Essay On Patriotism In The United States

Freedom of religion is one of the most cherished foundations of both American society and the Church. The eleventh Article of Faith provides an excellent definition for freedom of religion, “We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege: let them worship how, where, or what they may.” As society grows less religious, there are concerns that freedom of religion is in danger. In his 1990 Ensign article “Religion in Public Life,” Dallin H. Oaks states that “we must reaffirm and even contend for religious liberty.” The best ways we can defend our freedom of religion are to ensure that our government is secular and to exercise self-government in the

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Thomas Jefferson wrote those words to express the emotions of a nation that desired freedom, and to shake the foundation of the British Empire. However, this simple, but eloquent phrase has sparked one of the greatest debates in American history. Is America a Christian nation? One question has divided the nation and its politicians since the founding and forming of America. This fiery debate has sparked more controversy than any other debate in modern politics.

In American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation, Jon Meacham explores the dynamic relationship between religion and government in America in the hope that contemporary America can learn from the past. The period covered by the book spans from 1620 until Reagan’s presidency in the late 1980s. However, Meacham focuses on the Founding Fathers stances and their continued impact on American politics. More specifically, the book details the conflict over the separation of private religious expression and the more neutral ‘public religion’.

In response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Santa Fe Independent School District V. Doe (SFISD V. Doe) case, Chief Justice Rehnquist commented, “It [the ruling] bristles with hostility to all things religious in public life” (“United”). Separating religion and state has always been a matter of concern for the United States, as shown by the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment of our constitution. Although there have been many cases revolving around the relationship between the church and the state, SFISD V. Doe is among the most notable. By examining the background, reflecting on the decision, and analyzing the impact of the SFISD V. Doe case,

Summary: The division between church and state is a gray line that is often crossed and argued about. For example, Gwen Wilde, the author, argues that the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance requires people who do not believe in God to recite something they do not necessarily believe in. If a person chose not to say the full Pledge, including to utter the words “under God” they run the risk of being called unpatriotic. The author continually argues that the words “under God” add a religious doctrine that not all Americans believe in.

There is much controversy surrounding the idea of patriotism and the iconography of the American flag in today’s society. Some believe patriotism is simply the act of supporting the decisions of the leaders of the country. Others say, to be patriotic, people should be outspoken and voice their oppositions to what is going on in the government. Opinions also differ on the idea of what the American flag represents. One opinion of the flags representation is that the flag represents our history, and the formerly mentioned idea of patriotism. Others believe the flag also represents our history as a nation, but these beliefs focus much more heavily on the negative aspects of our history; such as slavery and other injustices carried out by our

Even when the Constitution establishes a separation between church and state, traces of religion can still be found in public and government environments, such as the Pledge of Allegiance containing the words ‘under God’, American currency having ‘In God we trust’ and other such events and places. Consequently, this prevalence of Christian ideology violates all Americans’ first amendment right to freedom of and from religion and has a negative impact all citizens as it conflicts with their individual beliefs, religious or not.

In America today patriotism is very significant because unlike some countries America has a great deal of freedom. From freedom of choice, speech amongst other thing that would make someone want to be loyal and show pride in their country . Several people show their national pride in different way one of the most symbolic and respected being military service. This concept of showing national pride by serving in the military dates back to the American Revolution. The very beginning of the creation of what is now an independent and strong Nation. During the American Revolution, it is widely believed that American Soldiers willing and proudly fought to gain independence from great britain.However some historians say that this story is just a myth meaning that it was exaggerated or it just never happened . By researching and looking into the different stages of the american revolution and into the journals kept by soldiers during this period, I can be able to come to conclusion as to what I actually think about soldiers During this time period. I can be able to conclude whether or not American soldiers did really fight for patriotic reasons, if the concept of Patriotism gradually disappeared during the period of the war or if it just never existed in the first place.

As the authors contend, the purpose of a democratic government was not to produce moral citizens, but rather, moral citizens had the duty of preserving and acting as the custodians of democracy. In this regard, the business of morality was effectively relegated to the realms of private concerns (Kramnick and Moore 151). Midway through this penultimate chapter, the book turns to demonstrating the problems created by the religious right. The discussion provides a historical account of the debate concerning the separation of the state and the church, and contends that the present religious right misapprehends American history, especially with regard to the framing of the constitution, and endeavors to distort both religion and politics by using religious or spiritual ties in achieving political

Religious freedom has been a staple of the American doctrine since the Bill of Rights. Since then, religious freedom has been challenged non-stop. From the Supreme Court’s rulings that have shaped what religious freedoms mean, which include the enactment of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), and the legalization of same-sex marriage; to obstacles that Muslims face. Religious freedom has been and continuous to be a center point in American politics.

he question of religious involvement in public education has been a controversial topic since before America was a country. Thomas Paine, one of our founding fathers, expressed, “As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of the government to protect all conscientious protesters thereof, and I know of no other business government has to do therewith,” (“20 Quotes”). While the separation of church and state was a necessity made clear by Thomas Jefferson in the first amendment of the Constitution, the question differentiating freedom of religion and freedom from religion remains intangible. The public university of Arkansas State confronted this debate in September of 2014 after the death of two of its esteemed football team associates.

There has been long time debate over the separation between church and state. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment together read: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...”. In the case of Sante Fe Independent School District v. Doe, the Supreme Court upheld the findings of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In a 6-3 opinion delivered by Justice John Paul Stevens, the Court held that the District's policy permitting student-led, student-initiated prayer at football games violates the Establishment Clause (Santa Fe Independent …).

Patriotism is, per definition, devoted love, support, and defense of one's country. Since the founding of our nation, it has been a prominent part of the American Culture. Patriotism is rooted in values which include honor, loyalty, and bravery among others. There are many ways that an American can show their pride. One of the biggest way to prove one’s love for the nation is to joining the military to defend our liberties.

Since the beginning of human civilization, there continues to be a strong relationship between the state and their chosen religious institution. According to an interpretation of an anecdote of Thomas Jefferson, “He didn’t say he say he believed in the Christian God; he evaded that point. But Jefferson did agree with what all his colleagues in the founding thought that a people cannot maintain liberty without religion” (Novak, M., 2006). While the relationship is inevitable as it is used to unify a population, true government should seek as diminished a relationship as possible. While religious freedom is essential to what America was founded on, it cannot infiltrate our governmental systems

American history usually starts with Columbus and the famous myths surrounding the “founding” of the New World. As children we learn about how Columbus fought against all odds to convince the king and queen of Spain to fund his voyage to prove the world was not flat. As we grow in our understanding of history we find that most of the world, at that time, already knew the world was round. So why do we believe in these myths? We believe in these types of myths because they make the central character or characters appear larger than life, much like a Hollywood blockbuster. In the 2000 film the Patriot, directed by Ronald Emmerich, and distributed by Columbia Pictures; we follow the story of American Revolution as seen through the eyes of a