Nationalism is Patriotism gone astray.

What causes Patriotism to go astray? The love of power and the love of money.

Patriotism should honor the ways that your nation and civilization empower people to have life and to enjoy their lives to the full. (John 10:10). For example, Patriots should rejoice when their government and civilization secure Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Such Patriots are Good Shepherds. (John 10:1-4).They put the interests of the people in their nation and civilization ahead of their own personal interest. (Philippians 2:20-21).

Bad Shepherds are the opposite of Good Shepherds. (John 10:1-14). They selfishly manipulate Patriotism so that it turns into Nationalism in order to increase their power and their wealth.

And so, Nationalism causes needless wars and rumors of wars that waste lives and money.

As James (probably the brother of Jesus) wrote: “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but cannot have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.” (James 4:1-2).

After coming out of the American Pavilion at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World, my wife said, “It’s a shame! When we talk about how great we are, all we talk about are all the wars we’ve won!”.

As always, my wife was right. I took what she said to heart. The result was my book Visions of America, first published in 2004.

In it, I set forth the Vision of America as first “discovered” in the hearts of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. It is the Vision of an ideal America—not the reality of the actual United States of America which has so often failed to live up to its ideals.

It is not a Vision of conquests and wars. It is a Vision of coming with Joy and Peace for all Humanity (paraphrasing the plaque Apollo 11 left on the Moon).

It is not a Vision limited to the United States of America. It is a Vision that people in every nation, every race, and every religion can share with Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

It is a Vision that a Nationalist detests. It is a Vision that every Patriot should love.

Like Abraham, Patriots should work to turn their nation and their civilization into a Promised Land that will bless ALL people.

Like Moses, Patriots should challenge ALL types of pharaohs to let ALL people be free.

Like Jesus, Patriots should help ALL hurting people, even those they have been taught to hate because of their nationality, race or religion.

In this Way of America, Patriots from every nation, race and religion will secure Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness for ALL Humanity.

In this Way of America, Patriots from every nation, race and religion will empower ALL people to enjoy their lives to the full.

God bless THIS Way of America!

READ MORE

To learn more about my Visions of America, please read my blogs “Jesus Climbs the Temple Mount”, “Jezebel and Ahab: Greed, Lies and Violence”, “Pilate: The Love of Power”, “Judas Iscariot Betrays Jesus: The Love of Money”, “How Do We Build a Civilization That Is Good—That Is Very Good”, “We Need Inspiring Visions of a Bright Future. Why?”, “Building Houses on Rock: Mission Impossible?”, “Building Houses on Rock: Mercy and Forgiveness”, “Building Houses on Rock: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”, “Building Houses on Sand: Specks and Planks”, “Father, Forgive Them”, and “Overcoming Divisions”.

Also, please read my book Visions of America (published with my book Visions of the Church.