If Jesus stauros was a stake, not a cross, should a Christian show contempt for the cross as a symbol?

Question

Likewise, if God's name is actually not Jehovah, should we show contempt for the name Jehovah? Or Yahweh?

In both cases, they are identified with Christianity, - Jehovah God and Jesus Christ - but likely not in an entirely accurate representation.

The Bible doesn't provide us with the exact shape of Jesus' stauros, nor the exact vowels or pronounciation of God's name. Yet the OT places much importance on God's name and the NT places much importance on the stauros as a symbol of Christ's sacrifice.

Is there a "happy medium" somewhere between contempt and worshipful adoration? What is your opinion?

There's no 'right' or 'wrong' answer - I would just like to know how people feel about it.

What do you think?

danni

About the "gun".....please see my other active questions that I asked on that subject. Would appreciate your input on them.

SHK

I have to disagree that the cross came before the pole. I've never see a reference work that said the cross came first. But that isn't what the question is about. Thanks anyway for answering.

Answer 1

I don't think we should place contempt on any thing. they name and symbles are not as important as the meaning behind them.

Answer 2

Just a couple of things I want to say on this subject.
1 The symbol of the cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. It was established because in the old days people were illiterate and did not read the scriptures.
2 some people insist that the cross was a pole and stake their religion on it. The romans of that time did not use a pole for execution but for displaying the heads of dissidents. Not that this is a salvation breaker but some are insistent on it.
3 some people still see Jesus on the cross and he will be there for all eternity. He is not. He rose again on the third day and is alive today at the right hand of the father.
4 There is a happy medium knowing that the cross was the way Jesus died as well as some of his apostles. It is not to be worshiped but it is not to be taken lightly either. Paul said "May I never boast, except in the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ. (Galatians 6:14)
That's what I think

Answer 3

I use the name Jehovah because it is the closest English translation to God's name that we have- it's much more personal then referring to Him as "Lord" or "God" all the time- those are mere titles. And YHWH doesn't have the same approachability that Jehovah does.

As for the stauros, the Bible explicitly tells us not to make any "graven images" for ourselves- what do you think a cross is? It is a symbol for "worship", a "graven image." I do not worship or revere a cross because a) I do not believe that the stauros was a cross, but was an upright pole, and b) Why would you want to honor the object that was used to kill a person you love above all others? That is nonsensical to me! If my Mother was shot to death I surely wouldn't wear a gun around my neck- people who venerate the cross are doing that exact thing.

Answer 4

No, a Christian should not show contempt for others' objects of veneration, but neither is a Christian required to respect them. Note the feelings of the apostle Paul regarding idols:

(Acts 17:16) Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit within him came to be irritated at beholding that the city was full of idols.


Like Paul, Jehovah's Witnesses do not distract from the message of the good news by going around denouncing the worshipful use of the cross and other idols. Instead, Witnesses believe that the bible plainly forbids idolatry of any kind, including the worshipful use of icons such as crucifixes.
http://watchtower.org/bible/1jo/chapter_005.htm?bk=1jo;chp=5;vs=21;citation#bk21
http://www.watchtower.org/bible/ac/chapter_017.htm?bk=ac;chp=17;vs=29;citation#bk29

(1 John 5:21) Guard yourselves from idols.

(Acts 17:29) We ought not to imagine that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and contrivance of man


The exact shape of Christ's instrument of death is hardly a central doctrine of the faith, but Jehovah's Witnesses do happen to believe that Jesus was almost certainly impaled on a simple stake, rather than a cross of two intersecting beams. Of course the Romans had the ability to create a cross, and probably did. But ask yourself: why they would have bothered when a simple stake would have worked just as well or better?

The bible most assuredly does NOT offer any proof that the stake was actually a cross of two intersecting beams. The actual facts of the bible may be enlightening to examine...

You may be interested to see how your own copy of the bible translates Acts 5:30, Galatians 3:13, Deuteronomy 21:22, 23, and Acts 10:39. The King James, Revised Standard, Dyaglott, and Jerusalem Bible translate the instrument of Christ's death simply as "stake" or "tree" because the original wording simply does not support the idea that this was more than a piece of upright wood. The English word "cross" is an imprecise translation of the Latin word "crux". Note this image of crucifixion performed with a "crux simplex", such as seems to have been used to execute Jesus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Justus_Lipsius_Crux_Simplex_1629.jpg

It is also eye-opening to examine how the first-century Christians felt about idols of any kind, much less one that glorified an instrument of death.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/200604a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050508a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19960715/article_01.htm

Answer 5

In the teachings that I received as a child growing up in the Christian Belief, showing contempt towards anything or anyone was itself not considered being Christian Like, therefore it is not an belief or attitude that should be condoned in ones daily life. If one studies the major religions, you will find similar messages being taught.
One true GOD, known by many names, is still GOD. Jewish and Christian Beliefs share the same GOD, but people who are Christian and Jewish come from many different cultures and speak many different languages, so different names may be used, but there is still only ONE TRUE GOD, who is worshiped by many different religions. Compassion, forgiveness, patience and tolerance are beliefs and attitudes which should be demonstrated in ones everyday existence.

Answer 6

The claim that the Greek work staurus means a stake as a single pole is made by Jehovah's Witnesses. The earliest pictures of a crucifixion that can be found show a crucifixion on a cross not a single pole. The word Jehova is not in the Bible, it was fabricated in the 1500's.

Answer 7

Assuming you believe the Bible, it does not matter what shape the object was upon which Christ was crucified. The point is that he was crucified, died, rose again and ascended to Heaven and in the process made it possible for man to have all of his sins forgiven. That is, assuming you believe the Bible.

Should a Christian show contempt for the cross as a symbol? It is sad that so many Christians have contempt for so many things and so many people. It is sad that so many Christians live their lives so full of contempt, and in the process miss much of the joy of living.

It sounds like you are being led into having contempt for the symbol of the cross, and those who believe in it, by some church or cult. Do not be led down that path. Do not be tricked into harboring hate disguised as compassion and love. If you are truly a Christian, practice real love, not judgement and contempt.

*ADDED* It is irrelevant but amusing to see the thumbs down ratings given to my answer, no doubt given by Christians who "cherish the old rugged cross." It proves my point about Christians practicing judgement and harboring contempt while professing not to have those qualities because they are like God, full of love for everyone.

Answer 8

you've made a level that I many times make myself - that i have self belief the international continually replaced into this wicked and egocentric. 2000 years in the past you in ordinary words heard about what went on on your own village. in recent times if someone commits a criminal offense in Greenland, someone tweets about it 3 seconds later. As an fairly liberal Christian, the word "Jesus died on your sins" continually perplexed me too. Whoever replaced into forgiven again then is lengthy considering that useless - and also you're good, a lot of humankind can look evil. because the information and contemporary affairs we see are fairly, only a lengthy list of what crap got here about to the international those days, it isn't ordinary to comprehend how a lot reliable is going on. in case you've faith Jesus as a guy, existed (and there is historic data that he did) then its yet another unhappy celebration of ways threatening someone truly reliable can look to the thousands. i attempt to carry on the very incontrovertible truth that there are a decision of human beings that would want to take care of human beings a methods worse than they do in the journey that they theory their moves had no non secular effect. There are some those who're in ordinary words variety to others because they imagine that heaven will smite them in the journey that they don't look, or that undesirable could have some form of karmic effect on them, in this existence or the subsequent.

Answer 9

Jesus died on the cross because he had to complete (fulfill) all scripture. It is not his dying on the cross or what is the name of God, the Father, that we need to concern our-self with, it is the "Good News" (the message) from God the Father that save us, if we believe in all the Words that Jesus spoke.

This is the meaning behind "and the truth shall make you free.

Now it is up to you to find the true meaning of "Moses gave the law, but truth and grace came by Jesus Christ. but you can not understand the meaning of,

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of man must be lifted up" or,

"Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

Answer 10

A cross is the universal symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us on it.

I could care less whether He was crucified on a telephone pole.....truth is...He didn't stay dead.....

He is risen!!


We don't worship the symbol....we worship Jesus Christ