Pledges of Allegiance
Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:50 am
There is a little bit of discussion about the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance in this Awanas thread. I couldn't find a pledge of allegiance thread, and that Awanas thread doesn't seem like the best place to focus on it.
I don't know how else to interpret the words, though. If I understood it to be an unconditional pledge with a description (often false) just tacked on the end for no particular reason, then I suppose I wouldn't say it. (Is that how it's interpreted?) It would be a sham in that case.
Why pledge? If I were to say it again, I would be* pledging to obey the spirit and letter of the law, but also stating that my overriding allegiance/obligations are to God and liberty and justice. A pledge doesn't have to be unconditional to be meaningful, I think.
General question: Do non-U.S. states/countries (perhaps yours) have a similar kind of pledge?
* Edited: Due to apparent misunderstandings, I edited these sentences in order to make it clear that I haven't said the pledge in many years, and I may never say it again for all I know or care.
darinhouston responded:I (Singalphile) wrote:
I read/understand the pledge like so:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, on the condition that it is one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
I would* have no problem saying it with that understanding. That is probably the way it was meant to be understood, I guess. I could say it about any country that I chose to have citizenship in.
No. Not in all areas. When and where it does not meet that standard, then I could* withhold allegiance without breaking my pledge. It's a conditional, true statement of intent, not blind allegiance. I never considered that people might think that that's insincere ("sham-ful"). Good to know.darinhouston
A serious question -- do you truly believe the U.S. to be a nation under God and having liberty and justice for all ? If not, then words don't mean anything -- what you mean in that case would be "I don't pledge allegiance, but I would if it were..." -- if so, then that's a sham pledge and so why pledge at all?
I don't know how else to interpret the words, though. If I understood it to be an unconditional pledge with a description (often false) just tacked on the end for no particular reason, then I suppose I wouldn't say it. (Is that how it's interpreted?) It would be a sham in that case.
Why pledge? If I were to say it again, I would be* pledging to obey the spirit and letter of the law, but also stating that my overriding allegiance/obligations are to God and liberty and justice. A pledge doesn't have to be unconditional to be meaningful, I think.
General question: Do non-U.S. states/countries (perhaps yours) have a similar kind of pledge?
* Edited: Due to apparent misunderstandings, I edited these sentences in order to make it clear that I haven't said the pledge in many years, and I may never say it again for all I know or care.