hi everyone, this is my first post and i was wondering what people thought on thequestion is the cross a symbol for death? i was reading in a book somewhere that christianity worships the cross as it is found all over in their churches. the text also goes onto say that christianity worships the dead as most churches especially old churches are built in grave yards. also with the fact that jesus died on the cross doesn't this give an answer to the question.the bible does state that God is of the living not of the dead. what do you all think.

natcnew

Could be looked at that way. Condsidering the emotional imagery attached to the cross. You know the, nails, blood, pain, death, murder, general suffering etc, etc. You'd be surprise that the darn thing didn't bring bad luck to a person too.

The countries that have them hanging up on the walls in most place than not tend to have the most poverty and murder also. Itthat be a coincidencehowever.

Interesting post. I think that the Christian cross is a symbol of both suffering and death. I would think that if the focus were on a living God, folks would be wearing a cave with a rock hanging off it. You know, as in "He has risen"?

i was just thinking off the cross as a symbol of death becasue jesus died on it. and i look at it in this way. if my brother was shot by a gun, i am not going to wear a gun round my neck because that is how he died. so why do so many people, especially christians where this cross and say that they wear it becasue their saviour died on it. to me it doesnt make sense.

thanks for the replies

natcnew

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful...the Best Knower.

When I was a professed Christian, the Cross was a symbol of the suffering of the "Christ", who overcame the Cross "that we might have salvation".

Now, there is a surface interpretation of that, and there is a deeper interpretation.

Nowadays, I see the Cross as a symbol of the Ageless struggle of man to lift up his Spiritual (vertical) nature above the Carnal (horizontal) nature.

If you look at the Cross, you see that Most of the Vertical (upright) part is BELOW the Horizontal (carnal) part. So, the Cross, in that sense represents the Struggle of the "Initiate" to Master Self.

Christ, according to the Bible, gave us the EXAMPLE of how to "break the cross", or Master the Struggle, Win the Battle against the Lower self.

When you undertake such a Journey, your hands and feet will be nailed down (you will have to sacrifice much...nailed to the Struggle), and you will no doubt be pierced in the side (have your motives questioned), and have a crown of thorns pressed down on your head (your faith and knowledge mocked).

Is the Cross a symbol of death? I guess it could be, on a certain level. But I believe the Cross, on a deeper level isa symbol of the struggle to OVERCOME death...the death of bondage to the lower self.

All Praise is due to Allah(God) for the Hon. Elijah Muhammad, and the Hon. Louis Farrakhan.

RM

all is on the cross,in jesus body,but..we can't stay every time..with the agony of the christ...