Question for Christians - re: symbols?

Question

Some have said that by using amulets and charms, that voodooists are commiting idolotry. However, can you please explain this to me...
why do Christians accept the fish as the symbol of Jesus or God...when in acutality it has been linked to the Great Pagan Mother Godesses Vulva? Or the following:
In Greece the Greek word "delphos" meant both fish and womb. The word is derived from the location of the ancient Oracle at Delphi who worshipped the original fish goddess, Themis. The later fish Goddess, Aphrodite Salacia, was worshipped by her followers on her sacred day, Friday. They ate fish and engaging in orgies. From her name comes the English word "salacious" which means lustful or obscene.

The cross was also used as a symbol prior to Christianity:
Scandinavia: The Tau cross symbolized the hammer of the God Thor.
Babylon: the cross with a crescent moon was the symbol of their moon deity.
Assyria: the corners of the cross represented the four directions in which the sun shines.
India: In Hinduism, the vertical shaft represents the higher, celestial states of being; the horizontal bar represents the lower, earthly states.
Egypt: The ankh cross (a Tau cross topped by an inverted tear shape) is associated with Maat, their Goddess of Truth. It also represents the sexual union of Isis and Osiris.
Europe: The use of a human effigy on a cross in the form of a scarecrow has been used from ancient times. In prehistoric times, a human would be sacrificed and hung on a cross. The sacrifice would later be chopped to pieces; his blood and pieces of flesh were widely distributed and buried to encourage the crop fertility.

Please explain to me how, knowing this, you condemn my belief system - when the Christian symbolism is so obviously stolen from Paganism. At least I covet my own idols, not someone elses!

Answer 1

well here are the words of saint Francis of Assisi
It is better to understand then to be understood.

Why do you feel the need to defend what you already know?
You know the fundamentalist fanatics are going to say your misinformed by the Devil.
Does your path open your heart to the transcendent? If the answer is yes. Live and let live.
It is all metaphor for what cannot be described using human thought. IT can only touched and if the symbols dont change with the times then what you get are fanatics who slam planes into buildings and burn voodoo priestesses at the stake.

Answer 2

Christians do not use any symbols.NONE AT ALL!What churchianity and Catholicism accepts is another matter.The cross and fish symbols are not Christian at all.Speaking of the Cross of Calvary is Biblical,but not wearing those symbols or plastering them on walls as a sign of piety.

Answer 3

I'm a Christian, and I'm not afraid of symbols. Any of them. The flag of your country is a symbol, too. Use an amulet, a holy card, a cross, a fish, a medal, or whatever it takes to assist in promoting spiritual development. The swastika, before Hitler got hold of it, was a spiritual symbol, too. I don't have time to waste on being spooked by symbols.

Answer 4

The cross is what Jesus died on, it was a device used by the Romans for crucifying people.

The fish is recognized as a symbol because when Christians were in hiding from persecution, they would draw one half of the symbol on the ground to let others know that they were ready to meet. Another Christian would come along, draw the rest of the fish, then they'd meet at a later date and praise God.

They are symbols of our faith, and I don't knock you for yours. Generalizations make for bad assumptions.

Answer 5

The Greek word for fish was used as an acronym: Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ
Or, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.

Answer 6

Very good observation and excellent examples. I didn't know about these other symbols, aside from the cross, so thank you for the education.

Answer 7

actually the fish is a christian symbol....in the time of jesus and after it was how christians comunicated with one another. One christian would draw half the fish in the sand and when another christian saw that they would draw the other half.....christians were called antioch then.





It has nothing to do with pagans at all.

Answer 8

Also, the 'christian cross' is completely wrong because around the days Jesus was meant to be crucified they didn't use cross-shapes to crucify it was more of a T shape.

Answer 9

God sees why, not what,(who, when, where,how,) 1 Samuel16:7. That is where your assertions regarding the symbols above are 'a bit off' currently'.

Answer 10

I agree.
Any wearing of symbols or even putting them on your car is a form of idolatry in the eyes of the true God.
Therefore, as a Christian, I refrain from doing such.

You made a very valid point.