Should we say the pledge of alliegience?

[Matthew91]

This is something I have been thinking about recently, and was hoping for an answer.

Is it okay for us as Catholics to be pledging alliegience to the flag?

I have a few concerns:

Is the pledge considered an oath?
if it is, are we bound to keep it lest we commit mortal sin by not doing so?
So lets say you move to another country and get citizenship over there and say their pledge, aren’t you technically breaking that oath?
also, like after examining the pledge, i find some difficulty in saying the “indivisible” because quite honestly i don’t think the founding fathers ever intended for this country to be indivisible, the entire basis of the revolution was seceding from Great Britain in a sense.

Not to mention the very fact that pledging my allegiance to something other than God and His church is very unsettling to me.

I guess I’m just concerned that by ritually saying the pledge in school, that I am binding myself for life. I really had not thought of it as an oath until looking it up, and seeing people call it a patriotic oath I am just very confused on this whole issue. help please?

 

[DonLeon]

This is something I have been thinking about recently, and was hoping for an answer.

Is it okay for us as Catholics to be pledging alliegience to the flag?

I have a few concerns:

Is the pledge considered an oath?
if it is, are we bound to keep it lest we commit mortal sin by not doing so?
So lets say you move to another country and get citizenship over there and say their pledge, aren’t you technically breaking that oath?
also, like after examining the pledge, i find some difficulty in saying the “indivisible” because quite honestly i don’t think the founding fathers ever intended for this country to be indivisible, the entire basis of the revolution was seceding from Great Britain in a sense.

Not to mention the very fact that pledging my allegiance to something other than God and His church is very unsettling to me.

I guess I’m just concerned that by ritually saying the pledge in school, that I am binding myself for life. I really had not thought of it as an oath until looking it up, and seeing people call it a patriotic oath I am just very confused on this whole issue. help please?

I, personally, do not consider the pledge an oath, nor do I consider it a mortal sin if I break the pledge. To me, the pledge is my way of stating that this is my country and that I will defend it as is necessary. Also since it protects me and helps me in my times of need and troubles , I will do my best to help it by my work and taxes. It is my way of showing my appreciation, love and ability to help defend it.

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem

 

[dnomyaR]

Yes we should say the pledge.

 

[Flannery]

Absolutely! This is perfectly in line with Catholic tradition and teaching, patriotism is what we used to call a “minor virtue”, loyalty to one’s country is actually an obligation, not a mere option, in Catholic moral thought, assuming the country’s leadership or foundation is not inherently evil.

Our government is supporting some very bad things, most notably promoting and paying for abortions at home and abroad. That is wrong and it’s our duty as citizens to oppose it through any legal methods we might have. However, that does not negate our overall duty to support our country and even defend it.

I have no problem with the Pledge of Allegiance, which is exactly what it says, no less and no MORE. What is becoming an issue is do we have to become “conscientious objectors” to paying our taxes or obeying other laws, knowing this support goes right to baby-killing and other unethical practices that were unheard of a short time ago.

FYI,
Notice most Catholic churches have the Papal and US flags on the corners at sides of Sanctuary? This practice began when there were large waves of immigrants in the 19th century, mostly Catholic, who were looked on with great suspicion by the dominant Protestant/Anglo culture. Many thought Catholics would take orders directly from the Pope on civic matters and were not loyal to the US. Catholic immigrants began putting the flag in church to demonstrate their loyalty to their new country.