Eric over at A Pilgrim's Promise has decided that when it comes to the Pledge of Allegiance he is taking a stand: never again. His post No More Pledging Allegiance echoes many of the things I have come to believe, namely that as a Christian who follows a Savior that demands complete allegiance to Him and Him alone I cannot in good conscience recite a pledge of loyalty to a republic and a piece of cloth.
More and more brothers and sisters are examining anew the cultural trappings of American Christianity and finding it incompatible with the life of a disciple. I for one am glad to see this.
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I have struggled back and forth on this issue, personally. A few considerations that have given me pause:
St. Augustine prayed to the Father
and said, "He loves thee too little who loves anything together with thee which he loves not for thy sake."I am in agreement that we can not pledge allegiance to the flag or the nation it represents instead of devoting our every allegiance to the Lord. I agree that we can't pledge such an allegiance along with our allegiance to God. I do think we can pledge allegiance to the nation for God's sake.
I have pledged (vowed) allegiance to my bride. Not outside of the Lord, but under him. That allegiance flows upward past her to God. In a different way I have committed myself to the church and it's leadership...but that is likewise a commitment I make past the church unto the Lord.
We live in a country that is in rebellion to God, even wanting to strike the words "under God" from the pledge. Those two words make all the difference for me; not in a merely sentimental way, but I can only pledge allegiance to the nation when it is in line with the God to whom all allegiance is due.
In this way I am striving to give to Caesar that which is Caesars, and to God that which is Gods!
Consider the passage:
1Pe 2:13-20 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, (14) or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. (15) For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. (16) Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (17) Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (18) Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. (19) For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. (20) For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
I would truly love and receive some counsel in this area.
I haven't pledged to the flag for about three years. I realized that my only allegiance is to the King and his kingdom. Since I work in a school where the pledge is said every day, I keep hoping someone will ask me about it so I can explain my allegiance to Christ.
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