Christ did not tell us to take up a borrowed tomb, Dave. We are told
to take up our cross. Those wearing one are sending a messsage that
they follow Christ. Those with one marking their grave are saying the
same thing. This, of course, is not always true, but that cannot be
helped. Anything good will always be faked.
To answer your other question, I criticize almost every thing about the
Catholic religion. They are as screwed up as the Mormons. Don't even
try to understand. It would be a waste of time. IMO, of course, and
that is a shame.
Terry
Dave Hansen wrote:
The cross, like
the tomb, is empty.
DAVEH: So why don't Christians hang a symbol of the tomb (stone)
around their neck or decorate their edifices with something less
representative of the tools of God's enemies? As I see it, the tomb
was at least a sacred place, where Jesus' friends were relatively
comfortable. It was also a place where they cared for Jesus' body, and
near where Mary first saw the resurrected Christ. To me, it would be
far more significant than the instrument that brought such pain, misery
and death to our Lord. I just don't understand why anybody would
glorify something that was glorified by the enemies of Jesus.....
BTW.....Do you criticize the RCC practice of
idolizing/memorializing the crucifix? I don't see much distinction
between what they do, and what most non Catholic Christians do in their
glorification of the cross. Just because one depicts the actual usage
of the cross to bring pain and death to our Savior isn't much different
to me than a cross that remained after Jesus was killed and hauled off
to the tomb.
I think you are missing something important here
DAVEH: No Terry.....I don't think I'm missing anything, Terry. Lest
you forget, Christ arose from the tomb....not the cross.
Terry Clifton wrote:
I think you are missing something important here
Dave. The cross, like
the tomb, is empty. Jesus won the victory (for us). The only
people
who still have Him on the cross are Catholics. We "Protestants"
celebrate an empty cross. The one we deserved was occupied by another,
but, Praise God, no more. The empty cross is a precious reminder of
how much we are loved.
Terry
Dave Hansen wrote:
What does the CROSS "REPRESENT"
DAVEH: I hope you don't mind me intruding on your discussion with
Blaine, Kevin. This topic is of particular interest to me, as I've
seen quite a few crosses at the sides of highways I travel. Quite
often, they indicate places where people have died, or in the case of
cemeteries.....where they are buried...........
..........In the past couple thousand years, many Christians have
idolized the cross to depict the death of Jesus.........
.......which to me seems rather bizarre to me....if not macabre. Some
Christians have taken to wearing jewelery, and displaying crosses in
their abodes and places of worship.........
.........As I see it, those crosses depict the cruel tool used
to bring not only much pain and suffering to our beloved Savior, but
also the device that was used by God's enemies to kill our Lord. This
inhumane instrument was designed not only to kill God's children, but
at the same time to punitively torture them in a humiliating and
degrading way. It always amazes me that some Christians would have
such an affinity to such a devilish device that brings pain, suffering
and death to the minds of many who see it, and especially to those who
were victims of it.
I'm curious as to how you would feel about something similar,
Kevin. I don't know if you have any children, but for the sake of this
discussion let's assume you do. If your enemy were to maliciously use
a knife to torture your daughter for a couple days to the point that
the wounds killed her, would you be predisposed to wear a piece of
jewelry on a chain around your neck in the form of a knife to remind
you of what the guy did to your daughter? And, how would you feel if
you drove by a gun & knife store, and saw a sign depicting knives
that looked similar to the one that killed your daughter......Would it
bring back fond memories?
LDS folks appreciate the dying sacrifice of our Lord in our
behalf. But we don't glorify the tool that killed him. It sickens me
to think of man's inhumanity that would bring such pain, suffering and
death to one who did not deserve it. Nor do we idolize the cross as
do so many others. Rather, we prefer to remember his sacrifice and
glorify his Father---not the cross--- for the resurrection of his Son.
FWIW.....We have a large Christian church near us that a few years
ago put 3 large prominent crosses on their building that are lit up at
night with blue lights that are very noticeable to the cars passing by
on the freeway........
http://www.rollinghills.org/about_us/campus/index.cfm
.........This picture really doesn't show them very well compared to
the cars on the freeway, as it is taken from the wrong angle and at
quite a distance. I have sometimes wondered if Jesus were to travel
that road, what would he think if he were to pass such an edifice that
memorializes his death in such a manner. I wouldn't be surprised if he
would wince at such a sight. And......It bothers me to think that
some would pain him in such a callous way.
Kevin Deegan wrote:
Exactly they bought into the counterfeit.
How art thou fallen from
heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground,
which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I
will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars
of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the
sides of the north:...
Yet thou shalt be brought
down
to
hell, to the sides of the pit.
North Star,
which represents Jesus Christ.
What does the CROSS "REPRESENT" Blaine?
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