Shelby church to fly Christian flag over American flag

[Team Sergeant]

2015 the year of the "flag"...... let's just ramp up the stupid factor.....




Shelby church to fly Christian flag over American flag
Posted: Jul 03, 2015 7:09 PM
Updated: Jul 03, 2015 7:35 PM
By Sarah-Blake Morgan


SHELBY, NC (WBTV) -
In Cleveland County, Old Glory flies high. From shops, to homes, to houses of worship - the red, white and blue can be spotted on every street corner.

But this Fourth of July weekend, one Shelby flag pole will be reassessing its priorities. On Sunday, Pastor Rit Varriale will raise the Christian flag above the American flag in front of Elizabeth Baptist Church.

"Our typical flag etiquette is to have the American flag above the Christian flag. But when you stop and think about it, it should be our commitment to God first, then our commitment to country," Varriale said.

The controversial move is one that Varriale noticed his fellow pastor, Walter Wilson, doing down the road a few months ago at Focus Missionary Baptist Church.

"As I was changing the rope one day, the Lord just laid on me that he is first and when he told me that, I switched the flags around," Wilson said.

Now, the two pastors are hoping to spark a movement across the country in light of the United States Supreme Courts recent ruling on same-sex marriage.

Varriale tells WBTV he believes Christians need to stand up just as the LGBT community has been doing recently.

"The reality is, they have been willing to sacrifice more and be more bold for their cause than the church of Jesus Christ for serving God, and that's got to change," Varriale said.

The decision is getting push-back online from some saying the move is disrespectful and unpatriotic. But this former Army Ranger says the move isn't about not loving his country.



cont:
http://www.wbtv.com/story/29472787/s...-american-flag

[MR2]

Originally Posted by DocIllinois

"Title 4, U.S. Code § 7 - Position and manner of display

If the government is not going to follow it's own laws, let alone the Constitution... well then to Hell with them!

[Richard]

This pretty much says it all.

"As I was changing the rope one day, the Lord just laid on me that he is first and when he told me that, I switched the flags around," Wilson said.

You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into.

Richard

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by Richard

This pretty much says it all.

"As I was changing the rope one day, the Lord just laid on me that he is first and when he told me that, I switched the flags around," Wilson said.

You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into.

Richard

Luckily (for some) I don't use the same reasoning when loading my guns......

[Trapper John]

Originally Posted by Richard

This pretty much says it all.

"As I was changing the rope one day, the Lord just laid on me that he is first and when he told me that, I switched the flags around," Wilson said.

You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into.

Richard

Now I understand my Momma's admonition: "Son, never argue with drunks, fools, crazy people, or zealots of any kind."

[miclo18d]

"...One nation UNDER God..."

[Barbarian]

I tend to think that a man's life and actions should be what represents his faith, whatever it might be; not that I'm always the best example.

Originally Posted by miclo18d

"...One nation UNDER God..."

That wasn't there when I first learned the pledge!

[GratefulCitizen]

"Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."
Matthew 22:21(b)

The nation has a flag.
Wasn't aware that the Almighty had one.

[miclo18d]

Originally Posted by WCH

That wasn't there when I first learned the pledge!

Not to mention that the original was written by a socialist, hence my munch man. (Sometime I like to stir the pot)

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally published in The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country.

In its original form it read:

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

In 1923, the words, "the Flag of the United States of America" were added. At this time it read:

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words "under God," creating the 31-word pledge we say today. Bellamy's daughter objected to this alteration. Today it reads:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Section 4 of the Flag Code states:

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.", should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute."

The original Bellamy salute, first described in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, who authored the original Pledge, began with a military salute, and after reciting the words "to the flag," the arm was extended toward the flag.

At a signal from the Principal the pupils, in ordered ranks, hands to the side, face the Flag. Another signal is given; every pupil gives the flag the military salute — right hand lifted, palm downward, to a line with the forehead and close to it. Standing thus, all repeat together, slowly, "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands; one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all." At the words, "to my Flag," the right hand is extended gracefully, palm upward, toward the Flag, and remains in this gesture till the end of the affirmation; whereupon all hands immediately drop to the side.

The Youth's Companion, 1892

Shortly thereafter, the pledge was begun with the right hand over the heart, and after reciting "to the Flag," the arm was extended toward the Flag, palm-down.

In World War II, the salute too much resembled the Nazi salute, so it was changed to keep the right hand over the heart throughout

I do agree that God has no flag, but I know several churches do; I am not loyal to a church but to God.

My hierarchy of loyalty...
God
Family
Country
Special Forces brothers
Pets
Friends
State
Community

My flags include:
U.S. Flag
Florida State flag
Pineland flag

I may get a lightning flag if they would bring home the Stanley Cup!

[craigepo]

Evil Christian bastards. How dare they try to make a point without having a riot or calling Al Sharpton? Where's the beheadings? Not even one rainbow parade? No direct government funding like La Raza?!?! Evil! Evil Christians, I say. It was probably them that put that Ten Commandments deal in the Supreme Court. Thou shalt not murder? Pshaw.

Next thing you know, they will be praying for people that don't like them, or spewing more of that vile "Sermon on the Mount" bunk. Or setting up some charity hospital. Or feeding poor people.

What grotesque, unreasoning filth. The Big Bang theory serves us so much better.

[Richard]

Flying a denominational (theological corporate) flag like that church plans to do above the national colors has less to do with any god and more to do with the business of religion, which, in this instance and in my opinion, is tantamount to little but monkey business.

The blue field and stars of the US flag represent several things, one being the "heavens" of what our so-called Founders made reference to when they spoke of "...the laws of Nature and of Nature's God..." in the Declaration of Independence.

I see lots of denominational flags being flown with the US flag - but they fly correctly, in my opinion, on a separate pole of equal height, and neither above nor below the national colors.

What's next - a claim that our government officials are to be seen as members of the 'elect' (IAW Puritanical doctrine) or our democratically constituted federal republican governemnt governs by 'divine right' as opposed to the will of the people it represents?

Richard

[craigepo]

Originally Posted by DocIllinois

Believing that a god exists is one thing, but doing nice things in the service of him (Her? It?) doesn't make the existence of that god any more true.

This makes the Pastor's rationale of "the Lord just laid on me" and "when he told me" that much more shaky.


If the message were sent by text or the pastor is telepathic, though, I have no ground to stand on here.

Not the point I was trying to make.

Thoughts become rules. Rules don't exist in a vacuum. When you are for or against a set of rules/beliefs, you must have in view an end state. If you are an atheist, that's well and good. But you must have an idea of where the idea leads. Is there an atheistic set of rules, or would it just logically lead to anarchy? And are today's atheists just borrowing ethics from previously established belief system that were in whole or in part taken from one or more religions?

[Richard]

And so it goes...

Richard

[SF-TX]

Originally Posted by craigepo

...Thoughts become rules. Rules don't exist in a vacuum. When you are for or against a set of rules/beliefs, you must have in view an end state. If you are an atheist, that's well and good. But you must have an idea of where the idea leads. Is there an atheistic set of rules, or would it just logically lead to anarchy? And are today's atheists just borrowing ethics from previously established belief system that were in whole or in part taken from one or more religions?

I agree with what John Adams said on the subject:

Statesmen my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand....The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a great Measure, than they have it now, They may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty. - John Adams, letter to Zabdiel Adams — 1776

Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics. There must be a positive passion for the public good, the public interest, honour, power and glory, established in the minds of the people, or there can be no republican government, nor any real liberty: and this public passion must be superiour to all private passions. - John Adams, letter to Mercy Warren — 1776

[R]eligion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in all the combinations of human society. - John Adams, letter in response to Rush letter — 1811

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. - John Adams, Address to the Military — 1798

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