The New Religion of Flags, Borders, and Anthems
Why people now die for flags, constitutions, and anthems the way they once died for relics and holy books.
A flag is just dyed fabric. A constitution is just paper. But if you insult them in the wrong country, people will want to kill you. Nations claim to be secular, but they’ve built something that works exactly like a religion—complete with martyrs, sacred symbols, holy songs, and commandments written in ink instead of stone.
When religion started to fade, people didn’t stop worshiping. They just changed the object of worship. They traded gods for governments, holy books for constitutions, prophets for presidents, and relics for flags. Nationalism became the new church, and war became its mass.
In the medieval world, men marched into battle holding crosses and relics. Now they march under colored cloths, swearing to die for “the nation.” Same emotion, same rituals—different names.
