Mississippi Baptist Convention calls for state flag change

Mississippi’s largest religious group says state lawmakers have a moral obligation to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag because many people are ‘hurt and shamed’ by the symbol.

Largest religious- group says state- lawmakers have a moral- - - - obligation to remove the- confederate battle emblem from- the state flag because- many people are "hurt and - shamed" by the symbol.- the mississippi baptist - convention has more than 500,00- members in a state of 3 million- people.

- the convention said tuesday tha- many see the flag as "a relic - of racism and a symbol of - hatred."- it joins the other influential- groups, - including the governing body fo- college athletics, that - are calling for mississippi to- change its flag.- gov.

Tate reeves says flag- design should only be determine- by a- statewide vote.

- - "currently 38% of mississippian- are - black and may of those are hurt- and shamed by the historical- symbolism of- the current flag.

For those who- follow christ to stand by - indifferently and allow - for this to exist, it's - inconsistent from both of these- - - - clear teachings of christ.

This- reality calls for those of us - who follow the lord to standup- and help our hurting neighbor."- several legislators -- includin- governor- reeves -- have said that the- flag issue should be put on - a ballot and voted upon by- mississippians..- -