# The American Flag and Church **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 17, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-flag-and-church/224963 "2004-01-17T18:24:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-flag-and-church/224963/21 "2004-01-18T19:56:34Z")
[Flag Etiquette](http://nationalflagandflagpole.com/flag_etiquette.html) [Protocol for displaying the flag is mandated by Public Law 94-344 and published in Title 4 of the U.S. Code.](http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/uscmain.html) If I remember correctly (and don’t hold me to this, my civics classes are but a distant memory now) prior to the 1976 amendment of 94-344, all public assemblies had to have a flag shown, even churches. It was amended to “if shown, do it right”. And again, trying to remember the arguement, the more fundamentalistic protestants had problems showing the flag in church, [that whole “graven image” and idols bit.](http://www.witherspoonsociety.org/flags_in_church.htm) I’ve found that most churches established prior to 1976 display the flag, but only a few established after. Bear in mind, I’m a moderate Baptist in Alabama, so I tend to avoid strictly fundamentalist churches. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-flag-and-church/224963/22 "2004-01-18T22:37:04Z")
I double-checked today. No flags in the chapel. (OK, our chapel is so plain that a flag would be pretty hard to miss, actually. But I made sure, just for you guys. 🙂 ) > [@](#): > > The flag seems to be much more prevalent in American culture than other democracies, which is why I think some people find it so weird. For them, display of the national flag outside government facilities or offices is quite unusual. Correction: in _some_ other democracies. I lived in Denmark for a while, and they use the flag for everything, it’s really nice. Flags festooned on the Christmas tree, flags stuck into birthday cakes and on cards, flags draped all over town in the summer. Very festive and friendly-feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-flag-and-church/224963/23 "2004-01-19T16:51:07Z")
My synagogue and my parents’ synagogue both display the American and Israeli flags on the _bimah_ (the raised area at the front), with the US flag at “stage right.” This is proper protocol, as the US flag should always be shown at its own right. A few weeks ago, I was visiting my folks for the holidays, and we went to shul that Saturday. For some reason, the flags had been placed in front of the bimah, on the main floor – but the US flag was still on the same side as before. ISTR that in such a case, the flag counts as being part of the congregation, and it should be at “audience right” instead. Someone mentioned to me at the time that I was very unlikely to see a Maryland state flag in a synagogue, such as my parents’, especially with a flagpole top decoration. The state’s flag is the Calvert - Crossland heraldic banner, and is topped with the Crossland family symbol; this symbol, naturally, is a cross. Displaying a secular cross in a Jewish holy place is deprecated at best. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-flag-and-church/224963/24 "2004-01-20T04:21:50Z")
> [@DeVena](#): > > [Flag Etiquette](http://nationalflagandflagpole.com/flag_etiquette.html) > > [Protocol for displaying the flag is mandated by Public Law 94-344 and published in Title 4 of the U.S. Code.](http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/uscmain.html) > > If I remember correctly (and don’t hold me to this, my civics classes are but a distant memory now) prior to the 1976 amendment of 94-344, all public assemblies had to have a flag shown, even churches. It was amended to “if shown, do it right”. > > And again, trying to remember the arguement, the more fundamentalistic protestants had problems showing the flag in church, [that whole “graven image” and idols bit.](http://www.witherspoonsociety.org/flags_in_church.htm) > > I’ve found that most churches established prior to 1976 display the flag, but only a few established after. Bear in mind, I’m a moderate Baptist in Alabama, so I tend to avoid strictly fundamentalist churches. The United States Code is not binding- at least there are no actual penalties for breaking any of the “rules” enshrined therein. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-flag-and-church/224963/25 "2004-01-20T04:41:00Z")
> [@dutchboy208](#): > > The United States Code is not binding- at least there are no actual penalties for breaking any of the “rules” enshrined therein. Minor but important correction to what you said – The United States **Flag** Code is not binding… The “United States Code” is the complete, topically arranged set of statutes of the United States government, and I sincerely hope that there are penalties set forth for breaking some of those laws! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-flag-and-church/224963.md?page=1)