If your so inclined take this and get back with the results. Should be fascinating.BjornP wrote: ↑Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:41 am1. Danish culture, the Danish society and democracy (and less so, the Danish state). Also our monarchy, which is a little bit of both state, society and a living historical link to the beginning of the state a little over a millenia ago.GloryofGreece wrote: ↑Sun Sep 30, 2018 7:47 am
Culturally and citizenship wise what are you loyal to?
What should a people hold sacred?
Rituals are useless to you not everyone.
She was also a nationalist , right? ...yes the author was.
2. There is no universal answer to that. My culture generally don't hold things all that "sacred". We respect, we have traditions, things we care for, but pomp and circumstance, elaborate rituals with trumpets and fanfares at strategic places...? You either ARE something or someone or you're NOT. You take something serious by engaging with it, or with them, not by putting it up on a pedestal. That's (traditionally) been how we see things here.
Holding things sacred is also not the same as placing value on rituals and pomp and circumstance. A truth does not become more of a truth by association with some great, big solemn ritual. Conversely, nor does it become less of a truth by association by not having any ritual attached at all. It is the truth and can stand on its own.
3. Nope, and "everyone" doesn't matter. If God doesn't strike people down every timesomeone swears, oh so solemny, with their hand on the Bible to tell the truth, but instead tell a lie? Then that ritual is objectively useless relative to its purpose. Punish liars, punish people who forsake, abandon and betray their duties, absolutely... but unless you can come up with a device that accurately indicates wether or not someone is actively lying during an ritualistic oath involving trumpets, tear-invoking dramatic violin music... spend the time doing something useful, instead.
If you're honest, if you're serious about say military service or speaking the truth in court, you don't need a ritual to validate that. You just do it. Wouldn't you much rather have it be assumed, be expected, that you, when you join the military or speak in court (or whatever), can and will do your duty?
4. "He" (if we're talking Bellamy), but you're right, I misremembered him. Just looked him up on wikipedia now. Considering he apparantly started something called the "Society of Christian Socialists", it's fair to say that he at least considered himself a Socialist, and while that's not neccesarily an indicator that someone's a Socialist, given his views on capitalism it's probably an accurate fit. Not sure of what importance you place on him being both a Socialist, Nationalist and Christian? You think one of them "cancel" the other out?
https://www.moralfoundations.org/