patriotism is a good thing you it is truly in the spirit of love and peace but all too often it has more to do with identification with a specific group (i.e.-nation).  The identification with the group has nothing to do with seeking freedom but preserving a system, a very dangerous thing and has the capacity to create much suffering.  'Patriots' often claim to be fighting for freedom but have to be careful not to be fighting for supremecy.  Nazism was well-known for its nationalistic views where the individual was only seen as part of the whole and life was not valued... that is the ills that come out of striving for patriotism if it is in fact nothing more than nationalism. 

Feb 3, 2010 -- 6:59PM, Scott wrote:

Is patriotism good or evil? Is it ethical or unethical?  Is it a virtue or a vice?  I'd like to know what you think and why.

Thanks in advance for the input!

- Scott

Patriotism is devotion to ones country.  There is nothing wrong with that, so long as it does not take precedence over devotion to God.  Where it goes wrong is when devotion to ones country is confused with devotion to God.  This is the mistake made by those who insist that America is a "Christian" nation.  It isn't, of course, at least not in the sense that Israel is a "Jewish" nation or Iran is an "Islamic" nation, but those who claim that it is do so in order to create the impression that ones devotion to God must take the form of devotion to America.  When patriotism is equated with faith in God, the nation is elevated to a divine status, and patriotism becomes idolatry.  So no, I don't believe patriotism is evil, unethical, or a vice at all, so long as it is kept in its proper perspective.