Where Our Allegiance Lies...

For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver. Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works. It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive. Ezekiel 21:21-23 NIV

When our allegiance is criticized by those who have not lived our experiences, it warrants a deeper discussion and understanding of the values held and the need for those values to be respected, regardless.

Children are taught to "pledge allegiance to the flag" when they are young--at least that was true in yester-years. Now, I'm not sure what they're taught considering the fact that there are movements determined to teach children in kindergarten about homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism and only God knows what else--and school districts are allowing this rather than acknowledging a parent's right to teach their children about any type of sexual behavior. So much time is spent teaching children things that have nothing to do with academics that it's no wonder our children have difficulty focusing and passing standardized tests--unless the answers have something to do with sexuality.

So, if no one is teaching the children about what allegiance means--as it pertains to the American flag--why would anyone be upset about the "physical position" one takes when facing the flag? Stand or sit--what is the big deal? In the case of the football player, Colin Kaepernick and his "sitting" protest--why is it a "terrible thing?" He is not the first to adhere to the "standards" set by others in acknowledging the flag when the national anthem is presented and he won't be the last. In America--the flag is supposed to represent the fact that we have rights and choices and none should be objectified when exercising those rights--especially since there was no desecration or mockery involved.

What I see--is people so blinded to their ideals of American political partisanship, that those complaining have forgotten about "what freedom means" for all. If students cannot be compelled to recite the pledge nor punished for not doing so--why are we vilifying an adult--is it because he is a black male professional athlete? Or is it that the last part of that pledge does not include him with regard to "freedom and justice for ALL?"

“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.”

Liberty--synonymous for freedom sees to evade people of color--from times past to the present.
Whenever there is supposed to be freedom--it gets ignored and criticized unless one happens to be a funny-faced man with money who has trampled on others with his freedom to speak racist remarks and yet--he is promoted and touted as a "great man" by his subservient supporters. This is not to say he hasn't been called on the carpet for the foolishness that keeps falling from his lips, but since it does keep falling--he should have been "sat down" some time ago and banished from the public view.

And before anyone criticizes what was just said, think about what the funny-faced man said about Kaepernick--"go find another country" as if someone made him king. He hasn't even been elected and thinks he has a right to stick his nose in places it doesn't belong--or rather tweeting about things that don't concern him, but making it about him and politics. What a waste! Telling someone to "go find another country" proves the point about him being racist.

If one person's freedom is not recognized then none of us have freedom or we shouldn't especially when some use their "freedom of expression" to belittle and humiliate others. Either we're all free or the "allegiance pledged" means nothing for anyone. We cannot have it both ways.

If our true allegiance was to Jesus Christ--none of what is happening would be happening, but most of those who claim devotion to Jesus--lie every day with their actions and loose lips. When our allegiance lies with the ability of a mere mortal to do more than God, we get what we deserve--and then we become captives of the Babylonians (those who never worshiped our God)!