Patriotism, defined as the love of your country or way of life, can be a Good Thing. Nationalism, where you do bad things to foreigners, is a Bad Thing.
I know this is true because the Big Book of Magic Stuff says so. Of course I’ve never actually read the Big Book of Magic Stuff but this simply must be true. I doubt if anyone can find any examples at all of rampant genocidal nationalism in the the Big Book of Magic Stuff.
What Rev Peter said.
I’d only add that, for a nationalistic character, look no further than the IMF created by Moses, etc.
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Moses never existed. Like most characters in the bible and all the other holy books that never existed either.
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The Rev Dr Dr Peter has completely nailed it.
More typical post hoc bilge from Brook.
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“Patriotism, defined as the love of your country or way of life, can be a Good Thing. Nationalism, where you do bad things to foreigners, is a Bad Thing.”
“Us and Them” again.
In other words saying “us == good” is laudable but saying “them == bad” is wrong.
Here’s a radical thought — instead of a false dichotomy, why not treat people nicely and get rid of the artificial divisions and barriers? (“and after all we’re only ordinary men” — Roger Waters).
Oh but then it would be harder to justify the special status of your given delusion and nearly impossible to maintain a whole class of middle managers leaching off their congregations [religions] and taxpayers [politicians].
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Breathtaking chutzpah – it was as if he was deliberately challenging, or daring, his listeners to make the obvious parallel between the destructive nature of nationalism and the equally destructive effects of exclusive religious faiths. The worrying thing is…. he wasn’t making that challenge, he evidently hadn’t made that parallel himself, believing faith (and his in particular) as a benign, beneficial and positive force for good in the world and utterly undevisive. Nuts.
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