A Christian Flag?

"I have seen many churches with an American flag flying out front. I have seen many churches with an American flag inside, usually on one side of the church with a "Christian flag" on the other side of the church. (The fact that the Bible knows no such thing as a Christian flag is irrelevant to my post.) But the other day I saw a church with a large flagpole flying both the American flag and the Christian flag at the same time.

The American flag was on top. Now, I don't know if there is some law that says that the American flag must be on top when flown on the same pole with other flags or if the church was just following some tradition about the flying of the American flag. The sight of these two flags was a perfect picture of churches putting the state before the cross (the Christian flag has a cross on it). After all, churches have sent more soldiers overseas to kill for the state than they have sent missionaries overseas to proclaim the cross of Christ.

Why churches fly the American flag out front is a mystery to me in the first place."--Laurence Vance

And a mystery to me as well. In the early days of Christianity, the relationship between church and state vacillated between mutual suspicion and outright hostility. It was not until the various states (Rome under Constantine, England under the Tudors, America in the 1900's) realized they could co-opt religion for their own insidious purposes, did they extend the right hand of fellowship.

It is tragic that Christians have bought the lie, and that many churches have effectively inserted patriotism into Paul's list of fruits of the Spirit, without biblical license or logical reasons to do so. This is not to say that Christianity and love of country are mutually exclusive; but neither are they necessarily inclusive. Often there is a stark incompatibility.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and above all else, patriotism and blind obeisance to the Unites States government, especially in matters of warfare; against such things there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23, amended.