Hoping to spark a nationwide movement in light of the Supreme Court's same-sex marriage ruling, two North Carolina pastors have decided to break from traditional flag etiquette and fly the Christian flag above the American flag on the poles outside of their churches. Their reasoning? God comes before government.
"Our typical flag etiquette is to have the American flag above the Christian flag. But when you stop and think about it, it should be our commitment to God first, then our commitment to country," Rit Varriale, pastor at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Shelby, North Carolina, told WBTV-TV.
The Christian flag, created in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1897, has a white field with a red Latin cross inside the blue upper left quarter.
Varriale said he was compelled by God to make the changes after noticing that his fellow pastor, Walter Wilson of Focus Missionary Baptist Church, had put the Christian flag above the American flag a few months prior.
"As I was changing the rope one day, the Lord just laid on me that he is first and when he told me that, I switched the flags around," Wilson told WBTV.
The pastors held joint events on Sunday to commemorate placing the Christian flag above the American flag.
Varriale told WBTV that Christians need to stand up for their faith and beliefs, just as the LGBT community has been standing up for theirs.
"The reality is, they have been willing to sacrifice more and be more bold for their cause than the church of Jesus Christ for serving God, and that's got to change," he said.
When asked his thoughts about the push-back from Internet critics who say the move is disrespectful and unpatriotic, Varriale, a former Army Ranger, told WBTV that it has nothing to do with lack of love for his country.
"I really don't need a lecture on patriotism. I'm willing to give my life for my country. When you think of military motto's, for example, God and country, God first and then country," he said.
The two pastors also recently launched the website God Before Government, which they hope will serve to push the movement forward. They are encouraging supporters to show their Christian pride by taking pictures of their flags and post them on social media with the accompanying #GodBeforeGovernment hashtag.
