Modern crucifixion question?

Question

If Jesus were alive today, dictated his message, was deemed a heretic and was framed by our modern day pharisees (Pat Robertson and the like), and was executed, would we all kneel two thousand years from now to celebrate his resurrection at a replica of a lethal injection table or a gas chamber?

Would you wear jewelry that signifies a firing squad perch or an electric chair like many do the cross?

That may seem horrifying and sickening, but it seems to me that is exactly what we do when we look at a cross, the prescribed method of capital punishment for Jesus.

I personally think that Jesus' ministry of words can be celebrated in that it lives on today. The pharasees and the Romans could not kill the message and now it lives in all parts of the world. I would think he would want to be remembered for his words and deeds as opposed to the prescribed way he died. Which is more important - his deeds and words, or the prescribed way he died (and okay, his alleged rising again)?

Answer 1

The cross didn't represent Christianity until well after his death because that was how they killed Christians in Rome. Roman Catholicism, a mix of pagan roman belief and pieces of chiristian and judaism, used the cross. Before the catholic cross there were multiple symbols used by the Christians.

Answer 2

He was put to death for proclaiming Himself to be God, and the Romans were afraid He would lead an uprising and usurp the power of Rome. Without His death and resurrection, His words would be no more powerful or profound than any other philosopher or religious figure. The message that remains is that there is forgiveness and justification through His death and resurrection. He knew it was necessary and would happen.

Mar 8:29 And He said to them, And you, whom do you say Me to be? And answering, Peter said to Him, You are the Christ.
Mar 8:30 And He warned them that they may tell no one about Him.
Mar 8:31 And He began to teach them that it is necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and to be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and to be killed, and after three days to rise again.

Answer 3

We can rest assured, that every one of the Words of Jesus are of most importance. The Word of God should be the most important text of our life. But we must also realize, that the death of Jesus Christ is of most importance to us also. For the reason that Jesus came to this earth, was so that He could shed his blood, to cleanse us from all sin and unrighteousness. The most important fact is not that He died upon a cross, but that He shed his blood for us, and gave his life for us, so that we could have eternal life. He could of been shot by a firing squad, or hung from a tree, or killed in any manner whatsoever. But the important fact is, that He shed his blood and gave his life for us. But in the days of Jesus' life on this earth, being put to death on a cross, was a popular means of executing people, just as being put in an electric chair, is a popular means of putting people to death in our day in time. I wish that I could explain the matter better.

Answer 4

The reason the cross is a symbol as Christianity is because without the cross and the death of Christ we couldn't have salvation. He wouldn't have died for our sins. The cross is a symbol of exactly what He did for us. Yet you do make a good point and i think that we sometimes focus on the cross a lot yet that is really what made Christianity. But a very well thought out question. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

I couldn't get past the first premise - that someone expressing an opinion or teaching a philosophy would be, first, actually be tried, convicted and sentenced to death for exercising 1st amendment rights, then actually be executed.

We can't even manage to execute triple murderers, killer-rapists, and murdering drug dealers. So I'm guessing that the rest of your diatribe is noy holy, but holey.

Answer 6

Perhaps this is exactly why he came when he did.
The Cross became the instrument of our redemption.
Early Christians were ashamed of the crucifixion.
Just as we would be repelled by the electric chair.
But they could not deny the reality of the Resurrection.
Because there were thousands of witnesses to it.
Gradually they came to see the cross as the key symbol.

Answer 7

"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside." Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."

Answer 8

Besides, isn't this creating an idol?

Something prohibited by the bible in the first place?

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

You're absolutely right!