The Principle of the Briar Patch
Let’s start with a familiar allegory—the story of Br’er Rabbit and the Tar Baby. It’s a fable that teaches us how deception works when someone pretends to be against something, only to lure you into exactly what they wanted in the first place. Br’er Rabbit begs not to be thrown into the briar patch, which of course is exactly where he wants to go. His enemies, thinking they’re punishing him, give him exactly what he desired.
This fable mirrors what we see in politics today. The left pretends to oppose something, which tricks the right into defending it—even when it’s harmful. This tactic works incredibly well when it comes to patriotic symbolism like the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Politics of the Pledge
Look at Arizona. In 2023, the legislature passed a bill requiring K–12 students in public schools to recite the Pledge. Every Republican voted yes. Every Democrat voted no. The story writes itself, right?
In Utah, it wasn’t quite as split, but the same principle applies. The resolution praised the Pledge as instilling “inspired ideals” and “reminding us that we are a nation under God.” Again, every vote against it was from a Democrat. Then Fox News jumps in with a segment spinning the narrative: if you oppose the Pledge, you hate God, hate America, and support communism. That’s the kind of narrative they’ve crafted—an illusion of opposition that hides the real agenda.
The Pledge Is Not What You Think
What is a “pledge”? According to Webster’s, it’s a binding promise, often a vow of obedience or devotion. And “allegiance”? That’s fealty owed to a sovereign—a lord. So when you say the Pledge of Allegiance, you’re swearing loyalty. Not to God. Not to your neighbor. But to the state.
And the flag? You can’t pledge to a piece of cloth. You’re pledging to the system that flag represents. That’s why the Pledge is so dangerous—it trains our children to bow before the state. To treat government as their savior and master.
Here’s an example of the pledge in practice with this 2016 meeting at the state capital in response to opposition we created to a bill that would put an unelected official over the sheriff:
Who Really Wrote the Pledge?
Here’s the kicker. The Pledge was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy—a Christian socialist. A man who preached sermons like “Jesus the Socialist.” A man who despised capitalism. And yet here we are, over a century later, with conservatives defending a socialist’s ritual as if it were Holy Writ.
They even added “under God” later, during the Cold War, to manipulate the faithful into thinking their devotion to the state was devotion to God. It’s not. It’s idolatry.
One Nation? Indivisible? Really?
Let’s unpack that phrase: “One nation, indivisible.” That’s not what America was founded to be. Most of the states (that’s another story for another time) were—and still legally are—sovereign republics. Patrick Henry warned about consolidation, that it would swallow up the liberties of the people stating,
“If consolidation proves to be as mischievous to this country as it has been to other countries, what will the poor inhabitants of this country do? This government will operate like an ambuscade [ambush]. It will destroy the state governments, and swallow the liberties of the people, without giving previous notice.” – Patrick Henry, Virginia ratifying convention
James Madison clarified that the Constitution was a federal compact, not a national consolidation,
“Were it, as the gentleman asserts, a consolidated government, the assent of a majority of the people would be sufficient for its establishment; and, as a majority have adopted it already, the remaining states would be bound by the act of the majority, even if they unanimously reprobated it. But, sir, no state is bound by it without its own consent.” -General Defense of the Constitution, [6 June] 1788
Additionally, in Federalist 39 Madison again stated,
“The act of the people, as forming so many independent States, not as forming one aggregate nation….
Each State, in ratifying the Constitution, is considered as a sovereign body, independent of all others, and only to be bound by its own voluntary act. In this relation, then, the new Constitution will, if established, be a FEDERAL, and not a NATIONAL constitution.”
We’ve been brainwashed for over 150 years into the lie that we are supposed to be “one nation”, while the Founders choice of the word “congress” debunks that lie when we learn the definition of the word,
“An appointed meeting for settlement of affairs between different nations” –Samuel Johnson Dictionary, 1773
Words have meaning and meanings matter. There is a reason they called it “congress” and not “parliament”.
Each state only joined by its own voluntary act. We are not one nation. We are a confederation of sovereign republics. And when government becomes destructive to our rights, the Declaration of Independence says we have not just a right, but a duty to alter or abolish it. So “indivisible”? That’s not only a lie, it’s a damned lie meant to impose a national tyranny in our minds.
The Church of Government
We’re being asked to worship the government. That’s what this all comes down to. The Pledge is a sacrament in the state’s religion. And both parties are in on it. They play roles—Republicans defend it, Democrats pretend to attack it—but in the end, the state wins. The people lose. Our children are brainwashed.
This is professional wrestling. It’s kayfabe. The outcome is already decided, and both sides are working together to get us to chant along. “USA! USA!” as our liberties vanish and our faith is redirected from God to government.
Breaking the Spell
I used to say the Pledge. Many of us did. We were raised on it. But the more I studied, the more I realized how hollow it is. A pledge of loyalty to the very thing that is stealing our rights. And worse, it masquerades as righteousness. Conservatives defend it as if rejecting it is heresy. But let me be clear: I recognize no sovereign but God, and no king but Jesus.
If that makes me the weirdo at the stadium, so be it.
Conclusion: Recognizing False Opposition
The fight over the Pledge is just one example of false opposition. It’s a strategy used over and over: one side pretends to oppose something so the other side embraces it, blindly. The enemy of my enemy is not always my friend. Sometimes, the enemy of your enemy is your enemy.
So we must stop falling for the bait. If both CNN and Fox News agree on something—watch out. If Congress unites in song—be very wary. If judges and politicians who hate God defend the Pledge, ask yourself why.
It’s time to stop pledging our allegiance to false gods. It’s time to stop giving our loyalty to tyrants in red, white, and blue.
We are not one nation under government. We must be the people of God, and we owe our allegiance to Him alone.
