Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Flag Burning, or, Symbols Mean Things



Looks like the House of Representatives has voted to support an ammendment banning flag burning. While I won't comment on the pros/cons of this particular action. It does raise an important (though tangential) theological issue. That being that symbols mean things.

Take the symbol of the cross, for instance. Also something which is sometimes burned in protest or to make a statement. But more than that, and even in scripture, the cross stands for something - the sum total of what Jesus Christ, God's own Son has done for us.

Or take God's name (any of them). The reason the commandment forbids its misuse is because (I believe) profaning or misusing or de-valuing God's name (a symbol) is tantamount to doing the same to God himself.

I think there's even some application here for God's Word in and of itself. As a symbol of Him and of what He says and does. Or even Jesus Christ, the Living Word, himself the very image (symbol?) of God.

Well, I just thought I'd throw that out there. Not as well-researched and fleshed out as something you might see on Here We Stand. But maybe a new or deeper understanding for someone...

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