I recently thought it would be a good F-you to the church by wearing my medium-sized plain silver cross necklace into the temple to see the kindof reactions I would get (I knew they wouldn't disappoint) Oh you should have seen the looks of disgust. before I went in my friend nervously asked me why I'm wearing a cross and gave the usual (hurr durr weapon of torture, no meaning) I took it in anyways, the temple greeter looked down at it and back up at me with a look of utter disgust, after which I was pulled aside by a middle aged man in his full white holy temple suit and tie, and told me to remove it because such a thing had no place in the holy temple, or leave. Im thinking of taking my huge king james bible with a gigantic Catholic cross studded with jewels and gold pages next time. Why are members, particularly older ones it seems, so disgusted with the cross? My own father tried to literally rip a cross necklace off my neck at one point.

Goddamned vampires

Every cult has a problem with the cross.

Because I have seen photos of Mormons from the early days of the cult wearing crosses.

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12256269

Because they are fucking hypocrites! They claim to be THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST....who, according to the bible, a book they include in their scriptures, was crucified on a cross, the image of which has adorned "Christians" and their literature for over a millennia...but this cult...which claims to be Christian, abhors the cross....I hope I live long enough to witness the destruction of Mormonism, once and for all....but I'm not hopeful that will come to pass.

Ron Burr

a while back, a group of LDS military clergy 'made a stink' about the uniform requirement that their lapel symbol Must Be a uniform (Military-provided, same as other Christians) cross; does anyone know how that turned out?

as I recall, they wanted it replaces with (Wait for it!) Moroni blowing horn!

Especially LDS women who are chaplains in the military.

I wonder if TBMS in the military are told by their bishops & SPs to not talk to their chaplains, especially if they are women.

Maybe because nowhere in the New Testament does it say to draw pictures of a cross, wear jewelry with crosses, or in any way show respect for it. Cross adoration is a very man-made addition to Christianity, and Mormons aren't the only denomination who recognize that.

davidc, nowhere in the Bible you'll find the word Holy Trinity either....yet, all Christians except the mormons, iglesia ni cristo or jehovah witness, believed in the Trinity.

Guess who else hated the cross??? the devil, I guess the mormons and devil have something in common!!!

>>>...or in any way show respect for it.<<<

Woops. You went one clause too far there.

Several scriptures encourage believers to show respect for the cross in various ways:

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
1 Corintians 1:18


And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 10:38

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14


and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
Ephesians 2:16


For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,
Philippians 3:18


having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Colossians 2:14

...and many more.

I think any unbiased person reading the New Testament--even as a 100% fictional work--couldn't miss the fact that one of the major themes is that the crucifixion of the antagonist was a positive event, and that Christians should respect it rather than take it at face value.

I'm not arguing that it's true, just that it's there.

davidc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe because nowhere in the New Testament does it
> say to draw pictures of a cross, wear jewelry with
> crosses, or in any way show respect for it. Cross
> adoration is a very man-made addition to
> Christianity, and Mormons aren't the only
> denomination who recognize that.


Not quite. The cross gained almost immediate significance in church teaching, if not in jewelry. This is shown in the New Testament:

1 Corinthians 1:18
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Galatians 6:14
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

These two passages are frequent springboards for cross-wearers. It represents the power of God, and the humility believers are called to.

Nice Tall Man and Exdrymo. Way to out someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.

You could wear a pentagram, because those are carved into the outside temple walls, right?

You could wear an angel Moroni necklace, or Joseph and Hyrum cufflinks. You could wear a little bottle of consecrated oil on a chain. How about a miniature of those gold bulls that support the baptismal font. I thought those were pretty Satanic-looking, too.

I laughed at the comment about vampires! They are Satan-worshipping vampires. No wonder they fear the cross.

Wear one inside your garments. Or sew on on them. I went to the temple not having on the lower garment half and no-one noticed.

You can wear the cross underneath until you get to the veil or into the celestial room! Try that next time.

I wonder how the TP will handle it. Have some newsperson outside for a story.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2014 07:45AM by rhgc.

Why are you going to the temple if you're so against Mormonism? Just stop going.

The OP is a teenager that is being rebellious towards his TBM family. The story is funny because not being allowed to wear a cross is another example of a Mormon Urban Myth. Mormon Doctrine has the crap about crosses being bad but we all know Mormon Doctrine is no longer accepted by TSCC.

What doctrine says crosses are bad?

ozpoof Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What doctrine says crosses are bad?

Good point, er...question. This is quite a stew, but it helps to distinguish (when possible) between

1) Mormon scriptures
2) Mormon doctrine
3) Mormon culture

My take is that the hostility to the Cross comes from Mormon culture. Can anybody source it to Scriptures or doctrine, or perhaps an Ensign article or something?

Necklaces of any kind are not allowed to be worn in Mormon temple ceremonies. If nothing else, as a practical matter they present a tangle hazard with the goofy outfit that is put on and tied together in various ways during the "session".

Seems hypocritical to me to wear a cross for the precise purpose of getting a negative reaction, and then whining about getting a negative reaction.

Since when? I wore jewelry, including necklaces, to the temple all the time and was never once asked to remove any of it. I was even a temple worker for a few years and still no one ever told me to not wear necklaces.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2014 09:28AM by tmac.

Actually, I would say she wore the cross to see what reaction she would get and is returning and reporting on what she observed. I didn't get your take on it at all.

And I think it's a good point. Don't claim to be just another Christian religion, like everyone else, then freak out at the sight of a cross. If it's someone's personal choice to not wear a cross, that's fine but why get should a temple worker get their panties in a wad if someone else wears one? If they are the Christians they claim to be? Not every Christian denomination worships the same way - each has their idiosyncrasies - and you don't have to agree with any of them. But that sort of hostility to a cross is bizarre and out of place in a religion claiming to be Christian.

This is something that would not be enjoyable to me. I have worn one in my parents house.
;)

It's hatred of Catholicism. They expressed it a lot more when I was a kid in the 50's and 60's. Now they are backpedalling so they don't offend. Just like a hundred other things. They still hate Catholicism, it's just no longer acceptable to express it.

They hate catholicism?? How odd since they formed a united front with the catholics to create Prop 8 in california. I guess it's the old "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". As long as the catholic church is against women in the priesthood and gays getting married you will see Mormons united with the catholic church.

Here's the thing: The temple always has to be ready for a visit by The Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. There's a reason we call him Count Chocula. It's because he is a vampire. Should he be visiting the temple when you are there and you are wearing the cross,... You can just see what kind of problem this would cause.

Actually, the real answer is because Mormons "believe" in Christ, but are not actually Christians. They are not. They can, and often do, argue until they are blue in the face, but they are not Christian.

Nobody is actually a Christian. I don't mean to offend, but Jesus is imaginary....

Mormons are oftentimes at a crossroad. Problem is they don't know where either road goes.

I think it's weird to wear a dead guy on an instrument of execution around your neck. Would you wear a guillotine or electric chair if that's how Jesus had died.

This is why, when I decided I really was going to get a tattoo, that I chose to get a cross. I'd always wanted a tattoo and loved wearing a cross when I was a kid in the Episcopal church, before my mom dragged us all into Mormonism. Getting a cross tattooed on my wrist was my way of taking back my choice in both those Mormon commandments.

But it was more than that. It was like a huge mental wall between me and Mormonism, a middle finger to the markings on my temple garments and what they stood for and a reassuring sort of protection against Mormonism when I had to attend something at a Mormon church (like a nephew's baptism or mission farewell.) Wearing a cross separates you from Mormonism even more than a visit to Starbucks or a beer while watching a football game. And their reaction to the cross is one of the most bizarre aspects of the church. Even as a TBM, I didn't care if others wore crosses (truth be told, I was a bit jealous). So why are some of them so hostile and horrified? It's almost like there is something to that whole Satan/Jesus thing after all.

P.S. I've thought about trotting over to a Deseret Book and buying one of those upside-down stars to hang on my front door to freak out visiting Mormons. Because around here, I don't know how many Mormons realize those are on the temple in Salt Lake. I think more people would think I'd begun to worship Satan. Only problem is that few Mormons drop by and my non-LDS friends would definitely all think I'd started to worship Satan. That I don't need.

I'm not surprised to hear about this overreaction to a necklace.