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Follow-up question on crucifixes?

 Submitted: 8/31/2006
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Question: I am just curious.....I was raised Catholic but now have nothing to do with the Catholic church. I am a One-God, Holy Ghost-filled Apostolic. I don't wear jewelry of any kind and have heard that all crucifixes are wrong ('They keep Jesus on the cross, and we know he is risen' kind of statements). But my question isn't about one that a person would wear. My grandmother died a couple years ago (she was not Catholic but Methodist I believe). And I was given a crucifix that hung on her wall for as long as I could remember. I have it and until recently had it hanging on my hallway wall. I certainly didn't worship it, or pray to it, or treat it as an idol...and when I looked at it, I thought of my grandmother. I took it down, because someone commented to me that 'crucifixes were evil.' I am normally very strict on things that I don't feel are godly and don't allow MANY things into our home....but I am torn about this. I guess I am looking for some godly input. It would be appreciated!
Answer: A crucifix is merely a man-made object. Sure, some people consider then sacred and some people bow down to them, but we feel about crucifixes the same way Paul felt about idols: 'We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one' (1 Corinthians 8:4). He goes on to say, however, that some of the brethren are not mature enough to understand this and that those who do understand should be careful not to place a stumbling block before those who don't. For this reason, we suggest you put your crucifix away and keep it as a momento of your deceased grandmother. You may want to take it out from time to time, but it would be better not to have it displayed where others can see it and either misinterpret your reason for having it or judge you for having it. And please remember, only actions are inherently good or evil, not people or objects.


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