Why do Christians pray to a symbol of a man bleeding to death and being tortured?

Question

I only realised now, its horrible...Why eat his body and drink his blood? Jesus experienced hell when he was tortured, and this is celebrated? I don't get it :(

I understand that people will feel a lot of compassion towards a man who is suffering, and definitley it can be seen that the symbol represents surrender as a form of resillience, and suffering as a sacrifice for those you love...But my inititial question still remains - WHY all of these things?

Answer 1

the trouble always is that when you examine a symbol you can never reconcile it with reality. JC was a real man who caused trouble for the ruling authorities and was executed in the manner of the time, brutally and to prove a point about power. What he has come to represent is another thing altogether. Also remember that what he said, reportedly, is at huge odds with the way his worshippers, and he has now the level of an Idol to some, actually behave. His memory as an idealistic anti-establishment rebel who believed in peace and love long befire it became fashionable, has been corrupted by greedy and controlling Churches and a political method of controll that is the very opposite of what he stood for. Ironic or Tragic, you decide. The imagery now has little meaning it has been so tainted so don't bother trying to understand it, too late.

Answer 2

This is a logical question. Please know that my reply is only representative of my own observations and thoughts.

Many Christians do not pray before a crucifix; those who do have reasons which are valid for themselves for doing so.

Many individual Christians partake of the "body" and "blood" as a symbolic act of spiritual nourishment and commun-ion; Jesus spoke in parables all of the time. Those with more literal interpretations of this practice have, again, reasons which are valid for themselves for doing so.

Torture and death are, certainly, no cause for celebration. I believe that the Christ principle is a positive, life-affirming, ardent and keen force. Death/Change is an inherent part of the universal order/cycle, but excessive focus on this aspect of the alchemical big picture inhibits Life, which is our gift and opportunity.

Answer 3

Since the purpose of religion is to control the masses one would have to conclude that they needed a martyr to motivate people with. It is for this same reason they invented heaven and hell.

They needed the martyr in order to make people feel guilty about wants and desires.

You have to put life between then and now into perspective. With all the disease, poverty and unbelievable cruelty in the world. One needed a promise of a fantastic afterlife that was so much better than their life could ever possibly be. You also needed a way to keep your poor people working for you like slaves that are in constant squalor and hunger without thinking of revolt, thus the invention of Heaven and Hell. Those that went against the system were punished in Hell.

They also needed to know that someone cared for them, that he would have suffered for them since their leaders and the church never would actually would or could care for them; therefore you have Jesus.

Answer 4

I'm glad you asked that question. I'm heading off to church in a few minutes, but I'll answer what I can. The gospel itself, the true gospel, is offensive, so I can understand your question; however, the sin committed against God is even more offensive. Let me explain.

When Adam offended a Holy and Just God, Adam deserved the full wrath and judgement of God just like God judged Satan to Hell. However, God showed Adam mercy in giving him a promise of a seed (one man from Adam's future lineage) who will do away with sin and the accuser, and then God killed an animal and covered up Adam with it, covering up Adam's sin.
Now, a Just Judge cannot just let go of a criminal without any punishment or satisfaction of justice cause that means the Judge is no longer a just judge. Someone has to pay, and the penalty is the full wrath of God on men.
God became a human, emptying himself. He was born of a virgin and lived a righteous life, fulling all demands of the law. He then was crucified on the cross, bearing all sins, then God crushed his ownly son. As the last Adam, Jesus Christ, he fullfilled the law and fulfilled the punishment, so that now the Holy just God can show mercy to the wicked and still be just. Jesus then was raised from the death vindicating Jesus and scripture.
If you repent and trust in the finished work of Jesus, then you're saved from God's wrath. Gotta go. listen to the audios below for more.

Answer 5

Jesus death polarizes mankind into two camps, those who believe, and those who don't.

His message is troubling, it seems foolish to those who do not believe. Natural man cannot understand God's Plan, because it is spiritually discerned.
No one has ever been converted by argument or debate.

It is only by the revelation of God, that you can see. First you must examine yourself, then ask God to reveal Himself to you. Without this you have only yourself and your logic to answer this age old question.

Mankind claims its biggest discovery,using logic, so far is the Big Bang Theory.
It states "First there was nothing...THEN IT EXPLODED!!"

God bless you in your search,
Many are called but few are chosen.

You are nowhere close on your understanding of Communion
(The body and Blood of Christ)

Do a little research on the Internet you may find something wonderful.........life itself.

Answer 6

Because they misunderstand his 'passion,' purpose and message.

But, superficially, he demonstrated that you need NOT fear physical death, because it can be overcome - while ego death, the 'learned' fear of existential death (what one fears MORE than physical death, related to some psychological public humiliation) must be lived through/overcome for resurrection of one's essential nature and purpose.

Metaphorically every event in his life represented a step in the required psychological transformation - to experience rebirth of authentic being and the consequent 'eternal aliveness.'

Although, you're right, most don't understand why they do it, the eating and drinking body/blood is symbolic of "becoming the Christ (true/annointed) Self" - ingesting/absorbing his message of the transcendent (non-ego) higher identity.

Answer 7

We take communion....eating a small piece of cracker, and drinking grape juice....what you are calling eating his body and drinking his blood, as a symbolic picture of sharing Jesus life and death. Showing that we are serious about living the kind of life he tells us to live, and dieing to the sin which is inherent in every human. We pray to God the Father in the name of the son Jesus, because the Bible tells us to do so.

We REVERENCE, not "celebrate", the death of Jesus on the cross, because He did it for each of us!

He took the sin of every human being living, dead, and yet unborn, on himself so that we would not have to suffer the ultimate price for our sin. That price is everlasting "death" or separation from God, and eternal spiritual torment.

Answer 8

We do NOT pray to a symbol of any kind. We pray to GOD the Father, ONLY God.

We have the cross as remembrance that he gave his life for us (sinners) because he loves us so much. His suffering was punishment that God wanted to pour out on all mankind for our sinful lives..

We are the followers of this same man who died for us in that horrible manner. His suffering saves our sorry butts. Because he loves us so much did this. He knew when he came here that was the reason he was coming. So God could hold off his anger and forgive us UNTIL we were done enough to go home. See we are all works in progress. When you are done, You go home to be with God. You are not born ready. You must learn and grow and strive and make mistakes to get there.

In those days it was very acceptable to drink the blood and eat the flesh for ( they thought they got strength, wisdom, and knowledge from the supplier of that.) It was a primitive time.

We don`t celebrate his death. We celebrate his rising from death. He is our path to heaven. He paid the ransom for us. We will be with him in heaven. He loves us and we love him. He is Lord!

Peace & God bless from Texas. <><

Answer 9

I don't pray to a symbol. I pray to God the Father. However, the only way to God is through his Son. He is the way, the Truth and the Light No one may get unto the Father except through Him. Communion (symbolically eating of His body and drinking of His blood) is done in remembrance of what Jesus went through so that we might be saved. Yes, it was a horrible experience, but it was something that had to happen in order to save souls.

Answer 10

He's not on the cross anymore. He rose again a while after that. That is a symbol of the torture that he went through. He died on the cross for every body's sins so that we could have everlasting life with him in heaven. It is up to us whether we will be with him in eternity. It comes down to whether we accept Him as our Lord and Savior or not. We have to believe that he died on the cross for our sins and live a life that is pleasing to Him.