I saw a video this morning that showed the ceiling on fire while the music was still playing and people were taking out their phones to take video of it instead of fleeing. I was gobsmacked.
"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as much as is a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you." --Matthew 17:20 ---1599 Geneva
The second commandment as part of the original 10 commandments (not the Catholic version where it was removed) have the second commandment as "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." The Catholics removed this (for obvious reasons) and just moved up the third one and split the 10th into two different commandments to make up the difference.
We are not supposed to make wooden crosses and wear them around our necks, it's low level idol worship. The power from the belief is real, but the cross is simply a physical conduit to channel the belief system through.
It's what's in your heart that God recognizes. If wearing a cross gives you comfort, do you believe God would not want you to be comforted? There are situations that we cannot speak for God, this might be one of them.
This argument sounds pious until you actually read the Bible instead of scolding it from a safe distance.
The Second Commandment Does Not Ban Objects, It Bans Worship
The commandment does not say, “Thou shalt not make anything.” If it did, Israel would have been reduced to living in dirt holes, humming psalms quietly and staring at the ground. The commandment forbids making images for the purpose of bowing down to them and serving them.
The text itself defines the sin.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image… you shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Exodus 20:4–5).
Notice the logic. Making is not the sin. Worship is the sin. If the mere existence of carved objects were forbidden, God immediately contradicts Himself a few chapters later.
God Commanded the Making of Images
God explicitly commanded the construction of physical images.
Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant.
Carved angels in the tabernacle.
A bronze serpent lifted up on a pole.
If the second commandment forbade creating physical symbols, then God would be violating His own law within weeks. That is not theological rigor. That is theological clumsiness dressed up as zeal.
The bronze serpent only became sinful when Israel later worshiped it. At that point, Hezekiah smashed it. The problem was not the metal. The problem was the hearts.
The Cross Is a Symbol, Not a Deity
A wooden cross worn around the neck is not an idol unless the wearer believes it has inherent divine power. At that point, the problem is not jewelry. The problem is superstition.
By this logic, wedding rings are pagan fertility talismans, Bibles are paper idols, and road signs are being worshiped by drivers who obey them. Symbols are not rivals to God unless you turn them into gods.
The cross is a reminder, a proclamation, and a confession. Paul said he preached Christ crucified, not Christ abstracted and floating safely above history. Christianity is stubbornly physical.
“The Power Is Real” Argument Backfires
The claim that the cross acts as a “physical conduit” for belief collapses under its own weight. If belief can be “channeled” through physical reality, then congratulations, you have rediscovered Christianity.
God uses water in baptism.
Bread and wine in the Supper.
Ink and paper in Scripture.
Wood and iron in the crucifixion itself.
Christianity is not Gnosticism with Bible verses taped on. God saves through matter because He made matter and called it good.
The Catholic Numbering Smokescreen
The numbering of the commandments differs between Jewish, Reformed, and Catholic traditions, but the content does not disappear. No commandment was “removed.” It was summarized differently. Claiming otherwise is like accusing someone of losing a chapter because they used Roman numerals instead of Arabic ones.
That argument is not bold. It is lazy.
Wearing a cross does not violate the second commandment unless you bow to it, pray to it, or trust it instead of Christ. When that happens, smash it. Until then, relax.
The cross is not an idol. It is an announcement.
And the announcement is that God saves sinners through a real execution, on real wood, in real history.
Trying to scrub Christianity of physical symbols does not make it purer. It just makes it thinner, quieter, and suspiciously embarrassed by the incarnation.
A talisman is an object believed to possess inherent power that works automatically, almost mechanically. Think rabbit’s foot theology. Rub the object, luck comes out. Faith not required. Obedience optional. Reality bends because you are holding the right trinket.
That is paganism with better marketing.
What the Cross Is
The cross is a symbol and proclamation, not a power source. It does not do anything on its own. It points away from itself to a finished historical act: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Paul did not say, “I trust in the object of the cross.” He said, “We preach Christ crucified.” The power is not in the wood. The power is in what happened on the wood.
When It Becomes a Talisman
A cross becomes a talisman only when someone treats it like one.
If a person thinks:
Wearing it protects them regardless of repentance
Touching it wards off evil automatically
Possessing it substitutes for faith or obedience
Then yes, they have turned it into a talisman. At that point, the issue is not Christianity. It is superstition wearing Christian clothing.
Christianity Is Physical but Not Magical
God uses physical means, but never magic objects.
Water does not save apart from faith.
Bread and wine do not save apart from Christ.
A cross does not save apart from the gospel.
Christianity insists matter matters, but matter never replaces God.
Bottom Line
The cross is not a talisman.
It becomes one only when someone stops confessing Christ and starts trusting jewelry.
The solution is not banning crosses. The solution is better theology and less witchcraft with Bible verses taped on.
Yet somehow you believe the Bible is a talisman? 😂
It was faith and prayer then God chose to answer to save that person.
Sometimes a higher power just intervenes with methods that we have yet to comprehend. Most would call it a miracle. There could also be another explanation of what happened. It is good to always keep an open mind.
Ernest Holmes wrote his Since of Mind and Spirit book 100 years ago. Nothing new agey about it. Prayer and positive affirmation is exactly the same.
Check it out. It’s not Tom Cruise scientology crap.
Ernest Holmes' "The Science of Mind," published in 1926, is a foundational text of the New Thought movement that explores the relationship between humans and God, emphasizing the power of thought in creating personal change and spiritual growth. The book combines elements of spirituality, psychology, and metaphysics, offering practical tools for prayer, meditation, and self-improvement.
New Age is ancient. Just different terms, names and guises.
Christ alone.
Metaphysics can border on attributing personal change/improvement, spiritual growth to one's own power and will, rather than Christian point of view that change comes by the working of the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual growth comes through sanctification, which cannot occur apart from the works of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
I used to go to a SOM church, and read some of his books, listened to some tapes, etc. some things he gets right; but not all. And some Christian teaching leaves out the supernatural. But I came to realize that Jesus / Yeshua is the son of God, and the Bible is His word. I would suggest reading a plain Bible without a commentary.
Positive affirmations is prayer. God is the spirit…energy. All interconnected. Thought? Is electrical energy. A thought once put out extends through the universe. Electrical energy. Actually simple physics. Jesus? A man who was an amazing teacher, who knew how to focus his prayer/positive affirmations for positive outcome.
The phrase be careful what you ask for? Same as prayer/affirmation. You get what you pray/think of. Many people don’t focus their prayer/affirmations. They focus on the process versus the outcome/end state and therefore do not have faith therefore not allowing the outcome to materialize.
As a recovering Roman Catholic I’m still working on this after almost 30 years into it. It’s powerful.
Get the book. Find a church. You’ll be surprised how they welcome any faith. And utilize ideals from all faiths. When one looks into the details of most religions you’ll find they are surprisingly similar in their basis.
It’s the interpretation of the various religion’s texts that screw up all of the religions. Same issue as the SCOTUS ‘interpreting’ plain English words of the constitution/BOR.
His Guardian Angel was working overtime that day. How do you not believe after seeing that. God Bless
Yes...He is always with us! Just speak His Name! 🙌
I saw a video this morning that showed the ceiling on fire while the music was still playing and people were taking out their phones to take video of it instead of fleeing. I was gobsmacked.
Yes, unbelievable! 💔 🙏
I came across the video again…
https://x.com/boriquagato/status/2007220005725684090
"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as much as is a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you." --Matthew 17:20 ---1599 Geneva
https://nitter.net/CollinRugg/status/2007153303256477895?s=20
Praise be to God Hallelujah Hallelujah
Amen! 🙌
Why would a cross be a talisman that holds back fire? A Bible id believe, however.
Really? You think a cross is just a lucky charm? It wasn't the cross that protected him, it was his faith.
The second commandment as part of the original 10 commandments (not the Catholic version where it was removed) have the second commandment as "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." The Catholics removed this (for obvious reasons) and just moved up the third one and split the 10th into two different commandments to make up the difference.
We are not supposed to make wooden crosses and wear them around our necks, it's low level idol worship. The power from the belief is real, but the cross is simply a physical conduit to channel the belief system through.
It's what's in your heart that God recognizes. If wearing a cross gives you comfort, do you believe God would not want you to be comforted? There are situations that we cannot speak for God, this might be one of them.
This argument sounds pious until you actually read the Bible instead of scolding it from a safe distance.
The commandment does not say, “Thou shalt not make anything.” If it did, Israel would have been reduced to living in dirt holes, humming psalms quietly and staring at the ground. The commandment forbids making images for the purpose of bowing down to them and serving them.
The text itself defines the sin. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image… you shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Exodus 20:4–5).
Notice the logic. Making is not the sin. Worship is the sin. If the mere existence of carved objects were forbidden, God immediately contradicts Himself a few chapters later.
God explicitly commanded the construction of physical images.
Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant. Carved angels in the tabernacle. A bronze serpent lifted up on a pole.
If the second commandment forbade creating physical symbols, then God would be violating His own law within weeks. That is not theological rigor. That is theological clumsiness dressed up as zeal.
The bronze serpent only became sinful when Israel later worshiped it. At that point, Hezekiah smashed it. The problem was not the metal. The problem was the hearts.
A wooden cross worn around the neck is not an idol unless the wearer believes it has inherent divine power. At that point, the problem is not jewelry. The problem is superstition.
By this logic, wedding rings are pagan fertility talismans, Bibles are paper idols, and road signs are being worshiped by drivers who obey them. Symbols are not rivals to God unless you turn them into gods.
The cross is a reminder, a proclamation, and a confession. Paul said he preached Christ crucified, not Christ abstracted and floating safely above history. Christianity is stubbornly physical.
The claim that the cross acts as a “physical conduit” for belief collapses under its own weight. If belief can be “channeled” through physical reality, then congratulations, you have rediscovered Christianity.
God uses water in baptism. Bread and wine in the Supper. Ink and paper in Scripture. Wood and iron in the crucifixion itself.
Christianity is not Gnosticism with Bible verses taped on. God saves through matter because He made matter and called it good.
The numbering of the commandments differs between Jewish, Reformed, and Catholic traditions, but the content does not disappear. No commandment was “removed.” It was summarized differently. Claiming otherwise is like accusing someone of losing a chapter because they used Roman numerals instead of Arabic ones.
That argument is not bold. It is lazy.
Wearing a cross does not violate the second commandment unless you bow to it, pray to it, or trust it instead of Christ. When that happens, smash it. Until then, relax.
The cross is not an idol. It is an announcement. And the announcement is that God saves sinners through a real execution, on real wood, in real history.
Trying to scrub Christianity of physical symbols does not make it purer. It just makes it thinner, quieter, and suspiciously embarrassed by the incarnation.
Downvoter fails to answer the question.
The cross is not a talisman in Christianity.
What a Talisman Actually Is
A talisman is an object believed to possess inherent power that works automatically, almost mechanically. Think rabbit’s foot theology. Rub the object, luck comes out. Faith not required. Obedience optional. Reality bends because you are holding the right trinket.
That is paganism with better marketing.
What the Cross Is
The cross is a symbol and proclamation, not a power source. It does not do anything on its own. It points away from itself to a finished historical act: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Paul did not say, “I trust in the object of the cross.” He said, “We preach Christ crucified.” The power is not in the wood. The power is in what happened on the wood.
When It Becomes a Talisman
A cross becomes a talisman only when someone treats it like one.
If a person thinks:
Wearing it protects them regardless of repentance
Touching it wards off evil automatically
Possessing it substitutes for faith or obedience
Then yes, they have turned it into a talisman. At that point, the issue is not Christianity. It is superstition wearing Christian clothing.
Christianity Is Physical but Not Magical
God uses physical means, but never magic objects.
Water does not save apart from faith. Bread and wine do not save apart from Christ. A cross does not save apart from the gospel.
Christianity insists matter matters, but matter never replaces God.
Bottom Line
The cross is not a talisman. It becomes one only when someone stops confessing Christ and starts trusting jewelry.
The solution is not banning crosses. The solution is better theology and less witchcraft with Bible verses taped on.
Yet somehow you believe the Bible is a talisman? 😂
It was faith and prayer then God chose to answer to save that person.
Sometimes a higher power just intervenes with methods that we have yet to comprehend. Most would call it a miracle. There could also be another explanation of what happened. It is good to always keep an open mind.
Prayer, positive affirmations, science of mind and spirit are powerful!!
How about the grace,mercy and promises of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, instead of new-agey terms?
Ernest Holmes wrote his Since of Mind and Spirit book 100 years ago. Nothing new agey about it. Prayer and positive affirmation is exactly the same.
Check it out. It’s not Tom Cruise scientology crap.
Ernest Holmes' "The Science of Mind," published in 1926, is a foundational text of the New Thought movement that explores the relationship between humans and God, emphasizing the power of thought in creating personal change and spiritual growth. The book combines elements of spirituality, psychology, and metaphysics, offering practical tools for prayer, meditation, and self-improvement.
New Age is ancient. Just different terms, names and guises.
Christ alone.
Metaphysics can border on attributing personal change/improvement, spiritual growth to one's own power and will, rather than Christian point of view that change comes by the working of the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual growth comes through sanctification, which cannot occur apart from the works of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
I used to go to a SOM church, and read some of his books, listened to some tapes, etc. some things he gets right; but not all. And some Christian teaching leaves out the supernatural. But I came to realize that Jesus / Yeshua is the son of God, and the Bible is His word. I would suggest reading a plain Bible without a commentary.
Please elaborate on this term and what it entails. What practices does it tell people to do?
What does it say about the Relationship?
Like?
Positive affirmations is prayer. God is the spirit…energy. All interconnected. Thought? Is electrical energy. A thought once put out extends through the universe. Electrical energy. Actually simple physics. Jesus? A man who was an amazing teacher, who knew how to focus his prayer/positive affirmations for positive outcome.
The phrase be careful what you ask for? Same as prayer/affirmation. You get what you pray/think of. Many people don’t focus their prayer/affirmations. They focus on the process versus the outcome/end state and therefore do not have faith therefore not allowing the outcome to materialize.
As a recovering Roman Catholic I’m still working on this after almost 30 years into it. It’s powerful.
Get the book. Find a church. You’ll be surprised how they welcome any faith. And utilize ideals from all faiths. When one looks into the details of most religions you’ll find they are surprisingly similar in their basis.
It’s the interpretation of the various religion’s texts that screw up all of the religions. Same issue as the SCOTUS ‘interpreting’ plain English words of the constitution/BOR.
Absolutely! ✨☝️🙌
Great story on how Trump got his bible.
https://ayetv.substack.com/p/donald-trumps-bible-from-scotland
I love this story! Please post this..
It is a good one and I feel it all comes together
This story has been hyped on AM/FM radio all day
6 week cycle of very fake news?