Featured Should a good Christian be patriotic?

Well then it is best you left.

 

Nope. I don't think one has anything to do with the other. However a lot of churches have tried to tie the two together.

We have someone right now trying to equate Christianity and right wing.

Jesus has the Father and the Holy Ghost. There ain't room for politics, patriotism, or any of that stuff that breeds idols.

Christian Iranians probably wouldn't be very patriotic because of the atrocities of their stance towards Christians.

 

And I might add that a lot of the Christians I hear talk about Patriotism aren't so much patriotic as they are hedonistic and concerned about self and their stuff. :laugh:

 

Thats interesting that you mention it because I have been considering just that question. Im doing this because I believe that the USA has lost allot of there empathy for those less off than themselves. And I further believe that the church in general has no true passion for great commission work.

Let me ask you something though. Say you lived in NAZI Germany & you saw atrocities happening every day.....only you come from a privileged family with wealth & position in society. Would you stand up to the Nazi's or just let things play out (knowing full well that you might loose all / including your life?)

 

Patriotism and faith have nothing to do with each other. The Bible is clear on our relation to secular government it. We are to obey its laws. We are to pay our taxes. And we are to pray for those in authority.

 

I believe C4K is heading in the right direction. We all should be good citizens. However, Christ and our culture and our politics should never be confused and I believe they often are.

I do not believe an American flag should be in the church. To display the national flag makes that flag part of the sacred architecture of the church and to visitors from other lands it most likely would be offensive. A flag says something about our theology. It is a watering down of Christ's message. To me it turns Christianity from a sacred religion to a civil religion as worse and at best indicates this is true.

Many on the board often respond to a post by saying where is that in scripture. I do not believe there is any place, any verse in scripture that can honestly be interpreted to mean, fly a national flag in church.

There may be churches in Europe where the national flag is displayed. I have never seen any church in Europe, South America or Asia that displayed the national flag.

 

I see nothing wrong with being patriotic, but I don't see it as being connected to my faith.
I think patriotism is a good thing, but sometimes the definition is misunderstood.

 

Our church displays the Irish flag this time every year - we share our hired facilities with a Montessori School with all their seasonal decorations

 

FWIW, I don't see anything inherently evil in having a person be both patriotic and (as the OP put it, "a good Christian.")

The problem arises when a person puts way too much importance on being "patriotic" rather than being "a 'good' Christian."

I believe that most of us who post here in "BB Land" appreciate the freedoms that we enjoy -- freedoms that came at a great cost, not only to the brave men and women who sacrificed their own lives in service to our nation, but also (and MORE IMPORTANTLY!!) to our Crucified and Risen Savior!!

Since we as mortals have to live out our lives here on this earth, we are often confronted with the challenge(s) of dealing with a set of conflicting priorities: How much loyalty should we ascribe to, as the Apostle Paul put it in Romans 13, "...the powers that be ...." as contrasted to that of what should be, as Christ put it in Revelation 2:4, ".... our first love ...."

For "Yours Truly" (and I'm quite certain for the rest of us here in "BB Land"), it's a daily challenge for all of us to be able to maintain the high standards that Joshua (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) set for all us that's found in the last part of Joshua 24:15 -- ".... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

 

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

As believers, we are not of this world. Aliens. Some would even say illegal aliens because we are not wanted here. My allegiance is with my Lord's Kingdom. I have been a flag waving patriot but now I just don't care.

Contrary to what some will come along and say, I am not anti-American. Rather, I fully believe we are to be about the Lord's work, not about America's work, or Canada's work, etc.

I feel confident in saying that when I stand before God He will care if I shared the Gospel, not whether or not I waved the American flag and stood for the Anthem.

 

can we be citizens of heaven, and yet also have pride in our nation?

To want this nation to live up to the image that her founding fathers started with?

Would say YES, but do NOT take it to mean America is always right.period, nor that we have anyrhing within us that makes us nbetter than others, its just for other than Isreal, we actually tried to buld a society based upon laws and standards of God!

THAT is what has made US great, as we were a people who tried to uphold godly standards, who had a heart to send out missionaries, publish bibles etc

last several decades have seen her through renounce her godly heritage, and become secularized, just as Europe has been now!

 

Patriotism is a worldly perversion; the Chinese and North Koreans are some of the most patriotic people on earth. A good Christian should instead be a "good citizen" in the land, in accordance with Matthew 22/Mark 12/Luke 20 and Romans 13: not necessarily of the land.

 

Liberals make exaggerated statements like that to demonize being patriotic.

 

many liberals also believe that even having sovereign nations is wrong, as we should have a central world govt, as we would then cease from wars, poverty, as all would get same from world world wide leadership, Antichrist anyone?

 

:thumbsup::applause: