Religion and faith have always been a controversial subject. Many people are guided by religion and spirituality, but not everyone is guided through these particular topics. Many times it can cause friction between individuals because of the nature of the subject. I saw a post on my Facebook feedback over a month ago. The image had a picture of an American flag and a silhouette of a cross behind it. The lighting was just right. To me, it was a beautiful illustration of something I had a strong belief of.
Above the image contained the caption, “One nation under God”. I got a comment right after my shared post that simply said, "Interesting story about that". The comment also contained a link to a story about the American flag and the man who wrote the original. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/.../the-man-who-wrote.../…
My main purpose for this analysis is to show that it is important to know facts before getting too emotional tied to an event, and before becoming defensive when someone offers a new perspective or new information. It is also important to acknowledge that we live in America. The United States of America is a melting pot of many different religions, many different individuals, and that living here is a privilege because we have religious freedom along with so many other freedoms. This particular image created quite a stir. The comments regarding the post generated over 77,326 comments. I had a completely different mindset before reading this new found information and reevaluated my own thoughts about this image and what I learned about the original pledge of allegiance.
Physical
This particular topic has been trending all over social media. I am sure that it has reached beyond the US, but this is where it seems the most controversial.
Psychological
Many individuals on social media displayed their emotional reaction in many different ways. It made many people angry. It caused individuals to get very heated with one another. I was moved in many different directions, when I first posted it, I was one of those that agreed that "One Nation Under God" should be kept in, but after reading the literature, I was conflicted. This started to make me physically ill, not because I was upset at my friend, but I think it was because I did not know quite how to approach this without getting defensive like many people on social media displayed. I was concerned how my opinions would affect the relationship I had with others in my family and friends. So that affected me emotionally. I noticed other posts in regards to the image carried many emotional feelings as well. Mostly I had to change my attitude over this situation. The change of attitude did impact how I felt about it emotionally and I was able to make more sense of how I felt, and how I would share my opinions in the future.
Social
The social impact was quite significant. This particular image sparked quite a lot of debate. This is where citizen journalism came into play. Many people voiced there opinions regarding the event/image, and created quite a stir. Many individuals come to some very strong conclusions without knowing all of the facts. That is why it is so important to obtain and seek credible information so that you can make an informed and rational decision before reacting. There were many mixed views. Christians were praising the image and commenting in agreement. Others who knew the original story commented how the original pledge did not include the words “One nation under God”. I remember standing with my classmates and proudly repeating the pledge of allegiance. This was something that was done every morning before school started and began a routine that I was comfortable doing. There was a lot of controversy with this image. Some people were angry because they wanted “One nation under God” kept in the pledge and others protested that it did not belong there. Separation of church and state was also a remark that sparked a debate among the people making comments.
Cultural
The cultural aspect of this image is America is a melting pot of many different religions as well as individuals who do not practice religion. Christianity is one of the religions that is practiced in the US, but it is not the only religion. Not everyone is guided by religious or spiritual beliefs. There are many religions. I think that problem that was being mentioned within this context was the fact that people that did not want religious beliefs to be forced upon them and many people felt that religion was being forced on them.
Temporal
The temporal impact of this image is different for everyone. I think the timing of this particular even impacted me in a different way now than it would have done several months ago. I do not think that I would have been as open minded.
My Thoughts
Immediately after my friend posted this link I was frustrated. I did not understand why I had to read literature telling me that I needed to understand where and how the original pledge was in its original form. I immediately assumed it to be a negative post and link, but then I finally read it and was surprised at what I had learned. It really did open my eyes that everything that I had grown up knowing and reciting was different than its original form. I learned that I need to wait before I react. When I read the post after all of the emotion subsided, I had a great deal more insight and understanding for those that voiced their opinions against the phrase, "One Nation Under God". It definitely opened my eyes and heart about being more mindful and respect others who have a different opinion and faith that I do.
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