The Cross

[Meztli-the-God]

Hmm, I've been wondering. At my church there is a cross and it's right in front of the room. Wherever I see a church there is a cross right on top of the roof. Whenever I see another Christian they have a cross necklace. One of the Commandments is not to worship idols. Anybody think this cross business has gone a little too far? It's not the necklace and stuff, it's more of the in front of church deal. I mean, it's like I'm praying to IT and not God. Just airing some thoughts.  

[digital_kobraX]

i dont know dude.
you have a good point man but i would not take that far.
its what it repersents not the cross its self
i just think its just a way you can tell christians apart from everything else  

[Shadows-shine]

The cross has become an idol. It's called a holy symbol, when there is nothing holy about it. It's a chunk of wood and being crucified on a cross was a very shameful way to die. You know Christ could have died in an electric chair to atone for our sins and churches and people would walk around worshiping that chair, and having it on necklaces or in their church buildings. I feel that in today's churches more emphasis is put on the cross than on the Saviour. His whole purpose was not just to come and die. He was not sent by His Father just to die. What of the other 35 years of His life? Do they mean nothing?  

[Saint Crazy The Follower]

If a person is praying to a cross instead of to God, that's their personal problem, not the entire church's, unless that church specifically preaches worshiping the cross.

Many of the messages that appear to be referring to the cross are actually referring to what it represents - salvation, freedom from sin, the pain that Christ suffered and his resurrection.

It's just a symbol to remind us. It's not necessary, but it is nice to express our fellowship with Jesus somehow.
If we could put Jesus on the top of a steeple, that'd be awesome, but even then it would just be an image.
The Spirit of God is something that can't easily expressed visibly, so we use a simple, recognizable symbol, the cross.  

[Shadows-shine]

The cross does not represent freedom from sin, salvation or the resurrection. Christ symbolizes all that Himself. And the atonement did not start on the cross, it started in the Garden of Gethsemene and ended on the cross.

Seeing images of the Saviour is much better than seeing the old hunk of wood. You can buy pictures and even statues that are of Christ.  

[Saint Crazy The Follower]

A hunk of wood to you is a pervasive reminder for me. It's grown to be sentimental, personally. Any given image can represent anything, if that's what you see in it.

I understand that the cross's symbolism /can/ be taken too far. But it really doesn't have to be. It's a matter of where it stands from your point of view.  

[Shadows-shine]

What ever happened to looking to and thinking of the Saviour Himself as a "pervasive reminder" instead of the cross which is meaningless.  

[Servant Reborn]

I have a keychain that has a a bible with a cross on it. I like wearing it, but I wouldn't say I worship it.  

[Someoneiknow]

Saint Crazy S Requiem

A hunk of wood to you is a pervasive reminder for me. It's grown to be sentimental, personally. Any given image can represent anything, if that's what you see in it.

I understand that the cross's symbolism /can/ be taken too far. But it really doesn't have to be. It's a matter of where it stands from your point of view.

Out of a huge event such as the atonement, where multiple things happened, and many great and terrible things took place, and the best thing that Christianity can take out of it is the death and a couple of slabs of wood? This is where the other sects of Christianity have always hit an all time low. I know Christ is up there looking down right now say "all they can do is worship my death device and praise my death?" We should celebrate His life and all the things He taught and did, not just the act of Him dying.  

[okami-verde]

To me the cross represents more than just death or any other reasons listed. The cross reminds me that Jesus died for my sins and I am forgiven for them. It also reminds me that Jesus beat death, Hell, and the grave, when He arose 3 days later. I know that images of Jesus can be made or bought, but it doesn't give me the opportunity to share the story of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all sinners like the cross. Plus, I haven't seen anyone recall Luke 23:39-43.  

[Shadows-shine]

What does the thief on the cross have to do with any thing?

Crucifixition was a shameful/sort of common way for those accused of crimes to die back then, so it's not shocking that there were two others on cross next to Christ the night He was hung on the cross.

The cross in itself means NOTHING! It's just a chunk of wood. It was just the place where Christ completed the Atonement that He began in the Garden of Gethsemene. His whole purpose was not to come and die! He didn't live to die! He came to teach us, give us an example, and atone for our sins.

I repeat what I said above "You know Christ could have died in an electric chair to atone for our sins and churches and people would walk around worshiping that chair, and having it on necklaces or in their church buildings. "

And I want to add to it, Christ could have died on any thing, any where, etc. and Christians would be carrying around that object like they do the cross.


Also, Christ's resurrection was what beat death, His atonement was what beat Hell. Not the cross!

And using a picture of the Saviour can be more effective in sharing the gospel to some one then showing them some thing that looks like a capital T. You can still share the gospel and talk about how Christ lived with His picture! You don't need to show the thing He died on to that!  

[rosadria]

My wearing the cross has nothing to do with broadcasting my religion to other people. It isn't meant as a "Hey! Look at me! I'm a Christian!" sort of thing. Most of the time when I'm out of the house, it is tucked inside my shirt. It is between me and my God.

I wear it as a reminder, to myself. There are times when I am tempted to commit sins that I want to do, but must struggle to deny myself. Like when I'm alone with my girlfriend. And when I'm tempted, she sees the cross on my neck, and I feel it there. It makes it harder for me to fight my conscience off and do whatever it is that I want to do.

And I think some of the things that I've seen being said are true. The cross is shameful. It was used as a painful, shameful way to die. It was reserved for the lowest society had to offer at the time. It is a shame that Christians must share in. Our sins, our old selves, are up on that cross. We will be shamed, mocked, and ridiculed for our God, and I for one am grateful that I have been given the privilege to share in that. I welcome it.  

[okami-verde]

Shadows-shine

What does the thief on the cross have to do with any thing?

Crucifixition was a shameful/sort of common way for those accused of crimes to die back then, so it's not shocking that there were two others on cross next to Christ the night He was hung on the cross.

The cross in itself means NOTHING! It's just a chunk of wood. It was just the place where Christ completed the Atonement that He began in the Garden of Gethsemene. His whole purpose was not to come and die! He didn't live to die! He came to teach us, give us an example, and atone for our sins.

I repeat what I said above "You know Christ could have died in an electric chair to atone for our sins and churches and people would walk around worshiping that chair, and having it on necklaces or in their church buildings. "

And I want to add to it, Christ could have died on any thing, any where, etc. and Christians would be carrying around that object like they do the cross.


Also, Christ's resurrection was what beat death, His atonement was what beat Hell. Not the cross!

And using a picture of the Saviour can be more effective in sharing the gospel to some one then showing them some thing that looks like a capital T. You can still share the gospel and talk about how Christ lived with His picture! You don't need to show the thing He died on to that!

First, I respect your view. I also understand your perspective.
I am going to pray that you can understand things from others' perspective(s). Though it is a very short passage in Luke, it does have meaning. If you try to absorb what the Bible says from a view other than the one you are using now, you could understand what I am going to explain. The thieves may seem insignificant to you, but it is in the Bible for a reason. The one thief chose to mock Jesus, while the other chose to defend Jesus. In this situation, we get to see the choices we have. We can mock or defend Jesus. We can deny or accept Him. We can perish in a fiery blaze or live for eternity with Him in Heaven.  

[okami-verde]

VK Fox

My wearing the cross has nothing to do with broadcasting my religion to other people. It isn't meant as a "Hey! Look at me! I'm a Christian!" sort of thing. Most of the time when I'm out of the house, it is tucked inside my shirt. It is between me and my God.

I wear it as a reminder, to myself. There are times when I am tempted to commit sins that I want to do, but must struggle to deny myself. Like when I'm alone with my girlfriend. And when I'm tempted, she sees the cross on my neck, and I feel it there. It makes it harder for me to fight my conscience off and do whatever it is that I want to do.

And I think some of the things that I've seen being said are true. The cross is shameful. It was used as a painful, shameful way to die. It was reserved for the lowest society had to offer at the time. It is a shame that Christians must share in. Our sins, our old selves, are up on that cross. We will be shamed, mocked, and ridiculed for our God, and I for one am grateful that I have been given the privilege to share in that. I welcome it.

I agree 100%.  

[WoodSorrelWitch]

Saint Crazy S Requiem

If a person is praying to a cross instead of to God, that's their personal problem, not the entire church's, unless that church specifically preaches worshiping the cross.

Many of the messages that appear to be referring to the cross are actually referring to what it represents - salvation, freedom from sin, the pain that Christ suffered and his resurrection.

It's just a symbol to remind us. It's not necessary, but it is nice to express our fellowship with Jesus somehow.
If we could put Jesus on the top of a steeple, that'd be awesome, but even then it would just be an image.
The Spirit of God is something that can't easily expressed visibly, so we use a simple, recognizable symbol, the cross.

Very nicely said. I agree.