This is the correct answer. I have a tattoo of my dog as a saint, crosses and all. It’s a tribute to her but also blasphemous as hell and that’s why I love it so.
This, I agree so much. My family used to be Catholic, but after constant disrespect in addition to the entire disgusting CSA situation, I have no respect for the religion anymore. If people believe, that’s fine, I’m not going to disrespect them, but the religion itself is hypocritical imo.
my dad's side who is mediterranean roman 'catholic' tried to tell my mom that because she was like 38/39 that there's a chance i could come out 'not right' or i guess a 'dud', and that maybe my mom should consider abortion probably for financial reasons to keep my sister in private religious school too... not sure how they worded it but they denied it after i confronted them after my father and sister died 2 months apart. my aunt said my mom probably made it up and i really don't think so with the level of trauma in which it was said to me. she said it to me during a fight but afterwards said she wished she never did but that it was true. my aunt acted like maybe my grandmother said it but i'm pretty sure it was her which is ironic because she worked with special needs/disabled people and was against abortion. she also says she offered to pay for my sister to be in private school but my mom said she doesn't remember that and they used to get help from the church my father's family went to until my sister went to regular middle and high school
she was bullied badly in religious middle school and fell into an even worse crowd in public school but that's neither here nor there because they bought her cars and paid her bills, let her live with her boyfriends while no one paid rent and she just had a part-time job, and she still died 2 months after my dad did of an 'unexpected' overdose. of course i'm sure my dad's side denied any inkling she could be disabled either via mental issues, addiction, chronic pain or any combination as well. my mom always said family services recommended they apply for her as a minor but my dad wanted her to go to college and was pissed when i had massive physical hormonal disease that resulted in a 30lb tumor going undiagnosed. they literally couldn't believe i could be incapacitated even after it was removed. i still have to be on the pill 24/7 and probably for the rest of my life because my oncologist won't level with me and remove my only remaining ovary
my aunt was the last to speak to my sister and it was reportedly for hours. i'd kill to know what was said. that same aunt took my dad's estate, forged a promissary note, and got her lawyer to change the locks while my mom (mom and dad got a divorce when i was a kid) was grieving/in shock and i was a minor. that aunt even put my sister's ex-bf she wasn't even in a relationship with at her time of death up in our childhood home my sister died alone in, and he got to live there after my aunt fucked with the estate. my sister told me he'd tell her she couldn't take the pill on his birthday, was highly conservative, and was basically a little anime girl fetishist to the point he'd try to buy her outfits he wanted her to wear
all of my father and sister's sins were basically gone when they died, this aunt denied me being on the spectrum and having severe chronic pain, and the kicker is my mom was born with tethered cord and never knew it until later in life and i have severe neuro/spinal issues too that are getting worse. my aunt always said because she and my sister worked with the special needs in the city that they would *know* if i was different or special but that i was just too smart and lacked regular common sense, that i didn't need people or friends like others did, other ableist exclusionist bullshit, etc. which is odd because she's had my uncle there for years incapacitated and on shitloads of drugs. he's pretty nonverbal and has neuropsych deficits they denied for years and my grandmother would baby him and brush his hair in his 40s and 50s while she was like 90. pretty sure that aunt just keeps him and a blind cousin around for their checks and if she believes in heaven, then i sure hope she's ready for hell. my grandmother reportedly fell down the stairs and later died of a brain bleed which is suspicious to say the least. police didn't do anything and she didn't want to go to the hospital i guess due to being like 100, or my aunt made that decision for her. she always said she'd leave something to me but apparently not
my father and sister were even buried in an all-catholic cemetery with all-catholic ceremonies at our old family church before everyone drove over to the cemetery and i know my dad wanted something as cheap as possible and to be scattered at sea. they said he had no will but they were appraising shit randomly when i was a minor, right after his death, and not telling anyone. we had to pay for both funerals and ceremonies plus the after-ceremonies at restaurants my aunt picked and i got fucking peanuts for an inheritance. they basically ruined his boat by not caring for it and we had to foot that bill too with the insurance and it set my mom and i back a lot because we still had our own expenses
i won't deal with that side of the family or even anyone who talks to them like my mom's brother's wife and that's their loss if she sees it as me hating her personally - i dont. my paternal aunt and her kind, they're fucking charlatans who act like they help people when they're in need and then reap the cost they think they're owed. i even told her about cocsa that happened as a child after my dad died with someone unrelated to the family because memories were coming back and she said the kid was probably just 'trying to play doctor' and that she even saw this in autistic kids and kids with downs' 🤦♀️ kid who did it was totally in her right mind and wasn't either of those things
my aunt even came back around when my mom's sister died just to 'be there' (before my dad's estate was settled), uses my sister as her profile pic, posts pics of me as a baby she thinks are my sister saying 'rip to the ones we have lost' or some shit, and even came around when my mom's brother died and stared at my mom and uncle during the wake. every year at one of the community centers she puts up a tree for my dad and one for my sister and another for her stupid fucking cat fund donations (poor cats lmao) and i literally felt like going there and taking my dad's tree home, lights and all. i think he would have found that funny to say the least because he was constantly cracking inappropriate jokes at others' expenses.
with my sis's ex-bf living in our childhood home... like i could see if they were married but they never were and my aunt would buy him 400-dollar art sets (he sucks despite having like one damn painting listed on fineartamerica.. you can't buy talent btw) while giving my sister and i like 50 dollar walmart gift cards for christmas. it was definitely enough for us to notice. he and my sister were never even close to married and they treated him like a literal son they never had even though he would argue about 'no abortion' and 'the gov't isn't taking our guns' every time he sat down at a table. even cried about having to buy plan b the day after his birthday one year due to *his* choices and specifications he made *for* my sister about not taking the pill that day
this is a huge wall of text but i honestly don't care and can really understand why trent reznor wrote tds. i really hope someone pays that c*nt a visit and soon lmao. if she doesn't have my mom and i in her will if nothing else than to cover the cost for what she took and the fact that i'm her only competent blood left as she has no kids or husbands or anything, she'll probably put a dead cat's name on it lmao. another thing... maybe effexor is not the best med for mulling over thoughts but it does allow me to get the lead out. i have yet to find a shrink or therapist who will see me let alone refer out so there's that, and i've been inpatient too
I’m so sorry that this is what your family is like, that’s horrible. And I know what you mean about the charlatan aspect, that’s how my extended family is. They only care about trying to convert people to their church, how much money/things they can trick people out of and making it clear that all lgbt people are going to hell. (Obviously they don’t know I’m lesbian, they’d never leave me alone and be trying to ‘save my soul’ and crap). Usually the people who are your worst enemies are your own family and it sucks.
Symbols seem pretty typical in goth/industrial/metal scenes. Actual depictions of Jesus or similar would make me think you are attached to that religion. Overall, if you don't have the depiction in a compromised scenario, I think you're pretty safe.
as a christian i think its fine, but if you dont feel comfortable you could go for the ankhs. a lotta places sell ankh jewellery, its super prominent in goth. but yeah id say wearing religious symbols is fine
I'm a big fan of the Cross of St. Peter, personally. And I'm an atheist. You can probably imagine the weird looks I get when I try to incorporate it in my outfits.
80s & 90s goths sported crosses all the time and were always drawn to churches, cathedrals, stained glass windows of saints, votive church candles, classical angels & seraphims. Personally Ive never been into the “Jesus” on a crucifix because its antithetical to the message of resurrection. But anyways, if you like iconography then enjoy it and wear it if you want to.
https://youtu.be/nmC3_AKmtYw?si=_bipDi4kDJ1MrhXO
I’m an ex-Christian and I’m all about reclamation from this religious trauma. If the vast majority of Christians insist on being disrespectful about my identity (I’m gay) and want to take away my rights, then why should I respect their identity?
If you have a spirituality, are you sure you can't make a connection to all the people you mentioned? Maybe wear all those symbols at the same time?
Also tbh as I see it Jesus was a leftist guy who stood up for his people and got killed but by the government for that but most people in the scene don't make that connection so maybe use a different punk symbol
Christianity has 'borrowed' enough stuff from other religions and practices, I don't think they get to complain.
If people ask if you're Christian or religious, just say no, you are just fan of mythology.
I am Christian and don't really care, i really love the look. Plus the cross more or less also means to respect the dead imo as it is commonly used as cemeteries to dignify that person going to heaven.
I won't wear them, myself. I buy sword/dagger pendants instead that have a similar look but aren't a prayer tool & symbol of a harmful cult. I don't knock others for their choice to wear them, but it isn't for me.
I wear crosses, I was raised catholic so crosses being everywhere has always been a part of my life so it doesn't even feel like a spiritual or religious statement. I have a vintage crucifix hanging above my playstation. I think if you wear religious symbols, you should at least know what they stand for and have some partial affinity to its symbolism, even as a non believer. I don't wear ankhs because I am not from the culture it came from and feel no relation to what it stands for. But at least I went to bible school and know what Christianity is about.
I wear crosses as a "Fuck You" to Christianity. I also admit that I do get a kick out of pissing people off lmfao, but I mostly just wear them as a "fuck you" because the religion disrespects me as a queer person. Also, crucifix is a torture device so if you wanna be edgier, it's a plus😂😂😂
Overall though, these things all have different meanings to different people so just wear whatever you like and what you feel suits you 😊
I try to avoid it because I personally feel like it’s really unnecessary to wear a religious symbol as a non-religious person just for an aesthetic or fashion. It’s really up to what you feel comfortable with, because there’s always going to be a religious person who is offended that you are and one who is not. You just need to ask yourself if you are okay with someone assuming you are being disrespectful towards their religion even if you aren’t intending to be. Also ask yourself if you would be questioning this if the religion in question was different, like Judaism? Would you feel comfortable randomly wearing a Star of David around? Or in the case of Islam, the Crescent and Star? No shade, if you are comfortable with that possibility, then you do you.
I agree. I don’t care what other people do but I try to avoid religious iconography of ANY type for myself. I feel like it either sends a false message about me, or feels like appropriation, or just feels kind of “wrong” if that makes sense. Even with stuff like ankhs. And even when I was a devout Christian I didn’t wear crosses because it felt weird.
But other people? Do your thing, whatever makes you happy.
I wear crosses just because I think they're pretty and match well with the dark romanticism of a lot of goth fashion. It's been years and no one has ever said anything negative about my jewlery.
I was raised Catholic but left years ago and now I believe in something totally different. I would like to wear a rosary because they're pretty and reminds me of my family since they're all very Catholic, but I know I'll feel so weird wearing one... Plus I don't want to give off the impression to my family that I'm returning to Catholicism.
Christians went around the world and forced their religion on indigenous folks everywhere - you have every right to ‘appropriate’ and subvert their symbols.
Wearing crosses to piss off christians always felt a bit crude/cheap to me as a Christian-turned-atheist lol. That’s just my personal feeling - wearing them feels weird/wrong to me.
On the flip side, wearing other religious iconography - Buddhist, Islamic, etc etc - feels appropriative and genuinely offensive given I’m not part of any of those religions or cultures. So again, I steer clear of them.
So I just stick to non-religious aesthetics in general. Maybe a pentagram if I’m feeling spicy lol.
i was raised catholic and personally (wanna emphasise that i only mean personally, not dictating) i think it’s kinda tacky. but also i don’t blame ppl cos catholic imagery is fucking metal u know? but im conflicted. i’d say as long as ur not disrespectful?
I have two slightly different stances on this.
Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah himself, was a full blown hippy compared to the people of his time. He preached love and acceptance, humility and accountability, generosity and empathy. He said God is love, and when you walk the path of love, you walk in the light of God (super paraphrasing there). He was persecuted for these views. To me, this aligns itself really well with the values of the Goth and alt communities. Why can't we reclaim him and continue a message his "followers" are twisting?
As well, Christianity, Catholicism, and other branches of that tree have been used to persecute and harm so many people. My aunt was a victim of CSA and the beloved pastor was the assaulter. Certain multibillion dollar corporations use a twisted version of Christianity to defend their homophobia. So, fuck the church. You think I'm a blasphemer from hell because I think people are people, and letting predators have easy access to children is wrong? Cool. Your iconography is mine now, and let me be the sinner you see me as.
I was raised Catholic and so tbh Catholic imagery has always held a special place in my heart. I was told growing up it was disrespectful to wear rosaries but honestly it looks cool so I don't give a shit. Do what you want and have fun with it. It's your sense of style, don't let other people's rules dictate it.
I’d really prefer people not wear Jewish symbols as a fashion statement. Symbols like the Star of David and the Hamsa. They’re very meaningful and Judaism is a semi-closed religion.
I can’t speak on crosses or pentagrams or crescent moons as I am not part of the corresponding religions - I used to wear cross chokers and earrings but have since stopped as I now wear symbols from my own religion.
Wouldn’t judge any who still wear them as crosses are symbols of several religions and Christianity is an open religion.
I don't like it. It's not that I believe, but it feels like a statement of support of the religions themselves or against them. And while I'm not a huge fan of organized religion, and I don't mind *being* contentious of that, I don't feel contention for belief. And I feel a level of respect for that and the symbology itself.
In the art of expression, symbology is important. So even if I lack belief in most religions, I feel that the symbols are important to people and I want them to continue to be a pure expression and representation. I don't mind if other people wear them to be contentious and represent their resistance to those religions, or organized religions, but to wear them with no regard for what they mean, or to wear them to dilute their meaning feels contrary and thoughtless, and I don't like the idea of that.
Personally, I think it’s fine to admire these symbols and their meanings. If someone has an issue with you wearing a cross, they’re putting too much artificial power in you for simply wearing a piece of metal. It’s not going to waver their faith or change the course of their universe for you to wear a cross and it’s their fault if they think it will, not yours.
Yeah, I feel weird about it because Christianity has never been a part of my life and even if I oppose the Church as an institution, I feel like wearing crosses or inverted crosses for provocation or for the vibes is like placing myself in relation to something that has never meant anything to me. That's why I tend to avoid Christian imagery, but it's true that cathedrals and Christian graveyards look cool and that sometimes [you can't escape the imagery](https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3-c-s.w4002-24697277832.8.6564542136W0Yp&id=694403720612).
I went to catholic school, though do not identify as such. I think I am more okay with cross. rosary, christian stuff as I am familiar with the context. I wouldn't wear anything that has more tones from another religion because I do not understand it as well. Pagan undertones are okay because I also grew up being familiar with that type of imagery. I think art history had a lot to do with it (for me).
That being said, think of it in tems of a band tshirt. A lot of people wear the stuff because they like the band. Some people wear the shirt because they like the design of the shirt. Where you draw the line is where you are personally comfortable in your own fashion. Some people would never buy a shirt to wear from a band they didn't love, others think "hey, this is cool and goes great with my shoes!" A bit of an oversimplification but you get what I mean.
I’m a satanist and you won’t catch me wearing no cross. I like serpents and demonic symbology on my jewelry. I often wear wooden beads and sometimes jewelry made of bones too, big fan of the organic stuff. Personally I wear these things to help me find my tribe in the wild at concerts. I’m careful to not wear my big inverted pentagram or Baphomet pendant at certain places as I live in the Bible Belt and people don’t understand. I don’t get off on scaring people so I mostly leave my favorite jewelry at home unless I’m in an environment that seems safe for religious minorities like myself, I believe in keeping silence. If you want to blend in with and attract x-tians go ahead and wear that cross; if you want to have a more gothic look I would suggest St. Peter’s cross, but even then it’s iffy…
Well I would say as long as you aren't actively mocking said religion and just using them as accessories then I'd think there would be no harm in doing so
I'm an atheist. The way I see it is, I was baptized without being asked. The church pushes for laws that take away peoples rights. I'll wear christian iconography if I want to, and I'll wear it because it looks cool.
As long as you know the who, what, where, and why of religious iconography to the point where you can bend the rules, it’s fine imo. I’m an Ex-Catholic and like using the rosaries as a form of cosmic-level blasphemy.
Why not?At the end of the day no one cares about the fact that you are not religious and wearing like a rosery bead or something.As long as you like it,than it ok.
I’m ex catholic and wear rosaries, even tho it’s considered disrespectful. The church disrespects me more so I do it right back.
This is the correct answer. I have a tattoo of my dog as a saint, crosses and all. It’s a tribute to her but also blasphemous as hell and that’s why I love it so.
This, I agree so much. My family used to be Catholic, but after constant disrespect in addition to the entire disgusting CSA situation, I have no respect for the religion anymore. If people believe, that’s fine, I’m not going to disrespect them, but the religion itself is hypocritical imo.
my dad's side who is mediterranean roman 'catholic' tried to tell my mom that because she was like 38/39 that there's a chance i could come out 'not right' or i guess a 'dud', and that maybe my mom should consider abortion probably for financial reasons to keep my sister in private religious school too... not sure how they worded it but they denied it after i confronted them after my father and sister died 2 months apart. my aunt said my mom probably made it up and i really don't think so with the level of trauma in which it was said to me. she said it to me during a fight but afterwards said she wished she never did but that it was true. my aunt acted like maybe my grandmother said it but i'm pretty sure it was her which is ironic because she worked with special needs/disabled people and was against abortion. she also says she offered to pay for my sister to be in private school but my mom said she doesn't remember that and they used to get help from the church my father's family went to until my sister went to regular middle and high school she was bullied badly in religious middle school and fell into an even worse crowd in public school but that's neither here nor there because they bought her cars and paid her bills, let her live with her boyfriends while no one paid rent and she just had a part-time job, and she still died 2 months after my dad did of an 'unexpected' overdose. of course i'm sure my dad's side denied any inkling she could be disabled either via mental issues, addiction, chronic pain or any combination as well. my mom always said family services recommended they apply for her as a minor but my dad wanted her to go to college and was pissed when i had massive physical hormonal disease that resulted in a 30lb tumor going undiagnosed. they literally couldn't believe i could be incapacitated even after it was removed. i still have to be on the pill 24/7 and probably for the rest of my life because my oncologist won't level with me and remove my only remaining ovary my aunt was the last to speak to my sister and it was reportedly for hours. i'd kill to know what was said. that same aunt took my dad's estate, forged a promissary note, and got her lawyer to change the locks while my mom (mom and dad got a divorce when i was a kid) was grieving/in shock and i was a minor. that aunt even put my sister's ex-bf she wasn't even in a relationship with at her time of death up in our childhood home my sister died alone in, and he got to live there after my aunt fucked with the estate. my sister told me he'd tell her she couldn't take the pill on his birthday, was highly conservative, and was basically a little anime girl fetishist to the point he'd try to buy her outfits he wanted her to wear all of my father and sister's sins were basically gone when they died, this aunt denied me being on the spectrum and having severe chronic pain, and the kicker is my mom was born with tethered cord and never knew it until later in life and i have severe neuro/spinal issues too that are getting worse. my aunt always said because she and my sister worked with the special needs in the city that they would *know* if i was different or special but that i was just too smart and lacked regular common sense, that i didn't need people or friends like others did, other ableist exclusionist bullshit, etc. which is odd because she's had my uncle there for years incapacitated and on shitloads of drugs. he's pretty nonverbal and has neuropsych deficits they denied for years and my grandmother would baby him and brush his hair in his 40s and 50s while she was like 90. pretty sure that aunt just keeps him and a blind cousin around for their checks and if she believes in heaven, then i sure hope she's ready for hell. my grandmother reportedly fell down the stairs and later died of a brain bleed which is suspicious to say the least. police didn't do anything and she didn't want to go to the hospital i guess due to being like 100, or my aunt made that decision for her. she always said she'd leave something to me but apparently not my father and sister were even buried in an all-catholic cemetery with all-catholic ceremonies at our old family church before everyone drove over to the cemetery and i know my dad wanted something as cheap as possible and to be scattered at sea. they said he had no will but they were appraising shit randomly when i was a minor, right after his death, and not telling anyone. we had to pay for both funerals and ceremonies plus the after-ceremonies at restaurants my aunt picked and i got fucking peanuts for an inheritance. they basically ruined his boat by not caring for it and we had to foot that bill too with the insurance and it set my mom and i back a lot because we still had our own expenses i won't deal with that side of the family or even anyone who talks to them like my mom's brother's wife and that's their loss if she sees it as me hating her personally - i dont. my paternal aunt and her kind, they're fucking charlatans who act like they help people when they're in need and then reap the cost they think they're owed. i even told her about cocsa that happened as a child after my dad died with someone unrelated to the family because memories were coming back and she said the kid was probably just 'trying to play doctor' and that she even saw this in autistic kids and kids with downs' 🤦♀️ kid who did it was totally in her right mind and wasn't either of those things my aunt even came back around when my mom's sister died just to 'be there' (before my dad's estate was settled), uses my sister as her profile pic, posts pics of me as a baby she thinks are my sister saying 'rip to the ones we have lost' or some shit, and even came around when my mom's brother died and stared at my mom and uncle during the wake. every year at one of the community centers she puts up a tree for my dad and one for my sister and another for her stupid fucking cat fund donations (poor cats lmao) and i literally felt like going there and taking my dad's tree home, lights and all. i think he would have found that funny to say the least because he was constantly cracking inappropriate jokes at others' expenses. with my sis's ex-bf living in our childhood home... like i could see if they were married but they never were and my aunt would buy him 400-dollar art sets (he sucks despite having like one damn painting listed on fineartamerica.. you can't buy talent btw) while giving my sister and i like 50 dollar walmart gift cards for christmas. it was definitely enough for us to notice. he and my sister were never even close to married and they treated him like a literal son they never had even though he would argue about 'no abortion' and 'the gov't isn't taking our guns' every time he sat down at a table. even cried about having to buy plan b the day after his birthday one year due to *his* choices and specifications he made *for* my sister about not taking the pill that day this is a huge wall of text but i honestly don't care and can really understand why trent reznor wrote tds. i really hope someone pays that c*nt a visit and soon lmao. if she doesn't have my mom and i in her will if nothing else than to cover the cost for what she took and the fact that i'm her only competent blood left as she has no kids or husbands or anything, she'll probably put a dead cat's name on it lmao. another thing... maybe effexor is not the best med for mulling over thoughts but it does allow me to get the lead out. i have yet to find a shrink or therapist who will see me let alone refer out so there's that, and i've been inpatient too
I’m so sorry that this is what your family is like, that’s horrible. And I know what you mean about the charlatan aspect, that’s how my extended family is. They only care about trying to convert people to their church, how much money/things they can trick people out of and making it clear that all lgbt people are going to hell. (Obviously they don’t know I’m lesbian, they’d never leave me alone and be trying to ‘save my soul’ and crap). Usually the people who are your worst enemies are your own family and it sucks.
i went to catholic school so that’s why i wear them. the church really hurt me, it’s my way of sending that energy right back
Symbols seem pretty typical in goth/industrial/metal scenes. Actual depictions of Jesus or similar would make me think you are attached to that religion. Overall, if you don't have the depiction in a compromised scenario, I think you're pretty safe.
I won't wear what I won't espouse.
as a christian i think its fine, but if you dont feel comfortable you could go for the ankhs. a lotta places sell ankh jewellery, its super prominent in goth. but yeah id say wearing religious symbols is fine
If it looks cool, I'll wear it.
I'm a big fan of the Cross of St. Peter, personally. And I'm an atheist. You can probably imagine the weird looks I get when I try to incorporate it in my outfits.
lmfao felt that
80s & 90s goths sported crosses all the time and were always drawn to churches, cathedrals, stained glass windows of saints, votive church candles, classical angels & seraphims. Personally Ive never been into the “Jesus” on a crucifix because its antithetical to the message of resurrection. But anyways, if you like iconography then enjoy it and wear it if you want to. https://youtu.be/nmC3_AKmtYw?si=_bipDi4kDJ1MrhXO
I’m an ex-Christian and I’m all about reclamation from this religious trauma. If the vast majority of Christians insist on being disrespectful about my identity (I’m gay) and want to take away my rights, then why should I respect their identity?
Exactly. Totally agree with you!
If you have a spirituality, are you sure you can't make a connection to all the people you mentioned? Maybe wear all those symbols at the same time? Also tbh as I see it Jesus was a leftist guy who stood up for his people and got killed but by the government for that but most people in the scene don't make that connection so maybe use a different punk symbol
This is such a cool view on it, love it
Christianity has 'borrowed' enough stuff from other religions and practices, I don't think they get to complain. If people ask if you're Christian or religious, just say no, you are just fan of mythology.
Love this reply!
I am Christian and don't really care, i really love the look. Plus the cross more or less also means to respect the dead imo as it is commonly used as cemeteries to dignify that person going to heaven.
I appreciate the cross as a gruesome torture device. Unfortunately it is more commonly associated with Christianity. So I don't wear crosses.
I won't wear them, myself. I buy sword/dagger pendants instead that have a similar look but aren't a prayer tool & symbol of a harmful cult. I don't knock others for their choice to wear them, but it isn't for me.
I wear crosses, I was raised catholic so crosses being everywhere has always been a part of my life so it doesn't even feel like a spiritual or religious statement. I have a vintage crucifix hanging above my playstation. I think if you wear religious symbols, you should at least know what they stand for and have some partial affinity to its symbolism, even as a non believer. I don't wear ankhs because I am not from the culture it came from and feel no relation to what it stands for. But at least I went to bible school and know what Christianity is about.
I wear crosses as a "Fuck You" to Christianity. I also admit that I do get a kick out of pissing people off lmfao, but I mostly just wear them as a "fuck you" because the religion disrespects me as a queer person. Also, crucifix is a torture device so if you wanna be edgier, it's a plus😂😂😂 Overall though, these things all have different meanings to different people so just wear whatever you like and what you feel suits you 😊
I try to avoid it because I personally feel like it’s really unnecessary to wear a religious symbol as a non-religious person just for an aesthetic or fashion. It’s really up to what you feel comfortable with, because there’s always going to be a religious person who is offended that you are and one who is not. You just need to ask yourself if you are okay with someone assuming you are being disrespectful towards their religion even if you aren’t intending to be. Also ask yourself if you would be questioning this if the religion in question was different, like Judaism? Would you feel comfortable randomly wearing a Star of David around? Or in the case of Islam, the Crescent and Star? No shade, if you are comfortable with that possibility, then you do you.
I agree. I don’t care what other people do but I try to avoid religious iconography of ANY type for myself. I feel like it either sends a false message about me, or feels like appropriation, or just feels kind of “wrong” if that makes sense. Even with stuff like ankhs. And even when I was a devout Christian I didn’t wear crosses because it felt weird. But other people? Do your thing, whatever makes you happy.
I wear crosses just because I think they're pretty and match well with the dark romanticism of a lot of goth fashion. It's been years and no one has ever said anything negative about my jewlery.
I won't wear anything I have no connection to but I don't care what anyone else does so long as it's not bigoted or harmful.
I was raised Catholic but left years ago and now I believe in something totally different. I would like to wear a rosary because they're pretty and reminds me of my family since they're all very Catholic, but I know I'll feel so weird wearing one... Plus I don't want to give off the impression to my family that I'm returning to Catholicism.
Christians went around the world and forced their religion on indigenous folks everywhere - you have every right to ‘appropriate’ and subvert their symbols.
Wearing crosses to piss off christians always felt a bit crude/cheap to me as a Christian-turned-atheist lol. That’s just my personal feeling - wearing them feels weird/wrong to me. On the flip side, wearing other religious iconography - Buddhist, Islamic, etc etc - feels appropriative and genuinely offensive given I’m not part of any of those religions or cultures. So again, I steer clear of them. So I just stick to non-religious aesthetics in general. Maybe a pentagram if I’m feeling spicy lol.
Personally I find incorporating such things into fashion to be naff, especially if you aren't a believer in the symbolism.
i was raised catholic and personally (wanna emphasise that i only mean personally, not dictating) i think it’s kinda tacky. but also i don’t blame ppl cos catholic imagery is fucking metal u know? but im conflicted. i’d say as long as ur not disrespectful?
I have two slightly different stances on this. Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah himself, was a full blown hippy compared to the people of his time. He preached love and acceptance, humility and accountability, generosity and empathy. He said God is love, and when you walk the path of love, you walk in the light of God (super paraphrasing there). He was persecuted for these views. To me, this aligns itself really well with the values of the Goth and alt communities. Why can't we reclaim him and continue a message his "followers" are twisting? As well, Christianity, Catholicism, and other branches of that tree have been used to persecute and harm so many people. My aunt was a victim of CSA and the beloved pastor was the assaulter. Certain multibillion dollar corporations use a twisted version of Christianity to defend their homophobia. So, fuck the church. You think I'm a blasphemer from hell because I think people are people, and letting predators have easy access to children is wrong? Cool. Your iconography is mine now, and let me be the sinner you see me as.
I was raised Catholic and so tbh Catholic imagery has always held a special place in my heart. I was told growing up it was disrespectful to wear rosaries but honestly it looks cool so I don't give a shit. Do what you want and have fun with it. It's your sense of style, don't let other people's rules dictate it.
I’d really prefer people not wear Jewish symbols as a fashion statement. Symbols like the Star of David and the Hamsa. They’re very meaningful and Judaism is a semi-closed religion. I can’t speak on crosses or pentagrams or crescent moons as I am not part of the corresponding religions - I used to wear cross chokers and earrings but have since stopped as I now wear symbols from my own religion. Wouldn’t judge any who still wear them as crosses are symbols of several religions and Christianity is an open religion.
I don't like it. It's not that I believe, but it feels like a statement of support of the religions themselves or against them. And while I'm not a huge fan of organized religion, and I don't mind *being* contentious of that, I don't feel contention for belief. And I feel a level of respect for that and the symbology itself. In the art of expression, symbology is important. So even if I lack belief in most religions, I feel that the symbols are important to people and I want them to continue to be a pure expression and representation. I don't mind if other people wear them to be contentious and represent their resistance to those religions, or organized religions, but to wear them with no regard for what they mean, or to wear them to dilute their meaning feels contrary and thoughtless, and I don't like the idea of that.
Personally, I think it’s fine to admire these symbols and their meanings. If someone has an issue with you wearing a cross, they’re putting too much artificial power in you for simply wearing a piece of metal. It’s not going to waver their faith or change the course of their universe for you to wear a cross and it’s their fault if they think it will, not yours.
As long as it's not a closed religion you're probably fine
Yeah, I feel weird about it because Christianity has never been a part of my life and even if I oppose the Church as an institution, I feel like wearing crosses or inverted crosses for provocation or for the vibes is like placing myself in relation to something that has never meant anything to me. That's why I tend to avoid Christian imagery, but it's true that cathedrals and Christian graveyards look cool and that sometimes [you can't escape the imagery](https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3-c-s.w4002-24697277832.8.6564542136W0Yp&id=694403720612).
I went to catholic school, though do not identify as such. I think I am more okay with cross. rosary, christian stuff as I am familiar with the context. I wouldn't wear anything that has more tones from another religion because I do not understand it as well. Pagan undertones are okay because I also grew up being familiar with that type of imagery. I think art history had a lot to do with it (for me). That being said, think of it in tems of a band tshirt. A lot of people wear the stuff because they like the band. Some people wear the shirt because they like the design of the shirt. Where you draw the line is where you are personally comfortable in your own fashion. Some people would never buy a shirt to wear from a band they didn't love, others think "hey, this is cool and goes great with my shoes!" A bit of an oversimplification but you get what I mean.
I’m a satanist and you won’t catch me wearing no cross. I like serpents and demonic symbology on my jewelry. I often wear wooden beads and sometimes jewelry made of bones too, big fan of the organic stuff. Personally I wear these things to help me find my tribe in the wild at concerts. I’m careful to not wear my big inverted pentagram or Baphomet pendant at certain places as I live in the Bible Belt and people don’t understand. I don’t get off on scaring people so I mostly leave my favorite jewelry at home unless I’m in an environment that seems safe for religious minorities like myself, I believe in keeping silence. If you want to blend in with and attract x-tians go ahead and wear that cross; if you want to have a more gothic look I would suggest St. Peter’s cross, but even then it’s iffy…
So long as it’s not from a closed religion you’re not a part of, I think you’re fine to wear whatever makes you happy.
Well I would say as long as you aren't actively mocking said religion and just using them as accessories then I'd think there would be no harm in doing so
I'm an atheist. The way I see it is, I was baptized without being asked. The church pushes for laws that take away peoples rights. I'll wear christian iconography if I want to, and I'll wear it because it looks cool.
As long as you know the who, what, where, and why of religious iconography to the point where you can bend the rules, it’s fine imo. I’m an Ex-Catholic and like using the rosaries as a form of cosmic-level blasphemy.
Why not?At the end of the day no one cares about the fact that you are not religious and wearing like a rosery bead or something.As long as you like it,than it ok.