Is the American flag treated as a false idol?

barfolemew · Feb 8, 2006

Dooes anyone see the American flag treated as a false idol? As in the 2nd commandment from the bible. Non-christians need not be concerned, but I am wondering what some modern christians out there think. I see a lot of people put more stock into the U.S. flag than they do in God.

Kandahar · Feb 8, 2006

I'm not a Christian, but yes, blind patriotism is most definitely a religion for a lot of Americans.

stsburns · Feb 8, 2006

Kandahar said:
I'm not a Christian, but yes, blind patriotism is most definitely a religion for a lot of Americans.

And what per say is "Blind Patritism" I might ask?

Kandahar · Feb 9, 2006

stsburns said:
And what per say is "Blind Patritism" I might ask?

People who think that they're better people than everyone else because they have an American flag and a "Support Our Troops" decal on their cars.

People who put their allegiance to the Bush Administration above their allegiance to truth, justice, and the American way.

alphamale · Feb 9, 2006

What would a "true" idol be? Patriotic americans understand what the flag symbolizes, and trying to mix that up with religion is neither here nor there.

Befuddled_Stoner · Feb 9, 2006

I am definately a non-christian, but I think I understand that whole taking up false idols commandment thingie: don't do it, right? Isn't an idol sorta like an inviolable symbol of what you believe in? Well, there ya go; if you can't think of any possible reason or situation were it could be considered appropriate to burn the flag, then you're not only treating it as a false idol, you're being blindly patriotic. How many times has the House kicked around the idea of Constitutional ammendments flag burning? Can you possibly doubt that it's treated as a false idol?

cnredd · Feb 9, 2006

In order to convince the forum of what a "false idol" is, I think it's in everyone's interest for someone here to describe a "true idol"...

If there aren't any, then the subject is moot...:shrug:

vergiss · Feb 9, 2006

cnredd said:
In order to convince the forum of what a "false idol" is, I think it's in everyone's interest for someone here to describe a "true idol"...

If there aren't any, then the subject is moot...:shrug:

In Judeo-Christian and Islamic terms, it a depiction of pagan gods and other symbols of similar worship.

Even depictions of God (as in, our God) aren't allowed... although the Christians are a lot less fussy about that.

Goobieman · Feb 9, 2006

vergiss said:
In Judeo-Christian and Islamic terms, it a depiction of pagan gods and other symbols of similar worship.

Even depictions of God (as in, our God) aren't allowed... although the Christians are a lot less fussy about that.

Well...
The US isn't a god, pagan or otherwise.
So, the symbol of the US, being the symbol of something that's not a god, cannot then be a 'false idol'.

Real Korimyr #9 · Feb 10, 2006

Our respect for the flag is nothing more than our just and proper patriotism, our pride in the accomplishments and the values of our people and their government.

Our fault lies in confusing the President, the Presidency, or any one political party with the flag and what it stands for-- or, the gods help us all, with divinity itself.

alphamale · Feb 11, 2006

Korimyr the Rat said:
Our respect for the flag is nothing more than our just and proper patriotism, our pride in the accomplishments and the values of our people and their government.

Our fault lies in confusing the President, the Presidency, or any one political party with the flag and what it stands for-- or, the gods help us all, with divinity itself.

Who confuses the president with the flag, or divinity? I've never heard of anyone!

alphamale · Feb 11, 2006

vergiss said:
In Judeo-Christian and Islamic terms, it a depiction of pagan gods and other symbols of similar worship.

Even depictions of God (as in, our God) aren't allowed... although the Christians are a lot less fussy about that.

Quick - call the pope and have him paint over the Sistine Chapel!

vergiss · Feb 12, 2006

Goobieman said:
Well...
The US isn't a god, pagan or otherwise.
So, the symbol of the US, being the symbol of something that's not a god, cannot then be a 'false idol'.

I said "other symbols of similar worship", did I not?

stsburns · Feb 18, 2006

Kandahar said:
People who think that they're better people than everyone else because they have an American flag and a "Support Our Troops" decal on their cars.

People who put their allegiance to the Bush Administration above their allegiance to truth, justice, and the American way.

So you are against our own flag because of some Republican Propaganda? So you see our countries flag as support for Bush Admin. I would have though more of the confederate flag?

Is the American flag treated as a false idol?