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I don’t like the word patriotic, I believe that in the US that word and its variants have become polluted with toxic and idolatrous meaning to the degree that acknowledging it as a descriptor of oneself means people assume you agree with a specific kind of underlying mentality, one that I don’t share in the least. I’m not a patriot of the US, and I’m not patriotic to the US. I’m loyal to places, and to people in those places, where I have lived all my life ; but not to the abstraction of a certain nation-state called the United States. Neither the Bible nor the Christian tradition in its earliest forms commend patriotism or say anything suggesting that the Christian should be a patriot.
Robert F – I’m in a small group with mostly retired military. There are admirable qualities these men have, and I can’t help but think of Christ’s positive interaction with the Roman Centurion. That said, at the very least we have to consider ourselves first of all citizens of a better country, one not of this world. We render unto America respect and thanksgiving, but it is secondary to a higher loyalty and commitment.
In addition, I’m a citizen of the US, have been all my life. I pray for the country and its leadership in assembled worship every week, as I should as a Christian. Each day I pray for my fellow citizens, who are my family, friends, and acquaintances; and I pray for leaders I have never personally known, as I do for my enemies, knowing that sometimes the two are one and the same.
The matter of military service is a complicated one, but one thing I can say quite simply: I would never swear or affirm loyalty to the US Constitution or to protecting it, and so I could not serve in the military even if I were young enough to do so. As a native born American I’ve never been asked to swear such allegiance, and I cannot be required to, unless I wanted to act in certain roles, for instance a member of the military. It would be impossible for me to become a naturalized citizen here, since they are required to make such a vow or affirmation, and I would not, not to any nation-state.
So a domestic far right group was planning an attack on Trump’s UFC White House lawn event? Wow. Not Antifa? Not a foreign terrorist cell? Not the Democrats? Not the LGBQT+ community? Nah, can’t be. Everybody knows there are no terrorists on the right — right?
You can’t make this stuff up.
At this point I think every single Trump voter and supporter should be forced at gunpoint to take a glass of that the reflecting pool water and enjoy the cyanobacteria toxins.
In other news, that ex-CC fraud Saeed Abedini seems to have abducted his daughter from wife #2:
https://roysreport.com/pastor-saeed-abedini-former-political-prisoner-in-iran-accused-of-abducting-daughter/
I’m troubled , disturbed, and can I also say pissed off?
Today in my town, ICE agents (Gestapo) rounded up brown people and took them away to God knows where.
Don’t they realize that one day there will be a judgement?
That’s why they call it judgement day…
Muff,
I’m so sorry! I have worked with those brown people so many years now, lived among them overseas, and grew up with many as well. I believe the current administration is becoming more secretive in their dealings given their unpopularity with their public actions. I pray much for my friends and neighbors, and also the courts will continue to make decisions that make it harder for ICE to harass people (more ent decision is they can’t nab people in courthouses).
Muff,
Troubled, disturbed and pissed off is an appropriate reaction in this case. I have had many Hispanic students over the years, and I pray often that none of them get rounded up by the gestapo.
Another thing people can do is refuse to servce ICE agent at their businesses. Under the Constitution and federal civil rights laws, refusal of service is typically only illegal if it targets a protected class (e.g., race, religion, national origin). Because employment status is not protected, businesses generally have the right to deny service.
I want these thugs shunned, shamed, maligned, and berated by their friends, families, and everyone else every day for the rest of their miserable and worthless lives. As an added bonus, I hope many of them eat their own gun and the sooner, the better. Damn them all.
Muff,
I’m so sorry and ashamed to know these things are happening daily all around this country.
I found this CNN article headline to be sad and sobering
Why lifespans in GOP House districts are now ‘a decade behind’ Democratic counterparts
bob1,
I don’t find it sad. Means fewer votes for their Cheeto Jesus and his MAGA cult allies. Kind of like when you had higher death rates of COVID in red states. It helped ensure the Orange Dear Leader lost in 2020. I don’t see the downside in that.