originally posted by: JinMI
Wars arent fought by the children of the politicians mongering for them.
A century ago, French writer Guy de Maupassant said that “the egg from which wars are hatched” is patriotism, which he called “a kind of
religion.” In fact,
The Encyclopedia of Religion says that patriotism’s cousin, nationalism, “has become a dominant form of religion in
the modern world.”
Regarding nationalism in the United States, we read: “Nationalism, viewed as a religion, has much in common with other great religious systems of
the past . . . On his own national god the modern religious nationalist is conscious of dependence. Of His powerful help he feels the need. In Him he
recognises the source of his own perfection and happiness. To Him, in a strictly religious sense, he subjects himself. . . . The nation is conceived
of as eternal, and the deaths of her loyal sons do but add to her undying fame and glory.”—Carlton J. F. Hayes, as quoted on page 359 of the
book
What Americans Believe and How They Worship, by J. Paul Williams.
“Nationalism’s chief symbol of faith and central object of worship is the flag, and curious liturgical forms have been devised for ‘saluting’
the flag, for ‘dipping’ the flag, for ‘lowering’ the flag, and for ‘hoisting’ the flag. Men bare their heads when the flag passes by; and
in praise of the flag poets write odes and children sing hymns.”—
What Americans Believe and How They Worship (1952), by J. Paul
Williams, pages 359, 360.
Nationalism, called by the weekly magazine
Asiaweek “the Last Ugly Ism,” is one of the unchanging factors that continues to provoke hatred
and bloodshed. That magazine stated: “If pride in being a Serb means hating a Croat, if freedom for an Armenian means revenge on a Turk, if
independence for a Zulu means subjugating a Xhosa and democracy for a Romanian means expelling a Hungarian, then nationalism has already put on its
ugliest face.”
We are reminded of what Albert Einstein once said: “Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.” Nearly everybody gets it
at one time or another, and it continues to spread. Back in 1946, British historian Arnold Toynbee wrote: “Patriotism . . . has very largely
superseded Christianity as the religion of the Western World.”
Nationalism is well described by the psalmist’s expression, “the pestilence causing adversities.” (Psalm 91:3) It has been like a plague on
humanity, leading to untold suffering. Nationalism with its resultant hatred of other peoples has existed for centuries. Today, nationalism continues
to fan the flames of divisiveness, and human rulers have not been able to stop it.
In a letter to the editor of Bombay’s “Indian Express” newspaper, an Indian man stated: “I do not believe in patriotism. It is an opium
innovated by the politicians to serve their ugly ends. It is for their prosperity. It is for their betterment. It is for their aggrandizement. It is
never for the country. It is never for the nation. It is never never for common men and women like you and I. . . . This sinister politician-invented
wall shall divide man from man—and brother from brother; till one day it shall bring about man’s doom by man. Patriotism or nationalism, to my
mind, is an idiotic exercise in artificial loyalty. . . . I take no hypocritical pride in being petty this or that. I belong to mankind.”
Regarding nationalism, British historian Arnold Toynbee said: “It is a state of mind in which we give our paramount political loyalty to one
fraction of the human race . . . whatever consequences this may entail for the foreign majority of the human race.” Author Ivo Duchacek observed:
“Nationalism divides humanity into mutually intolerant units.” Former UN Secretary-General U Thant observed: “So many of the problems that we
face today are due to, or the result of, false attitudes . . . Among these is the concept of narrow nationalism—‘my country, right or
wrong.’” The renowned Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges stated that nationalism “is the arch-villain of all the evils. It divides people, it
destroys the good side of human nature, it leads to inequality in the distribution of wealth.” As for Jesus Christ, his position was clearly
expressed at John 18:33, 36 in his answer to Pilate’s question: “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus stated: “My kingdom is no part of this
world.”
The quick one-liners are in there somewhere. But I didn't want to deprive you of the context.
edit on 3-2-2023 by whereislogic because: (no
reason given)