The Danger of False Patriotism

Steve Wilkins

We are not Americans first and Christians second. We are Christians first and foremost, and our supreme allegiance is always to Christ the Lord. Nevertheless, Christ demands that we love our neighbor and show gratitude for our heritage. The fifth commandment implies that we will honor our families and the law of the covenant demands that we seek the good of those around us while we do so. Patriotism, love and gratitude to country and kindred, is required of us as Christians. But the true patriot understands that the best way to be a friend of this country is to be a faithful Christian. If we make an idol of our country, we become part of the problem and increase the condemnation of our country before God.

True patriotism is fine, fanatical nationalism is not. Nationalism of the sort we have witnessed over the last few weeks is nothing but idolatry and God will judge it as He does all other idols. Eric von Kuehnelt-Leddihn has written (in his book Leftism Revisited, p. 199): "the nationalist will insist on the superiority of his nation by pointing to its unique characteristics, its achievements, virtues, qualities, institutions, traditions. The patriot, on the other hand, is not contentious. Just as an intelligent man would never try to argue that his parents were ‘the best in the world,’ so the patriot considers his attachment to his country a matter of loyalty." A patriot, Dr. Leddihn says, "will naturally defend his country against patently unjust accusations—loyalty demands this; but he will not try to convince others that his nation has the highest qualities in the world, the most gifted inventors, the most profound philosophers, the best writers, the finest painters, the fastest trains, the most beautiful women. (This uncouth boasting is reserved for the traveling salesman after a third drink, or the likes of a National Socialist or a Russian Communist.)"

Mindless patriotism is a destructive force. It is the sworn enemy of biblical Christianity. To serve the Lord above the country is then viewed by the nationalist as blasphemy and treason. We are clearly headed in this direction.

You must take notice of the identification that is being made between those who hold historic Christianity and fanatical Muslim terrorists. Those who believe the Bible to be the Word of God and the infallible, absolute truth, are called "Fundamentalists"—the same term that is used for those who receive the Koran as the Word of God. Biblical Christians are being linked in the national psyche with murderous Muslims. Both are being viewed as equally dangerous and equally unwelcome.

The only religion that will be tolerated today is the religion of toleration—which is tolerant of everything except biblical Christianity. Christians who believe the Bible are going to be forced to recant, compromise, lie, or face the hatred of the citizenry. What has happened to Pastor Jerry Falwell illustrates this. Mr. Falwell had the audacity to suggest that the terrorist attack could be God’s judgment upon us for our sins (and he made the mistake of identifying some of them, homosexuality, immorality, abortion, feminism, etc.). Mark Morford, a writer and commentator for The San Francisco Chronicle described Mr. Falwell as an "aging and small-minded, pasty, and terminally unpleasant, religious zealot." The epitome of kindness and tolerance, no?

Mr. Morford then observed that Mr. Falwell’s comments were evidence of "rabid intolerance" and "narrow-minded religious bile" which was "rooted in the same acrid fundamentalist soil that spawned the ‘Attack on America’ in the first place." This, Mr. Morford concluded, "makes us all realize how little room there is in the world for shallow isolationism and ignorant dogma, for hilariously mangled moral principles."

Plainly, Christians who refuse to honor the State above God, who refuse to pretend that the Bible is not true, who will not grant unprincipled toleration of immorality, are now being branded as purveyors of hate, equivalent to terrorists, and unfit to live in this country—indeed, there is not even room for them in the world!

As Steve Schlissel has written, "America is PROUDLY redefining herself as the safe haven, not of truth and righteousness, but of tolerance and diversity—a tolerance that is a fraud and a diversity which curiously accepts outspoken feminists and homosexuals but excludes outspoken Christians." This is the case. We are in a dangerous position.

But this is precisely what our Savior said would happen to His people (John 15:19-21). This animosity is coming because of the hatred of the world of unbelief against Him (John 15:18). We must not panic but rather humble ourselves before the Lord, confessing our sins and devoting ourselves afresh to live for His glory. Then we can pray as the apostles prayed when they were threatened similarly, "Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word." (Acts 4:24-30)