“We [Christians] have the dilemma of using a symbol system that was not made for our worldview, to give our worldview... I think the thing we're waiting for is a genius to come forth who can either make a new symbol system which is still modern, or more properly, as symbol systems don't come overnight, a group of people to modify the symbol systems of our day, so that we can use them for our Christian message without a disadvantage.” PeopleThinkingGivingMadeStillsUseChristianCultureWaitingChristianityGroupsModernGeniusMessagesSymbolsWorldviewDilemmaDisadvantages Author:Francis Schaeffer
“In literature and in art, alike, this gloomy fashion of regarding Death has been characteristic of Christianity. Death has been painted as a skeleton grasping a scythe, a grinning skull, a threatening figure with terrible face and uplifted dart, a bony scarecrow shaking an hourglass - all that could alarm and repel has been gathered round this rightly-named King of Terrors.” Has BeensArtFacesLiteratureChristianityFashionFiguresKingsTerribleRoundsTerrorSymbolsCharacteristicsThreateningShakingAlarmsSkullsGloomySkeletonsGraspingGrinningScarecrowHourglassScythes Book:The Theosophical Writings of Annie Besant Source: The Theosophical Writings of Annie Besant
“It took time for the church to come to terms with the ignominy of the cross. Church fathers forbade its depiction in art until the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine.... Now, though, the symbol is everywhere: artists beat gold into the shape of the Roman execution device, baseball players cross themselves before batting, and cancy confectioners even make chocolate crosses for the faithful to eat during Holy Week. Strange as it may seem, Christianity has become a religion of the cross--the gallows, the electric chair, the gas chamber, in modern terms.” MayArtSeemsArtistFatherTermChurchChristianityPlayerWeekModernStrangeHolyShapesBeatsCrossesGoldBaseballSymbolsFaithfulGasChairsDevicesChocolateExecutionElectricReignChamberEmperorBaseball PlayerBattingDepictionGallowsConstantineGas ChambersElectric ChairChurch FathersIgnominyRoman EmperorHoly WeekEmperor Constantine Author:Philip Yancey
“The cross of the Cruxifixion without the cross of the Resurrection is the symbol of a mutilated Christianity.” ChristianityCrossesSymbolsResurrection Author:Frederick Franck
“If you want a symbol of Roman power and strength look no further than the Praetorian or Imperial Guard. We could take this one step further. It was this world of Roman power into which Christ came, in which the Apostles ministered, in which the New Testament authors wrote, and in which Christianity came into being. And to all of those things, Rome stood opposed, violently opposed.” IfsWorldWantLooksChristChristianityStepsThis WorldSymbolsRomeTestamentNew TestamentApostlesPower And Strength Author:Stephen Nichols
“The emotional aspects of a wilderness experience might be compared to a religious experience. It is particularly valuable for those people whose unconscious associations of pain and discomfort in relationships to man render a deity in human form impossible. Christianity is unacceptable to some people because of the use of the human symbol, but some who can't accept Christ can gain a tremendous sense of peace from relating to uncontaminated areas.” PeopleMenHumansUseMightPainFormChristReligiousAcceptingChristianityEnvironmentImpossibleEmotionalGainsAreasAspectValuableSymbolsUnconsciousWildernessAssociationDeitiesDiscomfortReligious ExperienceHuman Form Author:Donald Glover
“In 325 A.D., the Roman Emperor Constantine decided to unify Rome under a single religion ... Historians still marvel at the brilliance with which Constantine converted the sun-worshipping pagans to Christianity. By fusing pagan symbols, dates, and rituals into the growing Christian tradition, he created a kind of hybrid religion that was acceptable to both parties.” KindStillsChristianPartyChristianitySunGrowingTraditionDecidedSymbolsRitualHistorianRomeAcceptableBrillianceEmperorPaganismPaganHybridConstantineRoman EmperorEmperor Constantine Author:Dan Brown
“To me, every dirty act was simply a sacrament of sin, a passionately religious protest against Christianity, which was for me the symbol of all vileness, meanness, treachery, falsehood and oppression.” ReligiousSinChristianityOppressionSymbolsDirtyProtestFalsehoodSacramentsMeannessTreachery Author:Aleister Crowley
“As for the status of Western Christianity, we are in a place where our task is to redefine the primary symbols of our faith or tradition in a more human direction. That's the thing I spend my time doing.” HumansChristianityTraditionTasksWesternSymbolsPrimariesMy Time Author:John Shelby Spong
“Yes, the long war on Christianity. I pray that one day we may live in an America where Christians can worship freely! In broad daylight! Openly wearing the symbols of their religion... perhaps around their necks? And maybe -- dare I dream it? -- maybe one day there can be an openly Christian President. Or, perhaps, 43 of them. Consecutively.” MayLongWarDreamChristianAmericaReligionPresidentChristianityPrayingOne DayWorshipDareSymbolsNecksBroadsI PrayDaylightMaybe One Day Author:Jon Stewart
“No one is without Christianity, if we agree on what we mean by that word. It is every individual's individual code of behavior by means of which he makes himself a better human being than his nature wants to be, if he followed his nature only. Whatever its symbol - cross or crescent or whatever - that symbol is man's reminder of his duty inside the human race.” IfsMenWantHumansMeanIndividualHuman BeingsRaceChristianityDutyBehaviorCrossesAgreeSymbolsCodeHuman RaceRemindersCrescent Author:William Faulkner