Cross and another Christian symbols pagan?

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Jan 14, 2017
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#1
I remember a while back seeing some people who were saying things like the cross and "white Jesus" are from pagan gods or religions, and that they were used to control the Romans years later. They said most painting and crosses didn't come until about a couple hindered years later. (And yes, these are basically the same BHI I've talked about before) What do you think bus the answer?
 
Feb 1, 2017
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As far as I am aware there is no cross symbol used in the ancient pagan religions. The closest thing to it would be the ankh from Egyptian paganism, but the ankh is much different than a cross both in how it looks and how it was understood. Also the ancient Egyptians were the most proud race of Ham, so they were not white.

As far as I am aware of the actual history of the cross and the practice of crucifixion, it was indeed made by or at least popularized by the Romans, whom were white. The cross was an execution method, not a symbol, in their pre-Christian understanding, a brutal execution method at that. For example Julius Caesar's start to fame was he was captured by pirates, he promised his captors that he would come back and crucify them when he was released and they mocked and laughed at him. After he was ransomed and released he fulfilled his words and came back and found them and he crucified them.

It is actually quite a testimony against the actual Hebrews of the time that they demanded Jesus to be crucified. They by their own law could not put him to death, so they had the Romans do it for them and demanded the Romans to put him to death in a Roman manner that is not proscribed by the Torah or by Judaism (Oral Torah/Pharisee traditions/doctrines of men.) They even claimed that they had no king except for Caesar, thus they surrendered the authority they claimed to have to Caesar and had their own King crucified without a valid cause. The Romans via Pilate in his temporal authority wrote above Jesus' cross King of the Jews. This means that even though they meant it for sarcastic mockery that the Romans recognized Jesus' divine authority as the King of the Jews. This greatly disturbed the Pharisees whom perceived this because it is a further testament against them that they chose to give their own King, their own Messiah into the hands of the white Gentiles and to have him crucified because they had no faith or belief in their own God. Jesus on the crucifix forgave them saying they know not what they do.

The cross today and shortly after that event has become a symbol, it did not start out as a symbol, but it is one now. The cross is a symbol and a reminder of the crucifixion of Jesus and his forgiveness while on the cross.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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#3
Hello Alex :) It seems you are hindered by listening overly to what others say while not knowing the Truth of Scripture. There are many who try to discredit the Truth found in Jesus Christ, Who is the embodiment of Truth, for in Him we live and move and have our being; He is the Light and Life of men. If you have not got that established within your innermost self, you are rudderless, and building your worldview upon shifting sand. Do you have a church home? Do you listen to teachers and expositors of the Word? Pray for discernment, and read the Word for yourself, as well. Do you need help finding reputable resources to help you? Learn also to separate and distinguish between the history of the Roman Catholic church from the history as a whole of Christianity. Two thousand years is a long time. Much has happened :D
 

T_Laurich

Senior Member
Mar 24, 2013
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#4
The cross came from a Roman ruler who stared into the sun and prayed to the sun god and saw a cross in the sun... He thought it was the sun god telling him how to kill people... This started Crucifixion...



We do not worship the cross because that was where Jesus gave himself for us...
We worship Christ and use the Cross as a symbol of where he saved us....

No idol worship...

There are idol worship things going on in the church but the cross is not one imo.
 

CLee622

Senior Member
Feb 27, 2017
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Sure they are pagan. You see them in lots of ancient artwork even Egyptian. The meanings can vary. Speaking of "the cross of Jesus" :: Jesus was crucified by the Roman govt. who crucified countless people. The cross being the "way" we are saved is inaccurate because the WAY is Jesus Himself.

That said ... "American Christianity" in itself is a bit sad and it can be a task to find true believers vs. people who are well educated in the scriptures. There's probably nothing "wrong" with having a cross - but it was a tool of ultimate punishment that God took upon Himsekf. If it helps us remember that great - but we shouldn't think holding one while we pray or posting them everywhere helps us in any way.
 
Feb 1, 2017
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#7
The cross came from a Roman ruler who stared into the sun and prayed to the sun god and saw a cross in the sun... He thought it was the sun god telling him how to kill people... This started Crucifixion...



We do not worship the cross because that was where Jesus gave himself for us...
We worship Christ and use the Cross as a symbol of where he saved us....

No idol worship...

There are idol worship things going on in the church but the cross is not one imo.
Lol if you mean Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity; I think he came a couple centuries after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, so I don't think he started crucifixion, but he did end the persecution of Christians and helped instead to turn around and tear down the pagans.