House Speaker Mike Johnson proudly displays three flags outside his office in Washington, D.C. These flags include the American flag, the Louisiana state flag, and a distinctive flag representing a movement that advocates for transforming the United States into a religious Christian nation.
The flag in question features a white background adorned with a green evergreen tree at its center. The phrase “An Appeal to Heaven” is elegantly inscribed at the top. A recent report by Rolling Stone confirms the presence of this flag outside Johnson’s district office.
Although this flag originated as a banner during the Revolutionary War, it has gained significance within a specific sect of Christianity known as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) over the past decade. The NAR firmly believes that it is God’s will for Christians to assume control over all aspects of American society, including education, arts and entertainment, media, and businesses, with the ultimate aim of establishing a religious nation.
Notably, the NAR showed unwavering support for Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, endorsing him early on and rallying other Christian movements behind him. Consequently, the “Appeal to Heaven” flag has become an emblem embraced by Trump supporters.
Photographs from various far-right politicians and proponents of election denial, such as Doug Mastriano, the Trump-endorsed candidate for Pennsylvania governor, frequently feature the flag. However, Mastriano was ultimately defeated by Democrat Josh Shapiro.
The flag also made numerous appearances during the January 6 insurrection, with Rolling Stone estimating that there may have been hundreds of “Appeal to Heaven” flags present among the mob.
Given Johnson’s well-documented opposition to abortion access, LGBTQ rights, and environmental policies on religious grounds, his alignment with the NAR’s belief system should come as no surprise. However, it is concerning that he can openly embrace this ideology without facing any repercussions. Furthermore, the revelation by Rolling Stone comes just days after the House of Representatives censured Rashida Tlaib for her comments regarding Israel and Palestine.
Previously, Republicans had criticized Tlaib, the sole Palestinian American member of Congress, for displaying a Palestinian flag outside her district office, accusing her of anti-Semitism due to her pride in her nationality.
However, if supporting Palestinian civilians were indeed inherently anti-Semitic (which it is not), it remains unclear how Johnson’s actions differ. Advocating for a Christian nation implies the exclusion of all other religions. Yet, Johnson has not faced any form of censure for his beliefs and actions.
