Special to L. Neil Smith’s The Libertarian Enterprise

"Where all classes of society merge insensibly into one another every alien immigrant of inferior race may bring corruption to the stock. There are races more or less akin to our own whom we may admit freely and get nothing but advantage by the infusion of their wholesome blood. But there are other races, which we cannot assimilate without lowering our racial standard, which should be as sacred to us as the sanctity of our homes."
— Francis Bellamy, The Illustrated American, Vol. XXII, No. 394, p. 258

If you want to recite the pledge of allegiance, I have to ask whether you know from whom it comes? It comes from Francis Bellamy.  He hated free market capitalism. He hated independence of spirit. And he hated a bunch of other sorts of people, as indicated in the above quote.  Also, it is imperative that you understand that you must choose this day who ye will serve. I choose God.

Therefore, I do not recite the pledge of allegiance to a flag, to a republic, or to a government of humans. My allegiance is to God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Bellamy was the founder of a group called the Society of Christian Socialists. I am willing to allow has how Bellamy might have been misguided. I do believe his claim that Jesus was a socialist represents a thorough-going misunderstanding of every passage of scripture having to do with Jesus, money, markets, measures, money changers, or giving to the poor.

In 1891, Bellamy taught a class “Socialism versus anarchy” and was asked to write down the lecture for publication. In it, he calls for a very strong government that imposes a socialist system of economics. Notwithstanding that such a system would fail and lead to poverty and starvation, I believe it is also against scripture. Jesus did not favour paying tribute, but arranged for a fish to be found with a coin in its mouth so that his follower who had mistakenly agreed to pay tribute was not left with a debt.

Jesus was asked whether taxes should be paid, so he called for a coin. The coin in question had been debased by Caesar. Jesus asks whose picture is on the coin and whose name, the answers being Caesar in both cases. So Jesus says to render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar. Jesus never says to pay taxes. Indeed, his family suffered because Caesar had demanded taxes and a census so everyone had to return to the place where they were born. Bethlehem was where Joseph was born, so a pregnant Mary and Joseph arrived there to find no room at the inn. Mary gave birth to Jesus in the stable.

Jesus overthrows the money changers tables because they have made God’s temple into a den of thieves. Jesus is unjustly judged by temple authorities and by Pontius Pilate representing the government of Rome. Pilate has him scourged and then agrees to have Jesus crucified. So it is the strong government that Bellamy favoured that does much of the violence to Jesus. One could go on at great length. I believe Jesus would say that taxation is theft. Moreover, it is not God’s will that we coerce anyone, so the believer comes of his or her own free will to believe. Thus nobody should be forced to pay taxes out of which a small amount is given to the poor, a large amount to bureau-rats, and a very large amount to government contractors. Bellamy was wrong about socialism.

Finally, let us examine the words. “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.” In comparison, let us examine the words of the constitution, which asks presidents and all other office holders, including enlisted personnel in the military, to swear an oath to defend and uphold that constitution, including its bill of rights and its other amendments. I don’t think the limitations imposed by the constitution can be at all consistent with the strong government and socialist economy of Bellamy. Nor, indeed, are any of the regulatory agencies created since the Interstate Commerce Commission (about the time of Bellamy’s main works) was forced into existence. The current tyranny under which Americans suffer is neither godly nor is it constitutional.

This matter comes to my attention because a group that seeks to restore the constitutional limits to government and end tyranny, the Arkansas national assembly, recites the pledge at every meeting. I believe that is mistaken. I believe it is, in short, idolatry.

People should stop worshipping the flag. People should stop worshipping the government. People who worship should worship God, who created the heavens and earth, who is worthy of worship. Worshipping artefacts of human making like flags and governments is idolatry. It ought to stop.

To be frank, God has been very angry about idolatry for a long time. A reckoning comes.

God is with us to save us. But repentance is key to God’s grace. Repent ye.

Jim Davidson is an author, entrepreneur, actor, dancer, and teacher. Currently he has joined the team at BqETH.com which has a smart contract system of time locked puzzles and verifiable delay functions to help ensure that your heirs inherit your crypto assets and your executor does not. He is working on several projects to maintain knowledge in the coming collapse. Find some of his essays at FreedomLandDAO.com among other places.   You can also connect with him on Gettr, Twitter, and Flote.app looking for user planetaryjim but Failbook logged him out so he’s not there any longer.