When Does Loving the Flag Become Flag Idolatry?
Sitting there last night, watching George W. Bush give his speech in front of the Army at Fort Bragg, I marveled at the amount of flags on stage with George W. Bush.
Now, I grew up loving that flag. I pledged allegiance to that flag every day at school. Since 9/11, however, I've been seeing a lot more of that flag, and I'm starting to wonder, has our love for the flag become a sick obsession?
Wikipedia says that:
And then there are some who wrap themselves in the flag in a way that wreaks of idolatry. Idolatry is defined as: 1. Worship of idols. 2. Blind or excessive devotion to something.
When I see over fifteen flags on stage with the President, I gotta think "it seems a bit excessive." And thats okay, I suppose. But when that collective obsession attempts to kill the mother which gave birth to the symbol, namely Freedom, then we have a problem akin to matricide.
Last week, the House passed the Flag Amendment which would make burning a flag unconstitutional. Apart from the nightmarish logistical problem of discerning what will be considered a flag for the sake of this Draconian mandate, I believe the very fact that this amendment has passed the House (again), is a sign that our flag "love" has become flag obsession or better yet, flag idolatry.
Now tell me, in a land that cherishes freedom, when we outlaw the free expression of flag burning and turn democratic dissenters into prison worthy criminals, hasn't our love become a tad bit excessive? When you love something, you do not hug it until it can no longer breath. You let it breathe.
Freedom needs to breathe.
Now, I grew up loving that flag. I pledged allegiance to that flag every day at school. Since 9/11, however, I've been seeing a lot more of that flag, and I'm starting to wonder, has our love for the flag become a sick obsession?
Wikipedia says that:
"A flag is a piece of cloth flown from a pole or mast, usually intended for signaling or identification. Flags were initially created for signalling (as in semaphore), and for the identification of those who displayed them, and are still used for that purpose today. Flags are also used in messaging or advertising, or for decorative purposes, though at this less formal end the distinction between a flag and a simple cloth banner is blurred. Generally, a piece of cloth is a flag if it is flown like a flag, with one side attached, though many flags are recognisable if displayed in other forms.The flag is merely a symbol identifying our nation. As a symbol, it represents the various people who make up our nation and the various (changing) beliefs that represent our nation. As such, every person sees that flag in a different way, typically, as a reflection of their own respective view of the Nation, as a whole. Some see it without fault. Others see it without merit. Many, like me, see it somewhere in between.
And then there are some who wrap themselves in the flag in a way that wreaks of idolatry. Idolatry is defined as: 1. Worship of idols. 2. Blind or excessive devotion to something.
When I see over fifteen flags on stage with the President, I gotta think "it seems a bit excessive." And thats okay, I suppose. But when that collective obsession attempts to kill the mother which gave birth to the symbol, namely Freedom, then we have a problem akin to matricide.
Last week, the House passed the Flag Amendment which would make burning a flag unconstitutional. Apart from the nightmarish logistical problem of discerning what will be considered a flag for the sake of this Draconian mandate, I believe the very fact that this amendment has passed the House (again), is a sign that our flag "love" has become flag obsession or better yet, flag idolatry.
Now tell me, in a land that cherishes freedom, when we outlaw the free expression of flag burning and turn democratic dissenters into prison worthy criminals, hasn't our love become a tad bit excessive? When you love something, you do not hug it until it can no longer breath. You let it breathe.
Freedom needs to breathe.
Yup...and the whole idolatry of the flag is even more amusing given that this land is infested with holy-rollers. ;-)
Posted by
ariadneK, Ph.D. |
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 11:58:00 AM
Yes- have all of our conservative god fearing friends forgotten that whole "No graven images or idols" commandment that they think should be posted everywhere?
Posted by
Ken Grandlund |
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 3:19:00 PM
George Carlin put it best when he said that flags are for the "symbol minded".
Posted by
M.R. |
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 5:30:00 PM
Fifteen flags is a nonverbal attempt to manipulate, nothing more. Just as you need no church to worship, you need no flag to be a patriot. It boils down to what is in the heart, the truth of the intentions.
Posted by
Jet |
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 5:59:00 PM
Hi BullDog, I tagged you to answer these 5 quesitons. See
5 questions tag game
Posted by
PoliShifter |
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 6:49:00 PM
Excellent post. I never noticed it, but you are so correct on the flag "worship."
Posted by
Karen |
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 9:38:00 PM
Very well expressed.
I liked your point on "what constitutes a flag?" for the purposed of flag burning. I can burn a red shirt. I can burn a half red, half white shirt. What if there's stripes? If a T-shirt with a picture of the flag on it isn't a flag itself, what if that T-shirt were hung on a flag pole? Can we burn flags with 48 stars, or "Don't Tred on Me"? Perhaps the legal document says in more detail, but of course the common man won't get to learn about it.
Posted by
zandperl |
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 9:52:00 PM
I think if people want to get on the flag bandwagon, let em and get over it. Lord knows there are enough bandwagons going around people are jumping on that are a lot more negative and vengful. Also, people have the "right" to burn the flag. They also have the "right" to douse themselves with gasoline and light a match
Posted by
greeneyed_lady |
Friday, July 01, 2005 5:10:00 PM
Hey there. I just stumbled across your post in the most unusual way. I have my on blog, and I posted a similar post around the time entitle "Flag Idolatry." Well, I accidently activity the "search for highlighted text" action in Firefox, and this is what I got. You can read my post at http://reasonsvoice.com/articles/flag-idolatry/
Posted by
ReasonsVoice |
Friday, January 27, 2006 11:25:00 AM
Careful people. You'll have a FOX News crew outside your house ready to name and shame you!
Posted by
adam |
Saturday, May 06, 2006 6:09:00 PM
Go to Fort Bragg and express your freedom by burning a 'mere symbol' in front of a whole army of idolaters...
Posted by
ex-82nd |
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 6:09:00 AM
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Posted by
Anonymous |
Tuesday, July 11, 2006 2:23:00 AM