![]() ![]() He wants you to know, right off the bat, that nothing will ever top the swastika when it comes to hate. He studies extreme right-wing groups and maintains the ADL’s hate symbols database. Mark Pitcavage is a senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. Like other symbols in this article, a lot of what determines whether the “OK” sign is a hate symbol is the context in which it is used. When Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant was pictured flashing the symbol in a court appearance after killing 51 people at two New Zealand mosques, any irony in the gesture was effectively erased. The joke caught on among trolls, and there have been several instances of people being disciplined after showing the sign on camera or in public. Why the “OK? sign? The general idea is that the looped and extended fingers resemble the letters W and P, standing for “white power.” Since the Christian flag is a manmade design, displaying it or pledging allegiance to it is a matter of conscience and not required of any Christian.According to the ADL, the symbol was first created as a hoax or meme among alt-right groups, who wanted other people and the media to get upset about it and thus look foolish condemning an innocuous symbol. The Christian flag’s emphasis on the cross is biblical, since God, through Christ, worked “to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:20).Īt the same time, the Bible nowhere advises us to make Christian flags or gives us wording for a pledge. Given that the Christian flag and its pledge are designed to honor the Lord Jesus, having the flag in a church or school can be a wonderful reminder of Christ and our commitment to Him. ![]() There is nothing sinful about displaying a Christian flag or reciting a pledge to it. Here are the lyrics to “The Christian Flag! Behold It”: “I pledge allegiance to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the faith for which it stands, one Savior, eternal, with mercy and grace for all.”įamous hymn writer Fanny Crosby wrote a song in 1903 eulogizing the Christian flag and what it means. “I affirm my loyalty to the Christian flag and to our Savior whose cross it bears, one spiritual fellowship under that cross, uniting us in service and love.”Īnd still others pledge their allegiance specifically to the cross on the Christian flag: Others use an affirmation of loyalty to the Christian flag: “I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands, one brotherhood, uniting all mankind, in service and love.” Some use a theologically liberal version of the pledge, which plays down the gospel element and emphasizes ecumenism: “I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands, one Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty for all who believe.” Taken together, the symbols of the Christian flag portray the basics of the faith: Jesus Christ, the Holy One, died on the cross to grant us salvation, and we serve Him in fidelity and holiness, as He is faithful to us.Ī salute to the Christian flag may be accompanied by a pledge: The cross in the center of the blue canton is, of course, a symbol of Christ and His work of salvation the cross is red, typical of Christ’s shed blood. The blue canton is emblematic of loyalty and truth (and possibly of heaven or the waters of baptism). We can interpret the colors and symbols of the Christian flag as follows: the field is white, representing peace, purity, and holiness. A few years later, Overton enlisted the aid of Ralph Diffendorfer, secretary to the Methodist Young People’s Missionary Movement, to actually produce a flag based on Overton’s idea. As he spoke, he had an idea: why should there not also be a Christian flag with spiritual symbolism? Overton designed the flag on the spot, giving his audience a verbal picture of what such a Christian flag might look like. Since there was an American flag close to the podium, Overton discussed patriotic symbolism. When the scheduled speaker did not show up, Sunday School Superintendent Charles Overton stepped in to give an impromptu lesson. The origin of the Christian flag can be traced to a Rally Day meeting at Brighton Chapel in Coney Island on September 26, 1897. The Christian flag is often displayed in Protestant churches and Christian schools in North America, Latin America, and Africa. The Christian flag is designed to be universal, representing all of Christianity without regard to denomination. The Christian flag has a white field with a blue canton (a rectangular area in the upper left corner). ![]()
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