CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A proposed bill to honor the sanctity of the American flag was just shot down by Senate Democrats, to the dismay of many patriotic Americans. The bill, proposed by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., sought to impose a ban on flying any flag other than the American flag above any government building. The bill was seemingly a direct response to the controversial LGBTQ Pride flag that flew at the White House in June 2023. “I am concerned that our country is losing sight of our American values,” said Marshall about the bill, to which Senate Democrats responded with concern that Republicans were trying to exclude LGBTQ+ Americans.
Judge Phil Ginn, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, www.ses.edu), commented on this attack on patriotism in America, noting that personal ideologies and beliefs should not trump the sanctity of the American flag in a government building.
“Apparently, it is fair game to criticize folks who lay claim to be a patriot of these United States,” said Ginn. “Increasingly those of us who also espouse our faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ seem to be particularly singled out by both those on the far left and even other Christian brothers and sisters if we pledge allegiance to our nation and to the flag that represents her. If there is any ‘sanctioned’ discrimination in our culture and even in some areas of our government, then patriotic Christians are certainly often in the cross hairs of even mass disdain.
“When considering those with whom we disagree, it is often easy to oversimplify a construct. Nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that this nation, though not necessarily founded on Christian principles by Christians, has certainly had the benefit of a moral compass ceded to her by way of the concepts of religious faith passed through the conscience of our people. Therefore, patriotism and the quality of our nation is, and has always been, enhanced greatly by godly people and their faith. At the same time, we ought to not lose sight of the reality that our Christian faith does not arise from our nationality, nor should it ever be dependent upon our patriotism or our standing as American citizens.
“Just this past week the U.S. Senate failed to pass legislation that would have prevented any flag except the American Flag from being flown over any governmental agency or building. Presuming that this legislation was a direct assault on the prominent display of the so-called rainbow flag representing the wishes and desires of the LGBTQ, etc. groups, the Democrat party stuck together, except for one lone Senator, to block the measure from becoming law.”
Ginn continued, “If you take this allegation on its face value and assume it to be true, that still in no way diminishes the absurdity of flying any flag over U.S. governmental property other than the very symbol of our freedom, the American flag. Even as a Christian, I do not seek to fly the flag representing my faith in the place of Old Glory. It simply is not the place or the time to do so. Recognizing that not all in America would pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, does that not also apply to the rainbow flag or any other flag representing a smaller portion of the whole of our nation.
“Sen. Roger Marshall, the main advocate of the legislation in the Senate, stated, ‘Nothing represents our nation’s sacrifices and how far we have come as a country more than our American flag. We must never diminish her message or prominence.’ Similarly, my good friend Ralph Norman, R-S.C., the principal sponsor of the bill in the House of Representatives, simply states what we all intrinsically know that ‘flags mean something’ — as well they should! This flag, our flag, that adorns the coffins of our fallen heroes and decorates their final resting places should be hallowed above any symbol of any political agenda of any organization whether we agree with their principles or not. The thought of ‘no flag, but our flag’ should blossom in the hearts and spring forth from the lips of every American of whatever stripe or color because, as Representative Norman would say, ‘It means something!’”
Ginn concluded, “At Southern Evangelical Seminary our lifeblood is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which we will proclaim for so long as God will allow. As bearers of the Good News, we are also compelled to not only pray for our nation and its leaders, but also our enemies, which seem to be multiplying lately. At the same time, we know that our ability to proclaim the love story of ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only Son’ is dependent to a great extent upon the inherent, God-given freedom recognized by our American democracy. Therefore, count us in when it comes to defending the very basis of the foundation of this nation and our flag which is the symbol of this great land against all enemies of freedom everywhere. Maybe if we would sing the 4th verse of our national anthem more often, it might just make a difference:
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation.
Then, conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto — ‘In God is our trust.’
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
“Maybe when we get to the fourth line of this verse, it might just be okay to ‘take a knee’ not in protest, but in thankfulness for what we have been given by Providence as a nation. God be merciful to us as fools if we should allow this nation to crumble from within for such a cheap return!”
