Banning the cross
Watched a show yesterday (think it was 4 corners) on Guy Sebastians church during my 'I'm not moving from the couch cos that would take way too much engery and I'd die' phase.
Anyway somethig that got my attention was the comment that they don't have any christian symbols including the cross in church as they thing that makes their church inaccessable to non-christians.
first response was that this was marketing taking over church. Having done a marketing minor at uni we were always told that marketing wasn't the evil thing which people often make it out to be- 'marketing is letting people know and have more info about things they want and need'- while this is in a way true I've also learnt about many of the manipulative devices marketing uses on people who have no idea (have a really interesting textbook which I've kept from last year on consumer behaviour which while I know it's a textbook, is not too hard to read and could save you from falling unknowingly into so many traps!).
But then again- if a confrunting symbol such as the cross is preventing people from entering the church then maybe it's not needed. are we just being selfish by having it? has the church and christians got so caught up in a symbol instead of the meaning behind the symbol?
So do we ban the cross?
Anyway somethig that got my attention was the comment that they don't have any christian symbols including the cross in church as they thing that makes their church inaccessable to non-christians.
first response was that this was marketing taking over church. Having done a marketing minor at uni we were always told that marketing wasn't the evil thing which people often make it out to be- 'marketing is letting people know and have more info about things they want and need'- while this is in a way true I've also learnt about many of the manipulative devices marketing uses on people who have no idea (have a really interesting textbook which I've kept from last year on consumer behaviour which while I know it's a textbook, is not too hard to read and could save you from falling unknowingly into so many traps!).
But then again- if a confrunting symbol such as the cross is preventing people from entering the church then maybe it's not needed. are we just being selfish by having it? has the church and christians got so caught up in a symbol instead of the meaning behind the symbol?
So do we ban the cross?
posted by Mim @ 5:45 PM
5 Comments:
At 11:55 AM,
Anonymous said…
i say no way. the cross is what our faith is based on, so to ban it to make ppl feel comfortable seems unspeakable. since when was our faith a faith that leaves people feeling comfortable or unconfronted? We have a responsibility of presenting our faith as what it is, not making it 'look pretty' to attract people and then them finding out the truth - that a christian life is not necessarily pretty. hmmm. what do ya reckon?
At 10:28 AM,
Mim said…
Yeah, I agree, think it's deceptive really.
but also can see that the symbol could take over the meaning behind it or just be taken for granted- but still getting ride of the cross is hardly a solution for either!
As for people being scared to entre church because of it- I have left a wooden cross in the room I teach piano in at grans old place- my students still come to lessons!
At 1:19 PM,
Digger said…
Just a quick one Mase-is our faith based on the cross or on Jesus... Probably a silly question, as the cross is what represents Jesus to most people
At 1:25 PM,
Digger said…
But I digress.
It is an interesting question though. I think you're right mase about the whole presenting faith as it is thing, always been one of my bugbears as you'd know.
But at the same time, I can kinda see where they're coming from, trying to get rid of as many hurdles that people might have to jump over...
Not that I agree, but I can see where they're coming from.
It's also interesting to note how many of your 'emerging church/alt worship' crew (though they're totally not the same thing) are really into reclaiming a lot of the symbology, using images and icons etc.
At 4:56 PM,
Mim said…
gee- talk about feeling talked over!
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