I find this, in my face, suffering propaganda depressing and frankly morbid.
The first time I saw a christ on the cross I was 4 and I was really scared. Catholics are really good with all the gory details. And "The Passion" jesus freaking christ that was awful, now wonder there is so much mental illness associated with religion.
2007-11-27 07:41:12 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Discontinuing all religions would be even better.
2007-11-27 07:45:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 6⤋
Very good questions. Symbols are tricky things.
The cross didn't become a common Christian symbol until the second century. Although references to it as a remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ were common, the symbol itself carried the morbid picture of death (rightfully so).
Toward the end of Constantine's rule of Rome (305-337), he abolished the use of crucifixion in Rome. This allowed some distance to be placed between reality and symbolism with the cross.
Today we have vivid historical pictures of the cross which a revived the horror associated with the cross.
Do I believe a switch in symbols is a good idea? Likely not. The teachings of the cross, however misguided at times, is a direct link to theology of the 1st century. Although the new testament writers didn't spend as much energy on the cross as modern theologians, the link to the cross is too strong to eliminate it. In addition, the fish has even less to do with the Gospel of Christ than the cross does.
Many additional symbols exist, but I don't see the cross disappearing anytime soon. It has, after all, survived as a primary symbol for almost 1500 years.
God Bless
2007-11-27 08:01:41 · answer #2 · answered by Consider_This 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason for the cross is a reminder that Jesus died for our sins on the cross. Kinda take offense to the comment about Catholics-- I am one.
"The Passion" was great movie went to see it with other church groups and most of them didn't understand until the movie just what flogging entailed. The youth minister from one of the other churches said that he kinda felt that his religion "sugar coated" the Passion when talking about it in Sunday school classes and in church.
The story of the fish symbol is having to do with the "fishers of men". When you met someone you didn't know if they where Christian you would draw an ( in the ground and if they drew ) and it made a "fish" they where Christian.
I would think that lack of religion would be linked to mental illness, but that is just my opinion.
Have a great day brought to you by GOD!
2007-11-27 08:00:35 · answer #3 · answered by Mom of three A.R.T. 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't particularly like the Christ on the Cross symbol either. Not because it scares me but because He isn't on that Cross anymore.
I don't down play His death. His resurrection is what is important.
I look at a cross and I think of Jesus. That is what a symbol is for.
I'm not clear on what the fish means. I thought the fish was a symbol of Jonah or Jesus miracle of the fish and loaves of bread.
2007-11-27 07:52:16 · answer #4 · answered by cc 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fish symbol and the cross are both pagan. The letters of the word for fish are said to stand for Jesus Christ Son Of God (jcsog something)...but it is pagan.
Jesus died on a stake or single pale. Not a two beamed cross.
References you can check for the cross are: WE Vines NT word dictionary, Strongs Greek word dictionary, every occurance of stauros in a KJV with Strongs definition (such as found at Bible Gateway), Thayers, most Church Bible dictionaries from 1517 to early 1900s.
Debbie
2007-11-27 07:56:04 · answer #5 · answered by debbiepittman 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Catholics have the "Crucifix" with Jesus nailed to the cross. They worship his dieing there.
The Protestants use only the "Cross" as a symbol of Jesus having already risen off the the Earth and death and now sits beside God in Heaven. Jesus is not nailed to the "cross" there.
2007-11-27 07:50:45 · answer #6 · answered by geessewereabove 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is a free online source that sorts out this very issue.
The cross is based on the Pauline Gospel... Jesus didn't preach the Pauline Gospel...
Jesus preached the Kingdom Gospel.
If people got back to the Original Kingdom Gospel that Jesus actually preached, this thing about the cross would just vanish. This free online resource will verify what I am saying...
2007-11-27 07:49:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jesus' death on the cross was prophesied 1000 years before it happened... including the gory details of his death. The symbol of the cross stands on the grounds of what it represents rather than merely because one particular Christian group uses the symbol.
2007-11-27 07:47:23 · answer #8 · answered by Blessed 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Personally, I like the cross, and what it symbolizes. The fish has no personal meaning, it's just code for Christian. The Cross stands for everything we belive in.
As for religion/ mental illness connection, everything that is good and beautiful can be twisted and misused. Childbirth, relationships, love can all be associated with mental illness, as well.
2007-11-27 08:02:50 · answer #9 · answered by mury902 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The cross is actually a ripped off symbol from solar religions of the day(solar cross), and the fish is a ripped off symbol from astrological religions (Pisces). But I guess if they MUST have a brand label, the Vesica Pisces is less greusome.
2007-11-27 07:53:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You realize that before Christianity the fish symbolized the vulva of the pagan mother goddess that the world supposedly came from.
2007-11-27 08:05:47 · answer #11 · answered by Hate Boy! 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋