[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Is it wrong to pledge allegiance to a country, and its emblems, when that country has legalized abortion, and granted marital rights to homos?

A pledge is a promise of devotion, no?

But is it a pledge of agreement with the laws of the country?

Should Christians pledge allegiance to anything in THIS world?

Seriously, when I was a kid and first came into the church there was a little "hitch" that came into my heart as I "pledged allegiance to the flag." I even experimented with leaving "the flag" out and emphasizing "the republic for which it stands..."

The whole idea of idolatry kept going through my mind. Finally I concluded that if I was ever asked to lead in the pledge, especially over a microphone, that I had better be firm in my convictions. I finally settled on the "we know that an idol is nothing..." explanation. I don't think the flag is an "idol," but some people do elevate material things to a higher station than the ideals the things are supposed to represent.

Though uncomfortable pledging allegiance to a "thing" and not just an ideal, I recognize how that many people that share my convictions gave their lives and the last thought they may have had in their minds just might have been "the flag, and to the republic for which it stands..."

They gave their all so that I might have the luxury of debating such hypotheticals in freedom. I have to honor that.