Is wearing a cross a sin?

[Malaps]

I have an ambivalent question that has been on my mind for a long time.
Why do we have crosses as a Christian symbol. There is no sense behind it.
I can find nowhere in the Bible a prof for that.
god has forbidden to make any imitations or symbols of him???

 

[LilyM]

I have an ambivalent question that has been on my mind for a long time.
Why do we have crosses as a Christian symbol. There is no sense behind it.
I can find nowhere in the Bible a prof for that.
god has forbidden to make any imitations or symbols of him???

Firstly, the Cross makes perfect sense. It is the ultimate representation of Christ’s passion and death (and victory over it) - the climactic moment in all of salvation history.

Lots of things are not specifically mentioned in the Bible - for example Christ nowhere commands anyone to write or publish accounts of His life and teachings. Yet they did, and clearly didn’t take his lack of comment as a condemnation or prohibition.

God prohibited the making of IDOLS, images of false gods designed as objects for false worship. Not images in general. He gives positive directions, when the Temple is being built, to.actually include “graven images” of angels, plants and other things.

Moreover, when the Israelites were in the desert and affected by a plague of poisonous snakes, He commands that an image of a snake be erected on a pole, and whoever had been bitten was to look at the image and they would be cured.

A cross is not an.image of a person, being different froma crucifix which is a cross with the image.of the Crucified upon it.

 

[Maximian]

I presume you are a Muslim hoping to dissuade Catholics from wearing crucifixes? Good luck with that lol

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Why do we have crosses as a Christian symbol. There is no sense behind it.
I can find nowhere in the Bible a prof for that.

Is this a serious comment? It makes absolutely zero sense given that Jesus died on the cross.

god has forbidden to make any imitations or symbols of him???

Respectfully, you’re posting on a Catholic forum. Catholics have already rejected this argument repeatedly during the last 2000 years.
We aren’t going to suddenly change our minds about Catholic teaching that images of God are acceptable, just because someone who’s obviously not Catholic (and does sound like they’re possibly Muslim) posts a statement like this.

Kindly respect our beliefs if you’re going to post here.
The idea of wearing a cross being a sin is laughable to Christians (including most Protestants), and even more so to Catholics.

 

[redcatholic]

You are on a Catholic site asking Catholics who wear crosses if it is a sin?

 

[Malaps]

Thank you for your reply.
Yes it was to harsh to say it is a sin to wear a cross so will take that back because it is not true.
…but in general what I mean is, there should be nothing between me and God I can speak with God about everything I want, every time I pray I feel the present of God, the only think I can’t understand why we need a cross as a symbol if we already have everything when we understand Good’s will.
Because as I read from your answer’s you all mention things that remember us on Jesus death and the present he gave us.
But every time we pray we will remember and feel this present which makes the use of the cross as a symbol obsolete

 

[Fauken]

but in general what I mean is, there should be nothing between me and God I can speak with God about everything I want, every time I pray I feel the present of God, the only think I can’t understand why we need a cross as a symbol if we already have everything when we understand Good’s will.

A cross isn’t a talisman. It doesn’t magically make you closer to God. It is a reminder for us and the world who our God is.

Also, we don’t always understand God’s will, do we? Nor do we always know it.

 

[Niblo]

Relax. At least you’re not a Muslim

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I can’t understand why we need a cross as a symbol if we already have everything when we understand Good’s will.

We don’t “need” it. If the state banned crosses or we were thrown into a prison cell without our cross we could still be close to God.

However, we like to use crosses and especially crucifixes, and the Church promotes their use, as a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice. It is something for us to contemplate in prayer, and a visible sign of our faith. It’s not some magic channel to God. I don’t pick up a crucifix and presto I’m connected to God. That’s not how we use any sacramental. It is our prayers that connect us to God; the sacramentals are aids to prayer and worship, like holy tools.

 

[ReaderT]

god has forbidden to make any symbols of him???

I respectfully disagree - God allowed Himself to be described when He became man, when he took on depictable and describable characteristics (hair, eye color, skin color, etc.).

I can find nowhere in the Bible a prof for that.

I can find nowhere in the Bible where it states “these are the books that belong in the Bible” - how do we know that the Book of Romans (for example) belongs there? How do we know what the Bible is?

…but in general what I mean is, there should be nothing between me and God I can speak with God about everything I want, every time I pray I feel the present of God, the only think I can’t understand why we need a cross as a symbol if we already have everything when we understand Good’s will.

God also gave us 5 senses that we can use to deepen our walk with Him: ears for hearing music, the nose for incense, and the eyes for seeing, etc.

 

[Peebo]

A crucifix is also a good evangelization “weapon” we Catholics have, I’ve always worn mine and have had numerous people over the years comment on it, others will glance at it while talking with them. I’ve had a few Protestants ask me why I wear a crucifix as Christ is risen and no longer on the cross, I’ve explained to them that as a Catholic the crucifix reminds me of the sacrifice that Christ suffered and died for me, and you, and the sins of the whole world, that we might be reconciled to God, they do seem surprised, like they had never thought of it in that way.

 

[LilyM]

Thank you for your reply.
Yes it was to harsh to say it is a sin to wear a cross so will take that back because it is not true.
…but in general what I mean is, there should be nothing between me and God I can speak with God about everything I want, every time I pray I feel the present of God, the only think I can’t understand why we need a cross as a symbol if we already have everything when we understand Good’s will.
Because as I read from your answer’s you all mention things that remember us on Jesus death and the present he gave us.
But every time we pray we will remember and feel this present which makes the use of the cross as a symbol obsolete

We can see and talk to our spouses, children, family and friends pretty much any time, thanks.to.mobile phones and internet.

But we still like to keep objects and images around that remind us of them - photos of them, gifts they have given us, letters and cards they have sent, our engagement and wedding rings , hings like that.

These things have meaning and add to the relationship and communication we alreafy have with the person by keeping them at the front of our thoughts.

They also send a message to others about us If I see someone wearing a burka or niqab I know they are Muslim, if.they wear a policeman’s or fireman’s uniform I know what they do for a job, if they wear a wedding ring I know they are married, and if they wear a cross I know.they are Christian. It is a silent demonstration to others of our faith.

 

[Vico]

I have an ambivalent question that has been on my mind for a long time.
Why do we have crosses as a Christian symbol. There is no sense behind it.
I can find nowhere in the Bible a prof for that.
god has forbidden to make any imitations or symbols of him???

Matthew 16

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

John 19

17 And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha.

Mark 15

32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

 

[Hodos]

“For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

 

[CoffeeCatholic]

Yep… I was thinking a Mormon (not muslim) but either one makes sense.