Can Christians be against "flag desecration"?

Question

Isn't that akin to idol worship?

country: ever hear of the 'pledge of allegience'?

Answer 1

I know this is a really long answer, but free speech is something I feel very strongly about as an American in general and as a Christian in particular.

On principle, I support the right to desecrate the flag because of the bedrock principle of free speech that's behind such an act. As Voltaire said, I may disagree with what you said, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. It concerns me as a Christian that so many Christians in the U.S. get so wrapped up in blind patriotism and forget that a couple hundred years ago, our countrymen were probably burning the British flag.

Let's imagine this scenario: The U.S. gets hit by another terror attack, maybe worse than 9/11--say, North Korea sells nukes to al-Qaida and the terrorists slither their way into the U.S. One of the major cities gets leveled by an al-Qaida operative carrying a nuclear device in the back of a rental truck--the nuke that North Korea just tested wasn't very powerful, but it was powerful enough. The president declares martial law, suspends habeas corpus and our government becomes a total one-man show as he basically ignores the legislative and judicial branches of government which, under the circumstances, probably aren't functioning too well anyway at the moment. The president issues an executive order banning any large public gatherings of a political nature (because protests would be unpatriotic right when we need to be patriotic), gutting the First Amendment and giving federal authorities the power to arrest anyone no matter if they're in a big city or small village. I think we've seen enough since 9/11 to understand the corruption that is altogether too possible when too much power is concentrated in the hands of a few. And after a while, even if a major city has been wiped off of the map, a lot of us probably won't like being told that we can't disagree with the government, no matter how wrong the government may be. Think of Tiananmen Square--it could happen here. And if the government is going to take away the basic rights that this nation was founded upon, am I going to avoid burning a flag just because the government says I shouldn't?

But my bigger concern as a Christian is this: Let's imagine that in the next Congress, the House and Senate, through bipartisan stupidity, pass the flag-desecration amendment that has passed the House several times but was shot down in the Senate by a single vote--my hero, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who understands the free-speech implications if flag-desecration is banned. Let's imagine that by the slippery slope of the erosion of free speech, a majority of Americans, despite the fact that more than 80 percent of Americans claim to be Christians, just don't like the political activism of certain religious groups--it doesn't matter who. Maybe it's a coalition of both conservative evangelicals and ultra-liberals coming together to demand that the government stop the genocide in Darfur--all fine and good, but if the government decides that since political speech is now only conditionally protected, if it's our government's policy to not intervene in intra-nation conflicts such as in Darfur, the government could try to ban public gatherings pertaining to certain matters--because it can. Or as another example, what if one religious group wanted to deny another religious group the right to free speech guaranteed under the First Amendment that has already been diminished--let's say that sidewalk proselytizing is banned because members of the Unification Church are the ones who bug people the most on sidewalks, and since they aren't "mainstream," they shouldn't be allowed to spread their ideas because it might offend someone. Then again, maybe it's a group that's as mainstream as the Baptists, who are one of the most evangelism-oriented religious groups in the country. Another group of people might be offended and might petition for a law that would ban Baptists from engaging in their evangelistic activities because there are so many of them, and as such a dominant group in American society, they could offend a lot more people than anyone else. So the main issue then becomes, if you ban one form of free speech, no matter whether it's political, religious or whatever, where do you draw the line and say that X should be allowed but Y shouldn't? For that matter, think back to the unfortunately-small number of Christians who took a stand against the moral abyss of slavery--should Christians have just rolled over and remained the government's lapdog just because slavery was legal? Just because something is legal does not mean it's moral.

And again with regard to flag desecration, I'd much rather have flag-burning zealots stage their protests in public where everyone could see them and either join them or marginalize them, than to have anti-whatever zealotry go underground where nobody could see it because it was legal until everyone hears about it because we've had another Oklahoma City-type bombing, or something like that.

So to make a long answer short, the most un-American thing our government can say to us is that we can't say something. And banning flag desecration is just one example of that.

Answer 2

it was my understanding that we were all taught to love thy neighbour. Notjust your fellow countrymen.If you are christian then you cannot believe in flag desecration because we are all the same no matter what race. Just because someone does wrong in other peoples eyes then thats their problem. If you are a christian and believe in the nations flag then you are not a true christian. You are not devoted to your faith. You only bow to god not to a flag/piece of material with symbols on it.

Answer 3

Yes because desecrating a flag is not an act of love. Jesus had said render to Ceasar what is due to Ceasar and to God what is due to God. Although the secular and the religious are separate matters we still act in love with regard to the former..

Answer 4

How can burning a flag or destroying it be likened to worshipping an idol?

A Christian can be for or against almost anything...their humanity and free will do not cease to exist with salvation.

I am thinking there is something more specific that you are not asking...what is it?

Answer 5

They were not married as are modern day calls for, a ceremony and a piece of paper. The Bible is clear that God made Eve to compliment Adam not just cause he was bored. So the word marriage isn't there but it is implied and EASILY read from the context even if you aren't looking for it. Unfortunately, if you want to try and justify something you can read it out but that is between you and God.

Answer 6

what has flag burning have to do with idolatry? Now if everyone got up in the morning and bowed down to their flag I would call that idolatry.

Answer 7

I wonder. You ever notice the KKK and white supremacist who claim to be Christian seem to have no problem with cross desecration when they burn them.

Answer 8

I thought Jesus was born in ISRAEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not the shitty us (notice the non caps). BTW I am American and Christian, i jus hate this filthy country