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I think we should step back and look at the whole issue. Why have an official, government-mandated pledge anyway? Are you pledging you undying loyalty to your country, or to the set of legislators currently in office? Why should Congress be allowed to dictate the wording of the Pledge?

Actually, I'm surprised they haven't altered it to make it more politically correct.

I would imagine that these laws really are only symbolic, like Drink Your Milk Week or National Forestry Month. Anyone can really pledge his loyalty to the flag, country, and constitution using whatever formula he likes. Or if you don't like it, you can denounce the whole idea.

I think we should step back and look at the whole issue. Why have an official, government-mandated pledge anyway? Are you pledging you undying loyalty to your country, or to the set of legislators currently in office? Why should Congress be allowed to dictate the wording of the Pledge?

Fair questions.

I suppose that someone could minimize every action as symbolic. After all, that is Atlester Crowley's belief and his religion of the "Golden Dawn". His pagen beliefs, not withstanding the Kabbalistic connection, was a rather crude, but effective technique to control "his" masses.

I prefer to agree with Jung that symbology is a powerful avenue to our "self". Throughout history Nations and Citystates all required unifying symbology. The most effective and long lasting was symbology associated with dieties and a higher purpose of living. Historically, you can see the manifestations of megalomania whenever the unifying symbology went from the Devine to the sublime.

Look at Caligula, Commodus, Heliogabalus and Nero. When Rome was founded by Augustus he laid the foundation of Divine decency and restraint. The tone of debauch began with Tiberius. And eventually resulted in the fall of Rome.