{Nationalism}[30th June 1989]

[Redbook6:138][19890630:2308]{Nationalism}[30th June 1989]

19890630.2308

Nationalism is a refuge for the psychically insecure. This though poets, and even priests, have been among the World’s most strident nationalists: the fact is that a clear and continuing awareness of God greatly diminishes the force of nationalist feeling against other races or nations. To think that this ignores the numerous examples of religious fervour inspiring separatist or nationalist resistance, would be merely to confuse the Church with God.

It would be too easy simply to contrast physical with spiritual strength: the two are not necessarily polar opposites. But nationalism is always an indicator of spiritual shallowness, as is racism.* Spiritual shallowness is the expression of the veiling of God in a Man: spiritual depth is the unveiling of the Spirit.**

*Nationalism is the sister of racism. I have been both, in the past: perhaps it has taken the experience of living, first, in Scotland, then in Wales, and being the subject of others’ casual racist hypocrisy in the nationalist cause, to cure me of these vices. I hope I am cured, at any rate.***

**{Is spiritual shallowness, if not evil, a non-wilful separation from God? (See 140****) – In fact it is only a symptom, and says nothing about the motivation, I think.}

***[cf [Redbook6:26-33][19881029:1608]{Truth in Cultures}[29th October 1988]?]

****[[Redbook6:140][19890630:2308c]{Evil (4)}[30th June 1989]]

[PostedBlogger01for02112019]