Patriotic Idolatry

I am increasingly bothered by how much modern American Evangelicals marry their Faith to their Patriotism.  Because wrapping up the Cross in the American Flag is idolatry, and also the Sin of Pergamos.

When I see a church put the Flag right up there next to the Cross I think "abomination".  And sometimes they'll sing Patriotic songs in church, churches that otherwise would never approve of singing secular music in church, or even Christian music that seems secular to them by being too "Contemporary".

Saying the Pledge of Allegiance is an act of Idolatry that makes the Flag an Idol, as is putting your hand on your heart during the National Anthem, and other similar activities.  Yet Christians have decided to develop some devotion to the pledge simply because idiotic Liberals whine about the meaningless "Under God" phrase that doesn't clarify which god and wasn't originally in it anyway.

I could also go into how the Pledge was written by a Socialist specifically to spread his Socialist ideals, which is why it's stupid for any Political Conservatives to like it (and Ironic that modern liberals now hate it).  But that's technically off topic.

Point is, Christians should not be Pledging allegiance to any Earthly Nations, we are supposed to think of ourselves as Citizens of God's Kingdom first and foremost, and remember that the Kingdoms of this World are all currently owned by Satan.

There is nothing wrong with having a nice healthy Patriotism (but never blind loyalty to the government type patriotism).  I value some of the ideals of our Founding Fathers (there is a reason Captain America is my favorite Marvel Superhero and Winter Solider my favorite MCU film.), and think many of them would agree with what I'm saying here.  But "American Exceptionalism" is absolutely idolatry that makes the Nation itself an Idol.  Israel is God's only Earthy Covenant Nation, when we declare any other nation "exceptional" we're attacking God's covenant with Abraham whether we realize it or not.

Same with Divine Providence which spawned Manifest Destiny.

I recommend this response to David Barton's narrative.

Also, I feel all these military themed Patriotic Holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July and Veterans Day and so on, are days that Christians need to be doing Spiritual Warfare against Mars the god of War.

There is significance to that I said Mars rather then Ares, (you see I generally prefer using the Greek names of the Classical Olympians over the Roman names).  The Greeks did not generally think much of Ares, he was often the joke of the Pantheon.  They considered him necessary, but they mostly never desired to define themselves by their capability in War.  Even the Spartans didn't as much as our flanderized perception of them makes us think they did.  It was not easy for Leonidas to convince the Gerusia to go to war.

But for Rome, Mars was their Patron deity, the father of Romulus and Remus.  They considered their strength to come mainly from their might.  And Sadly modern America has developed that same problem, democrats as well as republicans.  That is why I believe Mars is the "God of Forces" mentioned in Daniel 11:38.

But sadly Churches instead join right in on the Military worshiping festivities, doing Military themed sermons, where they sing the most military themed of the Patriotic songs I talked about.  I even remember one service I was at where the Pastor mentioned how he thinks it's Cowardly to refuse to fight.  I was disgusted.

People will think I'm being disrespectful to Veterans.  Guess what, many Veterans often become depressed on those holidays.  It's not healthy for them either that we do this.  So yes during the Spiritual Warfare I suggest we pray for the Veterans and their family members, as well as those overseas victimized by American foreign policy.

On my Prophecy blog I've done a post about the possible eschatological significance of this problem.