Over the years I have periodically thought about loyalty. I am thinking about it again. In my earlier thinking, I came to the conclusion that the word was a bad word and the practice was a bad practice.
Loyalty causes things like millions of people giving strong adherence to, and following of people, like Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Stalin, Lenin, Mao, and causing the premature death of hundreds of millions of people. And the people who were loyal thought it was a good thing.
Loyalty causes people to say, “I was born a Methodist, I will die a Methodist”, even though the Holy Spirit may have left the Methodist church a hundred years ago.
Loyalty causes people to say, “South High School in Omaha is the best high school because I go to South High.
Loyalty is taught in nations, churches, and schools. In military units, it is called “Espirit de corps.”
Pep rallies help it along, Martial music helps it along.
We have a problem with what I have just written. That is, the opposite of loyalty, is treason and treason is bad. A traitor is an evil person.
If I remember correctly, here is a quotation from the Merchant of Venice.
“The man who has no music in his soul is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.” That is not scripture, but it gives a worldly view of treason. It is not good.
Jeremiah was considered a traitor by the king and the people. He was the only one obedient to God.
Dietrich Bonheoffer was executed as a traitor because he was in the plot to assassinate Hitler.
If loyalty is bad and treason is bad, then there must be something else.
Loyalty causes things like millions of people giving strong adherence to, and following of people, like Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Stalin, Lenin, Mao, and causing the premature death of hundreds of millions of people. And the people who were loyal thought it was a good thing.
Loyalty causes people to say, “I was born a Methodist, I will die a Methodist”, even though the Holy Spirit may have left the Methodist church a hundred years ago.
Loyalty causes people to say, “South High School in Omaha is the best high school because I go to South High.
Loyalty is taught in nations, churches, and schools. In military units, it is called “Espirit de corps.”
Pep rallies help it along, Martial music helps it along.
We have a problem with what I have just written. That is, the opposite of loyalty, is treason and treason is bad. A traitor is an evil person.
If I remember correctly, here is a quotation from the Merchant of Venice.
“The man who has no music in his soul is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.” That is not scripture, but it gives a worldly view of treason. It is not good.
Jeremiah was considered a traitor by the king and the people. He was the only one obedient to God.
Dietrich Bonheoffer was executed as a traitor because he was in the plot to assassinate Hitler.
If loyalty is bad and treason is bad, then there must be something else.
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