There is a “No Quarter” flag – a mutilated American flag in black – proudly waving in front of a home in my small LDS stake. It troubles me. I acknowledge I’m a stickler for the US flag code – I grew up in a military family and we were taught to respect the flag, so I find all mutilations of my country’s flag deeply offensive. The “No Quarter” flag is especially frightening because of its brazenly violent message: kill anyone who does not support “the cause.” Modern political extremism is alive and well in the Intermountain West, and it is actively destroying “pure religion.”
Folks flying these flags also support Christian Nationalism – a muscular “American Jesus” that was invoked at the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021, but does not exist in scripture or American history. This does not reflect well on our state or the dominant faith.
I freely acknowledge that the New Testament Christ did not “love everyone” in the way we use the phrase today – He threw money changers out of the temple grounds in a violent episode and routinely called out contemporary religious officials as hypocrites. He healed and forgave those who had faith in Him – there were conditions attached to miracles. In forgiving the woman caught in adultery, He gently commanded her to “Go, and sin no more.” He also taught that we should “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s,” submitted Himself to Roman authority, and asked His Father to forgive His executioners because “they know not what they do.”
It’s true that we live in challenging times, as is true for each generation at some point. Indeed, these may be times that “try men’s souls,” as Paine cried early in the Revolutionary War. But today, too many of us see the world in a false dichotomy, a world where political questions are limited to “right or wrong” and “black or white.” The results are damning. Utah routinely rejects 90% of folks who apply for state assistance because they’ve fallen on hard times, but then takes credit for millions of dollars of assistance and volunteer labor provided by members of the LDS church. Governor Cox was right in his 2022 State of the State address when he noted “If we want smaller government, we need bigger people.” We haven’t lived up to his call to action, let alone Christ’s commandment to love our neighbors, to include sworn enemies like the Samaritans of His day. Christ goes further when he commands us to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Wealthy as we are, if we were truly a Christian nation there would be no poor among us.
Too many of us twist the teachings of Christ to suit political leanings so much that we condemn the poor, the hungry, the sick, and the homeless to suffer because to help them would be “communist.”
Shame on us.
According to James, pure religion is “To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” As recorded by Matthew, Christ taught that we must feed the hungry, house the strangers – immigrants and homeless – alike, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and imprisoned if we want any hope of salvation.
We cannot serve two Masters. Contentious culture wars are at direct odds with Christ’s Beatific command to be peacemakers if we would have His blessing.
As we prepare for a new year and a new Legislative session, let us recommit to being good citizens and good neighbors – helping where we can individually and ensuring there are state resources to address the many problems that are bigger than what we can handle at the local level. If we love God, we MUST love our neighbor – that includes everyone, regardless of whether or not we share political or religious affiliation or agree on the contentious issues of the day.
Since it’s an election year, let’s also take good notes on which leaders are the decent people we deserve to represent us and which thrive on anger and name-calling, regardless of party.
Deborah Gatrell is a Board Certified Social Studies teacher in Granite School District, a 3rd generation military veteran, and serving as a Relief Society president. Her opinions are her own.
