Posted: Sep 03, 2011 2:12 am
dejuror wrote:willhud9 wrote:Varangian wrote:After a week of seeing several people proudly displaying cross pendants and other jewelry, I had this thought: What do they think their precious Jesus would think if he returned and saw the instrument used to torture and kill him displayed everywhere? I for one think he would become rather cross (pun intended). Seriously, what kind of masochistic, magical thinking makes christians think that the choice of trinkets and amulets are a good sign? Some sort of persecution complex introduced with the birth of christianity, or what? The more I see them, the more I find them offensive. Reflections?
Actually as a Christian, I had that same exact problem. I also took it a step further and wondered if it was not idolatry. But the answer that happened was one which modern Christians hardly follow. The reason why cross jewelry is not sinful, is because its representative of the Bible verse "taking up your daily cross." As for it not being an idol, idolatry is simply the worship of any worldly item. As long as a Christian is not praying to the cross he or she wears around the neck then they are fine. But it's purpose is to serve as a reminder for them to 1) remember the punishment that Christ willingly went through and that 2) Christians should die to their old self on that same cross, and rise like Christ did. Theology.
But the cross should not be valued as magical or special. What are vampires going to suddenly be real as well?
The emblem of the cross is most hideous. First of all the Church writers claimed the Jews caused Jesus, the Child of a Ghost, to be crucified which was a LIE.
The Jesus of the NT did NOT exist.
Secondly, if Jesus was seen alive after he was crucified then he did NOT die. The Jews did NOT cause the death of Jesus after all.
If you were to read Josephus the cross would have been a most terrifying thing for Jews.
"Wars of the Jews" 5....So the soldiers, out of the wrath and hatred they bore the Jews, nailed those they caught, one after one way, and another after another, to the crosses, by way of jest, when their multitude was so great, that room was wanting for the crosses, and crosses wanting for the bodies....
Essentially blah blah blah, take it to the HJ thread. The question was if Jesus came today would he be disgusted of the crosses people wear.
Of course, Jesus of NT did not exist, of course the theology is bs, but we are not talking about whether or not he really existed, we are talking about if he did what would his reaction be. As for the cross being nasty, yes I am quite aware that crucifixion was a nasty way to die.