Everybody ought to have a personal religious pet peeve. You know, something that really bugs you, or gets under your skin. Do you have something that rubs you the wrong way at church? I do.

Some people's pet peeve is about the announcements or the way the Scripture is read or not read. Others get worked up when told to raise their hands or clap. Still others specialize in screening the message to pounce on any grammatical errors. Others get irritated about the sound system or lighting level. Music, of course offers the best opportunity for pet peeves of all kinds. Having a pet peeve is nice. It gives you something to think about during lulls in the service.

My pet peeve is about flags. That is, displaying flags in churches. Most American churches flaunt their flags right up front with other symbols like a communion table, Bible, and cross, so I get bugged just about every time I go to church. I grumble to myself, wondering why American churches insist on displaying a nationalistic symbols in their churches? What does it mean? That we practice some sort of civil religion? That America is somehow a Christian nation or is especially favored by God? Does it mean we believe, 'my country right or wrong?' Or, are we telling ourselves that we're 'American Christians' not 'world Christians?' If a flag is a symbol, then what does it symbolize? I think about these kinds of things during the 16th repeat of choruses or during the reading of the announcements.

What are flags? People salute them, pledge allegiance to them, and sometimes follow them to their death. A flag is a powerful symbol -- a symbol of loyalty and allegiance. And like all powerful symbols there is an explicit code for display. For instance, on a two-flag pole the top flag represents the 'higher' loyalty or greater authority. In a meeting hall or church, the flag on the right represents the 'higher' allegiance. Thus, if a church displays flags on the platform, the flag to the right of the pulpit is the greater loyalty. If the flags are on the floor, the one to the right of the audience represents the highest loyalty.