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S. C. R. No. 535 *SS26/R1296* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2
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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Chism
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 535
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT 1
OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PROHIBIT THE DISPLAY OF THE LGBTQ 2
PRIDE MOVEMENT (RAINBOW) FLAG ON ANY STATE OR POLITICAL 3
SUBDIVISION BUILDING. 4
WHEREAS, in Genesis 9:13, God declares, "I do set my bow in 5
the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me 6
and the earth"; and 7
WHEREAS, the 1st-century Jewish historian Josephus confirms 8
that the divinely inspired author "meant the rainbow, which in 9
those countries was believed to be God's bow"; and 10
WHEREAS, the ancient pagan poet Homer concurs that the 11
rainbow is a divine symbol to humanity, writing, "like the 12
rainbows which Zeus fixed in the cloud a sign to men of many 13
tongues"; and 14
WHEREAS, the ancient pagan philosopher Plato agrees that the 15
rainbow is a wonderous and divine sign, saying through the mouth 16
of Socrates that "wonder is the only beginning of philosophy, and 17
he who said that Iris [Greek personification of the rainbow and 18
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messenger of the gods] was the child of Thaumas [Greek 19
personification of wonder] made a good genealogy"; and 20
WHEREAS, early Church Father John Chrysostom writes that "at 21
the sight of this sign, we do not conceive of sad suspicions … so 22
that we may immediately recall the divine promise, that we may 23
have confidence that we shall suffer nothing which resembles the 24
flood"; and 25
WHEREAS, the medieval Jewish theologian Maimonides declares 26
that God intends to say, "the bow which I put in the cloud in the 27
day of creation, shall be, from this day, and henceforth, for a 28
sign of the covenant between me and you, so that every time that 29
it appears, I will look upon it and remember my covenant of 30
peace"; and 31
WHEREAS, medieval Christian theologian Thomas Aquinas 32
describes the rainbow as not only "a sign of no future flood," but 33
also as "signifying Christ, through whom we are protected from 34
spiritual flood"; and 35
WHEREAS, the founder of Protestantism, Martin Luther, notes 36
the enduring theological significance of the rainbow, writing, "as 37
often as the rainbow appears, it proclaims to the world with a 38
loud voice, as it were, the story of the wrath of God," and urges 39
his readers to "let this sign teach us to fear God and to trust in 40
Him"; and 41
WHEREAS, fellow Protestant theologian John Calvin likewise 42
notes the enduring divine purpose of the rainbow: "For, as it 43
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pleases the Lord to employ earthly elements, as vehicles for 44
raising the minds of men on high, so I think the celestial arch 45
which had before existed naturally, is here consecrated into a 46
sign and pledge; and thus a new office is assigned to it; whereas, 47
from the nature of the thing itself, it might rather be a sign of 48
the contrary; for it threatens continued rain"; and 49
WHEREAS, the renowned 18th-century evangelist John Wesley 50
instructs his readers, "as God looks upon the bow that he may 51
remember the covenant, so should we, that we also may be ever 52
mindful of the covenant with faith and thankfulness"; and 53
WHEREAS, the rainbow is a biblical symbol of God's Covenant 54
intended as a promise of hope for all mankind; and 55
WHEREAS, the rainbow has continuously inspired millions of 56
faithful Jews and Christians over millennia as a sign of hope and 57
peace to all the nations; and 58
WHEREAS, even pagan authors have identified the rainbow as a 59
message of divine wonderment for all humanity; and 60
WHEREAS, the rainbow is an awe-inspiring sight displayed in 61
the sky after a rainfall; and 62
WHEREAS, the rainbow is a wonder of nature with historical, 63
religious and scientific significance; and 64
WHEREAS, the rainbow represents the expectation of a fresh 65
start and a new beginning following a time of darkness; and 66
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ST: LGBTQ Rainbow Flag; prohibit Department of
Finance and Administration from allowing display
on state or political subdivision buildings.
WHEREAS, beginning in 1978, individuals hostile to the 67
Christian faith misappropriated the rainbow symbol for the "pride" 68
movement; and 69
WHEREAS, in Proverbs 8:13 God announces his enmity toward 70
pride, stating, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride … do 71
I hate," and, hence, such pride is deeply offensive to the many 72
people who follow a biblical religion: 73
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 74
MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 75
we hereby direct the Mississippi Department of Finance 76
Administration, as the responsible agency for administration of 77
all public properties in the State of Mississippi, not to fly or 78
otherwise allow the display of any rainbow flag intended as a 79
symbol of the LGBTQ Pride Movement on any property owned, leased 80
or used by any state agency or political subdivision of the state 81
of Mississippi. 82
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution be transmitted 83
to the Governor and the Executive Director of the Department of 84
Finance and Administration and made available to the Capitol Press 85
Corps. 86