Wearing a Cross

[Esiris]

Sanguina Cruenta

I grant you that by Wiccan rules at least, one can be Wiccan and Christian, but one cannot be a Christian Wiccan.

That's a good point- but I'm not sure how it would work spiritually to be both. sweatdrop  

[Ravynne Sidhe]

ArionFrost

There is nothing wrong with wearing a cross there is alot of Christian wiccans in the world... there is even a book on it The Path of a Christian Witch by
Adelina St. Clair


I have nothing against Catholics/Christians for that matter just as long as they are not forcing their faith down my throat/trying to convert me i'm fine

Christianity and Wicca are two totally different seperate religions with totally different practices.

And going to a church doesn't make you a Christian Esris. Anymore than going into my garage and pretending that I'm a car, makes me an actual car :s  

[X-Yami-no-Ko-X]

Esiris

Sanguina Cruenta

I grant you that by Wiccan rules at least, one can be Wiccan and Christian, but one cannot be a Christian Wiccan.

That's a good point- but I'm not sure how it would work spiritually to be both. sweatdrop

It can't. Within the Ten Commandment set down by God it says that one cannot worship any other gods.  

[Esiris]

X-Yami-no-Ko-X

It can't. Within the Ten Commandment set down by God it says that one cannot worship any other gods.

Any gods before him- I'll leave it to them to figure out how that works, if that even applies to them.
But I come from a Synchronistic religion that believes the god talked about in Church is deistic.

Ravynne Sidhe

And going to a church doesn't make you a Christian Esris. Anymore than going into my garage and pretending that I'm a car, makes me an actual car :s

I never said it did.  

[le chevalier etoile]

Personally, if I were in your position, I would not wear the cross as a necklace. While the cross is not an exclusively Christian symbol, it has been adopted by Western Culture to denote Christianity. For most people that wear crosses, it is a way for them to communicate their faith and find like-minded individuals. I would not want to violate that unspoken connection, and would instead find another way to wear the item or incorporate it into my every day life.

That being said, I think that it is completely legitimate to want to wear it as a token of your mother's love instead of a religious symbol- I would just be aware that it may be offensive to some Christians (especially the sort that equate Pagans with Satanism) and that you may have to explain yourself often!  

[X-Yami-no-Ko-X]

Esiris

Any gods before him- I'll leave it to them to figure out how that works, if that even applies to them.
But I come from a Synchronistic religion that believes the god talked about in Church is deistic.

Deistic? Never heard that word before.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

X-Yami-no-Ko-X

Esiris

Any gods before him- I'll leave it to them to figure out how that works, if that even applies to them.
But I come from a Synchronistic religion that believes the god talked about in Church is deistic.

Deistic? Never heard that word before.

Deism is a belief in a god that created the universe, but thereafter didn't interfere with it.  

[X-Yami-no-Ko-X]

Sanguina Cruenta

Deism is a belief in a god that created the universe, but thereafter didn't interfere with it.

Ah ok. That would make sense why we have two different stances on it.  

[Ravynne Sidhe]

X-Yami-no-Ko-X

Esiris

Sanguina Cruenta

I grant you that by Wiccan rules at least, one can be Wiccan and Christian, but one cannot be a Christian Wiccan.

That's a good point- but I'm not sure how it would work spiritually to be both. sweatdrop

It can't. Within the Ten Commandment set down by God it says that one cannot worship any other gods.

Well it says that you can't worship any other Gods Before YHVH. Not that you can't worship any other deities period. The issue is that devotion to the Lord and Lady has to be more of a priority than YHVH. And YHVH doesn't like being last, and neither do the other deities. So that's why it's ultimately difficult to be a Christian pagan and a Christian Wiccan.  

[Ravynne Sidhe]

le chevalier etoile

Personally, if I were in your position, I would not wear the cross as a necklace. While the cross is not an exclusively Christian symbol, it has been adopted by Western Culture to denote Christianity. For most people that wear crosses, it is a way for them to communicate their faith and find like-minded individuals. I would not want to violate that unspoken connection, and would instead find another way to wear the item or incorporate it into my every day life.

That being said, I think that it is completely legitimate to want to wear it as a token of your mother's love instead of a religious symbol- I would just be aware that it may be offensive to some Christians (especially the sort that equate Pagans with Satanism) and that you may have to explain yourself often!

If I remember correctly and my memory is shoddy, but isn't the Celtic Cross supposed to be the symbol of Brighid? So really it's easy to explain the origin or even why you use it. Some Christians are actually pretty understanding and don't mind. Especially if you explain that it's for aesthetic purposes and brings forth inspiration, etc.

As for people confusing Paganism with Satanism. Sure it does happen, and it doesn't hurt to make corrections. But technically Satanism isn't Abrahamic in any way shape or form, and is apart of paganism. Along with other LHP paths, so I don't see why one should worry about it :s Then again I'm weird and actually thinking about incorporating Satanism in my practices.  

[Esiris]

Sanguina Cruenta

X-Yami-no-Ko-X

Esiris

Any gods before him- I'll leave it to them to figure out how that works, if that even applies to them.
But I come from a Synchronistic religion that believes the god talked about in Church is deistic.

Deistic? Never heard that word before.

Deism is a belief in a god that created the universe, but thereafter didn't interfere with it.

And that's why people call on the Loa.  

[le chevalier etoile]

Ravynne Sidhe

If I remember correctly and my memory is shoddy, but isn't the Celtic Cross supposed to be the symbol of Brighid? So really it's easy to explain the origin or even why you use it. Some Christians are actually pretty understanding and don't mind. Especially if you explain that it's for aesthetic purposes and brings forth inspiration, etc.

As for people confusing Paganism with Satanism. Sure it does happen, and it doesn't hurt to make corrections. But technically Satanism isn't Abrahamic in any way shape or form, and is apart of paganism. Along with other LHP paths, so I don't see why one should worry about it :s Then again I'm weird and actually thinking about incorporating Satanism in my practices.

Many crosses started out as Pagan symbols, but my point was that the cross is commonly seen as an exclusively Christian symbol in Western culture. Therefore, while I could wear many cross-like pagan symbols, they will often be taken as Christian symbols if someone doesn't bother to talk to me about them. I would be uncomfortable with that, as wearing a symbol of one's faith in a visible area (such as a displayed necklace or pendant) is usually not only for the benefit of the wearer, but also as a display of faith to other believers and non-believers alike. I would not want to signal that I am a member of a faith that I am not anymore than I would like my Christian friends to wear a pentacle or valknut just because they appreciate it aesthetically or because they draw inspiration from it. When you're wearing a visible symbol of a religion, you're going to be taken as a member and representative of that faith to people that do not know your actual religious affiliation or bother to ask. Because I do not practice Christianity and would not be able to represent it properly, I would not feel comfortable wearing a Christian symbol.

Also, while you have an understanding of Satanism (which can be Abrahamic sometimes, depending on the tradition and how the individual practices) that doesn't mean that every Christian will. My fiance's mother is from a small town and is heavily Christian, and she equates everything unknown to her and outside of explicitly Christian belief as the work of Satan. Even though I have repeatedly tried to hint at our religious affiliation and talk about how non-Christian religions aren't evil by default, she believes that they are all worshiping Satan and the powers of evil simply by not worshiping God and Jesus. To her, it is sacrilegious for non-Christians to wear the Cross, as "Satanists" shouldn't bear the symbol of the sacrifice of her Lord. Because I am also from a small town in the Midwest, I know that equating Paganism with Satanism/Evil is (almost frighteningly) common, and while we can try to dispel these misconceptions, many people will refuse to listen- especially if they are particularly evangelical. The same people would, I expect, be offended that someone that believes in "evil" is wearing their symbol for the ultimate good.

All of that being said, I still think that the original poster should use their own judgement and wear the necklace in question if it feels right to them. Just be aware that some people might not be okay with it, and be prepared to explain it if necessary.  

[Ravynne Sidhe]

le chevalier etoile

Ravynne Sidhe

If I remember correctly and my memory is shoddy, but isn't the Celtic Cross supposed to be the symbol of Brighid? So really it's easy to explain the origin or even why you use it. Some Christians are actually pretty understanding and don't mind. Especially if you explain that it's for aesthetic purposes and brings forth inspiration, etc.

As for people confusing Paganism with Satanism. Sure it does happen, and it doesn't hurt to make corrections. But technically Satanism isn't Abrahamic in any way shape or form, and is apart of paganism. Along with other LHP paths, so I don't see why one should worry about it :s Then again I'm weird and actually thinking about incorporating Satanism in my practices.

Many crosses started out as Pagan symbols, but my point was that the cross is commonly seen as an exclusively Christian symbol in Western culture. Therefore, while I could wear many cross-like pagan symbols, they will often be taken as Christian symbols if someone doesn't bother to talk to me about them. I would be uncomfortable with that, as wearing a symbol of one's faith in a visible area (such as a displayed necklace or pendant) is usually not only for the benefit of the wearer, but also as a display of faith to other believers and non-believers alike. I would not want to signal that I am a member of a faith that I am not anymore than I would like my Christian friends to wear a pentacle or valknut just because they appreciate it aesthetically or because they draw inspiration from it. When you're wearing a visible symbol of a religion, you're going to be taken as a member and representative of that faith to people that do not know your actual religious affiliation or bother to ask. Because I do not practice Christianity and would not be able to represent it properly, I would not feel comfortable wearing a Christian symbol.

Also, while you have an understanding of Satanism (which can be Abrahamic sometimes, depending on the tradition and how the individual practices) that doesn't mean that every Christian will. My fiance's mother is from a small town and is heavily Christian, and she equates everything unknown to her and outside of explicitly Christian belief as the work of Satan. Even though I have repeatedly tried to hint at our religious affiliation and talk about how non-Christian religions aren't evil by default, she believes that they are all worshiping Satan and the powers of evil simply by not worshiping God and Jesus. To her, it is sacrilegious for non-Christians to wear the Cross, as "Satanists" shouldn't bear the symbol of the sacrifice of her Lord. Because I am also from a small town in the Midwest, I know that equating Paganism with Satanism/Evil is (almost frighteningly) common, and while we can try to dispel these misconceptions, many people will refuse to listen- especially if they are particularly evangelical. The same people would, I expect, be offended that someone that believes in "evil" is wearing their symbol for the ultimate good.

All of that being said, I still think that the original poster should use their own judgement and wear the necklace in question if it feels right to them. Just be aware that some people might not be okay with it, and be prepared to explain it if necessary.

Typically I don't really consider that to be true. I wore a pentacle for a time when I was a Christian and no one came up to me and questioned why I wore it. Or assumed I was a pagan. (The again the pentacle itself was actually very small you couldn't really notice it unless you were up close.) But that's not a good excuse to not wear a cross especially when the origins go back longer, regardless if someone doesn't do their research.

As far as Satanims goes regardless if it's Laveyean or Theistic ( also called Spiritual) it is not Abrahamic. An Abrahamic religion is any religion that worships the God of Abraham, YHVH. Satanists are vehemently against YHVH, therefore they are not Abrahamic, regardless if Satan is an angel created by YHVH to judge us. Again Satanists either worship themselves or worship Satan and the mulitude of demons as deities. They do NOT worship YHVH. A lot of Christians feel it's sacreligious for me to read the Bible especially when I read it within the context it's written in. That doesn't stop me from reading and studying the Bible.

If the OP wants to wear it in respect for her mother, then she can. If someone has a problem with it, that's their problem and they need to deal with it.  

[Venra Axel Prey]

le chevalier etoile

Because I do not practice Christianity and would not be able to represent it properly, I would not feel comfortable wearing a Christian symbol.

This is one of the issues I have with wearing the aforementioned piece of jewelry....

Quote:

My fiance's mother is from a small town and is heavily Christian, and she equates everything unknown to her and outside of explicitly Christian belief as the work of Satan. Even though I have repeatedly tried to hint at our religious affiliation and talk about how non-Christian religions aren't evil by default, she believes that they are all worshiping Satan and the powers of evil simply by not worshiping God and Jesus. To her, it is sacrilegious for non-Christians to wear the Cross, as "Satanists" shouldn't bear the symbol of the sacrifice of her Lord.

We have a bit of that here as well, though none quite so...extreme. My grandmother is like that, excluding those of Jewish faith, because she acknowledges that the Jewish god is the same as the Christian god. Those of Muslim, or any other type of faith, are Satan-worshiping *****. Oh, and homosexuals, as well.

Quote:

All of that being said, I still think that the original poster should use their own judgement and wear the necklace in question if it feels right to them. Just be aware that some people might not be okay with it, and be prepared to explain it if necessary.

You bring up very legitimate points, and I might decide to simply carry around the cross, instead of wearing it.
Thanks for putting so much time and effort into your replies. biggrin  

[neko-mata-01]

Sanguina Cruenta

Christian crosses do have a particular style (and there are a HEAP of different ones), but the cross isn't solely a Christian symbol. If nothing else, it's a symbol of a method of execution - because of this and the tendency European culture to put crosses on gravestones and places of death in recent centuries it can be a symbol of death in its own right.

For example, where I live you often see crosses as well as bunches of flowers on the side of the road where people have died in crashes, despite the culture here being pretty secular. They're always white and a particular size. It's good in a way because it will show you how dangerous a road is by how many crosses you see, and keep a driver vigilant. At any rate, because of this I personally tend to associate many crosses with death and the crypt first and Christianity second.

yeah but the tradition of putting crosses on graves comes largely form Christianity confused
also its only a crucifix if it has Jesus' body on it. which of course also implies Christianity. its true that it is a method of execution, but for some reason (since it was a gift apparently) that seems a little weird xD