On Obama, Piety, Patrotism, and Flag Pins

I did this article under a different title in the other blog place; hope no one minds  - copied here:

I was disappointed this week to hear one of my friends criticizing Obama for lack of patriotism - not putting his hand over his heart during the National Anthem, not wearing a flag on his suit, and being sworn in using the Koran rather than the bible. So I looked it up on the web and found that it came from a debunked, mostly false story that was nevertheless still circulating. The Koran part was just untrue. The other parts are things I do myself though I love my country and am very grateful to have been born here. Obama said his grandfather taught him that you salute for the Pledge of Allegiance, but for the National Anthem you sing. That was what I have always done too - maybe it is a mid-west thing. Also I never had a flag pin to wear and nobody I know wears one either. Anyway it got me thinking about symbols and whether they were important. Jesus always stressed that it was what was in your heart that was important, as demonstrated by your love and treatment of your fellow beings. I was thinking that maybe Obama demonstrated his patriotism better by giving up a promising legal career to work with the inner city churches in Chicago to help the poor. God is said to be very upset when his people only go through the motions of piety while their hearts are far from Him. To paraphrase the Bible, our "burnt offerings" are no more than a stench to God unless we follow His commandments to love our fellow creatures. The book of Micah says "What does God require of you, oh man, but to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?". As a Nation under God, that is what God requires also of us - whether or not we wear a flag pin and regardless of how we honor the Anthem (personally I think singing it is better - lets all learn the words).