@Riven ....I believe what most patriots forget is that
“the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one”...(1 John 5:19) How much of “the whole world” is left out of that statement?
When one starts to get involved with the politics of their nation, they are getting involved with the power that control all nations.....isn’t this why Jesus said we must be “no part of the world”? (John 17:16; 18:36)
Paul also spoke about those “wicked spirit forces” that control all governments.
“Put on the complete suit of armor from God so that you may be able to stand firm against the crafty acts of the Devil; 12 because we have a struggle, not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.13 For this reason take up the complete suit of armor from God, so that you may be able to resist in the wicked day and, after you have accomplished everything, to stand firm.”
We are to have armour but no physical weapons. The complete suit of armor does not allow the enemy’s missiles to penetrate, even if they knock us off our feet. We get back up, to continue standing firm.
Our only weapon is the
“sword of the spirit”....
”God’s word”.
We have to have....
”the belt of truth fastened around your waist, wearing the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having your feet shod in readiness to declare the good news of peace. 16 Besides all of this, take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the wicked one’s burning arrows. 17 Also, accept the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word”. (Eph 6)
We are not to meddle in the devil’s world.....but to be separate from it....separate from it’s politics, wars, violence, greedy commercialism, and immorality....not to mention it’s supernatural fascination that spills over into their entertainment...especially for children. “Magic” is of the devil, but portrayed as innocent fun.
We have to wake up to who is running this show, and not allow the devil to infiltrate our emotions through patriotic sentiment......Christianity and patriotism are opposite “faiths”.
No genuine Christian can be a patriot, because even the tacit support of bloodshed makes one guilty before God. (Isa 1:15) Every soldier who is told that God is on their side has been lied to.....God is not involved with the governance of any nation on earth with those who have blood on their hands.