Creighton Lovelace, pastor of Danieltown Baptist Church in Forest City, N.C., believes that the confederate flag has strong religious ties and can be traced back to religion throughout southern history. The decades long debate was renewed recently following the racially motivated shootings of nine African-Americans in a Charleston Church. The argument over the flag remains highly debatable as many citizens claim the flag represents a history of hate and racism, while others claim that it is a symbol of their heritage.