Patriotism And All That..

Englishman

I've noticed that ex dubbies tend to become quite patriotic once they've left the witnesses. Actually, scrub the patriotic, I mean very patriotic!

It's odd really..we don't give much credence to King or country whilst we're in the Dubby Brigade, yet once we're out, we seem to become a bunch of flag waving scallywags with the best of them.

I wonder if we're using patriotism as a replacement for the loss of a controlling influence that we feel when we leave the witnesses? A sort of reaction to the disequilibrium?

Are we substituting Nationalistic patriotism in place of Watchtowerism?

Are we sublimating?

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Englishman.

Honesty

Psalm 33:12

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord ----

the people He has chosen to be His own possession!

Bas

Honesty, you can't insert a file from your own harddisk...it has to be somewhere on an internetserver. Now nobody can see the psalm you put up.

I agree to a large extent. In my own case, since I had never voted, or even paid attention to politics, it was a huge milestone to me when I voted for the first time. I really value that freedom. It has been a process for me. I'm now a news junkie, whereas in my life as a dub I only watched the 6:00 news, if that. I love my country, but I don't agree with every policy, and I won't defend policies I don't believe in. I don't decide on an issue based on which party supports which view though. I come to my own conclusions after listening to all sides. I have filled my life with other persuits, so politics didn't replace the borg for me. It does have a prominent place though.

Coffee

coffee_black

I thought about this a little more... Leaving the borg leaves a huge hole in your life. We all fill it with something. Some replace it with another religion. Some with family relationships or a career or education they were denied while in the borg. Politics is another place to put energy that seems to help fill the void within. I think the important thing is to keep it balanced, and not lose oneself or give up our own identity...something we all did to one degree or another in the borg.

Coffee

Honesty

Honesty, you can't insert a file from your own harddisk...it has to be somewhere on an internetserver. Now nobody can see the psalm you put up.

I ASSumed that everyone here has a bible, can read it or has bible software. I went ahead and posted the whole scripture as read in the Holman Christian Standard Bible which is a new translation and one of, if not the best the most accurate translations available today. And Hey it only costs $4.95 in Red or Black Leather standard size print.

JAVA

Good topic, Englishman ? especially for a guy wearing a crown. :-)

I don?t like the term ?patriotism? because I associate it with flag-waving citizens who haven?t put much thought into whatever the latest cause happens to be. The folks going around saying, it?s my party or country right or wrong is a real turnoff.

However, I believe it?s important to become involved in political issues beyond voting. Maybe this is a replacement for the loss of control I felt when I was a JW. Now when I get pissed off about a political issue, I feel entitled to voice my concerns because I?ve researched, sometimes worked for an issue, and voted. I don?t consider this ?Nationalistic patriotism,? but being a citizen interested in global affairs.

Satanus

I think that a lot of xdubs have a phase where the wt idea of needing to do something, and also the need to push ones current beliefs off onto others. Also, the need to belong to something greater.

Politics meets those criteria.

S

franklin J

interesting question, Mike.

in my case it was more a desire to be Patriotic ; not so much to replace the "fervor" or Watchtower worship, but more to do something benign of which I was "denied" for so very long.

Besides; I (like so many others) like to belong to a larger "whole". I do feel like I am an "AMERICAN" when I can salute the flag at a ball game and sing the National Anthem.

I take Pride in that.

I suppose I took pride in being a good JW also; different times; different circumstances. So back to your topic---perhaps it is a human instinct--being the social animals that we are--to want to belong and be a part of "something".

Xena

I hadn't really noticed any over the top patriotism myself.

I think we tend to become more aware politically. For me it has been part of the process. When I first left the dubs I was focused on healing myself and rebuilding my life. Once I became more stable I started to look around me and realize that this was probably all there is and if I wanted to change things I needed to start using my voice.

I enjoy most of the discussions because it gives me insight into things I might not have thought of.

BTW I'm curious as to what the Brits think of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill currently being brandied about there. Odd how no one has mentioned it.

Patriotism And All That..

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