What does the Cross mean to you?

[Unveiled Artist]

A idea only a like thread. They do not relate. (Italics not related to point)

What does the Cross mean to you?

Ex-Christians if the Cross meant something to you when you identified as Christian, how did you see it then not now?

Ex-Christians if the Cross still means something to you today, what does it mean?

Christians-main stream denominations: What does the Cross mean to you now?

Christians who do not use the cross: What does the literal and physical worship of his passion mean to you?

Anyone who believes in a Creator: Does the cross, whether abstract or not, mean anything to you (regardless if it is not important)?

If the cross doesn't mean anything to you, you have a negative view of it, or you're the exclusion, please answer respectively and productively. I honestly want to know what the cross means to people as given Christianity is a huge influence and maybe there are some perspectives of it (little or big, abstract or concrete, etc) that you have in regards to the cross

 

[GoodbyeDave]

In my Christian days, I used the sign of the cross. The material object meant little to me, though, and I always felt that the crucifix over-emphasised Jesus's death at the expense of his life.

Nowadays, a cross is a cross is a cross: just a shape.

 

[Riverwolf]

Depends on which cross.

The general Christian cross just represents the Christian religion to me, nothing more. The Celtic Cross, meanwhile, represents my ancestors, as well as the four cardinal directions.

 

[Vouthon]

Whenever I see the cross, I think of the following verse...

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.​

 

[jeager106]

Was He crucified on a cross?
There is plenty of argument that the Roman's used a single beam stake.
It would take more wood and labor to make a cross vs. a stake.
Arguments are convincing on both issues.
http://www.gotquestions.org/cross-pole-stake.html
To me it matters not.

What matters to me is the concept that He died for us.

 

[jerry greer]

its a symbol of their society getting fed up.....

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Depends on which cross.

The general Christian cross just represents the Christian religion to me, nothing more. The Celtic Cross, meanwhile, represents my ancestors, as well as the four cardinal directions.

The modern Cross or Crucifix. The celtic cross I think had been dropped from christianity almost recently. So I think I read.

 

[Riverwolf]

The modern Cross or Crucifix. The celtic cross I think had been dropped from christianity almost recently. So I think I read.

Ah. Well, like I said: it just signifies the Christian religion for me.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Whenever I see the cross, I think of the following verse...

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.​

Wow. My exactly words and scripture exactly. What brought me to the Church. Thats weird.

I agree. Id consider that verse a big perceptive of how a believer would see the cross.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

In my Christian days, I used the sign of the cross. The material object meant little to me, though, and I always felt that the crucifix over-emphasised Jesus's death at the expense of his life.

Nowadays, a cross is a cross is a cross: just a shape.

I can see that. I think thats one reason why protestants dont have the crucifix. It represents his resurrection while in my opinion catholicism (i only know roman) emphasis crucifiction.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

its a symbol of their society getting fed up.....

What do you mean?

 

[metis]

Was He crucified on a cross?
There is plenty of argument that the Roman's used a single beam stake.

But there's no evidence impalement was used by the Romans in eretz Israel, and that process and cause of death was very different than crucifixion.

 

[metis]

I view the cross in exactly the same way I view any other instrument used in death penalties. Doesn't it seem ironic that so many Christians support the death penalty and yet that's what was used against Jesus.

 

[lovesong]

Ex-Christians if the Cross still means something to you today, what does it mean?

I am not advocating disrespect towards Christians (I'm guessing that's against forum rules), but I find now that the cross can actually be used in that way under certain conditions. Paring the cross with symbols that blatantly contradict Christianity or putting it in similar settings can turn the cross into a symbol of disrespect towards Christians and Christianity. Apart from this the only meaning it carries for me now is actually a negative one. To me now the cross (not the cross itself, but seeing the cross being worn by people) conjures up a whole list of negative ideas and biases.

 

[Subhankar Zac]

Ex-Christians if the Cross meant something to you when you identified as Christian, how did you see it then not now?

Ex-Christians if the Cross still means something to you today, what does it mean?

Christians-main stream denominations: What does the Cross mean to you now?

Christians who do not use the cross: What does the literal and physical worship of his passion mean to you?

Anyone who believes in a Creator: Does the cross, whether abstract or not, mean anything to you (regardless if it is not important)?

The cross meant as a sign of sacrifice for me when I was a Christian.
I left Christianity because my ideas were more in tuned with eastern ideas.

It means as a religious symbol of Christians as the swastika for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains

The cross means nothing personally to me anymore.

I believe in a universal consciousness that molds energy to create and evolve the universe... And the cross isn't relevant to it.

 

[Kapalika]

A idea only a like thread. They do not relate. (Italics not related to point)

What does the Cross mean to you?

Death and ignorance.

If the cross doesn't mean anything to you, you have a negative view of it, or you're the exclusion, please answer respectively

Why should I show any respect for a symbol which has ravished the world, destroyed cultures and raped the sanctity of other religions?

and productively. I honestly want to know what the cross means to people as given Christianity is a huge influence and maybe there are some perspectives of it (little or big, abstract or concrete, etc) that you have in regards to the cross

It just kind of to me... represents the morbidness that no one admits they accept. This was a device for executing treasonists that is now worshiped as an idol. People eat this innocently killed man's blood and flesh and think it's normal. But talk about doing that in another religion and suddenly you're weird.

When the movie Passion of the Christ came out people took children to it. It was basically a gore porn film and it was like a pilgrimage for many youth groups and churches. No one batted an eye as all this blood and violence was on screen. I remember one person telling me about how they saw a little 5 year old girl terrified at what she was seeing as her Christian mom just sat not really paying attention.

Necklaces with the cross and Yeshua dying on it is popular attire. No one wants to seem to realize how morbid that is either. The glorification of the supposed human sacrifice that founded their religion.

I don't think that the imagery or sacrifice aspect inherently bad. But what I do think is bad is how people can be hypocritical about it and not see how it's not that different than other cultures with similar types of morbid imagery.

 

[ShivaFan]

I have never been a Christian. My parents were a mix of Mayavadi and Buddhist. At 8 years old I was adopted into Hinduism. There are aspects of “the cross” that I like. To me, more due to my lack of “Christian upbringing” and deep knowledge thereof (I probably know more about Islam than Christianity, frankly), I have more of a “artistic” and “mass media” concept and images of the cross.

Which are not negative – at least to me.

Don’t laugh at my lack of knowledge – Hinduism is broad and diverse. There is a lot to know in Hinduism – and a lot to have adventures and fun, frankly. So there is an entire life’s worth right there. I noted Islam, I am somewhat of an expert there as well but only because of India.

What are these images “of the cross” to me? I said “don’t laugh”. Because one STRONG influence to me was the movie directed by (whom I consider a genius) Mel Gibson, “The Passion of the Christ”. I grew to have a lot of respect for the Jesus because of that movie. This is one example of the impact of “art” and the media. There is also my attraction to art itself, and the various iconic Christian art, inclusive of images of the Virgin Mary and Eastern Orthodox religious art, and so on. The cross appears there, and it brings to me images of those times, the brave knights – I suppose war isn’t very Christian, actually, considering the message of Jesus. Yet, when I see the cross, I think of knights with black flags fighting the Muslims and things of that sort. I think of “cross cakes” and croissants celebrating European victories over the invading armies. I think of things like that.

My ancestors did many bad things. But yet I am proud of them. I think of ancient Rome. Many a cross of wooden stack were used to punish criminals – barbaric actually. Yet I am not ashamed of my ancestors. I see in my mind – visions if you will – a dusty road, and many, many crosses and stakes along the road, with humans hanging. What horror in one way.

Yet, it reminds me of the pain that Jesus must have felt. What a brave Prince!

So that comes to my mind when I see the cross.

Do I see a God on the cross? No. But I do respect Jesus a lot.

I have other images. Some would not understand. I remember still with fondness, the “Naked Jesus of Haight Ashbury” – a guy I called my friend, who was really not a Christian but yet another Hindu, yet he was identified as a “naked Jesus” and he didn’t have anything against Jesus. “Jesus is alright by me” stuff.

He never carried a cross. But he was almost hung on one. There was a popular song he promoted – “Persecution”. One day I should share the verses. I think of that song, when I see the cross.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Ex-Christians if the Cross meant something to you when you identified as Christian, how did you see it then not now?

I used to find it a rather unpleasant and slightly scary image, somebody dying slowly, being tortured. An unfortunate and unappealing image for a religion.

 

[ShivaFan]

This is the song I referred to in the post above (not the "Persecution" song by the famed Naked Jesus of Haight Ashbury whom I knew, but a pop song):

I think of this song when I see the cross. Silly maybe? Maybe not.

 

[Aštra’el]

The cross symbolizes many things for me. It is a symbol of nature, the elements, and the Earth and its cycles. The four points symbolize the Spring Equinox/ Summer Solstice/ Fall Equinox/ Winter Solstice, their midpoints, East/ South/ West/ North, Air/ Fire/ Water/ Earth, the sun at the center with four groups of three zodiac signs around it, etc. It is a powerful symbol for symbolizing certain Tables of Correspondences you might see in various pagan systems as well as traditional witchcraft.

For me personally, the cross also symbolizes a Tetramorph of certain demons and angels who play the biggest role under YHWH in my spiritual-religious system.

YHWH
Iblis/ Michael/ Ashtoreth/ Lilith​

These relationships with forces Above and Below and Within exponentially amplify my Celestial and Infernal potential on Earth, and the cross is a symbol that constantly reminds me of that.

The Christian cross has an added effect of invoking feelings of sacrifice, redemption, persistence in the face of suffering, deliverance, etc. This, combined with my other perspectives on it, certainly makes the cross a powerful and respected symbol in my spiritual-religious system.