Does a country need religious people or Patriotic people
@choudhary03 (943)
Hyderabad, India
November 24, 2008 1:46pm CST
I certainly say that a country needs patriotic people. If there are no patriotic people but religious people it may crop up a Hitler, etc.
But to what extent you can define patriotism. Does religion help in stopping people becoming over patriotic.
In Russia most of the people are Atheists. They are very patriotic. I say religion does not play a significant role other than quarrels such as your religion is greater and my religion is greater and to this extent conversions from one faith to another faith.
I vote for patriotism. Comments please.
2 people like this
27 responses
@Springlady (3986)
• United States
24 Nov 08
A country needs God. People need God.
God bless and Happy Thanksgiving!
@Springlady (3986)
• United States
24 Nov 08
Yes He will. God protects those who love Him.
God says not to fear anyone who can just kill the body, but fear the One Who can kill the body and then cast the soul into hell.
Also, if God is for us, who can be against us?
No terrorist can hurt any of God's children. We have God's Promises of Eternal Life! A terrorist does not have that.
So, don't be afraid of them! Just keep loving your country and travel and see all the beautiful places of America!
@semicolonp (518)
• Philippines
24 Nov 08
Is this a "Which is better to have question?" Because I think these types of people are needed and not REALLY needed at the same time.
Religious people would be nice but are not something a country will die without. I would like to think religion at least helps in defining someone's moral ground, so I certainly think it is a good thing to have religious people, as long as the teachings aren't those which contradict the major beliefs or morality, i.e., the religion doesn't teach you it's okay to kill, steal, etc., that would be bad for other people. It might sound contradictory to have such a religion, but religion is a belief-based organization, and there have been belief-based organizations that promote such before. Irregardless, religions of all kind have always had the teachings of being kind to others, so that would certainly help a country, until other factors ruin the balance.
Patriotic people would be nice but are not something that a country will die without either. Patriotism denotes a certain amount of love for one's country, and a person can live on a certain country even without loving it and/or willing to sacrifice for it. Patriotism doesn't necessarily compute into an individual's desire to live on a certain place, so while it would be nice to have all these country-loving, it's not a mandatory need.
I think a nice country would have religious, patriotic people. People who love their country and help it prosper, and kind religious people who love the citizens and will help each other prosper.
@choudhary03 (943)
• Hyderabad, India
26 Nov 08
Hmmm so you want to tread the finite line between religion and patriotism.
Patriotism never harmed anyone except for pearl harbour, etc
Religion harmed us in way much greater proportion than any one can think. Afghan war, Crusades (christian), India pakistan partition (in which 30 million hindus were killed, israel, palestine, etc.)
So which is greater.
@semicolonp (518)
• Philippines
26 Nov 08
Not really. I'm saying they would be nice to have, but a country existing in the current world does not really NEED one over the other or vice versa.
Hmm, actually, reading your response, I think I would pick religious people now.
This might be the crux of our differing points of view: you're thinking of the negative effects religion has brought (even though, the examples you mentioned are rooted in differing views and inability of the HUMANS to compromise, rather than something their religion taught them to do), whereas I'm thinking of the positive effects that religion has to offer.
It's idealistic, I know, but if people were ALL religious—that is, if everyone followed the most important teachings whatever their religion might be teaching, then patriotism would follow without the need to ask for it, or even any conscious effort of that person's part. A religious person is characterized by love for who they consider "god", and subsequently, fear for the wrath of whoever they deem as such. Which basically means that they'll follow the teachings given to them, the most common of which is to be kind to others, to treat them as you would want to be treated. Which would, in a perfect world, lead to harmony and co-existence.
Patriotism would follow because if you love your neighbors, then it's a given you'll love your country-mate, that you would wish for the continued existence of the country which allows you to live peacefully, and would, therefore, do things that would benefit the continued existence of where you live.
The other way is almost unheard of, or at least, I'm not aware of such. I have never heard patriotism lead the way for religious piety, so if I have to choose, I'd chose the one that allows growth.
@Videogeezer (654)
•
25 Nov 08
I am not really a fan of religion or patriotism, I believe both cause way too many problems. I do believe that people should have the right to be religious or patriotic, as long as they do not try and push their believes on myself and others. I love the country I am from and I am lucky to have been born here, but at the end of the day it is by chance that happened.
I wish the earth could come together as one and be patriotic about our planet, but this is most likely just me being a little bit too ambitious.
@choudhary03 (943)
• Hyderabad, India
26 Nov 08
Yes i agree with you beliefs should not be thrusted on others.
Fine balance of both will be very good for the country.
@PrincessKitten (790)
• United States
24 Nov 08
This is a very interesting question, thank you!
Religion and Patirotism are pretty much on opposite ends of the scale. A religious person can be patriotic and a patriotic person can be religious, but here's the difference in one that is overly leaning one way or the other.
A religious person will have faith in god and let whatever happens happen because god has a plan and everything will be fine.
A patriotic person will not accept everything that their government tells them but question everything.
Case in point: I just finished watching the Enron movie all of the analysts were agreeing with the Enron executives (who were lying) except for one analyst. this analyst was shunned and the Enron executives made this analyst look silly. Years later they found that analyst was right, but no one remembers, all they can see is the tremendous loss of the people who's god was money and they had faith that everything was going to be fine. Enron was their church and they did whatever the church told them to.
Transfer this over to the 9-11 conspiracy theorists who have shown mountains of evidence that our own government, but the majority of us are not listening because our government has made them look silly. Whether they are right or wrong doesn't make a difference...because there's nothing we can do about it anyway, but the fact that they're asking questions is very important. The more we the public knows, the better.
My vote goes to patriotism as well.
Happy MyLotting!
@choudhary03 (943)
• Hyderabad, India
26 Nov 08
Thank you for commenting good on religion.
Unfortunately kitten many people do not understand this. Country, values, love, is what religion should teach but these days it is giving cramps.
@semicolonp (518)
• Philippines
24 Nov 08
Hmmm... We seem to have very different views on what constitutes as religious people as well as patriotic people, haha! I guess different people really do see things differently.
As an aside, I never knew 9-11 conspiracy theorists were shunned! I do remember how the US government dismissed findings from my country's police department regarding the 9-11 bombings. It was all about a prototype for the 9-11 bombings and the targets were even specified, if I recall correctly, but the US government didn't listen. That really wasn't a conspiracy theory, though.
@Khayam (346)
• Romania
25 Nov 08
First of all, i have to argue with your statement. In Russia, the majority of people aren't atheists, despite the fact that some sources classify the level of the non-believers around 16-48% of the total population. Russia's population is around 142m people, from which, according to the 2007 International Religion Freedom Report (US Department of State) 100m considered themselves as Russian Christian Ortodox - that's more than 66% of the total population. The same source emphasizes the existance of 9-20m Islamic believers in Russia, but due to the size of the Country other religions are also present: Buddhism, Judaism, Other Christian Churches.
As you can see you can say that Russia has everything else but a predominant Atheist population.
How can you characterize if a country's population has a high or low patriotic level? Why are Russians more or less patriotic than Americans? I personally doubt this affirmation.
Yes, I can say that Russian drink alot more vodka than the Americans, while the latter drink alot more Pepsi than the Russians, but I don't see any element that could sustain a different patriotic level.
@choudhary03 (943)
• Hyderabad, India
26 Nov 08
Wow sir i am referring to these figures from CIA factbook sheet updated on september this year 2008 which says there are 70% atheists.
Please refer to that book and i had always been following Russian history to the core.
@theembittered (1025)
• United States
25 Nov 08
Here in my country we need more patriotic people more than religious people because the people here isnt patriotic :| but we have a lot of religios people i think the people feels embarrased from they're country :( . Have a nice day and enjoy it your week ;) see you and bye bye
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
28 Nov 08
This is just the newest bigotry (a politically correct one I guess). Also, Hitler was greatly into the the theory of evolution. Whether he said he was a christian or not. He was also deeply into the occult. Do we need religious people? What, should we genocide them or what?
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
10 Dec 08
The rise of Hitler had Nothing to do with religion, it was a warped sense of patriotism. I agree , religion has little to do with stopping people from being religious.I rather have a country like my home, The U.S. We have religious people And patriotic people.Here you can be one without being the other.That's freedom.
@headhunter525 (3548)
• India
15 Dec 08
I am surprised that you are using Hitler as an example for religious people. If you have read the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer you'd know that he was a religious person and because of his religious persuasion he did not stay in the US, but returned to his country to oppose Hitler and ultimately got hanged by Hitler.
Soviet Union was once a atheistic country. But do you know how many people were murdered by Stalin, the man who was patriotic but not religious? Over 15 million. Mao was patriotic, but not religious. You know how many he people did he killed? May be over 50 million.
Being patriotic does not mean that you cannot kill your own countrymen. Of course, being religious also does not guarantee that you will never kill. Even if you are both you can still kill. Example is Nathuram Godse, the man who murdered Gandhiji.
However, I would argue that being religious and being patriotic can go together. Gandhiji was patriotic and religious. Lincoln was patriotic and religious.
@dark_joev (3034)
• United States
24 Nov 08
I am a very patrotic person I love the United States and believe in what it stands for but really patrotic people are just belivers in there counrties Ideals so in a way they are religious just not to a god but to there nation. But I don't see the religious people that believe in god or whatever doing anything that helps there nations they normally divide nations more than they unite them.
@k4karthik (439)
• India
24 Nov 08
In view patriotic people are required for any nation. Religion people are not important to any nation. Because of religion peoples we are seeing violence in this world. If nation gets more and more patriotic people then that nation grows to next level.
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
28 Nov 08
I hope I would never find myself saying "so and so class of people are not important"! But I guess that's part of the new enlightened (full of holes) religion of "the survival of the fittest". This is part of that propaganda that says all wars are caused by religion. It's surprising how very easily people fall for it (any type of bigotry that is). Some folks realize it's not this group or that class of people at blame, but human nature, which by the way falls for the same old same old all through history, namely that some folks and people just aren't 'important'. I.E. I guess they're expendable.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
25 Nov 08
Your arguments for patriotism are not very good ones, Hitler and Russia. Hitler was patriotic not religious and look what he did. Millions of Jews, Christians and Gypsies were killed on his orders. The same can be said of Russia when it became the Soviet Union. Stalin also killed millions of his own people. I believe in being patriotic, but it can also be taken to extremes the same as some religions. I don't know if any religion that has killed in the name of religion to the degree that Hitler and Stalin killed in the name of patriotism.
@murderistic (2278)
• United States
24 Nov 08
I think a country needs caring and peaceful people, and you don't need to be religious or patriotic to be those things.
@anubhavjha (46)
• India
1 Dec 08
I too agree that We dont need religious persons we need Patriotic persons. A religous person will talk about loving God, A patriotic person will talk about loving country. If we are patriotic we can be religious but if we are religious and in religiousness we forget about our duties that we should do we will be nowhere. Being Patriotic does not mean to fight with the enemies of the country or to scold someone talking about the country. Patriotism means to perform the duties, payment of taxes, choosing right person to vote, Educating the lower section of the society. meeting and staying with the people of other religion as they are of your own religion. No diversification of the religion or society. If the Freedom fighters were not patriots we would be still under British rule Practising Religions.
@icegermany (2524)
• India
25 Nov 08
yes you are right that the country needs patriotic people than the religious people. when we are in a country to live we have to be together and i know that there are different people who come from different religion but we need to remember that we all have one god and the way we believe and pray god is only the difference, and we need to keep the feeling of oneness in our hearts and when our motherland need us atleast then we have to be together and fight for it and save our motherland.
due to the people having different religion and they follow it but with a good feeling and much of faith in god they do their prayers and all that but the people in politics use religion as their weapon and try to develop misunderstandings and quarrel between the people and they try to misguide them and use it for their own purposes and this is wrong and this had to be stopped first.
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
25 Nov 08
The function of religion and patriotism is completely different. Patriotism is service to your country and religion is a belief. You do not have to be religious to be patriotic, but just because a person is religious doesn't mean he/she is not patriotic. The people I know who would be classified "religious" are probably also the most patriotic. They see how the devaluing of God has been a detriment to their country.
@ahmedafaque (161)
• India
25 Nov 08
hi choudary.I think both patriotic and religious people have its own importance.But according to your question a country needs a patriotic people because its good for the development of the country.But if the people are of different religion then that also good because it also symbolises the unity in diversity.Its difficult to maintain peace between them but it also shows people's unity and their love even if they are of different religion.The best example according to me is India.And its not true that different religion only cause quarrels it also teach us to think of others and to respect others religion which is also important in life.
happy mylotting and have a nice time.
@lalu_202001 (123)
• India
25 Nov 08
no second thoughts...
patriotic people are the one that a country needs for development.
the religious ones really do care for those in their community.
they dont look outside their community.
which is really a shame for them..
so its far better to have religious people...
@lilisor (205)
• Hungary
25 Nov 08
I'm afraid of religious people! They're very dangerous! I've lived with religious people, I know how dangerous they can be!
Patriotic people, on the other hand, are sometimes also very dangerous.
@mvlonardy (1)
• Indonesia
25 Nov 08
If we were talking about a country.. we are surely talking about Patriotism. without it your country is worthless to fight for. I think if the country mixed the religion and the country interest that will be missmatch.
Basically Religion is related to Human rights that worth to fight for as a principal of individuals but patriotism is surely a not individual but it's for the "country".
My country lives in mixed up of religions and patriotism. but if you asked me what is the most my country needs? to me We Need Patriotism. Viva La vida
