A carpenter and a cross

[Rhiannon]

A poignant reminder of the power of symbols.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35360682

[Owlswing]

A poignant reminder of the power of symbols.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35360682

An interesting article, and I cannot doubt the sincerity of the man's gesture, but whilst I see the relevance of the Cross to the man himself, I cannot see that it would have much relevance to Muslim refugees.

[Rhiannon]

An interesting article, and I cannot doubt the sincerity of the man's gesture, but whilst I see the relevance of the Cross to the man himself, I cannot see that it would have much relevance to Muslim refugees.

The first ones he gave to refugees ftom Eritrea that he saw in church.

I think people can appreciate a meaningful gift without adhering to the religion.

[Nearly Sane]

An interesting article, and I cannot doubt the sincerity of the man's gesture, but whilst I see the relevance of the Cross to the man himself, I cannot see that it would have much relevance to Muslim refugees.

 

I think it is surely addressed, if art can be addressed, to those who do attribute relevance to the cross (and of course not all refugees are Muslim). It is about his attempt to communicate his feelings so of course it will be about what is significant to him.

[Rhiannon]

I have an olive wood holding cross, as does my pagan daughter. The significance to us is the time and place where we bought them.

[Owlswing]

The first ones he gave to refugees ftom Eritrea that he saw in church.

I think people can appreciate a meaningful gift without adhering to the religion.

Eritrea has a large, about half, I seem to remember, Christian population so the first group may well have been Christian. I doubt, however, that the ssame can be said for either the country of origin or the religion of subsequent refugees.

I would amend your last sentence to read ". . . some people can appreciate. . . " and do not in any way doubt the sincerity of the gesture.

[Hope]

... but whilst I see the relevance of the Cross to the man himself, I cannot see that it would have much relevance to Muslim refugees.

Whilst not saying that they all have been, many of the Syrian refugees have been from Christian communities.

[Nearly Sane]

Whilst not saying that they all have been, many of the Syrian refugees have been from Christian communities.

The other aspect is surely that people who were not Christian could still recognise the symbolism on.yetmd of his act, though as the story makes clear, the crosses not surprisingly are mainly going to churches.


Given that there are those, some of whom espouse Christianity, who have argued that we shouldn't help these refugees it works as a reminder about the doctrines of looking after those suffering. 

[ippy]

I have an olive wood holding cross, as does my pagan daughter. The significance to us is the time and place where we bought them.

Wow.

ippy

[Sriram]

The first ones he gave to refugees ftom Eritrea that he saw in church.

I think people can appreciate a meaningful gift without adhering to the religion.

Religion itself is all about symbols. As long as we recognize it that way...there is no problem.

Many Hindus visit Christian churches. There is one church in South India (Velankanni- Virgin Mary) which is almost routinely visited by Hindu devotees. 

But if any christian visits them, preaching Christianity as the only true religion....they'll probably tell him to piss off.


 

[Hope]

Many Hindus visit Christian churches. There is one church in South India (Velankanni- Virgin Mary) which is almost routinely visited by Hindu devotees.

That is becuse those Hindus have simply embraced Jesus as just another deity.  I've visited plenty of Indian homes, both o the sub-continent and here in the UK which have a picture of Christ in amongst the other 6 or a dozen pictures of deities on their wall.  In other words, they are revering him for the wrong reasons.

As for

But if any christian visits them, preaching Christianity as the only true religion....they'll probably tell him to piss off.

the ones I've spoken to had rarely even known who this Jesus was, or what his teachings were.

[Sriram]

That is becuse those Hindus have simply embraced Jesus as just another deity.  I've visited plenty of Indian homes, both o the sub-continent and here in the UK which have a picture of Christ in amongst the other 6 or a dozen pictures of deities on their wall.  In other words, they are revering him for the wrong reasons.

As for the ones I've spoken to had rarely even known who this Jesus was, or what his teachings were.

Yes...all religious leaders are 'just another' prophet or deity for Hindus. Why should Jesus be any different?

It is possible that many uneducated Hindus may not know about the stories related to Jesus....but many of them don't know even the stories related to many Hindu gods like Shiva, Rama and Krishna. So that's not surprising frankly!

Do most Christians know all about Jesus?  Do they know about the Gospel of Thomas and what Jesus is quoted as saying there?!

Please refer my post to Shaker in the Liberation thread in this context.

[Hope]

Do most Christians know all about Jesus?  Do they know about the Gospel of Thomas and what Jesus is quoted as saying there?!

And which Gospel of Thomas are you referring to, Sriram?  The Coptic or the Infancy?

I agree that many Christians know little or nothing about the Gospels of Thomas, but they actually know a fair amount of that is in them as a sizeable portion of both Gospels are also in the accepted Gospels.  Where there is stuff in the Thomas Gospels that isn't in the accepted Gospels one has to look at how it 1) fits in with the stuff it sits alongside in these gospels and 2) how it fits in with the stuff that is in the accepted Gospels in toto.

[Sriram]

And which Gospel of Thomas are you referring to, Sriram?  The Coptic or the Infancy?

I agree that many Christians know little or nothing about the Gospels of Thomas, but they actually know a fair amount of that is in them as a sizeable portion of both Gospels are also in the accepted Gospels.  Where there is stuff in the Thomas Gospels that isn't in the accepted Gospels one has to look at how it 1) fits in with the stuff it sits alongside in these gospels and 2) how it fits in with the stuff that is in the accepted Gospels in toto.

I am referring to the Coptic (Nag Hammadi) one.  But my point was that knowing details of mythology and stories isn't as important as the faith they have. Also, stories undergo changes from time to time. 

In any case I don't want to hijack this thread and make it a Hindu one.