Christians would this be wrong?

[Milos]

To wear a Christian cross around my neck? I come from a Greek family that is mostly Eastern Orthodox and I am Greek, and half Turkish. I guess I look like middle easternish to people so they automatically assume I am a Muslim and hurl slurs towards me that doesn't even apply. By no means do I give Christianity a bad image, people smile at me when I'm doing polite things such as holding doors open for them and I smile back at them.

It's not only that I am sick of being treated poorly for apparently "looking muslim", wearing it reminds me about doing good and conserving myself. This cross was a gift from my great grandma that passed away and I just have it laying there in a special wooden box.

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

I don't know.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

The choice must be by faith,
and by YHWH'S WORD.

It is often a deceptive symbol, not reflecting at all the life it is supposed to,
like many other things Y'SHUA exposed when HE was on earth.

It is often also used as if or for idolatry and not true service or worship, and in those cases it is sin.

Sometimes it is used to gain advantage (from others),
and then it is wrong too. Or if it is vain.

In the end though, it is up to YHWH >
If YHWH tells you it is okay to continue wearing it,
as you daily are trusting and relying completely on HIM, then do.

 

[Radrook]

The cross was an instrument of torture true-but then it became the Christian symbol of Salvation via Jesus's Ransom Sacrifice. My parents used to place a large cross on the wall of my small room and the Christ depicted on it glowed in the dark and I was afraid of the whole display. So eventually they agreed to remove it and place it in their room instead. Some Christians consider the use of the cross in worship as practicing idolatry. Others as a symbol of veneration.

 

[Mediaeval]

Saint Paul gloried in the cross (Galatians 6:14).

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

He gloried in suffering with CHRIST,
in taking up his cross daily to suffer (A LOT!) ,
as Y'SHUA told all the disciples to, to live and be self-sacrificial, denying ourselves DAILY, and living for the GOSPEL'S SAKE ,
practically unheard of in most places today, anywhere.

Nothing at all to do with a trinket ,
especially not associated with all that
the trinkets have been associated with.

Saint Paul gloried in the cross (Galatians 6:14).

 

[ForeverEternal]

Even though it was a tool of torture, the cross represents salvation, eternal life and the blessings of being a follower of Jesus. It's meant to honor Jesus who died to pay the penalty for our sins.

I'm not sure why your friend is offended by wearing a symbol of your faith. It's your choice.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I don't know.

You're Orthodox, so you know it is OK.

 

[pdudgeon]

To wear a Christian cross around my neck? I come from a Greek family that is mostly Eastern Orthodox and I am Greek, and half Turkish. I guess I look like middle easternish to people so they automatically assume I am a Muslim and hurl slurs towards me that doesn't even apply. By no means do I give Christianity a bad image, people smile at me when I'm doing polite things such as holding doors open for them and I smile back at them.

It's not only that I am sick of being treated poorly for apparently "looking muslim", wearing it reminds me about doing good and conserving myself. This cross was a gift from my great grandma that passed away and I just have it laying there in a special wooden box.

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

I don't know.

I think it would be a great reminder for you not only of Christ, but also of your great grandmother, and the heritge of faith that she passed down to you. It sounds like your great grandmother knew more about Jesus than your friend does.

 

[ViaCrucis]

To wear a Christian cross around my neck? I come from a Greek family that is mostly Eastern Orthodox and I am Greek, and half Turkish. I guess I look like middle easternish to people so they automatically assume I am a Muslim and hurl slurs towards me that doesn't even apply. By no means do I give Christianity a bad image, people smile at me when I'm doing polite things such as holding doors open for them and I smile back at them.

It's not only that I am sick of being treated poorly for apparently "looking muslim", wearing it reminds me about doing good and conserving myself. This cross was a gift from my great grandma that passed away and I just have it laying there in a special wooden box.

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

I don't know.

You're a Christian, yes?

Then there shouldn't be any problem, go ahead and wear a cross. Even if you weren't a Christian, if the gift was from your great grandmother, then it has sentimental value and you have every right to wear it regardless of what anyone else thinks.

If someone thinks you "look Muslim" because of your ethnicity or the color of your skin, then that only exposes them as being incredibly ignorant.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Alithis]

The cross was an instrument of torture true-but then it became the Christian symbol of Salvation via Jesus's Ransom Sacrifice. My parents used to place a large cross on the wall of my small room and the Christ depicted on it glowed in the dark and I was afraid of the whole display. So eventually they agreed to remove it and place it in their room instead. Some Christians consider the use of the cross in worship as practicing idolatry. Others as a symbol of veneration.

FUnny..there ,is so little difference in meaning between worship and veneration .

 

[John Hyperspace]

To wear a Christian cross around my neck? I come from a Greek family that is mostly Eastern Orthodox and I am Greek, and half Turkish. I guess I look like middle easternish to people so they automatically assume I am a Muslim and hurl slurs towards me that doesn't even apply. By no means do I give Christianity a bad image, people smile at me when I'm doing polite things such as holding doors open for them and I smile back at them.

It's not only that I am sick of being treated poorly for apparently "looking muslim", wearing it reminds me about doing good and conserving myself. This cross was a gift from my great grandma that passed away and I just have it laying there in a special wooden box.

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

I don't know.

I can understand where your friend is coming from, but this doesn't seem a case in accordance with the spirit of your friend's disapproval. I presume what he is of the mind of, is that one shouldn't simply wear a cross to display one's faith in the case of, say, "openly showing" your faith in the manner that, say, the Pharisees liked to wear things in public to "display the righteousness" before others.

But in this case, I would look at it not as though you're trying to "display your righteousness" to others, but, more as a "peacekeeping" effort. I do not feel this is in any way wrong, and, in fact, is completely abiding in the Spirit of Christ who said "Blessed are the peacemakers"

 

[ViaCrucis]

FUnny..there ,is so little difference in meaning between worship and veneration .

There's a great deal of difference in meaning between worship (more properly speaking, adoration or latria) and veneration.

The command, "Honor your father and your mother" is a command to give veneration to one's parents, not to worship them. Hopefully most of us are able to know the difference between honoring our parents and worshiping them.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Bob Carabbio]

To wear a Christian cross around my neck? I come from a Greek family that is mostly Eastern Orthodox and I am Greek, and half Turkish. I guess I look like middle easternish to people so they automatically assume I am a Muslim and hurl slurs towards me that doesn't even apply. By no means do I give Christianity a bad image, people smile at me when I'm doing polite things such as holding doors open for them and I smile back at them.

It's not only that I am sick of being treated poorly for apparently "looking muslim", wearing it reminds me about doing good and conserving myself. This cross was a gift from my great grandma that passed away and I just have it laying there in a special wooden box.

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

I don't know.

You didn't say whether or not you are a Born again Christian. If you ARE a Christian, then you already HAVE your answer. If you can't Wear it IN FAITH, (and you wouldn't be asking if you could), then it's SIN for you (Rom 14). What your "Friend" thinks isn't important (Except to him).

If you're NOT a Christian, then it's nothing but "Costume Jewelry" - "Religious junk", and doesn't matter spiritually one way or another. IF it works to keep the haters off your back, it sounds like a good idea.

 

[High Fidelity]

To wear a Christian cross around my neck? I come from a Greek family that is mostly Eastern Orthodox and I am Greek, and half Turkish. I guess I look like middle easternish to people so they automatically assume I am a Muslim and hurl slurs towards me that doesn't even apply. By no means do I give Christianity a bad image, people smile at me when I'm doing polite things such as holding doors open for them and I smile back at them.

It's not only that I am sick of being treated poorly for apparently "looking muslim", wearing it reminds me about doing good and conserving myself. This cross was a gift from my great grandma that passed away and I just have it laying there in a special wooden box.

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

I don't know.

Consider it this way:

Jesus would have looked more like what many people associate as Muslim, than what many people associate as Christian.

 

[Stillicidia]

To wear a Christian cross around my neck? I come from a Greek family that is mostly Eastern Orthodox and I am Greek, and half Turkish. I guess I look like middle easternish to people so they automatically assume I am a Muslim and hurl slurs towards me that doesn't even apply. By no means do I give Christianity a bad image, people smile at me when I'm doing polite things such as holding doors open for them and I smile back at them.

It's not only that I am sick of being treated poorly for apparently "looking muslim", wearing it reminds me about doing good and conserving myself. This cross was a gift from my great grandma that passed away and I just have it laying there in a special wooden box.

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

I don't know.

Jewelry is fine religion-wise.

You should wear it unto persecution, if you can handle persecution, because we are to be a light on a hill in the world.

 

[Alithis]

There's a great deal of difference in meaning between worship (more properly speaking, adoration or latria) and veneration.

The command, "Honor your father and your mother" is a command to give veneration to one's parents, not to worship them. Hopefully most of us are able to know the difference between honoring our parents and worshiping them.

-CryptoLutheran

it depends on ones motive as to how the words are used -when one desires to deny worship ,one uses veneration to excuse actions which are nothing less then acts of worship.. .. iv heard all the wordy excusing of it .. but as the old saying goes - actions speak louder then words .

 

[ChristianMatchmaking]

I would echo the reference to Galations 6:14.

Also, can anyone find, claim, or assert any statement at all in the Bible which would make it inherently wrong?

 

[Radrook]

To wear a Christian cross around my neck? I come from a Greek family that is mostly Eastern Orthodox and I am Greek, and half Turkish. I guess I look like middle easternish to people so they automatically assume I am a Muslim and hurl slurs towards me that doesn't even apply. By no means do I give Christianity a bad image, people smile at me when I'm doing polite things such as holding doors open for them and I smile back at them.

It's not only that I am sick of being treated poorly for apparently "looking muslim", wearing it reminds me about doing good and conserving myself. This cross was a gift from my great grandma that passed away and I just have it laying there in a special wooden box.

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

I don't know.

You are lucky. After the 911 disaster an Indian Sikh was murdered by USA folks who saw him and linked turbans with Muslims. Wearing a cross might or might not make a difference in such situations since anger tends to blind.

 

[Radagast]

However I have spoken to a friend and he disapproves of it, because a piece of jewelry shouldn't be a clue of what my faith is he thinks. Also many other reasons such as the cross is the symbol of the torture method that Jesus died on.

The cross is the main symbol of Christianity. Many of my friends wear one.