linked in the USA. And lets be honest its the white majority god; Yahweh.
The USA separates church and state, yet so closely aligns itself to the majority god. I'm not happy about it at all. Why? Because I'm a goddam atheist that's why.
I've not been an atheist all my life. I was brainwashed or bullied as a child into believing a god exists. I've always considered myself a logical person, but the fear of what god could do or will do to all those who deny him overwhelmed the rationale that there is no scientific likelihood of god existing. Looking back this stifling of my natural reason, is mental abuse, and I'm not being over-dramatic claiming that.
So coming out of that fear of god, is my liberation. I therefore cannot understand how liberty can be aligned with god, as American institutions do with such ease. I cannot reconcile seeing a president observing a prayer (and pretty much all 46 of them were Christians) can faithfully uphold a constitution as he swore to. A constitution which promises to the populous the very rights Christianity has fought against from history to present.
Slavery was an economic disaster waiting to happen, despite being just damn well wrong and unfair. Who gave the practise legitimacy, but bible thumping slave owners? I am aware that the abolition movement was both Quaker and christian, but my point still holds. Today, stem cell research, Pro-choice for women, same-sex marriage. The loudest voices battling this, do so waving a bible. In Britain, they are lunatics, in America they are Super PACs and lobby groups.
This "nation under god" statement is the biggest weight on America's ankle as it walks towards intellectual progress. It also keeps America thinking that sheltering Israel is looking after a nation promised by god, and not giving an apartheid state the legitimacy to continue to subdue a people based on their race - in the name of public safety.
It is my passionate opinion, that rejection of god and his existence and rejection of people who shout about his existence without any real proof, is a ginormous leap towards ones liberation.
Imagine that, I do something good because I just want to help someone, not because god will reward me.
Imagine when someone does me a good deed, the credit goes to their kind heart, not to god.
Imagine that I feel ashamed I did wrong, because I caused discomfort to my fellow man, not due to fear that god will punish me.
Imagine that all my successes were mine, and my effort, and I owe god nothing.
Imagine that I accept all my failures as mine, and fess up to them and not blame the devil, or cry to god for help.
Imagine this life is it, and you live it to its fullest, you take in the world that you have a hand in continually creating and innovating - if you want to get off your arse.
Imagine that you only have 80 to 100 years on this planet - that's all, nothing more.
Imagine there is no chance to make good on your mistakes after you die. This is it, absolutely it.
Imagining all this is imagining real freedom!
Or believe in god. Everything you do is being watched and monitored. Someone is tallying your good deeds against your bad on some giant naughty or nice balance sheet. When you die, you have more to do because even in death you aren't free. You either sit by god while he nags you or you are down below with flaming poker up your arse.
Or in my belief system, the same plebs who ruled my life, kept my mind hostage, designed my moral code for me right down to the length of my hair. If I was good, I could live forever under them. Nah, death please.
Imagine your moral choices are written but open to someone elses interpretation. That would be a 'nation under god', and it sounds bloody Orwellian.
But how does this effect me in everyday life here? Happily it doesn't. I live with a christian, but he knows I'm atheist but we politely never debate it. The patriotism of America isn't as strong in Alaska as most other states. This nation under god, has zero effect on me, and people I associate with, who also seem geared towards atheism or agnosticism. I guess I'm lucky.
But in my analysis of America and my role within it as someone who has to tow the line, I am deeply uncomfortable with any use of god and politics. To the extent I wonder, when I am entitled to vote if I will abstain. It would seem whoever I voted for - god would win.
Now I discussed this with my wife. It started with me asking how a certain Jehovah's Witness we both know could come to be an American Citizen, without being a raging hypocrit. There are two facets that would be contradictory to a JW's beliefs in the mandatory contract between the government and aliens wishing to become US Citizens.
One is, you have to accept that you may be called to fight for the USA, or at least give some military help if needed to. So a JW taking this oath is either taking it with crossed fingers (lying), or they are ready to break their oath of pacifism and neutrality to god at some possible point. Or more than likely they feel the event so unlikely, they under-value the contract they are now taking between person and state.
Secondly; you have to pledge allegiance to the flag, and this 'nation under god'. Something the JWs fought tooth and nail with The Supreme Court over.
The day may come when I have to do this. I have no qualms that being part of a nation state, seeking its protection, you may have to contribute towards its safety and pick up a gun. Its unlikely in this day and age, but if my citizenship comes along, I will take my duties and contract as a citizen of the United States as seriously as I took those being a British Subject.
But as for the phrase "one nation under god". I detest it.
Now in my discussion with my wife on this, she pointed out that the pledge of allegiance adopted that sentence in the early 1950's. It doesn't go that far back in US history. I bowed to her knowledge there, when I found it confirmed by Wikipedia to be 1954. However, it does go back a bit further, as wasn't it that three minute speech by Lincoln, The Gettysburg address? "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom"? So while not in the pledge of allegiance, for a long time it has been in the forming of this nation. For many a longtime "in god we trust" has been blazoned across the currency. God and nation are very linked in the USA. And lets be honest its the white majority god; Yahweh.
The USA separates church and state, yet so closely aligns itself to the majority god. I'm not happy about it at all. Why? Because I'm a goddam atheist that's why.
I've not been an atheist all my life. I was brainwashed or bullied as a child into believing a god exists. I've always considered myself a logical person, but the fear of what god could do or will do to all those who deny him overwhelmed the rationale that there is no scientific likelihood of god existing. Looking back this stifling of my natural reason, is mental abuse, and I'm not being over-dramatic claiming that.
So coming out of that fear of god, is my liberation. I therefore cannot understand how liberty can be aligned with god, as American institutions do with such ease. I cannot reconcile seeing a president observing a prayer (and pretty much all 46 of them were Christians) can faithfully uphold a constitution as he swore to. A constitution which promises to the populous the very rights Christianity has fought against from history to present.
Slavery was an economic disaster waiting to happen, despite being just damn well wrong and unfair. Who gave the practise legitimacy, but bible thumping slave owners? I am aware that the abolition movement was both Quaker and christian, but my point still holds. Today, stem cell research, Pro-choice for women, same-sex marriage. The loudest voices battling this, do so waving a bible. In Britain, they are lunatics, in America they are Super PACs and lobby groups.
This "nation under god" statement is the biggest weight on America's ankle as it walks towards intellectual progress. It also keeps America thinking that sheltering Israel is looking after a nation promised by god, and not giving an apartheid state the legitimacy to continue to subdue a people based on their race - in the name of public safety.
It is my passionate opinion, that rejection of god and his existence and rejection of people who shout about his existence without any real proof, is a ginormous leap towards ones liberation.
Imagine that, I do something good because I just want to help someone, not because god will reward me.
Imagine when someone does me a good deed, the credit goes to their kind heart, not to god.
Imagine that I feel ashamed I did wrong, because I caused discomfort to my fellow man, not due to fear that god will punish me.
Imagine that all my successes were mine, and my effort, and I owe god nothing.
Imagine that I accept all my failures as mine, and fess up to them and not blame the devil, or cry to god for help.
Imagine this life is it, and you live it to its fullest, you take in the world that you have a hand in continually creating and innovating - if you want to get off your arse.
Imagine that you only have 80 to 100 years on this planet - that's all, nothing more.
Imagine there is no chance to make good on your mistakes after you die. This is it, absolutely it.
Imagining all this is imagining real freedom!
Or believe in god. Everything you do is being watched and monitored. Someone is tallying your good deeds against your bad on some giant naughty or nice balance sheet. When you die, you have more to do because even in death you aren't free. You either sit by god while he nags you or you are down below with flaming poker up your arse.
Or in my belief system, the same plebs who ruled my life, kept my mind hostage, designed my moral code for me right down to the length of my hair. If I was good, I could live forever under them. Nah, death please.
Imagine your moral choices are written but open to someone elses interpretation. That would be a 'nation under god', and it sounds bloody Orwellian.
But how does this effect me in everyday life here? Happily it doesn't. I live with a christian, but he knows I'm atheist but we politely never debate it. The patriotism of America isn't as strong in Alaska as most other states. This nation under god, has zero effect on me, and people I associate with, who also seem geared towards atheism or agnosticism. I guess I'm lucky.
But in my analysis of America and my role within it as someone who has to tow the line, I am deeply uncomfortable with any use of god and politics. To the extent I wonder, when I am entitled to vote if I will abstain. It would seem whoever I voted for - god would win.
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