Has the rainbow flag replaced the cross?

Metrowest Boston may be a good indicator

By R.T. Neary

The abundant suburban sprawl of new homes after WW II saw the small towns just outside of the City of Boston as being attractive for raising a family. Towns to the west of the city had a great deal of appeal.

Second and third generations of European immigrants were attracted to new Cape Cod -style homes, easily expandable one story up. Multi-generational families ensued, producing more of the same close-knit society and family values which had always typified Norman Rockwell's America. Post-WW II saw much suburban growth as the historic city of Boston spread beyond its borders.

Churches and Meeting Houses of many denominations were plentiful. Some of these congregations historically go back to the days of the original Puritan settlers from Europe.

Spires of the churches with prominent crosses topping them off magnetized hordes of people and families who flocked to them on Sundays. Roman Catholic churches were almost always overflowing in attendance. Smaller Protestant denominations had well-maintained buildings, usually close to the town centers.

So-called Blue Laws curtailed business activity considerably. Sunday was truly observed as the Sabbath Day.

The Christmas holiday season, spurred on by the large number of Catholic residents, produced well-lit displays, making it difficult to believe that this holiday was banned in Boston from 1659 to 1681. The original Puritan settlers from Europe had used their strict interpretation of the bible as a reason for banning the celebration.

A powerful relatively new group has now given God's gift to Noah more significance. In the process, they have distorted its entire meaning of how to practice the faith as derived from the Good Book.

Retail businesses were the first to commercialize the religious holidays and also to accent the secular aspects of these seasons. It has been enormously lucrative for them over the years. While the religious aspect of the 2 major celebrations has diminished, splendor is still very much in vogue and has even escalated – but it's the symbolism in these towns that has obviously undergone a major change.

Permissiveness, now called Progressivism and operating under the mantra of tolerance, has transformed a great deal of what is still labeled as religion. Much of their belief system is now indistinguishable from the Democrat Party platform. One must be prepared to get involved in a verbal shell game with congregants to find any disconnect. In reality, many of the so-called Christian churches have morphed into doctrinaire liberalism.

How beautiful it still is to witness a group of children dressing as the participants and celebrating the Nativity in a Church setting. Commercial businesses choose to ignore this theme, however, in the prevailing distortion of the reason for the season. The dollar flow is their king.

The fading out of fundamental Christian beliefs by a multitude of churches in MetroWest Boston, however, has led to the emergence of a new way of thinking. Actually, traditional religious practice faded in the latter part of the 1900s, but the season itself has returned in this new millennium in splendor with a new icon replacing the cradle – and more specifically the cross.

The rainbow is now supreme.

Unitarian churches, which in the last century have merged with Universalists to form a single denomination, prominently display the rainbow flag, as do other Protestant denominations. The most important month of the year is not December or the month in which Easter falls, but June. This, of course, is so-called Pride Month, and homes, local newspapers and schools feel obligated to prominently display this new icon.

Tolerance, their mantra, was really observed for what was applied to those called the LGBTQ community. But once entrance was obtained and society's door locks removed, the door was essentially barred to those holding to the traditional Christian value system.

Traditional Roman Catholics, Evangelical Protestants and Orthodox Jews subscribe to ideas which are not welcome to an enlightened class. Holders of traditional views are quickly labeled as bigots, but worse still, homophobes, misogynists and other derogatory labels. A new lexicon has emerged. Two major socio/political issues have been introduced into the public arena in the last half-century, and these traditional religious groups have not been willing to abandon their rock-ribbed views.

Welcome to the new MetroWest Boston.

The Town of Wellesley, and others, claim to be linked with Boston in what elitists still call the Hub of the Universe. Hillary Rodham Clinton, again was invited to visit her alma mater, Wellesley College, in June of 2019. Not surprisingly she received applause and media adulation for her verbal swipes at President Donald Trump.

We should not need Holy inspiration to perceive that she is still waiting in the wings.

Expansive lawns and posh homes, however, do present a stark contrast to the inner-city life which is depicted so much on what is labeled as TV Nightly News. The stories, in reality, are often out of sync, selected by editors for their sensationalism, as well as adherence to their "Progressive" mindset. Objectivity has long-since vanished.

The peaceful natural surroundings of Wellesley still retain much of the old charm of bygone days. Travelling west after attending what was an essentially non-religious memorial service at Wellesley College for a long- time family acquaintance, revealed even more evidence of the change in this area's underlying thinking.

Crossing into historic South Natick, one can't help but notice a prominent cross above the steeple of a white, radiant church on the left. It is picturesque. A real estate firm's sign, however, is staked in front and on slowing down shows that this is a Catholic Church, is closed, and is being marketed for sale. Obviously, this is also a sign of the times.

After stopping at the red light for a turn to proceed to Natick's center, another white church is located on the right. On its lawn is featured a large rainbow PEACE flag, whose contrasting colors are situated to be seen from several directions.

There is nothing in its design to reveal it, but historically this church is linked to the very earliest settlers from Europe, who came to this land and made their permanent home and raised families here. A glance up the spire reveals that it is topped off with a weathervane – not a cross.

Driving on further the MetroWest Medical Center is on the left. Those knowing its past history would have to wonder if Dr. Marcus Gordon, the Bay State's circuit-riding abortionist, still makes weekly visits to perform his "services." He did so on the 2nd floor of their medical building by appointment for over a half-dozen years.

Now owned by a national chain for the last few years, hospital authorities claimed to have no involvement, as Gordon was the owner of a medical office condominium. A handful of protesters with signs peacefully on Tuesdays notified passing motorists weekly of his activities. One long-time Natick resident Joe Hamel, disabled and in his 80s rarely missed, and he could be seen seated across from the hospital entrance – sun, rain or even heavy snow every Tuesday of the year.

Just before Christmas of 2018 Joe's multiple ailments caught up to him, and he was called home to his eternal reward. Word coincidently later came from hospital employees that Dr. Gordon's visits had ceased, and after the 2019 Lenten season, the peaceful citizen protests discontinued. Overall public motorists' motions of approval over the years far and away exceeded occasional obscene gestures. While this national battle is far from finished, the hearts of the public majority in this area would seem to be still on the side of the innocent one in seeking true PEACE for any new human dwelling in the womb.

A Roman Catholic Church – for sale? All this in the wake of the revelations of the development of a homosexual subculture during the last half-century within the Archdiocese of Boston! The connection is obvious.

Fortunately, as we approach Natick Center, on the right is weather-beaten but stately old St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, and flying high on the rectory's flagpole immediately beyond is the good, old stars and stripes waving gently. With its classic design and cross pointing skyward, solemnity is the inspiration for anyone driving by the structure.

The picture changes, however, as one block ahead to the left, another rainbow flag is on display – by an Episcopal Church. A cross is on the spire clearly in view, but their other verbal messages at the street level outside are directed at the rainbow message. This contrast calls for any thinking person to take a half-mile journey around this Natick common area to observe this reality, reflect on it, and ponder existential questions about where we are religiously.

Many American flags point diagonally outward from colonial posts as we head toward Natick's central area, and it is very uplifting as all the citizenry prepare for 4th of July celebrations. On the south side to the right of the Post Office, however, another of the town's worship centers displays a furling rainbow flag. Progressing north then to the central traffic light intersection, the rainbow colors again appear in marking this intersection. These are actually, it turns out, on the corner of the property on which the town's Congregational Church is located.

After viewing the rainbow colors abutting the town sidewalk and seeing other markings of the colors at various sections of the Church property, you cannot help but look upwards. Then you have to conclude, as you view a weather vane, that the wind direction is also more important than the sacrificial symbol of the Messiah – the central figure of Christian Church worship.

As we celebrate the 243-year anniversary of the signing of a document which acknowledges the Creator as supreme and the source of all our human rights, how has He become subservient to a signal to Noah from the Book of Genesis?

Memory goes back at the offense taken by Same-Sex Marriage supporters to a hand-made sign held by an elderly woman on the steps of the Massachusetts State House in Boston during Legislative deliberations. It was obviously aimed at proponents for SSM and said, "Give God Back His Rainbow."

This Natick Congregational Church, however, seemingly has gone as far as it could in literally glorifying the current symbolism of the rainbow colors. Not only on the far side of the property did they have a large rainbow flag draped on their iron fence with bold PEACE letters, but they had small banners of the rainbow colors strung right across the face of the Church itself.

The most unusual fact, however, was that on the platform area leading to the front doors were wooden lawn chairs, each painted in a rainbow color.

To the right of the rainbow be-decked First Congregational United Church of Christ is the Morse Institute Public Library, a solid building of several floors, nicely landscaped and set back from the street. It has a reputation for having a profound treasure of books, periodicals and educational materials.

Certainly, the library was a must visit before drawing any conclusions about the churches and their predominant rainbow theme that was very much in evidence. Fully aware of the media's role in shaping the thinking of contemporary society – and youth in particular- the 75th celebration of the D-Day invasion and that of Independence Day should be center stage. The rainbow in no way connects with these proud themes.

The gripping tales of heroism and sacrifice surrounding June 6, 1944 must always be foremost in June of every year. In what our military accomplished, we should all take great pride, and this should be the emphasis.

So many of our nation's young men gave their lives and shed blood to set foot on the European mainland and eventually overthrow an almost inconceivable way of thinking known as Fascism. We can not ponder this scenario and its implications too much.

We have heard often that America's youth is its treasure, and it is. It was back in the 1940s, as well, and it must never be forgotten that the blood shed for this country was for the great principles on which it was founded. We can never be too diligent in protecting them. We take much pride in our history, notwithstanding less than subtle attempts to re-write the intent of our founders.

Proceeding through the front doors of the Morse Public Library, the main book display was in full view – inescapable. It was titled as a celebration of "Pride Month."

The so-called "Pride Month" which was being celebrated had nothing to do with D-Day, Normandy Beach, or the Battle to rid Europe of an occupying evil force. On the contrary, it was indoctrination in another way of living – completely different from that for which so many young American men gave their lives.

This center aisle display was a recruitment vehicle, set up not much different from one seeking recruits for a summer camp. This, however, had a specific invitation to live – and celebrate – an alternative sexual lifestyle. The banner signifying allegiance to this lifestyle is no less than that which all the Protestant churches are flying, the rainbow flag.

Occasionally, a rainbow does appear in our skies – a real one. It should make any individual stop and think. How could it have been hi-jacked and now be such an icon specifically to promote unhealthy practices, which have traditionally been considered disordered? Who has ever seen the gentle curve of a rainbow in the sky or over a waterfall which wasn't something really beautiful?

To the contrary, the beauty of the cross lies in its being a symbol of strength – not softness. It is sharp and pointed in different directions, rather than fleeting. Its true beauty, however, is the magnificent story which led to its symbolism for billions of humans over close to two millennia.

One cross constructed to commemorate 49 men who gave their lives for this great nation in World War I emerged victorious in a U.S. Supreme Court decision handed down in late June. A mis-named "Humanist" society had challenged its constitutionality. Who would have thought that nearly a century after its construction that this great symbol of valor would be challenged by a rainbow?

There are just too many crosses interspersed with an occasional Star of David above the cliffs of Normandy and on to Flanders Field. We should never allow the memories of those brave men to be pre-empted by those who are using those same indoctrination tactics of the enemy we defeated in Europe. The books and booklets on a library display with taxpayers' money are doing exactly that in MetroWest Boston.

An enormous change has occurred in the religious practice and lifestyles that are being promoted, as well as the symbolism depicting what Churches stand for in the Boston area.

One would have to be colorblind not to see it.

© R.T. Neary