Wearing a Cross to Work
Announced by Archdruid Eileen, Tuesday, 13 March 2012
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I was musing on the great Wearing A Cross to Work controversy, if it could be called that. Overall I’m not convinced there is much persecution of Christians, in any real sense, in this country. But clearly there will – normally in the public or formerly-privatised sector – be a certain number of would-be Stalinist numpties who hate all religion, but are scared of taking on the great non-Christian religions in case they end up at a tribunal. Or neo-paganism because they’re a bit worried about the concept of a “witch” and are scared they could end up as toads. And they would pick up on Methodists first, in all likelihood, as all that would happen is strong words at the Ladies’ Bright Hour.
Other, more enlightened, employers would recognise that it takes all sorts to make a world, rejoice in diversity and let people wear sensible symbols of their faith, as long as they’re not ten-foot wooden crosses, double-edged swords or the most recent sacrifice.
I would suggest a couple of ways round this – you may just disagree with me, in which case no harm done. The first comes from an examination of the modern Christian attitude to the Old Testament. This divides the Old Testament laws and regulations into three sections – the Ten Commandments, the Rest, and Anything to do with Sex. As we know, the Ten Commandments and Anything to do with Sex are immutable laws which will never be repealed (apart from that bit about men having to marry their dead brothers’ widows) and the rest no longer applies since Easter.
So in theory I see no reason why a discreet cross or crucifix should not be worn in the form of a tattoo – a henna one, if you don’t like the idea of it being permanent and suspect you may one day become a Zoroastrian. In this modern age employers tolerate the odd discrete tattoo, and they can be covered up with long sleeves or, in some cases, a balaclava. Obviously you’d not want to go getting yourself tattooed with the whole of 1 Corinthians 13 – it would cost a fortune and it’ll only go all wrinkly in later years and the calligraphy will be wasted.
However I realise that some employers might still get sniffy. And I recognise the argument that some employers make that, for example, wearing a cross is adornment or a personal statement, not a religious obligation. And some extreme Protestants used to see the wearing of a cross itself to be idolatry, of course. And so I am going to issue the Beaker People’s most binding commandment – a Very Firm Suggestion.
From now on, all Beaker People must take to work with them a 10 ton sarsen megalith. This is a crucial part of their faith. All the communities of the Beaker Folk have this belief. As of now.
We’ll see them in court.
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http://cyber-coenobites.blogspot.com/2012/03/wearing-cross-to-work.html or http://bit.ly/xJmxrw
Photograph of Stonehenge by David Bjorgen, 19 July 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stonehenge_2.jpg
