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When to Make the Sign of the Cross?

Started by Magdalena, September 15, 2016, 06:14:33 AM

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Magdalena

Does anyone here know what this means, or accomplishes?

I've always been an atheist, so I know the answer is nothing, but I just want to hear an ex-religious point of view. What did it mean to you when you used to do it?

I've seen people do this under many circumstances, specially when they hear someone has died. I've seen it in movies when...they...well, "see a demon." Athletes also do it before or after their event.

Let's just say that it actually does "something," what would it do...exactly? I've seen movies where someone has been murdered, and the person who finds the body immediately does the sign of the cross. Why? Are they saying, "Oh, my god! Someone was decapitated...in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit?" Again, if doing the sign of the cross and saying those words actually does something, what did it do to or for the victim? Bless them? May this horrendous act be in God's name? Are they saying, "This is God's will, and I accept it?" Or, is it more for the one who found the body? What does it do to or for them when they do the sign of the cross? Does it create some type of "invisible, invincible shield" that protects them from those horrendous things? Why would they want to be "protected" from things that are...well, most of the time, in their world: "In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit?"

When I was a little girl I met two monsters, later in life I met two more, (that's what I call people with an extreme lack of conscience, --those who sing and dance and laugh as they hurt you.) All four of them used to do the sign of the cross, constantly. I started to associate monsters with that. Now it bothers me when I see people doing that, in part because of what I just said, and in part because I don't understand what it means.--symbolically, or logically.

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Sandra Craft

I also am clueless, but I've wondered about the hand used.  I noticed some people have their hand open, some closed in a fist, and some kiss their hand afterwards and some don't.  Is this all just personal preference, or what?
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Kekerusey

For an atheist, never :) ... it's a bit embarrasing at times (weddings, funerals, christenings) because under no circumstances will I make the sign of the cross, bow my head, pray or even kneel. I get some strange, sometimes even annoyed, looks ... that's OK though, I'm big enough and ugly enough to take the flack.

As an ex-Catholic yes I know what it means ... it's just a sign of respect and belief and confirms you're one of "the club". I don't think it has much of a deeper meaning outside of that and relating to their holy trinity.

Keke
J C Rocks (An Aspiring Author's Journey)
The Abyssal Void War Book #1: Stars, Hide Your Fires


OldGit

I have always believed that the correct sequence is "spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch".


xSilverPhinx

I always saw it as a case of instilled OCD. Whenever I'm on the bus and we pass a Catholic church some people go through the motions. There are variations, some kiss their hand afterwards, others don't. Some routes require that these obsessive types do it quite a bit. I wonder if they think that something bad would happen to them if they fail to do the sign?

I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Magdalena

I'm beginning to think that doing the sign of the cross is like a "holy" good-luck charm. But how can an item used to torture people be seen as that?  :(

Anyways, thanks for the answers. I could get a million answers and I still won't do it because it does absolutely nothing. I was just curious, maybe next time someone does it I'll ask them directly. --I'm sure they won't know why they do it either.  ::)

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Magdalena

Quote from: OldGit on September 15, 2016, 09:16:31 AM
I have always believed that the correct sequence is "spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch".

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:lol:

I think I mentioned this before: When my son was younger, the one who's 13 now, he said that he finally figured out why people do the sign of the cross. He said, "People are pointing to the holes in their body, their mouth, their belly button, and their nipples." I said, "I don't think that's why." He said, "Well, then maybe they're just writing the letter "T" on their body."
--Sure that makes more sense!  ;D

I love my little atheists.  :tellmemore:

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Old Seer

Having been brought up in the catholic idea of things, I find that it solves nothing, adds to nothing, doesn't change the person or the world. The Cross is an important symbol in Christian religions and overlooks the the real purpose of JC. What it amounts to is an attachment of European religions to a book that they misinterpret greatly. In ancient religions ritual was/is a staple, so they devise physical things to something that doesn't belong in Christianity. The sign is predicated on the trinity which doesn't add up either. The idea is to get believers more involved in believing the ones that run the religion. No physical act on the first count is going to change anyone---in Christianity it's the mind/person that's supposed to change, and that can only be done by the knowledge of "what" a person is. The sign is emphasis on something material (wooden cross object) and physical (mainly the superficial)which has no bearing on anything other then what superstitious religious leaders can scrounge up from their superstitious past religions. If one looks back over the millennia one can see that all the foot stomping, organ grinding, wood clacking, guitar strumming, water throwing, torture racking, signing, genuflecting, sing songing, drum beating, holy rollering, pain racking kneeling, chest beating,  etc etc etc etc---hasn't changed a thing or made any mental improvements in social behaviour. A Christian is nothing more then a good decent person toward others and that's that. All the above mentioned (and more) hasn't done diddley to improve the world, or any person for that matter. They get away with this nonsense because they think the world will someday come to a crashing end and in the mean time this is what one is suppose to do to get to heaven, which the book doesn't exactly mean that either. The sign represents ancient  misunderstandings of nature going back long before the book was rutten, and honors death rather then life. What the heck does "rutten" mean anyways.  :)
The only thing possible the world needs saving from are the ones running it.
Oh lord, save us from those wanting to save us.
I'm not a Theist.

xSilverPhinx

I'm doing this next time:

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Guardian85

The sign of the Cross is a s far as I know a Catholic specific thing. My only relation to this is that when I was living in Germany it was a common thing to do at the start of elementary school (1-4th)grade as a part of teacher led prayer. I remember my first day in German school (4th grade) when everybody got up and started doing this weird thing. Weird look on my ten-year old self's face. Luckily, my home-room teacher quickly realized that the reason I didn't do the sign and didn't stand up for the prayer was because I was not in fact catholic and this was not something we did in Norway, and was cool with me not doing that for the remainder of the year. 
If I understand the sign thing, it is something you do as a Catholic before starting a prayer, although many people do it as a substitute for actually saying a prayer.


"If scientist means 'not the dumbest motherfucker in the room,' I guess I'm a scientist, then."
-Unknown Smartass-

Magdalena

I've learned so much so far, maybe all of us can learn together about this topic. Not that it makes a huge difference in our lives, but we're all just a curious bunch, that's all.

Look at what I found:
There's also a triple sign of the cross, well, it's a quadruple sign of the cross:


Translation:
Sign of the cross:
1. For the sign of the Holy Cross (on the forehead),
2. from our enemies (on the mouth),
3. deliver us Lord, our God (on the chest and shoulders).
4. In the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit (large from the forehead to the chest and from the left shoulder to the right).

Amen.

A bit too much reverence, if you ask me.  :-\
It looks as if religion is trying to convince me that there's badness in everything I think of, everything I say, and everything I feel. In other words, most of the things that make me human.  :-\ --That's not right because that is all I can be.


"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Recusant

Tuco's sign of the cross seems adequate for him.

"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Asmodean

Who was that comedian who did that "In the name of the father, the son and into the hole he goes" thing? I feel like re-watching that.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
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wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Tom62

Quote from: Asmodean on September 17, 2016, 11:59:31 AM
Who was that comedian who did that "In the name of the father, the son and into the hole he goes" thing? I feel like re-watching that.

That was Dave Allen
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Magdalena


"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant