THE FLAG AND THE CROSS

[Choir Loft]

"In the United States many churches display the American flag. The Christian flag is usually put on one side and the American flag on the other. Does having two flags in your church mean that Christianity and the American establishment are equal? If it does, you are really in trouble."
- Francis Schaeffer

Mr. Schaeffer is regarded as a foremost Christian philosopher, theologian and film maker of the mid-twentieth century. He authored several insightful books and established the L'Abri community in Switzerland.

The following is a quote from US flag.org, a site specializing in US flag etiquette.

"When on display, the flag is accorded the place of honor, always positioned to its own right. Place it to the right of the speaker or staging area or sanctuary. Other flags should be to the left...."

While Christians and atheists often argue over metaphysical and moral philosophies, there seems to be a singular lack of political savey on the part of the Church community - especially evangelicals.

If one visits a protestant church, the US flag is usually placed on a flag stand at extreme stage right (on the platform facing the congregation or audience). All other flags and symbols are placed to the left of the flag.

The placement of the flag at the extreme right in church symbolizes its important position above all other symbols and flags including but not limited to the cross, altar and the pulpit.

My point here is that Christians are either ignorant of the meaning of political symbolism in their houses of worship or they support it.

Is the cross and the Christian God LESS important than the US flag? If symbolism in church is to be believed and understood properly - it IS. What is symbolism in a religion if not the very life blood and force of its creed and behavior?

As a result, protestant evangelical Christians have a somewhat twisted idea of what is politically important and what is not - including but not limited to US politics taking precedence over the teachings of Jesus Christ Himself.

MY QUESTION today is this? Does the reader acknowledge that the placement of the US flag in church symbolizes the superiority of the flag over the cross - of the US government over God?

Putting personal bias aside, is this what the placement of symbols in church means? As a test I've asked Christians and non-believer friends. Christians give me a blank stare. Non-believers seem to think its an silly question. "Weren't we taught that in 3rd grade?" some say.

"It must be taught that patriotic loyalty MUST NOT be identified with Christianity."
- Francis Schaeffer

What do you say, dear reader? Are 21st century Christians more politically fanatical than religiously oriented?

Personally, it seems to me that when a group worships Ronald Reagan as a demigod and insists that the platform of one political party is superior to reason and doctrine they've abandoned their own basic principles of religion.

American Christians have denied Christ - politically speaking.

but that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

[Choir Loft]

[Replying to Choir Loft]
Thats alright, im pretty sure you cant, in fact i was surprised when you said you could change the poll!

But thats my vote, neither are superior albeit the US flag has more meaning to me than the cross.

Answering "No" doesn't necessarily imply that the US flag is superior to anything. All it says is that the Christian Cross is not superior to the US flag.

I understand your meaning. It's fairly typical of most Americans I would say.

What does this say about the religion, though?

Does this not imply some sort of dilution of intent, of ignorance of abstract symbolism if not outright hypocrisy?

There is much argued here and elsewhere about double standards of Christian behavior and even of Biblical interpretation, but what of God's house as it were?

Does the display of the flag and cross in opposing positions denigrate the intent of the religion (if not the flag itself)?

and that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

[100%atheist]

[Replying to post 1 by Choir Loft]

I think that, symbolically, cross (and not just Christian cross) is way more superior to any flag.