Hi, Mary,

I was very surprised when I saw the subject line for this thread. Obviously, doing a Nazi salute in church would be considered inappropriate & abhorrent by the vast majority of people. Have you ever talked to the folks who make that sign & asked them what their motivation & intended meaning is? I am of Protestant Christian background & have worshipped in many kinds of churches. For the past 15 years or so, I have worshipped in Church of the Nazarene, an offshoot of Methodism. I also have friends who are Assembly of God. I have frequently seen folks raise one or both of their arms (bent or unbent) in response to singing during the service or something that the worship leader has said. To the best of my understanding & in my personal experience, this is a heartfelt response to what is being said, in the same category as saying "amen." It indicates that the person agrees w/ what has been said or sung. It is a proclamation of faith & a show of support to the worship leader. Sometimes, it is done quietly & inconspicuously; sometimes, it is more flamboyant. If the use of this gesture offends you, it may be appropriate to discuss it w/ your priest & the congregation; it may be appropriate to pray about it & see if you can come to peace w/ it. I think this expression is becoming more widespread as people move around & participate in various expressions of Christian worship. I hope this may help you. Feel free to PM me, if I can clarify this any more for you.

best,

Barbara (Protestant in NY)