“Unintended Consequences” (no offense meant to anyone, just wanting all to look at things from outside the box, for a minute)
So... Jesus returns to Earth, and walks into the nearest church.
He looks around, and smack dab in the middle is a huge cross, with his effigy hanging from it, nails through the wrists and ankles, a crown of thorns on his head, obvious puncture wounds to the chest cavity, and dripping blood.
So, he sets fire to the place and leaves, gets on his horse, takes out his sword, and heads out to destroy as many of these ‘violence worshipping’ abominations as possible.
I'm curious as to why you think Jesus would do that. He knew how he was going to die, and didn't fight it. He even encouraged his disciple, Thomas, to put his hands in the wounds so that Thomas would believe that He had risen from the dead.
The crucifix isn't displayed to 'worship violence', it is displayed so that WE never forget WHO it was who died for our sins, and made it possible for us to attain salvation with Him. It is there to humble us, not whip us into some sort of violent frenzy. The proof of that can be seen when folks get out of Mass on Sunday. The only 'violence' you'll likely see is somebody getting cut off on the drive out of the parking lot.
Your feeble ruse didn’t work. Perhaps a better idea might be to comment upon the article at hand, rather than use the opportunity for referring to Catholic churches as “violence worshipping abominations.” Which you just did.
**So, he sets fire to the place and leaves, gets on his horse, takes out his sword, and heads out to destroy as many of these ‘violence worshipping’ abominations as possible.**
This is very strange. Care to explain further? Why would this happen?
On earth Christ is perfect mercy.
At the moment of our death, Christ is perfect justice.
Something to ponder.
“So, he sets fire to the place and leaves, gets on his horse, takes out his sword, and heads out to destroy as many of these ‘violence worshipping’ abominations as possible.
“
I am not a defender of the use of crucifixes, but I don’t think it is a worship of violence. Jesus did indeed die a violent and hideous death for us, truly suffering throughout. The crucifix is an attempt to remember and honor that.
However, one problem with it (from my point of view) is that it focuses the believer on the death and not the resurrection.
Funny; I sniff a little violence worship in your post.