Is it wrong to love my country? Patriotism and the Bible

Discussion in 'Political Opinions & Beliefs' started by XXJefferson#51, Jan 21, 2023.

  1. XXJefferson#51

    XXJefferson#51 Banned

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    We are on solid biblical ground to assert that it is normal, natural, and pleasing to God that we love our country and the people in it and that we seek the benefit of those who live in it...

    …It might seem shocking to some people that a concept like “nationalism” or “patriotism” would be controversial in America. However, when a country is as politically polarized as ours, everything seems controversial. A nation that is splitting apart into hostile and warring factions is going to argue about even the most basic ideas…

    …Is it wrong for Christians to love their country? Can they be patriotic? Are such sentiments a manifestation of idolatry or, at best, a worldly attachment to a temporal entity?…

    …The word patriotism has a long etymological history, dating back to the Roman republic. However, its current usage is fairly simple, meaning “love for or devotion to one’s country” (Merriam-Webster)…

    …The way we are
    Humans are social beings. Not only were we created for relationship with God, but we were also created to relate to other human beings as an expression of that primary affiliation…


    …We are on solid biblical ground to assert that it is normal, natural, and pleasing to God that we love our country and the people in it and that we seek the benefit of those who live in it.

    Biblical limitations and expansions
    However, there are two additional, very important biblical considerations to take into account.

    First, God has set limits to human affection, prohibiting the exaltation of natural love to a place that supersedes love for Him….







    https://afn.net/opinion/guest-comme...-to-love-my-country-patriotism-and-the-bible/







    God. Family. Country. In that order. There is nothing wrong with Americans putting America first. Love of and pride in the nation one lives is normal and expected.
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2023
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  2. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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    Man wrote the bible, not god.
     
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  3. XXJefferson#51

    XXJefferson#51 Banned

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    God, family, country. We are to love and support our families and our nation. We are not to become so fervent in either that they become more important to us than God, even if either strays away from Him. God above all, family above all others among us, nation above all other nations.
     
  4. XXJefferson#51

    XXJefferson#51 Banned

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    At Gods direction. It is good to be a patriot for the nation one lives in.
     
  5. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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    So man says.
     
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  6. XXJefferson#51

    XXJefferson#51 Banned

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    “We are on solid biblical ground to assert that it is normal, natural, and pleasing to God that we love our country and the people in it and that we seek the benefit of those who live in it.”
     
  7. Junkieturtle

    Junkieturtle Well-Known Member Donor

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    Nothing wrong with loving your country. Nothing wrong with being a Christian. Nothing wrong with being Christian and loving your country.

    However, there is something wrong with expecting everyone else to live by your standards and feeling you are owed this because you've decided America is supposed to be a Christian country.
     
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  8. Sirius Black

    Sirius Black Well-Known Member

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    Does that apply to all countries, even North Korea?
     
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  9. Lucky1knows

    Lucky1knows Well-Known Member

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    There is nothing "wrong" with that idea. What is wrong is to judge other people that don't follow YOUR idea of what is patriotic.

    You must first define the word patriotism before you can say someone is wrong or right about it.

    As such, outline what you define patriotism and what you define as "not being patriotic".
     
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  10. WalterSobchak

    WalterSobchak Well-Known Member

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    Does this apply to all Gods? Or does the OP just expect those to love their version of God?
     
  11. cd8ed

    cd8ed Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    You say you are putting America first but then list two things you put before America.

    So which is it — are you fibbing in the above quote and you do not put America first or does America come before god? Because you can’t have it both ways.

    This is the core issue why Christian nationalists are so dangerous — they have no desire to do what’s best for their county or even the world when they can justify everything they do and say through the god they have created in their own image.
     
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  12. RodB

    RodB Well-Known Member Donor

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    In A Few Good Men it was Unit, Corps, God, Country. Don't know why they mixed things up or left off Family.
     
  13. Hey Now

    Hey Now Well-Known Member

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    Well, duhhhhhh! :)
     
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  14. DentalFloss

    DentalFloss Well-Known Member

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    This. Sort of.

    Personally, I view christianity as a cult, just like pretty much every other religion out there, especially the western abrahamic ones. I've seen the other side. I had to die to do that, but that happened, and I was brought back. I can assure you that whatever it is that is out there doesn't boil souls in oil for all of eternity for failing to properly believe the 'right' things, nor does it boil souls in oil for all of eternity for doing unapproved things with their genitals. There's no judgement there whatsoever.

    Plus, I was not only informed that reincarnation is a real thing, something completely incompatible with what these cults/religions believe and teach, I was also shown parts of some of my own past lives.

    Regardless, however, of my personal knowledge about the true nature of spirituality, even if I'm totally wrong, religion has no place imposing itself on our society. In fact, it's illegal to do so. Which is precisely as it should be.
     
  15. btthegreat

    btthegreat Well-Known Member

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    History is rather full of people who decided to 'love' their country and showed all sorts of love and loyalty to it, when that country was not especially reflective of any values on which love and loyalty should be based. Being as 'God' is such an ephemeral and ambiguous concept, its not hard for 'God' to be supportive of all sorts of patriotic misadventures consistent with love of country.
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2023
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  16. ECA

    ECA Well-Known Member

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    Nah…I’ll always go family first. I love my wife and two kids more than anything else and I’m able to do that without having any god in my life. Go figure.
     
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  17. cristiansoldier

    cristiansoldier Well-Known Member

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    Jehovah's Witnesses make a strong case for why they are against political partisanship and a lesser extent against nationalism. Regardless of what you think of them I find Jehovah Witness to be very well verse in the bible. Some of their reasons are:

    https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/political-neutrality/
     
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  18. XXJefferson#51

    XXJefferson#51 Banned

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    Yeas as long as the people in other places put God first as well. That likely does t happen much in some places. God, family, country in that order.
     
  19. Lucky1knows

    Lucky1knows Well-Known Member

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    How come you answer this post/question but not the others asked in this your OP?
     
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  20. ECA

    ECA Well-Known Member

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    He can’t come to terms and accept that people don’t actually need any god in their life to be a kind and loving parent, spouse, son/daughter, friend, neighbor, coworker, etc.
    He’s been mislead/indoctrinated into believing ONLY people who have god in their life can be those things.
     
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  21. Patricio Da Silva

    Patricio Da Silva Well-Known Member Donor

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    Patriotic words is one thing, but unpatriotic deeds is altogether another.

    Many of the rioters on 1/6 believed they were true patriots but in fact they were anti- patriots according to their deeds, hence those few were indicted for seditious conspiracy.

    So it's not wrong for you to "believe" you love your country but what do your deeds say?

    Hmmmm?
     
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  22. Noone

    Noone Well-Known Member

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    Then why don't you, why do YOU hate and revile 1/2 of your countrymen?
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2023
  23. Quantum Nerd

    Quantum Nerd Well-Known Member

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    This. They only love the part of the country that is like them. And they only love the country during the times their man is in the WH. When a Dem is in the WH, they think the country is a liberal hellhole.
     
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  24. ECA

    ECA Well-Known Member

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    I’m guessing he won’t actually answer you. If he does he’ll come up with some crazy spin. You are correct that, based on is many threads, he at the very least has disdain for 1/2 of his countrymen.
     
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  25. Hey Now

    Hey Now Well-Known Member

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    Loudest whining victim mentality, it's a real thing with Trump diehards..
     
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