by minimus 28 Replies latest jw friends
Here in the UK i've only ever been asked to stand/sing the national anthem once in my whole life. When i was at a civil service work thing and the mayor attended. I stood but didnt sing.
I always find it very strange that Americans have an obsession with their flag and their anthem. If you were to fly the British flag outside your house over here people would assume you're a racist or a crazy nationalist.
I did, hand over heart and sang too.
Yes of course. Sometimes you just feel like to much of an ass!
I don't remember standing for the national anthem. We didn't go too many places that they played it. I saw a poster say standing was ok, just not putting your hand over your heart. I *might* have done that once or twice.
I do remember staying seated for the pledge of allegiance in school.
Yep, the rule was, you had to sit during the anthem...UNLESS the flag salute came first, and since you were already standing for that out of respect...
In public school, I complied and it sometimes made me a target of teachers. I often tried to avoid being anywhere where this might come up, if I could do so. For instance, rather than attend a pep ralley, I sat outside the gym and read a book.
None of these rules made sense to me even then. I could not effectively explain to myself why I had to sit during the anthem, but stand during the pledge (unless the pledge came first). In retrospect, it all seems designed to make a JW stand out.
Yes and I still do out of respect. I've never sung the English one (never agreed with the sentiments either about extolling the "gracious Queen") but I have sung (and continue to sing) both the Scottish and Welsh national anthems (tends to be more in pubs than at sporting events!)
Growing up, we did not stand for the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem.
As a 2nd grader, when they still did the PoA every morning, I was the only kid in class to not stand (was the only JW kid in that school actually). Until one day we had a substitute teacher. When I didn't stand, she grabbed me and tried to force me to stand. She held my by my elbow, forcing me out of my desk. I let my legs go limp and I hung there like a wet noodle. I never told my parents, but today I see lawsuits over similar instances.
When I was older, I planned my route to my seat at ball games and other events to miss the NA, so I wouldn't be obvious in my refusing to stand.
Now that I'm free of that indoctrination, I still do not Pledge Allegiance, avoiding the Nationalistic indoctrination. I do stand at both the PoA and NA, respectfully, quietly, removing any cap/hat I may have, but I do not sing or pledge. I am not blindly patriotic to any nation or government. I learned my lesson being blindly loyal to a religious organization. Won't make that mistake again.
I always stood, but never sang or put my hand to my heart.
God its fucked up what we did as kids to avoid confrontation for things we neither understood or even did not necessarily agree with.
One more self realization nail in the coffin for fading when you have kids. Do not make this shit normal for your kids! Get them the fuck out of this church!
pbrow
