Are You A Patriotic Person Since Leaving The Witnesses?

by minimus 38 Replies latest jw friends

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  skeeter1

  The history of the real Boston Tea Party is a very good read. http://www.amazon.com/Defiance-Patriots-Boston-Making-America/ is a good book.

  If we don't know history, we are bound to repeat it. Becuase i no longer believe Jehovah is going to fix the ship, I read history a few hours every week. The Boston Tea Party is a good start. The issues in the Boston Tea Party helped to frame what we wanted our country to look like, and not look like. It was the beginning of the setup of the rulebook/playbook. Becuase we have a relatively good playbook, we have a higher standard of living than many other countries. And, our "women's issues" are nothing compared to other countries whose laws really disfavor women.

  Again, HELL YES, I am proud to be an American. About the only other countries I'd want to be is Australian (cool accent), Canadian (hockey), Swiss (ski), or italian (my artist side)...speaking of being italian and patriotic . . .. .

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9KZ3jgbbmI
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  Mikado

  I think what bob Flanagan said was cruel but totally accurate.
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  Wild_Thing

  Now that I am not a JW, I love discussing world issues and politics, even though it often makes my blood pressure go up! It is so refreshing that I can have a completely different view on something from one of my friends and we can still remain friends. (Though I leave shaking my head wondering what in the world she can see in Sarah Palin!)

  I would not say I am especially patriotic in the sense that I think America is the best country in the world and I would go fight for them. Some beliefs die hard, and I don't think that will ever change. I am a staunch democrat now, and there are clearly 5 idiots on the Supreme Court!!! See? Democrat!

  With that being said, I salute the flag everyday M-F for 9 1/2 months out of the year!
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  Jeannette

  I am patriotic. I don't like some of the things this country is doing, and has done, but I think she has some shadow influences. And some of the politicians are bought and paid for. I missed so much of the goings on in the political arena that I work hard trying to catch up. Studying how the World Wars got started is a real eye-opener.
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  quellycatface

  I always have been a patriot. I'm proud of Britain, what it has acheived and how we help many other nations.

  Our free health service, our benefits and education system.

  I'm a great supporter of our Armed Forces. I live on a military estate and know many service wives.

  Not a great one for politics, to be honest. Most politicians are out for themselves.

  God Save the Queen as well.
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  losingit

  I am patriotic for my parents'home country. I love this little island with all of my heart and I try to go back as often as possible to visit my family. When I go back, I feel at peace, firmly rooted, I feel the flow of history run thru my veins. It is a powerful feeling to know how my family came to be, to know where we settled, and where we are going. That is my feeling of patriotism. Now, I amwell aware that other parts of the world are just as beautiful or even more so ,but to me this little island is a jewel incomparable to all.

  Politics does NOT instill sense of patriotism in me at all. After learning aboit manifest destiny and what the Ameeican government did to the Native Americans, I was profoundly disgusted, dismayed, and no longer considered myself a prou

  d American. I haven't returned to voting just yet-- I want to be more informed about the issues before I take a stand. And I want to be more involved in civic life before I vote. I don't want to be a lazy voter or one time armchair activist. If I'm at all patriotic as an American, it is onlybc of my belief that I am rresponsible for how the future develops. I always felt guilty as a jw for sitting on the back burner while the rest of the world decided what to do. No more.
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  not bitter

  I am in the sense that I am very glad that I was born in Great Britain. I'm glad I wasn't born in the middle east. I'm glad I was born in a country that is tolerant of others, has free health care, free education and looks after the less fortunate. Compared to many countries here on planet earth, I live in a great country.

  Not perfect but still Great

  And we have great Queen who has dedicated her life to her country.

  So yes, I am patriotic. Now shoot me
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  designs

  I vote, I am involved in politics environmentalism and hunger issues but patriotism seems a little so blind faith-ish for me. We have huge challenges in this country with respects to equality for all to say I am patriotic.
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  Frazzled UBM

  It is sometimes difficult to draw a line between Patriotism (Nationalism) and Jingoism. It is a form of super-tribalim - identification with one group to the exclusion of others. That may be harmless but when it translates into a sense of superiority or specialness - then it can become irrational or lacking in objectivity or an impediment to self-criticsm or inflexibility in thinking. Then it has negative overtones. A particular view of US nationalism resulted in the invasion of Iraq. This was a mistake which has back-fired badly. For most non-Americans (except Tony Blair and John Howard) it was apparent at the time that this was a bad idea. I remember having an argument with a couple of Americans immediately prior to the invasion about why it was a bad idea it was very simlar to trying to explain TTATT to a Witness who deosn't want to hear it. Full on cognitive dissonance - they couldn't rebut my arguments but became quite belligerent at my suggestion that the US administration had misread the situation and jumping to action far too quickly.