wearing a Christian cross

I keep a cross above my bed. You might laugh, but at one point I was having horrible nightmares. Since I’ve put the thing up, they’ve decreased in number. Make of that what you will.

I don’t have a problem with wearing a cross if it brings you comfort.

But, I’ve always wondered, if Jesus had been shot instead of crucified, would some Christians use a gun as

a symbol of their faith?

Mike from Milton.

Doesn’t the scripture say something like, “take up your cross and follow me.”?

How can one take up their cross if they don’t have one?

if Jesus had been shot instead of crucified, would some Christians use a gun as a symbol of their faith?

For me I see it as a symbol for those that believe. I compare it to my use of garments. One could say that the garments are tied to the exclusivity of polygamy as it was practiced in Nauvoo, but that doesn’t matter to me. To me, my garments represent an element of personal belief, a common bond with DW and previous generations, and also a link to divinity. It is not so much that the garments themselves matter, but rather that those elements of my life that the garments represent DO MATTER. I imagine it could be the same for persons that use the cross as an expression of their faith.

Roy, I agree with what you said about garments being a symbol of personal belief. I didn’t look at it that way.

cwald, Regarding wearing a cross, I like your style.

Mike from Milton.

MNG, that’s an excellent view point.

I know I will think of it differently now.

Especially with the Easter season.

Thank you.

Mike from Milton.

For me, it doesn’t matter. I suppose wearing one makes you stick out and draws perhaps unwanted comments from others at Church, so to save the angst, I probably wouldn’t bother ever wearing one. For me, the sacrament gives me the reminder of the week about the cross, as do the standard church pictures I have throughout my house, and the scriptures on the wall.

First of all, cwald, I laughed out loud when I read your posts. Thank you sir.

On the issue of wearing of the cross, it’s a bit of a split personality thing for me. There are two ways to look at it (for a person attending the LDS church).

First, it is a wonderful way to connect with Jesus. The term “take up the cross” used in the NT, is meant to be an aligning with Jesus and his “Kingdom of God” lifestyle. Wearing a cross is a way to show awareness of and acceptance of the atonement. It’s a way to show that the atonement is stamped onto your life. In that way it is really cool and wonderful.

On the other hand, it’s an OUTWARD symbol. You can’t even see it while you are wearing it, but everyone else can. I have the same view of garments as Roy. I view them as a private reminder of the wearer’s devotion to God, like a cross or ash on the forehead or a burka, but worn in a way that no one else will see or notice. It’s between God and the wearer. Wearing any outward symbol is often meant to show others that you believe certain things, rather than reminding ourselves what we believe. In that vein, I’d probably be more likely to wear a cross under my shirt, than to wear it in a way that is visible to others. In addition, cwald’s protest aside, I probably wouldn’t wear a cross at church, simply because I’m not trying to challenge people at church. I think of myself as a guest there, and it’s a custom of the LDS church not to wear one, so I adhere to that custom, in the same way that I close my eyes during the prayer, even though I don’t think anyone is even on the other side listening.