I see your point about the flags, that they are a symbol of the group, and loyalty to the group.
Our flag is a combination of the English flag of St George and the Scottish flag of St Andrew. The Welsh Dragon and whatever the Irish have aren't included in it at all.

__________________
... I am surprised at your insolence in writing to me at all. You know, as I know, that I bought this constituency... may God's curse light upon you and may it make your women as open and as free to the excise officers as your wives and daughters have always been to me while I have represented your scoundrel corporation.
I have the honour to be... your obliged humble servant, Anthony Henley
- MPs reply to constituent, mid 1700s

I see.

Well flags are of course a very old sort of symbol indeed. They a the abstract projection objects for the concept of a common identity.

Of course this concept of a common identity is an artificial one. Of course does it use social habits that are far older than nations. But what conclusions to you take out off that? In my opinion that does not really matter. As how should it be otherwise?

__________________
"Every country gets the cuisine it deserves"

I don't think it matters. Those who will unquestionably follow a flag would more than likely follow some other form of symbolism, even words, if that's what it took to publicly establish their identity requirement.

__________________
These are my principles. If you don't like them I have others. ~Groucho Marx~

The flag is just a symbol. No one follows a flag. Many however might follow unquestionably what a flag stands for. Its like with the word "President". No one follows the word itself. But many might do follow the person.

I have to agree with you nonetheless. If nothing is left of your identity if your flag is taken away thats rather sad.

__________________
"Every country gets the cuisine it deserves"

I agree on the definition but reality is often different. I've encountered too many US patriots who worship the US flag that have zero civics knowledge and even less understanding of US history to believe it's purely symbolic to them.

__________________
These are my principles. If you don't like them I have others. ~Groucho Marx~

Wow, somehow I managed to get no responses to what I was looking for. I'll give some examples of what I am looking for.


Iran. Look at it's flag. Why does it have on it what it has? Why not a white flag with a green stripe? What is on there is on there for a reason: why? )I should think that it is directly related to their faith)

Canada. Look at it's flag. Why does it have on it what it has? Why not a white flag with a green stripe? What is on there is on for a reason: why? (I should think that red and white have some signifigance, and that the leaf has a signifigance)

Sweden. Look at it's flag. Why does it have on it what it has? Why not a flag with a green stripe? What is on there is on there for a reason: why? (I should think that the colors have some signifigance that I don't know, but I would be willing to bet that the shape on the flag symbolizes the Christian faith)




I'm sorry that I didn't do a very good job describing what I was looking for, but when I spoke of what the flag means I was looking for people to actually analyze what is on the American flag, and why it is there. Why would we have a stripe for each colony? Why would we have stars? Why not have circles in place of stars?

I agree with it that nearly all flags have a story behind them. I oppose however that most of them have to have christian background in the western world. France and Germany have no reference at all to relgions in their falg.

But I would also like to hear what the creators of the American flag thought why they did it like they did it. But

__________________
"Every country gets the cuisine it deserves"

... I didn't suggest that most flags in the western world have Christian background. However, if you really analyze it, I think that the American flag has the most Christian symbolism in it in the world, which I think is hardly surprising when you think about our beginnings. Quite literally the majority, i.e. over 50% of the First Congress was made up of Pastors, and most of those who weren't Pastors were very deeply religious in one way or another.

You think the stars and stripes have the most Christian symbolism in it in the world, compared to say, the English flag which is the Cross of St George, the flag of crusaders? Or the Scottish flag which is the cross of St Andrew?

__________________
... I am surprised at your insolence in writing to me at all. You know, as I know, that I bought this constituency... may God's curse light upon you and may it make your women as open and as free to the excise officers as your wives and daughters have always been to me while I have represented your scoundrel corporation.
I have the honour to be... your obliged humble servant, Anthony Henley
- MPs reply to constituent, mid 1700s

Whoa ! ! ! The 13 stripes recognize the 13 colonies that were first established in this country. The stars (Pentagons) are in no way a symbol of Christianity! Now The Founding Fathers were all Deists, not Christians. They believed in "a higher power", but were skeptics about Christianity. Washington worshipped at this church, but I've seen the records where he did not partake in the sacraments.

Our History

The same is true of Jefferson and Madison. I've seen those records at Monticello (Jefferson's home), and Montpelier (Madison's home). And there are records in Boston regarding John Adams and John Q. Adams, also. They may have worshipped on a timely basis, but they were all Deists. They also thought it was important to keep religion separate from government. Why would their ancestors, have left The British Isles?

The Founding Fathers Were NOT Christians or Secular Humanists: a Refutation of Steven Morris

Masonic Foundations of the U.S.

__________________
I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live.
Martin Luther King Jr., Speech in Detroit, June 23, 1963

Saving a life is oh, so sweet - Me

http://www.vatf1.org/about.cfm