Flag, Faith, and the Fog of Blind Loyalty

If my children committed murder or rape, I would still love them. I would stand by them as their parent. But I would condemn, not condone, their actions. I would see them face justice for what they had done. Their punishment and shame would be greater for being mine too, for they are part of me. Yet there would be no compromise on my morality.

That is what real loyalty is, love that refuses to hide wrongdoing in the shadows.

But loyalty can also become a kind of blindness. When our sense of identity is tied so closely to a cause, we can find ourselves defending the indefensible, even when the truth is plain for all to see. Admitting what is in front of us feels like admitting a part of ourselves is wrong, and so we look away.

So, search your heart. Where do your loyalties truly lie? Perhaps you feel them being tested. Are you sure your moral compass still points to what is right, or has it been deflected by allegiance to a flag, a religion, or a cause now engaged in something you can no longer defend?

It takes strength of character to admit this. It is not a betrayal to speak the truth, it is a betrayal to know the truth and remain silent.

Blind loyalty is not loyalty at all, it is blindness to morality.

Ask yourself, are your loyalties making a liar out of you?

Truth is a feather in the hand, lies are stones in the heart.