Religious symbols ARE NOT in protestant churches - then why should they be

[patricia92243]

in public buildings?

I live in the Bible belt in the south. I was raised in a Wesleyan Methodist Church, worked in a United Methodist Church, attend a Independent Baptist church and have visited many Assembly of God churches.

My point is that I have had a lot of exposure to different protestant churches (not some big cathedral.) I know there are exceptions to every rule, but as a whole protest churches do not have religious symbols on display. They think such things are "graven images" and - right or wrong - condemn Catholics for statues of Jesus, Mary, etc.

So, if religious symbols are not even prevalent in their church, why do these same people think the ten commandments should be on display in government buildings.

Christianity is in the heart, not some politicl statement.

Just a thought.

[WyLoochka]

1. Excellent Point nt

[Bridget Burke]

2. Some Protestant churches do go in for the symbols.

High church Episcopal, for one. The National Cathedral in DC is Gothic in style & worth a visit. And there are a couple of lovely Gothic-styled Methodist churches here in Houston.

But you're right about the churches that are complaining about religion being absent from public life. Christian symbolism mostly came from the Catholic Church (or through it); these sects reject all that Popery. A simple, whitewashed country church has a certain dignity. But the "maxi-churches" have all the soul of regional offices of insurance companies.

One pastor was in the news recently because his city's Winter holiday parade rejected his church's entry as overly religious. So he proclaimed his martyrdom all over the web. His own church's website advertised their big Christmas musical program--based on Dickens' Christmas Carol. They couldn't even be bothered to do the Jesus/Mary/Joseph thing in their own sanctuary!

[DemBones DemBones]

8. There's a mega-church here that we refer to as "Warehouse Baptist"

because it is a huge, windowless, metal box. About a year after they built it, they added a traditional-style white double door, with wide framing and pediment, though I'm sure most everyone enters from the doors on the back, where all the parking is. I figured out that they added the fancy doors as a "prop" for traditional outside-the-church-door wedding photos. Perhaps it's nice inside, but the outside has no appeal.

If I were going to be a Baptist, I'd go to another Baptist church here, an old country church, built very simply of white-painted boards. It's a Primitive Baptist (aka foot-washing Baptist) church, complete with old cemetery in the back. I admire it whenever I drive by.

The old, downtown churches here are lovely, too. They were about all that Sherman spared when he burned this city.

[cyn2]

3. I'd have to say, from my experience....

in protestant churches in the Northeast that there are definitely Christian images in our churches. The cross is empty in most protestant churches in honor of the resurrection, but the imagery abounds in the windows and on the chancel.

[Bridget Burke]

4. As noted above, the symbols are also seen in the South....

But they're generally used by the more mainstream denominations. St Paul's Methodist began like this:

And now looks like this:


www.stpaulshouston.org/index.html

...With lovely stained glass and a new set of bells, sometimes used for ringing changes.

Edited to add: And neither this Church (nor any of our lovely Episcopalian Churches) are on the forefront of political activism. In fact, they're generally into ecumenicism & "liberal" social programs.

[DemBones DemBones]

5. And the cross is certainly the major symbol of Christianity.

Protestants, as you say, take the literalist view that a crucifix, showing Christ on the cross, "ignores the Resurrection" but they use a lot of crosses inside and outside of their churches. Older Protestant churches seem to be more likely to have stained glass windows that depict Bible stories. Newer churches have abstract designs in stained glass, if they have it at all. Growing up Protestant, I never liked the minimalist attitude of Protestant churches, much prefer the beauty of Catholic churches as well as the liturgy and theology. But Catholicism is not for everyone, any more than Protestantism is, so we're fortunate to have religious freedom today.

However, the original poster is correct that you don't see the Ten Commandments displayed in churches. You do see them on posters in Sunday School buildings, though. From my childhood, I can remember Ten Commandments charm bracelets for little girls, too. (What was that about Catholic "idolatry," LOL?)

[WoodrowFan]

6. depends on the church

Many have stained glass images of Jesus, etc, not to mention crosses, doves, etc. But you make a good point. Many of the same churches which complain the most about the lack of religious symbols in public buildings are the ones that have the fewest symbols in their own church buildings.

[demnan]

7. Anglican or Episcopal churches

like the National Cathedral are more ornate. It depends on the denomination of Protestantism. The mainstream Protestant churches have stained glass windows, but some of the plainer sects do not believe in any ornamentation.