Flags in Church

[Mark Bolerjack]

To be honest with you, I am really shocked at the number of people who are so adamantly against flags in church. I had no idea that it would be this way. So, I decided to do a poll. Let's see what the numbers are.

[Jim Franklin]

To me as I have stated in other threads, flags in the church are a given.

[Gina Stevenson]

"How many" is right, Mark. Clicked on the other thread first, since it was there first, and tho't I'd read it before getting to yours. THEN I saw its length ... something like 120-something-130 posts already! Not sure I'd get through that whole thread. :rolleyes:

[Jim Franklin]

Flags are for celebration of are freedoms and identifying with them not political statements.

[Hans Deventer]

To me as I have stated in other threads, flags in the church are a given.

Unless the early church had them too or the Bible says we should have them, I can't understand how they would be a given. As far as I can see, they are a cultural expression that can be discussed and changed at will.

[Ryan Scott]

Flags are for celebration of are freedoms and identifying with them not political statements.


My freedom comes from God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Attributing it elsewhere would be a disservice.

[Brad Mercer]

My freedom comes from God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Attributing it elsewhere would be a disservice.

Your spiritual freedom, yes. But your freedom of speech, assembly, freedom to own property, defend yourself, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, freedom from being double jeopardy, ex post facto laws, unreasonable search and seizure and many other mundane freedoms were created and preserved by soldiers. God doesn't promise, secure or preserve political freedom. The military of a free people does that.

I still don't think the church is the proper place to post national flags, but in it's place there's no reason not to thank people in whose debt we live daily. And I don't see any good reason to deny that debt at every opportunity. The context was pretty clear for the statement your disputing. He meant political freedom. We can dispute whether the Iraq war is necessary to preserve our political freedom, but it's more difficult to argue that the American Revolution, the American Civil War and World War II did not contribut to our political freedoms.

[Ryan Scott]

Sorry. I'm guilty of the internet tongue in cheek that no one notices. We have a pretty lengthy thread elsewhere with the whole debate. I was just trying to sum up the "other side" of the argument so they're presented here.

I was being argumentative in jest, but no one understands that in writing. Sorry.

[Bob Evans]

I really don't care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cindi Hammons]

I was kind of thinking....GIVE IT A REST!

OR

Go to the "Flags in Church" thread to beat the dead horse some more. :)

[Ryan Scott]

They should have a feature that allows you to add polls to existing threads or just post polls without room for comment. I am interested to see how the votes go, but we really don't need another thread.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I really don't care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was kind of thinking....GIVE IT A REST!

OR

Go to the "Flags in Church" thread to beat the dead horse some more. :)

I don't mind seeing the poll. Sometimes minority voices can be louder than the majority. More people will "voice" in this way (the poll). Thanks, Mark.

[Cindi Hammons]

You have misunderstood my comment. I have no problem with the poll. I think it is just crazy to have the continued conversation on a second thread. I clearly stated that it would be good to go back to the original thread instead.

[Anne and Dwayne Hood]

That poll did not garner very many votes, so it is really quite irrevelant. Right?

[Cindi Hammons]

That poll did not garner very many votes, so it is reallt quite irrevelant. Right

Anne,

Wrong...in my opinion.

The poll was posted during the day when most people are working which may have slowed down the responses. Another reason there might be few respondants is that people may feel the subject has been exhausted on the other thread and haven't even opened this one.

Respectfully, keeping in mind the other flag thread that has 2,534 views at this time, I would say that flag issue is quite relevant since there has been such heated discussion regarding the issue.

[Mark Bolerjack]

They should have a feature that allows you to add polls to existing threads or just post polls without room for comment. I am interested to see how the votes go, but we really don't need another thread.


I would have done that if I had known how.

I really did not intend for there to be more discussion on this subject in this thread, just was curious what the percentages were.

[Jeff Scott]

I recently read about a church that did not have a cross in it because it was a seaker driven church. However, after 911, it did have an American Flag. The author of the book stated that he really struggled with not giving tribute to Christ with the cross, but at the same time being willing to give tribute to America with a flag. I sympathized with his point.

Our church has many flags from different countries in the sanctuary. We understand that we are trying to reach the people of all of those countries for Christ. America included. So I guess that's another way of looking at it.

[Marsha Lynn]

I have not been involved in the other thread but marked "other" here. I don't have a strong opinion either way about flags in the church (or anywhere else) and don't care enough to read through the entirety of the original thread, however, I do think it's good to think about these things and know why we do what we do.

If I were forced to vote for or against and could do so without concern for those who do have strong feelings, I would vote against. Fortunately, I'm not being asked to make that vote anyplace except in my own home. (We have a flag somewhere that was given to us and has never been displayed.) If I were forced to vote where others had strong feelings, I would feel obliged to probe the depth and source of the feelings of other voters and choose which side to offend with my vote -- whether to express my inner opinion that flag display is overrated or to support those who see it as important.

I sit next to the U.S. flag every Sunday morning while playing the piano and never give it a thought but I certainly wouldn't lead a drive to have one in the church. Nor to remove it. There is too much emotion involved to let it become an issue.

Marsha