Wednesday, February 19, 2003
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Wednesday, February 19, 2003 |
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Consider God's words regarding 'offensive' Georgia flag By JOHN HATCHER I asked my mother before she died what she thought about changing the Georgia State flag. She said, "It doesn,t matter." I suppose if anyone had a right to matter about the issue, my mother did. She was the daughter of John M. Bowen, who as a Confederate soldier, was wounded at the Second Battle of Manassas, Aug. 30, 1862. Had he not been wounded and subsequently taken off the front line, I might not have made it to the world. Quirks of history. (For those of you scratching your head: although my grandfather was born in 1833, he fathered my mother in 1911. Wow! What genes!). With genuine respect for my grandfather, who enlisted in the 5th Regiment of the Confederate Texas Infantry Aug. 24, 1861, the Georgia flag issue does matter to me. I hate that the controversial issue looms ahead to divide our state. I have fellow ministers who revere the Confederate emblem and will be chagrined to read this column. Right here in Fayette County, we have respectable citizens who were deeply troubled with Former Governor Ray Barnes as he "backroomed" the latest flag change. If we cannot come up with a banner that will unite all Georgians, I suggest that we be the only state in the union without a banner. Just let the flag of the United States fly over the Gold Dome, state office buildings and schools. That's probably not a possibility since we Americans are intent on having losers and winners. Some sort of flag representing Georgia will fly on poles at every Georgia school. I must contend that the flag must not, cannot offend a good portion of us Georgians. If the flag takes us back to the emblem of the Confederacy, it would offend me for two reasons. First, in my reading of history (which is as good as many), the Confederate emblem was born to represent the south in its insistence for state's rights. It just so happened, however, that one of those state's rights was perceived as the right to hold slaves. Slavery was wrong then as well as when the states adopted the Constitution of the United States in the late 1700s. Therefore, the Confederate emblem represents a day when the institution of slavery was not only legal but also accepted as the way of life. Yet, the notion of slavery should be so reprehensible to the body politic that any symbol of it as being approved would never be allowed in public places (except for museums and history centers). I can still love the memory of my grandfather and I can still appreciate Robert E. Lee for his military leadership while knowing that the cause for which they fought and were wounded was flawed. Second, God's Word clearly says that if a thing offends a brother, leave it off. "Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again. I will not cause my brother to stumble" (1 Corinthians 8:13). Christians should not want to behave in a manner that would offend another Christian. I know, without massive polling data, that my Christian brothers and sisters who are black resent the Confederate emblem on any state flag. I am a white Christian and it offends me too. So, please, I appeal to my brothers and sisters of the Christian faith, consider us and consider The Word of God as this issue brews in our beloved state.
John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive Fayetteville, Georgia 30215 770-719-0303 |
