Point of information: do you believe the pictorial depiction of Jesus Christ is improper? Or pointless? Or possibly offensive? Please correct me if I am reading too much into this.
Yes, I cringe even in my own church when there are paintings depicting the Savior on the wall. Graven images, likenesses of anything in heaven, are forbidden, not because God doesn't want us to know what He looks like, but because He doesn't want us to get a false impression of who He is and what He is like.
I understand that those who have pictures of Jesus do not worship the picture. They view the picture itself as a metaphor of the Savior...something to aid them in their understanding of Him. But in my humble opinion, such images do not enhance worship, they detract from true worship.
Haven’t tracked down the source of the ref’d post.
IF we are talking about the typical RC crucifix Christ still on the Cross . . .
Yes, it’s offensive. He’s resurrected.
HE IS RISEN!
I think it was the 2nd Chapter of Acts that first wrote and performed Easter Song—which is rightfully Exaultant.
This link is of KEITH GREEN doing a great job on it:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3kc1jDahU4
I find Christ ON the Cross still, to be an unfitting and negative focus quite uncalled for and more than a little cheekily insulting vis a vis His Resurrection.
It would be kind of like . . . someone having stomach bypass surgery . . .
and 3 months later . . . with a body and health much improved . . . all and sundry relatives and friends who were ran into would have to first endure a showing of the scars and a relating of the step by step gory details of the operation with almost a demand that they watch the video of the operation.
The point is not the operation. The focus is not the operation. The goal and joy is the results.
I also have another quibble about Christ on The Cross.
It’s NOT HISTORICAL.
Personally I think the RC edifice has a horrific problem with historical accuracy in general.
However, in this case, if they are absolutely insistent on displaying Him on The Cross—then, by all means, display the Prince of Truth HONESTLY, ACCURATELY!
The morbid fascination and ritualization talisman-ization of the contorted loin-clothed figure on the cross is a sham in addition to being the wrong focus.
My 2 cents.