American Mythology

I've been at KGM for a week, and, as is expected of one with observational skills above that of, say, a hamster, I have noticed that we do not say the pledge of allegiance or sing the national anthem regularly. I'm not saying that that's a BAD thing, no, quite the opposite. I made an interesting 'connection' recently, reading the section in the textbook on the rise of Rome and Christianity. It talked about how Christians refused to offer sacrifices to the gods in an act of treason. I also remember Mr. Matt (SS 11 Teacher) teaching our class that Greco-Roman gods weren't necessarily believed in as omnipotent beings, but more of personification of certain ideals, like the personification of a city, perhaps. So, in this sense, worshipping the gods was more of a kind of patriotism than of what is now considered religion. So, the Christians were refusing to be patriotic, and therefore, they were considered a threat to the integrity of their country.

That made me think. What is patriotism today but a form of worship? We (public schools more often than most) routinely chant incantations, or even prayers, toward an inanimate idol: the American Flag. We are told to respect the flag, not to drop the flag and are classified as terrorists (by some) if we burn the flag. All that for an inanimate object? Some would argue that the flag is a symbol of our country, and that disrespecting the flag is also disrespecting your country. This reminds me more than anything of the Greco-Roman belief system, only, instead of a 'person' symbolizing a nation or a city, it is an object, an idol. Patriotism, if anything, is the American religion. It surprises me that it is usually the most conservative Christians who support the idea of extreme patriotism. It is very ironic.

Speaking of an American religion, specifically an American mythology, there isn't only the pledge of allgience to speak of. The national anthem is nothing more than a ritual song to show our loyalty. Something I personally think is very profound is the idea of an American pantheon. Mr. K once said that America does have gods, in the sense of historical beings that embody the very spirit of a country and have been elevated to godlike satus. I am talking about the founding fathers. Yes, Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and even Lincoln (who wasn't technically a founding father but is held in the same light) are our gods. We have our own parables and myths surrounding these characters (the chopping down of a certain cherry tree, for example), and they are constantly being adapted into our art. They are on our money (that perhaps being more of a property of a ruler rather than a diety), and even our cities are named after them.

Another possible choice for an American mythology would be none other than superheroes. While they do not have the same historical quality that the founding fathers do, they certainly embody many of our 'American values' and are filled with ethical problems resolved by our shining example of good. What is especially similar to this mythology and the Greeks and Norse is the sheer aamount of story known by (nearly) everyone. Our American mythos, really. Ask anyone who is Supermans girlfriend and they will (hopefullly) say Lois Lane. Where does Batman come from? Gotham, of course. Some of them even fit the typical archetypes of a pantheon. The all powerful main god: Superman. The epitome of patriotism (Athena for the Greeks): Captain America. Batman could even be considered the the god of the underworld if we want to stretch it that far.

Hope you've had some interesting insight into my opinions. Expect to see a lot more of that in the future.

P. S. After some feedback, I've decided to clarify that this is not my attempt to criticize the very concept of patriotism. Rather, it is my attempt to show religious influences in the most secular of societies.