Wearing religious symbols
 

I am not a Christian but I have a very nice cross that I would like to wear from time to time just because I enjoy the way it looks. There are a few other religious symbols I like the look of but I always feel strange wearing them because they are important to some, while to me they are just a nice design. It feels slightly disrespectful. How do the rest of you (religious and non) feel about religious symbols being worn by non-believers as jewelry? Does it offend you?

I, myself don't wear stuff that I don't have any apart of. Example being all those Hollister T's that have to do with surfing, I don''t surf. So, I don't wear them. Even if they are cool T's


But with that said, I do have a Yamaca (SP?) that I got from a freind who got it from a friend who stole it from a Jewish friend. I got it because my friend was wearing it at a band practice when we were in highschool and got in trouble. The dir. asked him if he was Jewish, and then told him he shouldn't be wearing that cause he wasn't.I like wearing hats and all, but if I was wearing a yamaca it wouldn't be right.

edit: I'm Christian

I don't think there is anything wrong with so long as you are wearing it in a manner that is not disrepectful to the religion it stands for.

So long as it's not done to trash the religion, there is nothing wrong with wearing the symbol of something you don't believe in. Just remember that when you do your giving that religion free advertising.

While crosses now are just nothing more than fashion accessories, but in my mind, they are symbols of a religion, same as a Star of David, if someone who held no religious beliefs wore one, I'm not sure I'd be offended, but if I knew their religiousness, I might ask why they were wearing it.

A few weeks back, a young asian guy commented on the ring thatis on my finger, it's a claddagh ring. He joked that it looked just like his. Now that surprised me that someone without a drop of Celtic blood in them, would wear one, and he had no idea o f the symbolism behind the three symbols on the ring. He just liked how it looked. Didn't bother me too much I guess, I was just surprised.

One of my co-workers wears a cross on a necklace all the time, so I always assumed she was a christian (which I am not). Although we have had a good friendship over the past 4 years that I've worked there, there was always a reservation on my part to opening up about my true feelings at times, because I didn't want to offend her. A couple of months ago I mentioned something about being christian, and she told me she wasn't. She said, "How strange that you would assume I was a christian just because I was wearing a cross!" Well what was I supopsed to do, jump to the conclusion that she was a pagan? The point is, my feeling of not wanting to offend her supposedly christian sensibilities has interfered wih our friendship, because I might have relaxed a lot more if she wasn't always wearing that cross.

I don't mind. Then again, sometimes it just gets profane (I'm not very happy about the commercialization of the word "Zen" for things like spas, sports equipment, and who knows what else). As far as personal preference goes, nah I don't mind at all. The way people treat Kabbalah like this season's pants irritated me a little at first, but there's nothing to be done about it.

I don't really understand why anyone would wear a cross if they had no christian beliefs at all... I mean, what would be the point?

A fashon accessory. Some crosses are very pretty.

I think my co-worker said something about it belonging to her grandmother or something. Personally, while I might keep something like that, I'd never actually wear it. But that's just me.

A symbol is nothing more than what you percieve it to be. Surely there's the reactions from other people that you should take into consideration but it's not as if you shouldn't shop at PacSun because you don't surf.

If I came to the conclusion that wearing a symbol if every religion in the world did something for me that I enjoyed - I'd do it. One might say that this is tactless and even disrespectful but I wear what I wear for myself.

As long as you can accept that when you wear certain symbols . . . people will make assumptions about that. As long as you are okay with that .. . then great, go ahead :)

Sweetpea

I have a jewelry box full of charms and pendants that I have worn based on my beliefs. When I was still Catholic, I wore a four-way (for the non-Catholics, its a cross, equal on all sides, with saints and holy images on each of the four ends. Normally the back is engraved with the words "I am a Catholic, please call a priest" for instances when we were mortally injured and in need of Last Rites. Sort of a *grins* "Catholic Alert" pendant, lol) I have triskellions, claddaghs, eternity knots, crones, maidens, earth goddesses.... I am not christian, nor do I associate comfortably with most established faiths that have symbolisms that can be worn. I have, for the last several months, worn either a simple triangle knot (triskelle) or a phoenix pendant, both symbols having deep, personal meaning for me rather than religious.

I don't necessarily have a problem with people wearing symbols of faiths they don't practice... I do have a problem with people wearing those symbols and not having any idea what they stand for, or who get upset when someone misunderstands what they believe in. If a cross has deep personal meaning (like if a grandparent gave it to you, or it belonged to an ancestor or something), then fine. But getting peeved because someone mistakes you for a christian when you're pagan because you're wearing a christian symbol seems a little silly. I think in that case they should be prepared for such misunderstandings, and be prepared to, if not defend, then take the misunderstanding with a grain of salt.

hmm...

i guess i would ask/recommend/advise that you not wear it.

it's not that the jewlery in and of itself is sacred, but the idea of the Cross is. and if you don't have an attachment to the idea, it's at very least strange to wear it. it's a symbol of death. would you wear a silvered electric chair around your neck if you thought it pretty?

i don't mean to be rude...and i wear a cross myself. but the choice to do so came after a prayerful deliberation of what it meant, and why i was doing so. the cross is the sacred moment of Christian life...and i should hope that it be treated respectfully, even if by those who do not consider themselves Christian.

there is plenty of jewlery that will appeal to the eye, and make you look beautiful...

What sucks is I can't wear my Buddhist symbols cause it looks like a swastika. I feel like my religious freedom has been infringed upon. I used to wear my Buddhist symbols but I got tired of fighting people, especially Jews all the time.

Plus, when it was a fad, I got really confused seeing all these people wearing Buddha beads and some idiots got annoyed at me when I asked them what temple they went to.

I guess freedom of religion for some....

Ok, so the above actually did not happen to me but my friends (I'm actually Christian) - I just wanted to write it like that for effect. It got me thinking and I kinda felt bad for them.

That's the problem with commodification and double standards. Best policy? Do what you want but don't bother others. If you wear a cross, don't be surprised if someone asks you where a church is or something (at the very least, don't get offended or upset).

I see nothing wrong with wearing religious symbols. My wife wears jewelry reproductions of ancient Egyption and Greek gods sometimes. Some of these things are beautiful no matter what your religion is.

i've been thinking about this a lot recently because i want to get a tatoo but so many of the designs i like have a religious meaning and i am not religious in any way...
somehow i don't think it is right to wear a symbol of something that you don't affiliate to. it would be like someone wearing the strip of my football team, dundee united, who doesn't support them...

That sucks for your friend. Too bad 99% of the (non-buddhist) world thinks that the swastika/sun-wheel was invented by the Nazis.

I think it sort of depends. If you're not publicly sacrificing animals while masturbating with a [insert religious symbol], then that's fine. But be prepared for a lot of questions about your faith, which probably has nothing to do with the symbol you're wearing.

I've been thinking about getting a celtic knot as a tattoo. I don't believe in the celtic gods or religion. But I plan to know what it means. Plus, I'm a quarter Irish, so nobody can give me crap about it.

I was wondering this about Christians who wear pendants of Catholic saints who aren't Catholic. When I was 15 my aunt gave me a little chain with some Saint on it that I can't remember. I was raised as Baptist but I didn't think anything of it as it was a gift from my aunt(and I had no idea it was a Catholic saint) but one day one of my friends asked if I was Catholic. I said no and he explained the Saint I was wearing was the Saint of so and so. Took me a back and I stopped wearing it.

I actually carry a medal of St. Terese de Liseaux on my keychain. I'm not Catholic and don't believe in saints, but she symbolizes simplicity (she's called the Little Flower) and that's something I think it's important for me to remember. So even if my beliefs aren't exactly those corresponding to the symbol, it still has important meaning for me.

I was going to say something just like this.

I don't care what you wear. If you want to wear a cross, knock yourself out. But be prepared for people to assume you're a Christian in some form.

Just like if you want to wear a Yankees hat cause its fashionable. Just know that people are going to believe you are a Yankees fan. And a douche. I keeed.

I used to have a beautiful Pentacle Keyring.....but removed it after growing tired of the Satanist remarks, not that the ignorance of others regularly directs my actions.
But I must admit the confusion between Pentacle and Pentagram.....is frustrating.

I say do what you feel is right. I would not feel any particular menace towards you if you wished to adorn yourself with an article of jewlery that just happens to be a cross.

I do not really know why anyone would wear a symbolic accessory if they did not identify with the symbolism, but I do not think it is wrong to wear such a thing. I amo not one to wear something that puts me in a select group of people, but w/e floats your boat.

I just realized I am wearing a surfing shirt... I didn't even know what was on my shirt today until I read Wnker85's post. :lol:

I have a cross necklace as well, but it has some religious significance to me. While I consider myself a Christian, I am not an active Christian. I firmly believe in God, but I don't live my life according to the Bible right now. Maybe when I'm older and have a family.. but I digress.

I also have a cross burned into my forearm from my younger and stupider days. Some people assume it means I'm in a gang :rolleyes:

For a self-proclaimed Goth I can't believe you would even ask this...

The cross and the ankh are both worn by Goths with no particular religious connotation...

Here's the easy answer: wear it upside-down and shave a pentagram into your head. That way nobody will make the assumption that you're a Christian.

I can relate with you on this one. I wear a pentacle around my neck and it's either mistaken for the Star of David or Satanistic practices.

One rule I live by is: Do what you will and harm no one. I do not tell you what to wear/not wear, like/dislike, etc. Please don't feel that it is appropriate to have double standards.

A person should be allowed to wear what they choose, as long as they don't wear it in disrespect or mockery. The symbol may have sentimental value to them through family or friends...with my pentacle, I wear a small silver pair of feet (like little baby feet) which represents no religion, I wear it as a symbol to represent my son (adopted; age 4 mos; closed adoption till age 18) who means everything to me.

If the feet actually represented a religion, regardless if I was aware of it or not, I would be VERY offended if a person of said religion told me to take it OFF.

Think: "Who are you to judge me?" and "Let everyone here who is perfect and haven't ever made a mistake to point out/display mine."

Like it or not, symbolism has always been an important aspect of human psychology.

And while I can appreciate "pretty" accesories (I always thought ankhs were cool), I personally would not were or decorate with symbols that are meaningful to other people whose beliefs I did not share.

Wear whatever symbols you want but don't get offended if anyone asks what you associate with the symbol. I would respect someone who held a personal meaning to a symbol even if they didn't agree with the universal meanings associated. I also think it's important to understand the meanings some people may associate with a particular symbol. Especially the more contraversial symbols. For example - Don't be surprised if someone gets upset if they see you wearing a swastika.

I for one am a Christian but I would not be offended if someone was wearing a crucifix or cross on a necklace, pin or something.

And that's how people like Prince Harry think and wear swastikas and full german SS outfits.

It's only a symbol of death if you take it that way. I might consider wearing one because the cross/crucifix is a symbol of ultimate human sacrifice, and a symbol of selflessly giving to others.

I myself have been known to wear all sorts of symbols associated with spiritual traditions - ankh, pentacle, images of Durga, Ganesh, Avalokiteshvara, Bast, etc. etc.
But it's always been something I believed in or at least had an affinity for, and I was always prepared to explain it to people with questions. I would never wear a cross (even though I have been peripherally involved in the whole Goth scene where some use it as a fashion accessory) because it is not something I believe in. As for others, let them wear whatever they want, but they should know that people will be responding to that, like how I reacted to my co-worker with the cross pendant.

Isn't the cross also used to ward off vampires, or is that a religious statement as well? I might not be Christian but would still like to keep them suckers off of me.

I wear an ankh, I have since my sophomore or junior year in high school. It represents life, how can you not believe in that?

But in general, I really can't see any reason why somebody should be offended by another wearing the symbol of their religion unless that person is degrading the symbol. Though I don't personally wear any other symbols besides the ankh, I would hope that nobody would be upset with me if I chose to. I believe in the acceptance of religion just as much as the acceptance not to believe in anything and everything in between.

How could somebody be offended if I wore the symbol with an open mind about the religion?

I have a framed version of the Wiccan Rede given to me by a once dear friend hanging on my wall. At the top is a lovely quill, a roll of parchment and a pentacle.

And even though there is no mention of 'serving the Great Satan,' it seems that that is the logical assumption to jump to when people see it. :rolleyes:

Personally, I couldn't care less what you choose to adorn yourself with, but I'm a pretty open minded individual. I could see how some folks would be offended, but I wouldn't understand why.

Some musicians/singers wear a G clef pendant, it's a beautiful shape and I do love music, but I'd never wear one, because I'm tone deaf and can't play any instrument to save my life. Likewise, I'd never wear a cross because hey, I'm not christian. I believe symbols should be treated with respect. They carry a lot of meaning in a very small package and by using them as random fashion accessories you destroy that.

I dont really have a problem with it, as long as they understand the gravity of the symbol they're sporting. I'm not christian, but I can see how people wearing the symbol of the christian faith's lord and savior could be viewed as offensive if they're wearing it as just a fashion 'statement'.

As I said though, I'm not christian so it doesnt bother me.

personally, i'd rather non-christians not wear crosses.

i've been witness to more than one instance where a non-christian wearing a cross has called christians hypocritical.

when you wear it you're identifying yourself to others as a christian, like it or not. when you do or say things that are unbecoming of christian ideals... you're being unfair to christians by projecting yourself as one of them.

i am a christian and i do wear a cross. however, i always wear it out of sight... i'm shamed to have it hanging on my neck when i do/say things i should not.

Or you could wear garlic around your neck. It works just as well as the cross and is a great conversation starter.