Why is Jesus never on the cross in a Protestant church?

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2ndGen said:
I know I come off as harsh to both Catholics and to Protestants because I like to get to the point and if someone suggests something to me and I’m not sure about what their trying to say, I like to get it out.

I’ve been told to be more charitable when defending myself. Believe that? I’m attacked an insulted and slandered, and I get called out on it.

But if telling the truth gets me booted, so be it. If the truth is uncharitable to someone’s feelings because it proves them wrong, so be it. The truth is worth cyber death (I’m sure the martyrs would’ve felt the same).

I’m the sweetest guy you could know. I just have a low threshold for hypocrites (both Protestants and especially Catholics). I can’t endure “holier than thou’ers” who cast stones and who are always on the prowl for other’s logs.

I’ve debated with the best of them here and the one thing I can honestly say is that I’ve made friends of my greatest adversaries. We still may disagree, but we have developed a common respect for each other.

And finally, get to know me long enough…you’ll see that 90% of what I say is tongue in cheek, joking around, trying to keep the exchanges lighthearted.

Unfortunately, there are sore losers who take things personal and just get bent out of shape.

But hey, it’s good to know you’re cool.

👍

:hug3:
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I don’t know about anyone else,but why do I find that response sarcastic?
 
Righteousone said:
Just wondering why christ is never hung on a cross in a Protestant church? Are they simply ignoring the Passion? After all, He died for all and to focus on just the Ressurection is not right at all. The way He died and suffered, I would think you might emphasize it a little more. Yes, He did come back and it is great, but not to focus on His suffering is awful.
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If Catholics do it, then protestants have to do something different. Ask a protestant why they do a lot of things and the reason usually boils down “We don’t do that because that is what Catholics do. We do this instead because we don’t want to be like the Catholics”.

Don’t think that I am being harsh. The history of the why of a lot of local customs that protestants do is usually based on this. There are a lot of things that protestants inheirited from Catholicism and as such, they can point to scripture to support it or church history to support it or the saints to support it. Where they differ from Catholicism, it is usually something that they made up just to differentiate themselves from the Catholic Church or sometimes even from the other protestant church that they further broke away from.

Catholic Church has Icons and Statues. Protestants don’t. They did that to differentiate themselves from the Catholic Church and later have tried to point scripture to support it.

It has to do with history, not theology. Just look at the sedevacantist that want to cling to the tridentine mass as the Catholic Church adapted the liturgy to be easy to translate. Now that the Catholic Church is taking a serious look at the Tridentine Mass the sedevacantist have to now find out another way to differentiate themselves again further away from the Catholic Church.

SDA go to church on Saturday and teach that going on Sunday, As the Catholic Church does, is wrong. That is their issue of “we are different from Catholics”.

If I see a “church” and am in another country where I can’t read the sign outside that is in another language then I look for a Cross. If I see Jesus then I can begin to look other things that might tell me that this is a Catholic Church. If I don’t see Jesus, then I know that I am in the wrong place. If a protestant enters a church and sees Jesus on the Cross, then they bolt out. Almost like brand naming.
 
Claudius said:
If Catholics do it, then protestants have to do something different. Ask a protestant why they do a lot of things and the reason usually boils down “We don’t do that because that is what Catholics do. We do this instead because we don’t want to be like the Catholics”.

Don’t think that I am being harsh. The history of the why of a lot of local customs that protestants do is usually based on this. There are a lot of things that protestants inheirited from Catholicism and as such, they can point to scripture to support it or church history to support it or the saints to support it. Where they differ from Catholicism, it is usually something that they made up just to differentiate themselves from the Catholic Church or sometimes even from the other protestant church that they further broke away from.

Catholic Church has Icons and Statues. Protestants don’t. They did that to differentiate themselves from the Catholic Church and later have tried to point scripture to support it.

It has to do with history, not theology. Just look at the sedevacantist that want to cling to the tridentine mass as the Catholic Church adapted the liturgy to be easy to translate. Now that the Catholic Church is taking a serious look at the Tridentine Mass the sedevacantist have to now find out another way to differentiate themselves again further away from the Catholic Church.

SDA go to church on Saturday and teach that going on Sunday, As the Catholic Church does, is wrong. That is their issue of “we are different from Catholics”.

If I see a “church” and am in another country where I can’t read the sign outside that is in another language then I look for a Cross. If I see Jesus then I can begin to look other things that might tell me that this is a Catholic Church. If I don’t see Jesus, then I know that I am in the wrong place. If a protestant enters a church and sees Jesus on the Cross, then they bolt out. Almost like brand naming./QUOT

Yes, I’ve been in five countries, and everything IS Catholic. But I too would think that the church is not Catholic if christ was not on the cross. Just how it is…pretty weird to think they don’t focus on that horrific death…that they don’t pray as holy as we do about it…
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Righteousone said:
Claudius;3300881:
If Catholics do it, then protestants have to do something different. Ask a protestant why they do a lot of things and the reason usually boils down “We don’t do that because that is what Catholics do. We do this instead because we don’t want to be like the Catholics”.

Don’t think that I am being harsh. The history of the why of a lot of local customs that protestants do is usually based on this. There are a lot of things that protestants inheirited from Catholicism and as such, they can point to scripture to support it or church history to support it or the saints to support it. Where they differ from Catholicism, it is usually something that they made up just to differentiate themselves from the Catholic Church or sometimes even from the other protestant church that they further broke away from.

Catholic Church has Icons and Statues. Protestants don’t. They did that to differentiate themselves from the Catholic Church and later have tried to point scripture to support it.

It has to do with history, not theology. Just look at the sedevacantist that want to cling to the tridentine mass as the Catholic Church adapted the liturgy to be easy to translate. Now that the Catholic Church is taking a serious look at the Tridentine Mass the sedevacantist have to now find out another way to differentiate themselves again further away from the Catholic Church.

SDA go to church on Saturday and teach that going on Sunday, As the Catholic Church does, is wrong. That is their issue of “we are different from Catholics”.

If I see a “church” and am in another country where I can’t read the sign outside that is in another language then I look for a Cross. If I see Jesus then I can begin to look other things that might tell me that this is a Catholic Church. If I don’t see Jesus, then I know that I am in the wrong place. If a protestant enters a church and sees Jesus on the Cross, then they bolt out. Almost like brand naming.[/QUOT

Yes, I’ve been in five countries, and everything IS Catholic. But I too would think that the church is not Catholic if christ was not on the cross. Just how it is…pretty weird to think they don’t focus on that horrific death…that they don’t pray as holy as we do about it…
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Funny…but The Bible is “Catholic”. 😃
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Claudius said:
If Catholics do it, then protestants have to do something different. ** Ask a protestant why they do a lot of things and the reason usually boils down “We don’t do that because that is what Catholics do. We do this instead because we don’t want to be like the Catholics”**.
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Case in point:
7 years ago I was pregnant with my DD. I was a practicing protestant (raised Catholic) at the time. I said I like the name “Mary” and would like to name a girl “Mary.” Typical protestant response of my DD’s Dad: "That’s too Catholic."

My response (I never did have any animosity toward Mary when I was protestant) “She is a holy woman! She is the Mother of Christ! She is a prominent figure in the New Testament!”

That argument got me nowhere. Mark my word: you will rarely find a little girl in a “Sola Scriptura” protestant church named “Mary.”

Even in women’s bible studies on “women in the bible” she is conspicuously left out, in favor of Priscilla, Hannah, Rachel, etc…
 
Claudius said:
If a protestant enters a church and sees Jesus on the Cross, then they bolt out.
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Why a Crucifix?
*
For the Jews request a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and **the weakness of God is stronger than man.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
Jews: the religious ones
Greeks: the learned, educated ones
 
graceandglory said:
Case in point:
7 years ago I was pregnant with my DD. I was a practicing protestant (raised Catholic) at the time. I said I like the name “Mary” and would like to name a girl “Mary.” Typical protestant response of my DD’s Dad: "That’s too Catholic."

My response (I never did have any animosity toward Mary when I was protestant) “She is a holy woman! She is the Mother of Christ! She is a prominent figure in the New Testament!”

That argument got me nowhere. Mark my word: you will rarely find a little girl in a “Sola Scriptura” protestant church named “Mary.”

Even in women’s bible studies on “women in the bible” she is conspicuously left out, in favor of Priscilla, Hannah, Rachel, etc…
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What is a DD?
 
2ndGen said:
Jesus is only in the unleavened bread that is consecrated by one like He (an ordained “Priest”). No Priest, no consecration, no consecration, no blessing…no blessing of the bread, no Jesus in the bread.

Jesus is “not” in the Protestant bread because they don’t have The Priesthood instituted by Jesus, ordained by Apostolic Tradition!

Jesus was not a “pastor”…He was a Priest!

He didn’t “symbolically” bless the bread (there’s nothing symbolic about Jesus saying “This ‘is’ my body…”).
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I think the point to which you are responding is that Jesus is not “in” the consecrated “bread,” which is true. In fact it is not even bread anymore, it is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. When the priest says the words of consecration, the substantial nature of the bread (that is, that which it is) is changed into the body of Christ. Jesus is not “somewhere” inside of the bread; He is the bread.

Having said all of this, I don’t think you meant that he was inside of the bread in your original point anyway; I think someone is just trying to take your words too literally.
 
It’s all so simple. Protestants (with some exceptions) don’t have Christ on the cross because He isn’t on the cross. Those who prefer to gave Him there - fine. But I’m not convinced that that’s an important issue. Just about every Protestant church I know has a cross within the sanctuary, often on the outside of the church somewhere. I may wear a lapel cross but would feel uncomfortable to have Christ upon it. Just happens to be how I think and feel.
Code: 
 The communion issue isn't all that important either. Protestants believe that Christ is everywhere - at home, at work, at church, at communion, etc. The idea that the bread and wine (grapejuice, often) become the actual body and blood of Christ seems pagan to most of them, a hangover from the mystery religions of 2000 years ago which rivaled Christianity at that time. The cults of Mithra and of Dionysus and of Isis, etc. Consume the flesh and blood of a god and you take on its eternal life - and such. Then, again, if some Christians want to believe that - okay with me. I noticed a poll (in the US Catholic magazine?) that most American Catholics reject transubstantiation.

  But why do some Christians get so upset over different interpretations of scripture? The most productive and interesting Bible studies I have attended have thrived on different viewpoints without animus. This notion that only one church has the right answers has no appeal to me. 

 I enjoy briskly discussing different opinions cordially and with mutual respect. After all, none of us has insight into the full truth. Our finite minds simply can't get through to it. Like Paul said - 'now we know in part' - I Cor. 13.  

 Moreover, I believe God gave us a brain to use, and He does not require that we accept what we are told without weighing it for ourselves. Does anyone out there honestly believe that a merciful God condemns people who sincerely seek truth and embrace opinions that differ from those of other Christians? Certainly not a god I would worship.
 
Righteousone said:
If Catholics do it, then protestants have to do something different. Ask a protestant why they do a lot of things and the reason usually boils down “We don’t do that because that is what Catholics do. We do this instead because we don’t want to be like the Catholics”.
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I think you should purchase a good history book.
Don’t think that I am being harsh. The history of the why of a lot of local customs that protestants do is usually based on this.
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I think you should READ a good history book.
There are a lot of things that protestants inheirited from Catholicism and as such, they can point to scripture to support it or church history to support it or the saints to support it.
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What we retained is what we found to be supported in Scripture; in documented, Apostolic teaching.
Where they differ from Catholicism, it is usually something that they made up just to differentiate themselves from the Catholic Church.
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You need that history book.
Catholic Church has Icons and Statues. Protestants don’t. They did that to differentiate themselves from the Catholic Church and later have tried to point scripture to support it.
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That particular issue goes back further than even the Protestant Reformation. You need a good history book.
It has to do with history, not theology.
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Actually, historically it has to do with Biblical theology.
Just look at the sedevacantist that want to cling to the tridentine mass as the Catholic Church adapted the liturgy to be easy to translate. Now that the Catholic Church is taking a serious look at the Tridentine Mass the sedevacantist have to now find out another way to differentiate themselves again further away from the Catholic Church.
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You probably need to explore even their issues more deeply.
SDA go to church on Saturday and teach that going on Sunday, As the Catholic Church does, is wrong. That is their issue of “we are different from Catholics”.
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They go to church on Saturday because they erroneously believe and teach that the commandment in the Decalogue to keep the Sabbath holy is still valid for Christians. It has nothing to do with being “different from Catholics,” since the majority of “Protestantism” also worship on Sunday (which is not based on a commandment but tradition. There’s no Apostolic teaching on which day to worship, much less worship itself).
If a protestant enters a church and sees Jesus on the Cross, then they bolt out.
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Catholic and Protestant church buildings are usually easily distinguished from the outside - no need to enter. But I’ve been in many, many Catholic church buildings and have attended many Masses (even as a youth participated).
pretty weird to think they don’t focus on that horrific death…that they don’t pray as holy as we do about it…
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We participate in Communion “in remembrance” of Him (His substitutionary, bodily sacrifice for our sins, His blood shed for our forgiveness); and as often as we eat the bread and drink the cup we “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” Nothing superficially holy about that.

As to why we don’t display Him on the cross, see my post #103
 
Roy5 said:
I noticed a poll (in the US Catholic magazine?) that most American Catholics reject transubstantiation.
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Did the poll happen to mention anything about the beliefs of Roman Catholics? Also, it is important to recognize that reality is not decided upon by a majority opinion.
 
moondweller you list yourself as a bac. What is a bac and how are your beliefs different form say Baptist, Lutherans, Methodist?

Are you a history buff?
 
Harland said:
moondweller you list yourself as a bac. What is a bac and how are your beliefs different form say Baptist, Lutherans, Methodist?

Are you a history buff?
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I’m just guessing but I think bac is Born Again Christian
 
Jesus is not on the cross because He is resurrected. We celebrate His resurrection each Sunday not His death. We do not undermind His death but Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 15 that if Christ did not rise from the dead then our faith is in vain.
 
DLC said:
Jesus is not on the cross because He is resurrected. We celebrate His resurrection each Sunday not His death. We do not undermind His death but Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 15 that if Christ did not rise from the dead then our faith is in vain.
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Yes, he did. And Paul also said “we preach Christ crucified.” So both the empty cross and the crucifix are appropriate Christian images. They both point to Christ crucified and Christ risen.
And as a non-catholic, I couldn’t care less if someone thinks I’m “too Catholic”!!
 
Just want to say this, my mother in law has a statue of David and she is baptist. I wonder why that is ok, but not Mary.?
 
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