What is America?

What did you pledge?

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag, of the United States of America,

and to the Republic for which it stands, One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

What American hasn’t said this? And who meant it? Let’s break it down:

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag, of the United States of America”

You are saying you are willing to stand firm for America, not necessarily a specific politician, or policy, or Amendment. The country, not just part of it, it starts to define itself:

“And for the Republic, for which it stands…”

Here’s the common definition:

Noun, a country where sovereignty rests with the people or their representatives, rather than an emperor, monarch, a country with no monarchy.

So we are saying we agree to having power rest on people, or who they choose to represent them, simple right?

But we open up more questions: to what extent? Who can represent? Which peoples? Who should we turn to if all else fails? All the power?

The pledge answers:

“One nation, under God, Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

See the order? First, we are (or should be) under God, the same God that our founding fathers originally intended our country to follow. Our laws should line up with His, before deciding for ourselves, the power is God’s, but what He gives to us should be handled by the people and those who represent them.

“Indivisible”

We are to remain one, not separate, or exclude, are one country following God, not 50 tiny countries doing whatever the heck we want, we follow God, then, our representative (President).

“Liberty and justice for all”

Liberty is thrown around, “I’m free, I can say whatever I want, do whatever I want, worship whatever I want (etc., etc.)” but no one talks about justice. Justice can go to whoever it was you injured, or slandered, or abused. Justice is an act of rightness, defined as “just behavior or righteousness” and righteousness can be defined as “the quality of being morally right and justifiable” but the Bible says “Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ.” — Philippians 3:9. Righteousness is of the Lord, who is fair judge.

“For all”

I want to show the importance, no matter how you got here, these truths apply to you. You are held to the same standards, and the same respect.

There are countless other documents I would love to pour over, but this one will have to suffice for now. But look at any other document of importance, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, anything will point back towards these points, and these points all point back… to God.

So, what is America?

A country, made to give power to the people, power given by God, that is Indivisible, standing firm together in these core values, and grants the same rights and responsibilities to all people who are part of it.

Now I have one more question:

Do you still Pledge Allegiance?