Every year on Memorial Day, people remember the men and women of our country who have given their lives to defend our freedoms, many people will be displaying a flag, both to commemorate the sacrifice of these soldiers, and to display a sense of patriotism.
There are many Christians, however, who choose not to fly a flag. Also, if you were to ask them, they will refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Why do some Christians refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance?
It is because they believe that the flag, and particularly, the Pledge of Allegiance, is idolatrous. And they have a case.
In the early centuries of the church, the Roman Empire also had it’s banners and seals, and Roman Citizens were required by law to swear fealty to Caesar by stating some sort of Pledge of Allegiance to one of his banners or seals. Many Christians believed that since Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, and it is to Him alone that we must swear fealty, then any such oath to a flag, or a human ruler, is idolatry (cf. similar concerns raised by Greg Boyd in The Myth of a Christian Religion
So, can we say the Pledge of Allegiance today? Can we fly a flag?
I think we can.
First, in the first centuries of the church, the Caesars believed that they were divine, and therefore required people to worship and honor them as a Son of God. The Roman banners and seals were symbolic of this Caesar worship, and so the early Christians were right to reject it. Today, however, in flying a flag or saying the Pledge, nobody is stating that they believe the flag, the President of the United States, or even the United States itself, is divine. So flying a flag and saying the pledge are not, in my opinion, idolatrous.
Second, and more importantly, refusing to fly a flag or say the Pledge of Allegiance today is not going to get anyone killed. At most, you might be considered unpatriotic. If we really wanted to find some idolatrous practice that was equivalent to what the early Christians faced, it would have to be something that might result in our persecution and death if we did it (or refused to do it).
When society forces you to do something or face rejection, it is then that we have possibly encountered an idolatrous practice. Like what? There are numerous possibilities, but the one that comes to mind first is the head-long plunge into materialism and greed. If you live in a way contrary to the materialistic goals of our society, people will shun and avoid you, and think you are insane. As I stated yesterday, we need more Christians who are “suicidal” in this way.
How ironic it is then, that those who refuse to fly a flag out of loyalty to Jesus, turn around and buy thousands of dollars of clothes, a brand new car every other year, go on vacations and trips around the world, and build multi-million dollar stadiums which are then stamped with the name of Christ.
So I say wave a flag. Honor our fallen soldiers. And then, make some decisions about how you are going to honor Jesus with you money and possessions this year.
Good point. What do you think about saying the pledge of allegiance in church or having an American flag up on stage/atar next to the cross? That’s always made me a bit uneasy.
Jeff,
Yes, this makes me uncomfortable as well.
I also don’t like it when churches allow themselves to be caught up in defending and furthering certain goals of the nation when these goals are contrary to Scripture and the will of God. For example, I “tweeted” this yesterday: “When preachers terrorized us with Satan and then spoke favorably of South African apartheid, we should have sensed something wrong.”
Thank you Jeremy and all my other Brothers who have posted honestly bout their feelings. I have a deep relationship with the Lord and years ago after reading my Bible I had many questions and doubt about the Churches I was attending. Each one spoke of Love and Idolatry and the Poor. However when an election came up or the word Patriotism, they left they’re Bible at the door. I stopped voting a certain way and started voting the way I thought the Bible had taught me to vote. In regards to this post I respect the flag but I never would pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth. I honor and respect every person who has ever given his or her life for others but I would never choose a flag over a human being and by pledging allegiance to our flag causes division and creates a divide between the Gospel and Patriotism. The Gospel Trumps all and everything, no pun intended…Thank you for replenishing some of my faith in my fellow Christians.
Jeff, that would bother me too.
I believe the reason for this is because we were all taught that church and state should be separate. This is so we don’t get into that whole church running the country problem that people came here for in the first place, to have freedom of and from religion if they choose to.
Having the flag near the cross it means you believe in Christ and you are American . Nothing wrong with that!!!
In our homes we have religious objects that remain us who we are and tell others our values and principals. I personally don’t believe the pledge of aligeance should be recite in church but I believe it should be recite in schools and spots events. That’s display patriotism a love for our mother land.
Hi Jeremy,
Not being American myself, I’ve never really thought much about a “Pledge of Allegiance” to a flag. I think Canadians perhaps view the flag a little different than our US friends. I don’t mean that our view is better or worse; it’s just different.
Having said that, I do see where those who think it as being idolatrous are coming from. You made a good argument in favour of the “Pledge of Allegiance,” but as Christians I don’t think we base our decision on these things solely on the consequences which may or may not be there if we do or don’t swear the Pledge. It’s not about what motivates our response here as much as it’s about obedience in pledging allegiance to Jesus Christ alone. I don’t view that as being “unpatriotic,” it’s actually very patriotic…patriotic to the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and to His kingdom I belong to first before any other. Does Christ’s kingdom not trump an earthly kingdom? Of course it does.
Maybe I’m only showing my Canadian mindset here, but for me personally, the flag will never be anything more than a symbol. But that does not mean that I don’t take time out now and then to remember those who have fallen and paid the ultimate sacrifice so that the rest of us could enjoy peace.
God bless.
Will,
Great thoughts. I read a book a while back called Electing Not to Vote which even said that voting was contrary to living as a follower of Jesus. The author said that it lulls us into thinking we have accomplished something good, when in fact, we have done pretty much nothing. If I remember correctly, he said voting was a form of national idolatry.
What do you think?
One of the reasons I am thinking about all of this is because of the book I just read, Unmasking the Powers, and what the author said in there about the angels of nations, and how national pride and patriotism for the country could be a form of idolatry. Very thought provoking.
Jeremy,
If that author is correct about “national pride and patriotism being a form of idolatry,” might that then not explain some of the internal problems we have within our respective nations? God does still judge idolatry. That is not just an Old Testament concept. Just wondering.
As for voting, for me personally the jury is still out on that one. Oh, I know it’s the patriotic thing to do, and having spent part of my childhood in the third world, I understand that as being a “right” that many in the world still don’t have. But is it right for me to choose to elect an earthy “king?” Is my “King” not Jesus alone? How does that fit with Samuel’s chastising ancient Israel for their craving of an earthly king? Or am I missing something here?
Will,
Yes, the author gets into all of that about the competition between nations.
Regarding voting, the main point of the Electing Not to Vote book was that people vote rather than get involved. They think that change comes by voting new people into office, which most often does not work. Real change comes by getting out there and actually doing something. That’s my take on voting, anyway. So I vote, but know that if I want things changed, I better go do something.
Regarding the Pledge of Allegiance, I view it somewhat like my Pledge of Loyalty and Faithfulness to my wife on my wedding day. We are supposed to be loyal and faithful to Jesus Christ alone, but this does not mean we cannot make other pledge and promises as well. As long as Jesus remains at the head, and when the various pledges conflict, we stay true to Him, I don’t see a problem with these other “oaths of loyalty.”
Jeremy,
this clarification of other pledges being subservient to our ultimate pledge to the King of kings makes sense. I can see that with respect the principles of the republic and loving my neighbor – people but pledging allegiance to an object, the flag, really doesn’t make sense to me.
I too have struggled with being involved in the political process. Certainly our first priority is the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth, based on righteousness, peace, and joy in my heart. We are called to be salt and light in the midst of the corruption and darkness around us, so this must involve interacting, at varying levels, with our neighbors in the midst of these corrupt systems, civil, business, etc; in the world but not corrupted by its principles. It seems to me like much of the church involvement in the political process is seeking political influence and control to legislate morality. Jesus told us that the authority of the Kingdom of God to rule comes from a heart position of service not “lording it over” others. I am understanding that the focus of the kingdom is to bring people into sight of God and relationship with Jesus to obey Him from the heart and then these righteous principles will be reflected in out society accurately, not by imposition of external laws.
Glad you found that clarification helpful. To get a bit technical, the phrase “the flag” in the pledge is metonymy for “the people of this country.” So yes, we don’t pledge to a piece of colored fabric on a pole, but rather to help, love, and serve the people who are around us. Ultimately, and hopefully, as we serve our country in this way, we will also work to help our country serve the world.
For most people I doubt it is idolatry, but that would probably depend on how they understand pledging allegiance. Ditto for voting.
Allegiance to the nation, and supporting actions of the nation that we believe to be contrary to the will of God, can take the place of following Jesus. Then it might be idolatry. We can believe that certain actions of our nation, for example the war in Iraq, are contrary to the will of God, and choose not to support that war, but still support the nation in other ways, and still pledge allegiance.
Sam,
I agree. As I indicated in the comment above, it’s like the “promise of faithfulness, love, loyalty, and service” that we made on our wedding day to our spouse. This is not idolatry, even though Jesus is to be who love love and serve above all else.
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[g]
Perhaps jesus wasn’t clear enough. It seems quite clear to me that when we give an oath of assent to anything other than Jesus, bad things will happen. Being single minded is really the only way to follow Jesus.
As for voting, I quit when I realized that my vote gives consent to the actions the politician takes later on. I don’t want the blood of drone murders on my plate. Whether it is a D or and R.
Hey Jeremy. AS you probably probably know, I’ve become more and more anabaptist in my way of thinking. The name itself shows its idolatry (“I pledge allegiance to the flag..”). I only pledge allegiance to Christ. Our nation is our constitution. That’s it. A mighty fine document it is, taken from the scriptures. And I believe it was blessed by God. John Adams was asked if it was inspired, like the Bible was, and he said mo, but it’s the closest thing to it. However, just like in the OT, the Jews didn’t OBEY it..neither did we. I don’t believe the pledge was ever in the founding father’s original agenda. In Germany, the flag is seen as blind obedience, and that is a “bad thing”. Germans are ashamed of singing their anthem or having pride in their nation because that was their downfall. We should be the same.
Anthony,
I agree that the flag and the nation can become idolatrous. But so can marriage, and jobs, and mortgages, and so on, and we say and sign contractual agreements in all of those. I think that as long as these other agreements do not contradict our first allegiance to Jesus, then it is not idolatry.
At the same time, not saying the pledge does not mean one has not adopted the values and idolatrous system of our nation. I’m not saying you have, I’m just saying that for me, the words don’t matter too much. But maybe they should…
Please explain why and how you think that “marriage” can become idolatrous. A marriage is a sacred covenant agreement between two people who Yahweh blesses. It’s a beautiful institution.
Look, what command did Yahweh give Adam & Eve at first? Wasn’t it to be fruitful and multiply? Well, believe it or not, mankind is building up father Yahweh’s children, to make children for himself. The marriage covenant has an extremely higher meaning in the Scriptures. I won’t go into it right now, but it speaks of the kingdom that is coming and become unified (one) with father Yahweh and his son, to do his will. Not as the sexual marriage part that is for now only to multiply children.
Marriage is not idolatrous. It could become adulterous if the couple does not remain faithful to each other. Well, in the higher sense, I guess, idolatry/adultery are the same to Yahweh. If you commit idolatry, then you are committing adultery to him.
Idols can have to do with inanimate objects. A flag is in inanimate object, and it can become an object of worship as most anything in regards to objects can.
But I can have a statue of a deer in my house, if I wish, and if I’m not bowing down and worshiping it, then it’s not an object of worship. For example, I may be using it as a hatrack or something like that. The key is pledging my allegiance to it, bowing down and worshiping it. That part is even in the second commandment. Exo 20:5 You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them.
Of course, you don’t want a Buddah or whatever statue (a religious icon) in your house because that is the only thing that they are used for, religious worship. That’s different. No crosses (religious icon really from Egpyt); not Buddahs, etc., statue of Mary, anything like that, picture of Jesus. All of those are only religious icons and used for that.
In fact, I did a blog post on this exact subject today. My article linked to this one, that’s how I found it!
Interesting take on the pledge. I find that I can make a more compelling argument against the pledge of allegiance if I base that argument on political beliefs as opposed to my religious beliefs. It seems twisted to me that in refusing to recite the pledge in public places, I can be judged by people who clearly have much less knowledge than I regarding the history of the pledge. I can’t help but think that if more people took the time to actually educate themselves about that history, the pledge would surely lose some of it’s luster with them as well. Maybe not…
Brian,
That’s an interesting read on the pledge.
I was at a July 4 event over the weekend, and when we recited the pledge, my daughter asked why we do it, and I gave her a real short answer…since we were in the middle of reciting the pledge. I don’t remember what I said. But I do remember looking around and wondering how many people there knew why we were reciting the pledge.
I just read the wikipedia article on the pledge. Very Interesting. Like other things of questionable Christianity (like “In God we trust” added to money) was added in the 50’s. I still remember how no one could pronounce “indivisible” when we said the pledge every morning. I don’t think we even know what we were saying. Just rote memorization. Do they still say the pledge in schools? When I was in high school, we had a minute for “silent meditation” before the announcements. That was for all the atheists I guess 😉
I don’t know if they still say the pledge. I didn’t realize all those things were added in the ’50s. Interesting.
Moment of silence, which is what we had in high school, is completely acceptable. One should not be praying out loud in public, period. There is a time that prayers are acceptable — out loud — and that is in the assembly of Yahweh with the people who are a part of that assembly, and the acceptable prayers would be blessing of our meals and the Bible study, then having something specific like someone sick and needs prayers, those type of things. Otherwise, one should be alone when praying to our heavenly father, or in one’s mind, which is where he hears us.
It’s sad that the translators use the English word “heart” to translate from the Hebrew leb (meaning mental heart; mind). The Hebrew word for innermost self is lebab, which is like our subconscious. But one should be praying in a group of people into their own mind and talking to Yahweh. Not out loud. It’s personal to father Yahweh.
Which also brings me to state that no one can stop you from praying, that is, unless they kill you. You can pray to our heavenly father at any time, in any place. See the joy of that?
Greetings,
I just ran across your place discussing the pledge of allegiance. Honestly pledging your allegiance to a flag would be a no-no in what I have studied. Now I would pledge allegiance to Yahweh, and under him the nation and people, which the nation and people is more about ideals and not a thing, but meaning that I would uphold the laws of the land, not be a traitor, etc.
An idol can be any kind of image, a cross, many kinds of statutes if one is bowing down to them, worshiping them. That last part is the key, the bowing down and worshiping them, and I would pledge my allegiance to Yahweh.
Next, flying the flag is fine. Even the ancient Israelites had their flags, their banners. But pledging an allegiance to a flag, which is an inanimate object, it’s like an idol. Remember the staff of Moses, the snake put on the pole? Once a symbol is turned into an object of veneration it is no longer a symbol but an idol. At first when the Israelites would look at the pole, they would be saved from their snakebites. Of course, this was a prophecy of Yahushua (aka Jesus) being lifted up on the torture stake, but later on the people actually made a religion of the serpent on the pole and started worshiping it.
Tiza,
This is probably a good distinction. I do, however, still pledge allegiance to the flag, with an emphasis on the “under God” part, so that my primary allegiance is to God, not to a flag, or the nation it represents.
No, what people are saying is they:
Pledge Allegiance TO the flag of the United States
And to the Republic for WHICH IT STANDS FOR-
which is a single nation under God, unable to be divided, which (should be providing) liberty and justice for all.
No where do you get to decide that you’re pledging allegiance to God- cause that’s not what your oath says. Even when claiming your nation is “under God and his countenance”.
People have been indoctrinated into thinking that saying the pledge of allegiance honors fallen soldiers and your country but this is not true if you look up the origins of the pledge of allegiance. The pledge of allegiance was created by a sot named Francis Bellamy who came up with it in order to instill in his own words “the virtue of obedience to the state” into impressionable children. It has overtly fascist overtones. In fact children originally said the pledge of allegiance with a Roman (Nazi) salute like people swearing allegiance to “divine” Caesars used to do in the Roman Empire and Italian fascists swearing allegiance to Mussolini:
http://forgottenhistoryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/untitled-21.jpg
They stopped doing it this way when Hitler rose to power. It’s still idolatrous even if we don’t consider the the flag divine because your swearing your allegiance to a flag (a graven image) which represents the state. We should be swearing our allegiance to God alone.
Well,
I don’t know anything about what you are saying about the flag and Hitler, and am not sure it is true. But regardless, I do know that the Roman Emperors required citizens to swear allegiance to himself and to the Roman Empire in much the same way we do today, and many early Christians refused, instead swearing allegiance to Jesus as Lord.
That is why I wrote this post… asking if it was idolatrous to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
What Daniel stated is true, and you can look up the history of the pledge easy enough to see it is true. The pledge is banal nationalism which is meant to build an imagined sense of national solidarity and belonging amongst humans. The Bellamy salute was similar to the Nazi salute with the upraised arm, and was done from 1892 to 1942. Francis Bellamy was a Christian Sot who helped write the pledge with another sot, Edward Bellamy. The Pledge was originally published in childrens magazines, and the original vision and campaign was to “instill into the minds of of American youth a love for their country and the principles on which it was founded, and create in them an ambition to carry on with the ideals which the early founders wrote into the Constitution “. None of that is about Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, but about a nationalistic motto for the government to keep it’s citizens feeling that they ‘belong together’. “Under God” was added later, but the whole universe is under the sovereign rule and reign of Christ, so that statement is somewhat oxymoron.
So early Christians paid the price for not swearing allegiance to another man; so why would modern christians swear allegiance to an idea, government, or a piece of cloth that isn’t even alive?
Better off keeping your allegiance solely fixed on Jesus Christ, so you don’t tempt yourself.
Ok, so I checked the source of all knowledge…. Wikipedia, and it looks like what you state here is probably true. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance
Of course, the reason the salute was changed in the 1940s was to differentiate it from the Nazi salute.
Regardless, nationalism can be idolatry whether we say the pledge or not. The flag isn’t an idol unless we make it one, and we can still have our nation “above God” even if we don’t say the Pledge.
Did Paul ever swear allegiance to Rome? Did Daniel ever pledge allegiance to Babylon? I don’t recall Abraham, or Elijah, or other God fearing biblical individuals really ever making any type of solemn promise and oath of loyalty / servitude to some idea or cloth flag symbol or government as their nation [sovereign]. Perhaps there is a verse somewhere, but Bible says this is not our home, heaven is, we should look there, not here, we are just passing through. So if you say and pledge your very loyalty to a sinful broken changing human government, yet do not mean it; why even bother to say it to begin with?
Well, Paul was a Roman citizen, though by birth, and while all citizens had to swear allegiance to Rome, I am not sure if those who were born citizens had to do so or not.
Regardless, this is one of those issues that Christians get all tied up in knots over, and the bottom line is… who cares? There are so many other things to correct in our churches and in the lives of Christians that are more important than whether or not they say the pledge to the flag.
Everyone may do what they want. But you asked the question if it idolatry if a disciple of Christ pledges their allegiance and follows their nation/flag (a created thing). My answer remains that it is very strange that someone who claims that they were purchased by the blood and sacrifice of Christ who took the punishment and wages of all the sin they are guilty of, somehow still pledges their allegiance to follow a piece of creation that isn’t even alive. You mention there are more important things to correct in churches. And yet you do not think those problems have anything to do with christians in churches pledging to follow ideas and non-living items and ‘pieces of land’? Hearts divided. You do not see this?
I believe we can live as good citizens of whatever earthly kingdom we find ourselves in, while still making sure that our loyalty and allegiance is to the Kingdom of God. In my mind, a pledge to a country is little more than a pledge to obey the laws of the land as long as they do not contradict the laws of the Kingdom of God.
It’s with human ideology that you say, “who cares?” Does God not teach us to repent for our sins that He has revealed to us? Won’t we be held accountable if we ignore the truth, great or small? How great God is that he’s taught me that His glory can’t be found on the wall or a pole! He’s shown me how love for this earthly kingdom has been raised to blind even the elders to the truth. Some even persecute and throw out the beacons of their ministry for not being patriotic enough. How many say, “I’d die for this country!” when we should be proclaiming, “I’m willing to die for you, Jesus Christ!” God has set the boundaries and leaders of all nations for all time so that we could take NO PRIDE in them, but instead give HIM the glory!
I am not saying, “Who cares.” I am saying that this is a minor issue compared the lumber yard of logs that are blinding the eyes of the American church.
Wilhelmina,
What country do you live in?
Actually, the Roman Emperors, in general, did not really believe themselves to be gods, and neither did average citizens. Burning incense for the emperor was a very cursory and outward sign of loyalty to the empire – like the pledge – rather than an actual act of worship for most people. Nonetheless, early Christians still refused on principle.
In many respects, burning incense for the emperor was very similar to the pledge of allegiance. It was more an affirmation of loyalty than anything. It is very akin to the flag-waving that you see today.
Modern American Christians have been completely and thoroughly brainwashed by the secular ideology of nationalism. They have almost elevated the nation-state to the point of divinity. “God AND Country” is a common phrase. Funny, I didn’t realize The Lord likes to share power and worship with nation-states. I always thought He was a jealous God (Exodus 20:5 Psalm 78:58, 1 Corinthians 10:22, Exodus 34:14). Didn’t Jesus say we can’t serve two masters (Matt 6:24)?
This is syncretism, plain and simple. Modern Christians are trying to combine a secular ideology like nationalism with Christian beliefs, and the result is an abomination. I will take Joshuas advice (24:15).
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the FLAGS your FOREFATHERS served beyond the Atlantic, or the Eagles of the Americans, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
Yes, we have elevated the nation-state to a deity. Thanks for the perspective.
You can’t serve two Masters……
The devil has blinded the leaders of the churches of today when they serve carved images of the flag of any nation…In Exodus and Deuteronomy God said, not to serve or bow down to any carved image in the likeness of heaven above or in the likeness of the earth below…When you pledge your allegiance to the flag, you are pledging your allegiance to the carved images of the flag…The founding fathers made carved images in the likeness of heaven above and in the likeness of the earth below and set the carved images on a flag and the flag is high and lifted up on a flag pole…Some nations are serving the stars, the moon, and the sun, and others are serving the eagle, the bear, and the tree…The U.S. is serving the stars of heaven and the eagle of the earth…Canada is serving the leaf of a tree…Mexico is serving the eagle and the serpent…When you put your right hand to your heart or to your forehead, and pledge your allegiance to the flag, you are committing fornication with the carved images of the flag, God calls this IDOLATRY… The mark of the beast in the right hand or forehead is spiritual and identical to when you put your right hand over your heart or over your forehead…There is no way to go around God and the carved images of the flag, unless the devil has blinded the minds of the believer, like when he deceived eve and Adam in the garden of Eden.
So your argument is not to stop sinning in one way until you stop sinning in another? Shouldn’t all sin stop?
You chose to contrast 2 types of idolatry to make a case – they are both idols – subjecting yourself to the pursuit of pleasure and lust and swearing oath to our wicked nation.
Replace the 2 types of idolatry you chose with 2 types of murder, and then insert them into your closing statement:
So I say murder infants. And then, make some decisions about how you are going to honor Jesus by not murdering adults this year.
Your column misses a couple of key points.
First, nationalism can be idolatry. When we pledge allegiance to the Flag and the Republic, we are pledging ourselves as culpable in everything done under the banner of that Flag and in the name of the Republic.
Second, patriotism is often cover for Statism. Statism is the worship of the power and authority of government over the lives of men. Statism is roundly condemned throughout the entire cannon of the Scripture from Babel to the Beast and should be avoided by Christians.
This right here! Excellent share.
You started off accurate and went down hill.
You can neither change nor dismiss the scriptures that reference not to make or take oaths.
Regardless of whether it is a Caesar or president.
Shame on you. You do not understand the Bible.
Interesting, I was just reading Revelation and the thought came in my mind, “Hey World War 2 could’ve been the deadly wound of the beast that was healed. Not saying this is just saying it ran through my mind. Then I thought about how so many Americans are more vocal about patriotism than they are the Bible, Christian or not. Then I thought hey what do other Christians think of this? And I’ve been running into this dilemma of thought lately, being an American, a Christian and hearing what Christians views are on politics. I’ve come to understand you have to choose Jesus over politics and patriotism. Many Christians claim they believe in The Word but then they justify their beliefs with well their own beliefs and not Jesus’ words. So I guess my whole point was maybe we should be aware of anything being able to become idolatry such as a flag. Remember the Pharisees thought they were righteous, thought they were doing God a favor but ended up being the very ones who rejected the Messiah they believed was coming. I just wonder if it will end the same way it began. The very ones who believed in the cornerstone are the ones who rejected it. Supposedly from internet data there are approximately 3 billion Christians today. That’s nearly half the world population and anyone that has a read a Bible knows there is a narrow path and FEW who find it. I guess we just have to love God and others as Jesus does, in this we are representing Christ in the best possible way. Also do not worry or be afraid, before Abraham, He Was and is and is to come. The Son of God lives in you when you accept Christ and Follow Him. He will not leave us orphans, He has gone to prepare a place for us and will return. He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. Suffering for Christ is the ultimate honor even to the death. I pray anyone reading this accepts Christ, Repents and follows and seeks Him with a pure heart. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.