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i received a necklace from my fiance with a Christian cross pendant and i am finding i think more about Christ as i wear it than i ever did when i was a fully active, dyed in the wool, true blue mormon. it makes me think of Christ more than i ever have. as i wear it i think about the kind of example i’m setting when i am out in public.
anybody else wear the Christian cross on a chain ?
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, but I have absolutely no problem with any member who does. 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.
I have two, I wear from time to time. I don’t care what TBM’s think…My father was Catholic, so I consider myself a Samaritan anyway (only half TBM) 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?
Mike wrote: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.
My daughter received a cross from a friend who moved away. A couple of years ago, she got chastised by an older lady at church for wearing a cross. Since then, I always wear a cross.
(I also have other talismans that I wear…right now I’m wearing the Mayan calendar….protection from the 2012 end of the world
🙂 )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.
For a time I wore a cross but I don’t presently simply because I lost mine years ago in one of our moves and never bought a new one. Mike,
When I look at the cross, I don’t see an instrument of torture even though we know that is what it was.
I recently listened to a sermon where the minister explained exactly how I feel. I was so appreciative for his articulation of what this symbol means to me.
The cross doesn’t represent Christ’s death to me.
It represents His suffering.
It reminds me when my heart is broken, when I feel betrayed, when I’ve been beaten down, when it seems as though my enemies have overcome me, that there is One who understands. There is One who has descended below all things and has carried a weight that far exceeds my own. There is One who, no matter what I experience, understands, empathizes, and can offer succor.
The cross reminds me that no matter what I go through, whatever small cross I am called to bear, I do not walk alone.
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.
Hey Mike, to me the only difference between a cross and a Mormon CTR ring is… a C and a R….. Done
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. i think i am starting to get my “spiritual” swag back. it all started when I began wearing a necklace with a Christian cross pendant in public and began to understand how important this symbol is in representing Christ and His earthly mission. i also saw this quote from the Dalai Lama:
Quote:If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
Peace seems to be what I have been feeling these days and peace is what I aspire to.
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.
cwald wrote:Hey Mike, to me the only difference between a cross and a Mormon CTR ring is… a C and a R…..
😆 :thumbup: I agree with On Own Now…cwald gets a nomination for post of the week for this one! That’s great!
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