Just saw a commercial, for ChatGPT Codex, with a young lady wearing a concealed cross.
I’m seeing crosses everywhere, even from people who have no idea what the Christian story actually is.
What gives?
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My father taught me to never trust someone who wears a cross. It’s been surprisingly good advice.
When I hear “I’m seeing X everywhere,” I suspect you might be Baader-Meinhoffing.
I’ve wondered if Jesus was killed via guillotine, if people would be wearing little gold guillotines around their neck.
I’m not a Christian, but I think symbolically, his torture wasn’t the important part, but the rising from the dead thing. So why not have a solid circle 🔴(stone) offset from a circular ring ⭕️, referencing that whole “stone was rolled away from the tomb because resurrection” thing?
I’m an atheist, and I don’t think his rising from the dead was the important part; it was his sacrificing himself for our collective sins, allowing us to be absolved of them and to enter the kingdom of heaven.
You’re right. The sacrifice and martyrdom is a huge part of being a Christian (which is likely why the cross is used). I’m not sure how I had forgotten that a huge theme among Christians is self sacrifice and Jesus dying for our sins.
But what makes Jesus special, at least from my perspective, wasn’t that he was martyred since others in the Bible were as well. It was the claim he was the son of god offering to save us from damnation, which is validated by the resurrection. Idk I think I just find the cross kind of macabre as a symbol of religion (and as a tool of punishment in general of course). Back when I was a Christian decades ago, I was also anti-cross lol
It’s very macabre, as are the symbolic eating of Christ’s body and drinking of his blood. The more you think about it the more goth Christianity becomes.
Saint Peter, of course, being the gothiest of them all being crucified on an inverted cross.
Its interesting you say that, because the resurrection is the important part. If not for that, Jesus would’ve just been another martyr. The cross (as opposed to a crucifix) actually symbolizes the same thing a stone rolled away from a tomb does. He’s not on the cross anymore, or in the tomb. I haven’t seen the stone and tomb idea on a necklace yet, but it would make a cool tattoo.
Jesus’ body being taken down from the cross by people isn’t proof of resurrection though. There’s a lot of places jesus isn’t anymore, but the tomb is the one place he was supposed to remain. I assume every body that is crucified is taken down eventually (though I may be wrong about this- I’m not sure how weary people were about the public safety risks of a rotting body near society back then). I think the cross and crucifix are used symbolically over the tomb because Christians, to see themselves in Jesus, must pair themselves to the idea that they will be tortured for their beliefs.
Christians had a ton of symbolism to choose from (rainbow, fish, tomb, donkey, feet etc.) and they chose the one that will definitely give Jesus PTSD if he has a second coming.
That’s a brilliant idea
How old are you and where are you from?
Because in the US it has been a ‘fashion statement’ for decades. Maybe even centuries to be honest.
It has gotten LESS popular compared to the 2000s. Haven’t seen one in a while tbh.
Apparently they had a boom in 2024. https://www.elle.com/fashion/a62696729/cross-jewelry-fashion-statement-trend-explained/
I’m seeing them everywhere. Which is why I’m asking.
Because they didn’t read their own scriptures. Particularly Matthew
3:56:5.Be not like the hypocrites…
They need to advertise how holy they are.
Eh, what version are you quoting? I looked this up because I wanted to see what comes after the elipses, and found Matthew 3-5 to be
5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
Edit: found it. It’s 6-5.
Ah, TY!
I’d argue it’s been a statement for decades, and that many (most?) Christians don’t understand the iconography behind the cross.
Remember swastikas? It’s like that. The abrahamic faiths have always been about violently forcing others to submit. Many modern believers are too stupid to realize this, they make excuses for the slavery and genocide throughout the bible and they pretend they themselves are not part of the problem. Others can be mask-off hateful and it’s rare for anybody to stop them.
Magical thinking is deadly. People aren’t using their brains and we’re all suffering for it.
- When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross. — Sinclair Lewis
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_nationalism
- Democracy Now, 2007: Chris Hedges on “American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America”
Fake piety has always been fashionable for people that want to look down and to Other people. Be it crosses or arm bands you have to identify the ingroup to make sure you are not the next outgroup.
Bill Hicks had a great bit on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJSZcxXe7IQ
I’m convinced it’s most often performative, consciously or otherwise, and a signal to make your ‘beliefs’ overt. Many seek to benefit from the perception of being associated with Christian beliefs, likely more than people who are truly living the prescriptions of their religious doctrine. I say this because Fox news hosts all have them and I can guarantee you none of those freaks are meaningfully sacrificing anything for those in need or performing works of good. I’m not advocating for this by the way, it’s a disservice to true believers to set a false pretense, and I’m one who believes actions speak louder than words. As far as I’m concerned wearing symbols and trinkets falls closer to the ‘words’ category of acts.
People are told as a child they should wear a cross, they don’t question it and now they are adults.
