Letters to the Editor
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@ ann1960
"So, you are saying that if you wear the pin, you are pretending to be a patriotic American? Pretending???"
No, I'm saying that the pretending is that there's some correlation between "patriotism" and accessories.
"Obama IS a patriotic American, so there is no pretending here. Let me break it down this way so you can understand me: I am a Christian, but I seldom wear a crucifix. If I were to become pastor (leader) of the church, I would wear a crucifix because it is part of what a pastor wears."
An excellent point, and gets right to the heart of the matter. Christianity is a very long, extremely diverse tradition. One of its central faultlines is precisely what you mention here: the issue of idolatry and the role of symbolism.
Some sects are radical iconoclasts (Calvinists, for instance) and distrust visible symbols as necessarily hypocritical, as distractions from the spiritual truths of Christianity and the Word.
So no, it is not part of what a pastor wears. You are misinformed.
It's part of what some pastors wear.
Likewise, some aspiring presidents wear flags, while others can legitimately choose not to.
You see?
"I would not be pretending to be a Christian, I AM a Christian."
No, but you would be pretending to be an iconophile (one who reveres icons, or symbols of faith more generally). If you were, say, a Quaker and were called upon to wear a cross to demonstrate your Christianity, you'd probably object to being made to pretend that wearing the cross or crucifix is relevant to your faith when it's not.
"The pin is an American flag. Obama is running for the highest office in the land. Like a priest or a nun who wears a cross, it is simply showing the belief system one embraces. That's all. There's no lie if Obama wears the pin, and he is not selling out, but if it helps put voters at ease who don't know this man, then I'm all for it."
Again, you're profoundly misinformed as to the rich variety of expressions of faith. Your analogy is therefore bankrupt.
"And speaking of damage to society, when McCain wins, I'll think about you."
Ok.