The Cross Offensive

[john doe]

I live in Salt Lake County and have known many people who wear crosses, both as pendants and as earrings. In all of my conversations with them they have never talked about being given unpleasant looks for it. None of them have ever seemed bothered by the kinds of things you say happen to you. To me it's a universally recognized sign of Mainstream Christian belief and not offensive at all. Sometimes they will ask why LDS don't wear the cross, and the answer I give is that we prefer to remember the living Christ and His atonement for our sins.

[lattelady]

John Doe, I imagine Salt Lake County is a bit more diverse than the small-town area of Utah I drew up in and now live in as an adult. Believe me, people wearing crosses here are few and far between. I'm glad the people you've talked with haven't been treated with unpleasant behavior.

[Moksha]

I think that if we really want to be counted among religions as truly being Christian, we should shake off those unfounded accusations against the symbol of the cross ( you know, like it being only a reminder of Christ's execution and representing a dead Christ) and acknowledge that the Cross has indeed become the universal symbol of Christianity.

[bytebear]

Originally Posted by lattelady

Palerider--no, I said I got unfavorable looks and it started conversations. LDS friends said, "If your father or mother died in a car accident, would you hang a miniature car charm on your necklace in remembrance of their death?" in a very exasperated tone, and I was always very confused by the thought process.

This is a very common defensive reaction by many Mormons. I say defensive because Mormons are often accused of not worshiping Jesus Christ because we do not use the cross in our architecture. So, there is a justification for not using it, and I think that justification is true. You do not need to have a cross to worship Jesus Christ.

But, there is no discussion whatsoever by the leadership of the church on wearing crosses or having them in your home. None whatsoever.

[pam]

I think that if we really want to be counted among religions as truly being Christian, we should shake off those unfounded accusations against the symbol of the cross ( you know, like it being only a reminder of Christ's execution and representing a dead Christ) and acknowledge that the Cross has indeed become the universal symbol of Christianity.

But isn't that like saying...let's do it because everyone else is doing it?"

[lattelady]

I heard the same question so consistently that I think I just assumed there was some teaching or lesson given on the subject of the cross; the question about, "if your mother died in a car wreck, would you wear a miniature car..." I figured that was an illustration someone had used to perhaps drive home a point that focusing on the cross was morbid. It doesn't represent a dead Christ--all those who celebrate the message of the gospel are pretty clear that He's alive. To me, the cross is a symbol of the gospel message. It isn't morbid--it's the most beautiful thing I know.

[bytebear]

Originally Posted by lattelady

I heard the same question so consistently that I think I just assumed there was some teaching or lesson given on the subject of the cross; the question about, "if your mother died in a car wreck, would you wear a miniature car..." I figured that was an illustration someone had used to perhaps drive home a point that focusing on the cross was morbid. It doesn't represent a dead Christ--all those who celebrate the message of the gospel are pretty clear that He's alive. To me, the cross is a symbol of the gospel message. It isn't morbid--it's the most beautiful thing I know.

Nope, that is completely cultural. Nothing doctrinal or official about disdaining the cross. Funny how something becomes so common people think it's official. But it's not.

The closest thing is the prophet saying that we don't use crosses on our buildings is because we choose to remember the living Christ and have a steeple representing the assention into heaven, prayers and generally looking toward God, and the Moroni on some (but not all) temples, to remember the ushering in the restoration, and the angel trumpeting the eventual return of Christ. But nothing about condemning others for using it, and no one loses their temple recommend for having a cross in their house, or on their neck.

[Mike Reed]

Did someone say cross? :-p Yes... as explained by Moksha, the LDS contempt for the cross symbol (which fundamentally had an anti-Catholic basis) was more of a development that started around the turn of the 20th century; later being institutionalized in the 1950s under the direction of LDS prophet David O. McKay, on grounds that it was "purely catholic." Prior to this time, many prominent Latter-day Saints embraced and promoted the symbol of the cross. The Salt Lake Tribune did a story on my thesis in May, and last week I presented at the Sunstone Symposium in Salt Lake City.

[Dravin]

Personally I have to say that crucifixes make me slightly uncomfortable (not just a cross though), though that depends on conspicuousness I suppose, my main experience was going to a Catholic Mass, needless to say the crucifix is front and center and very large. Personally I found it kinda gruesome/morbid, but I understand that's my own personal reasoning and it wasn't because I felt they were trying to disrespect Christ, quite the opposite.

To mention a little bit more about crosses, on my mission quite a few recent converts kept their crosses, either on their person or on the wall of their homes (one or two crucifixes as well) and I never felt a need, nor was instructed to tell them they needed to remove it. I think a lot of Mormons hear why we don't use the cross ourself on our buildings and kinda run with it to conclude its offensive.

As far as being given a cross, either to wear or to put up on the wall of my home I'm not sure what I'd do with it. I wouldn't be offended, quite the opposite but I'm not sure I'd want to wear it or put it up and that would probably end up hurting the feelings of whomever gave it to me. I recognize any resistance to doing so is my own vaguely quantified feelings on the subject and not a question of doctrine though.

I dunno, how would a non-LDS handle being given a picture of a temple to put up on their wall? I know its not quite equivalent, the cross as a symbol of Christ represents my faith as I believe in Christ while a Temple being representative of Christ in its own way in my mind wouldn't necessarily be that way for somebody else.

BTW, the snark in me wants to point out the perfect (okay, maybe perfect is stretching things a bit) comeback to the questions you received would be:

I dunno, if a librarian showed a friend of yours where to find a really great book would you put a statue of him up on your most holy houses of worship and make him an unofficial symbol of your faith?

[Hemidakota]

Whom do we worship, a living Savior or a dead Savior? This is the question we need to ask ourselves when we wear an object that reflects this statement. Who really cares what others or the world may say or do. Whether it is a culture theological icon, what matters are our beliefs or knowledge on how we worship our deity.