I know this is hard for some people to believe, but Jesus isn’t an American. He doesn’t spout patriotic words, and He doesn’t pledge allegiance to any flag.
Sadly, many U.S. churches are confused about this issue. As a result, this Sunday will be another confusing day when many American church-goers will be hit with a message that is unbiblical in every way.
When I was growing up, I accepted this odd mixture of Christian religion and civic religion without paying much attention to it. I was a patriotic little kid, so I was happy to see various patriotic songs in the Baptist Hymnal on the backs of the pews where I sat every week. I was happy to see a U.S. flag on stage areas much of the time (sometimes flanked by the weird notion of a “Christian flag“).
As I’ve thought about the implications of this odd mixture of patriotism and Christianity, it makes me sick. The U.S. flag has no place as part of a church, just as the flags of various other civic nations have no place in churches, either. If you have loyalties to a government or a state of some kind, that’s your business, but it has no place being given a place of honor in God’s house.
I often need to remind myself what I still believe to be true
Lens of narcissism is only way to understand Donald Trump’s crime
If a bad relationship needs to end, fake Facebook posts won’t fool us
We build our own prison walls, and breaking free starts in heart
Hate will always turn violent until we all learn to disagree in peace
If ‘bigots’ can lose their rights, will your rights be next to go?
Trivial objects have power to be containers for strong emotions
Would you have been on a ship? Or back home complaining?
‘Thanks for sharing your process’ is wiser than responding in anger