Can I use a cross in my practice?

[Kasandra]

I was looking for a green dragon on Amazon and this caught my eye.

Image From Amazon

My question is, has anyone here ever used a cross in their practice? And would it be appropriate to incorporate as a pagan?
A cross is a predominantly Christian symbol, as we all know, but I’ve read that the cross has been used long before it came to be associated with the death of Jesus.
Historians have said that the “cross” Jesus was crucified on may have actually been in the shape of an uppercase T or even just a stake or pole (I believe in the Greek version of the Bible, it’s written he died on a stauros, which means stake or pole), since trees would have been scarce in and around Jerusalem.
I did some research on Google and couldn’t find much information on pagan crosses. Just that it had been used as a symbol of fertility.
There is the witch’s knot, which looks like a cross.
Aside from that, does anyone know of any other historical pagan uses of the cross?

[pedros10]

@Kasandra I personally never understood of why for christians the cross became a symbol for them, when it was a way to execute criminals.
This is my perspective, I don’t see anything bad of you using the image you just shared. If it resonates to you and feel good with it, go for it. It looks awesome.
On the practices I have been doing, one is Demonolatry, so you can see of how open minded I’am. Besides, is a variation of the Celtic cross. So far what I see, it’s a piece done for those into Gothic paraphernalia.

[pedros10]

Celtic Cross Meaning and Symbolism on Whats-Your-Sign.com

[marsha]

@Kasandra,
I love that dragon, it’s beautiful. I think you should use it! I agree with @pedros10. I don’t understand the Christian cross either. However, I love the info about the Celtic cross meaning and symbolism. Let us know how things work out for you.
Love always,
@marsha

[praecog29]

Kasandra is right that the real crosses used by the Romans were shaped like the letter T. The cross commonly used by Christians is only a symbol to remind them (or like a talisman to protect them) of the price of their faith. I see no reason to be afraid of using it in personal practices.

For those that don’t understand why Christians chose the cross as their symbol, that was the point Paul made in 1 Corinthians. (Not preaching here, just quoting. I am an eclectic Wiccan that doesn’t believe in things like hell.)

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are being destroyed. But it is the power of God for those of us who are being saved. It is written in scripture: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the intelligence of the intelligent. Where are the wise? Where are the legal experts? Where are today’s debaters? Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish? In God’s wisdom, he determined that the world wouldn’t come to know him through its wisdom. Instead, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching. Jews ask for signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, which is a scandal to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

[pedros10]

Also not preaching or debating, only pointing out of the key of this verse and quote.
*But we preach Christ crucified.
Is not about the cross, but the person who died on it.
Why of this? Because jews didn’t believe of him has their savior, and according to Paul and the disciples, he resurrected destroying the dead by the cross.

[Francisco]

The cross is a symbol of power

The cross as a Christian symbol or “seal” came into use at least as early as the second century; and the marking of a cross upon the forehead and the chest was regarded as a talisman against the powers of demons. Accordingly the Christian Fathers had to defend themselves, as early as the second century, against the charge of being worshipers of the cross, as may be learned from Tertullian, “Apologia,” xii., xvii., and Minucius Felix, “Octavius,” xxix. Christians used to swear by the power of the cross. - Source

Pre-Christian societies that used the cross as a symbol were the Egyptians (crux ansata or ankh ☥) and Eurasian peoples had the crux gammata or swastika 卐.

It has also been used to represent the sun or solar powers. @Kasandra I think you are free to use any symbol of power that you choose in your private practice.

However all symbols have many different associations and interpretations. Don’t be surprised if someone assumes you are a Christian if you decide to wear a cross (or a nazi if you display a swastika )

[pedros10]

Even the Hindú use their variation of the swastika image. It’s incredible of how way back all this symbols and crosses have had been used. Like @Francisco said, of their variation and meaning according of the region.

[Garnet]

Why not, the Christians don’t have a monopoly on it. According to the book Babylon Mystery Religion , the cross originated among the ancient Babylonians of Chaldea. From there, it spread to ancient China, India, Mexico, parts of Africa and other places, centuries before Christianity was born.
What is the origin of the cross?.

(Ancient Egypt - Wikipedia) hieroglyphic symbol that was most commonly used in writing and in Egyptian art to represent the word for “life” and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself.

The ankh has a cross shape but with a teardrop-shaped loop in place of an upper bar. It has been seen in hieroglyphs as old as (c. 30th to 29th century BC)

While the Celtic Cross is certainly a Christian symbol, it has its roots in ancient pagan beliefs at the same time. The stone circle at Calanais, on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, is formed in a rough circle, with an even-armed cross within it. This is believed to be a sun symbol to the creators of the stone circle, which became a sacred shape to the Celts.

The swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika , which means “good fortune” or “well-being." The motif (a hooked cross) appears to have first been used in Eurasia, as early as 7000 years ago, perhaps representing the movement of the sun through the sky. To this day, it is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism. It is a common sight on temples or houses in India or Indonesia. Swastikas also have an ancient history in Europe, appearing on artifacts from pre-Christian European cultures.
The swastika was long used as a symbol of well-being in ancient societies, including those in India, China, Africa, native America, and Europe.
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article

Besides, it’s your choice as to what to use and what feels right to you’

[mary25]

Well, I think anything you do with love, reverence and good intentions is basically okay. Isn’t the meaning that matters, that you attach to it? Also it is very cool. That dragon is awesome! As a Christian, I think the cross can symbolize sooo many things . It can be strength, love, sacrifice, faith, surrender, so many things. But is it my favorite symbol, not really. I have a triquetra which I love – that has both pagan and Christian symbolism. I think you will know when you hold it – it will feel right or it won’t. You’ll get that little prickly “uh oh” feeling if it isn’t, amiright? There is a vibe that kind of comes off things when it is not right. We had a whole ROOM in a house I used to rent that we couldn’t spend ten comfortable minutes in, it was a bedroom, too. Something was not right about that room. LOL It gave me the willies. Sorry, off topic LOL

[Trey]

I 100% agree with @Francisco, you are absolutely free to use whatever religious symbol you choose in your own private practice, I would just say be reverent with whatever you do choose

[Kasandra]

Thanks for all the information!
From what I’ve read, it sounds like a cross would be a great symbol for a dragon, since it’s been used to represent the sun and its solar power.
Since it has also been used for protection against demons, perhaps I could use it to invoke the protective energies of dragons against negative energies?
Ah! I have the urge now to design my own draconic cross!

[anne2]

Hello. It’s up to you whether you want to incorporate it in your practices as a pagan, @Kasandra ,

Just be forwarned that if you do incorporate the cross in your practices, most people Pagan or not will likely assume you’re Christian, and just as @praecog29 said, the cross, the deity Christ or Yeshua died on, is likely to actually be a pole or stake (based on the transliterated Greek texts, and even one of the followers, Paul there wondered how is it that the Christ they spoke of resurrected died on a wooden cross in the written canonical texts of Christianity when it’s highly likely to the original followers he died on a pole or stake instead, it’s believed that some testimonies about Christ in the past actually had political involvement, present times make it easier to question and research about such questions, it’s a mess out there when you see or read about Christ or Yeshua in either the Christians or Jewish version), whether you choose to incorporate the cross or not is up to you,

Blessed Be,
Margaret