Jehovah’s Christian witnesses endeavor to follow God’s Word and the dictates of their Bible-trained conscience. Like Christians in the first century, they view themselves as ‘alien residents’ in the world of unbelieving mankind and give their loyalty to the kingdom of God by Christ. (1 Pet. 2:11) It is for this reason that they refrain from all acts, including those of a nationalistic nature, that would imply disloyalty to God and his appointed King Jesus Christ.

It should be kept in mind that a national flag is more than a piece of cloth. It is officially viewed as a sacred symbol of a nation and is treated with reverence. When worn out, for example, the national practice often rules that the flag is not to be disposed of unceremoniously, but is to be ‘destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.’ There are also regulations governing the hoisting, lowering, folding, flying and displaying of flags. Saluting or pledging allegiance to the flag is considered as a reverent act, an act of sacred devotion, and since the flag is an image of the State, such an act constitutes a form of idolatry.​—Compare Exodus 20:4-6; 1 John 5:21.

While not discouraging others from saluting the flag of any nation, Jehovah’s Christian witnesses feel that they can give such worship only to Jehovah God. They have due respect for the flag of their respective countries, but for them to idolize the flag of any nation and engage in acts of worship to an image of the State would be an act of unfaithfulness toward God and disloyalty toward the kingdom of God’s Son.

Frequently, the practice is for all in attendance at a flag-salute ceremony to stand and personally salute the flag as a pledge of allegiance to this image of the State. In such a situation the mere act of standing likely is not in itself viewed as an act of worship. Therefore, many true Christians have seen no objection to standing respectfully, but not saluting and saying the pledge. Of course, conscience enters into the picture. Even if some Witnesses follow this course, others may be moved by their consciences to remain seated or to excuse themselves from the place where the ceremony is going on.

Jehovah’s witnesses, therefore, properly stand up or bow down or even prostrate themselves before a ruler out of honor and respect for his position, if that is the custom of the land. (Gen. 23:7; 42:6; 44:14) But they will not laud such a human ruler as a god. Nor will they bow down or salute or kiss or burn incense in a reverent act of worship before a picture or an image of a ruler or an image of the State, like the one Nebuchadnezzar raised up in the plain of Dura, or like the modern flags of the nations. (Acts 12:21-23; 14:12-15; Dan. 3:1-29) So as long as governments do not make laws contrary to God’s laws as set forth in the Bible, Christians today, like first-century Christians, will be obedient in giving “Caesar’s things to Caesar,” and will at the same time render “God’s things to God,” namely, their worship and service.​—Acts 4:19; 5:29; Mark 12:17.