Sitting during God Bless America?

[Takket]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-i-sit-out-god-bless-america/2013/05/31/32a16634-c952-11e2-9f1a-1a7cdee20287_story.html

Good read. I'm an atheist and as a matter of routine I always stand during the National anthem and God Bless America. I've always just considered it a matter of patriotism I wish to express, and to be honest "God's" presence is both those songs is something that never even crosses my mind. It feels more like an "expression" than a prayer to me. In that I am wishing good fortune upon my country rather than specifically making an appeal to God to intervene in our lives to elevate the USA above all others. To me it feels no different than saying to a friend "May the Force be with you." when parting. It is not that I specifically believe in the Force, just that it is an expression of good fortune I am offering to someone. That make any sense? lol

Curious to hear all your thoughts on the same!

[Nye Bevan]

1. Should visitors from abroad remain seated during the National Anthem? (nt)

[hrmjustin]

6. I would stand out of respect if it was a national anthem of another nation.

But in the end it is their choice.

[Honeycombe8]

32. It's respectful to stand for others' anthems, IMO. Everyone stands at the Olympics

for the nat'l anthem of the gold medal winner, even though they're not citizens. It's a recognition of the gold status attained and respect for the winner's country, position, and anthem.

It's just good manners. Like...if I were in a room where a lot of people stand for the anthem of Israel or Saudi Arabia, I would stand, too. Just out of respect for those that it means a lot to. It's rude to stay sitting. IMO.

[bike man]

2. I stand for the National Anthem, but remain seated for the other one, which, in

my opinion would be a better choice for the NA.

I am a non-believer, and I don't think any supernatural being will be guarding/protecting us from anything - but it's a nice song, borderline inspiring, and doesn't do me any harm when other folks don't hold the same belief (or non) as me.

[cynatnite]

3. It doesn't bother me either way to stand or not stand. I just don't care. n/t

[Apophis]

4. I don't care either.

[marmar]

15. Agree, I just don't care.

Forced, contrived acts of ceremonial patriotism have always puzzled me, as do contrived, forced mourning on events such as the 9/11 anniversary.

[hrmjustin]

16. How are you forced to mourn on 9/11?

[Quantess]

22. Glenn Beck dressed in a nazi uniform smears vicks vapor rub in my eyes every september 11th

It's never a fun day.

[hrmjustin]

23. Is this a joke?

[Quantess]

25. No, actually I think I need to get a restraining order.

I've had just about enough of these annual visits from Glenn Beck.

[jbond56]

5. used to just sit

but after being physically threatend from a good christian I now go to the restroom when it starts.

[elleng]

9. threatened from a 'good' christian???

[jbond56]

10. his claim

I tend not to question peoples beliefs.

[elleng]

11. I wouldn't question him directly,

but pretty clear nothing 'good' about this behavior.

[jbond56]

13. I think he believes he is a good christian.

He also told me he knew what he was doing was right. God was on his side.

[Liberal In Texas]

17. I believe Tomás de Torquemada

thought the same way.

[elleng]

7. Ditto

[olddots]

8. When in Rome

I'll go thru all the motions at a church or temple and even mutter along with the songs and jive at a ball game ---it seems to make people happy .
Asking if we would have saluted Hitler is a lost question , saluting our flag is pretty painless so far but at the rate things are going ??????

[mattclearing]

12. I agree with the writer of the article.

Not only does ritualizing "God Bless America" step on America's religious freedom, it also re-inforces that worst of all nationalistic notions, that God is on America's side.

[forestpath]

28. +1

[uppityperson]

14. I have never heard of standing for "god bless america" and would not do so. The ntl anthem? It depen

depends on the situation. But GBA? No. Maybe "this land is your land, this land is my land" but gba? Naw.

[Major Nikon]

31. I generally stand for it

But only because the 7th inning stretch is a good time to empty the bladder.

[Dwayne Hicks]

18. n/t

I would stand for the national anthem but remain seated for God Bless America. And i would let no one pressure me into standing.

[Tikki]

19. This, every time..no one has ever said a word to me about it..

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic
for which it stands. One Nation, indivisible with liberty and justice for all..."


Tikki

[Buzz Clik]

20. Takket is my kind of atheist.

[Laelth]

21. I have the same feelings about those songs as I do about the pledge.

I think that all three are an unacceptable violation of the establishment clause of the 1st Amendment, and I have a negative, visceral reaction to them because I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and all three of those works violate said Constitution, in my opinion.

That said, I sing both songs and recite the pledge.

-Laelth

[JVS]

24. Standing for showtunes? Fuck that.

[kestrel91316]

26. God Bless America is a SONG. It has no official status in the US.

Patriotism and God SHOULD have nothing to do with each other.

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/2652115968/h0302130F

I'm curious what you, as an atheist, have against separation of church and state?

[Takket]

30. subject

nothing really... i don't consider baseball games to represent the state

i am opposed to things like nativity scenes on government property. i don't mind if they open the land to any private citizen that wishes to make a religious or atheist display, so long as none are favored over the other.

[NoOneMan]

27. I quit standing and all that crap about 11-12 years ago to any of them BS chants, songs, pledges

Its saved me a tremendous amount of hassle.

I mean really, how ridiculous must we all look to thinking humans?

[arely staircase]

29. at baseball games i will stand if i am in the seats, just to not look like i'm trying to be a dick

if i'm up and walking around I continue to do so. when the national anthem is played I stop and put my hand on my heart wherever I am - not saying anyone is a dick who doesn't do what I do.

[liberal_at_heart]

33. not everybody feels patriotic. My daughter never said the pledge of alligiance in school

while everybody else did.

[Spider Jerusalem]

34. I would stand (and uncover, if wearing a hat) for "The Star Spangled Banner"...

but NOT for "God Bless America". What next, standing for Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA"? "God Bless America" has no official status. (But regarding "religious content"...I live in the UK, and will stand for "God Save the Queen", because it's the national anthem. And if "God Bless America" were the national anthem of the US, I'd stand up when it was played. It isn't, so I don't.)

[LostOne4Ever]

35. That song doesn't bother me too much

God bless American does not bother me too much as it has no official connection to the government. The pledge and the national motto, on the other hand, bother me.

I resent attempts like those to officially associate belief in God with Patriotism and feel that they jeopardize both the separation of church and state as well as our standing as full citizens of this country. It was not that long ago that a US president said the following:

[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#dcdcdc; padding-bottom:5px; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-bottom:none; border-radius:0.4615em 0.4615em 0em 0em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]George Herbert Walker Bush[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#f0f0f0; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-top:none; border-radius:0em 0em 0.4615em 0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God.

Further, once these type of references are enshrined in our culture some people take extreme offense if we do not show them the same reverence that believers do. The priest in the article got to experience a small part of that first hand, but again that song is not really connected to the government. I think the pledge is far worse.

It also needs to be mentioned the right wing love to point to things like this in order to try and claim this country is a christian nation.