AIBU to not want to look like a Christian

[Todaytodaytodaytoday]

First of all, I have nothing against Christians. I have friends and family members of that faith, whom I respect and admire. My dilemma (if you can call it that) is that I was once given a beautiful gold necklace with a little crucifix on it. Not a big jesus-y one - just a solid gold cross with a pattern on it, with another smaller cross in front of that - not that big. The thing is, I love it and want to wear it, but on the odd occasion I do, I feel self-consious, believing people will assume I am religious. I don't know why this bothers me - I know it shouldn't - but I think it has something to do with identity and self-expression. It just feels wrong somehow. I don't want to be perceived as anything other than I am. Am I being silly?

Pagan here.
I wear a pentacle ( pentagram in a circle) and an Ankh.
Nobody has ever asked.
They can assume what they like... I'm really not arsed.

This is so stupid. I wore a cross pendant and even had cross earrings as a teen- and I was 100% not a christian. A cross is not the look of a "christian".

I would be surprised to learn that someone who wears a cross necklace is not a practicing Christian, unless it were novelty fashion one

Maybe its a regional thing then as where i am (working class area of North West) I see loads of women wearing crosses and they don't go to church

I live in the South. There are clearly very mixed views on the meaning of wearing a cross. If I'm going to wear it, I will to have to accept that some people will assume I'm a Christian and decide whether or not I care about that. The general consensus seems to be that I shouldn't care, but a small minority think it could be disrespectful of me to wear a cross without being a believer, simply because I like the design of this particular one. The fact that it isn't a crucifix seems to make a difference, as does the size and what I wear it with. There is a lot to think about. I think I will wear it, but layered with other gold necklaces for now, and keep seeing how it feels. If it feels wrong, I will probably sell it. It certainly doesn't belong hidden away in a box. I really appreciate all the different opinions and advice.

For me it’s not about what people might think-I just don’t want to wear the symbol of any religion.

I might assume you were a Christian (as am I so no insult intended) or a goth, but wouldn't be offended. I have a Celtic one my late Mum gave me but don't regularly wear (no jewellery at work). I might look twice at a crucifix though - the point is the cross is empty.

I wouldn't even register it op because I don't make any assumptions about people based on their religious beliefs. You however seem to have some sort of stereotype in your head that you don't wish to be associated with.

Their perception of you is their problem. You're not misrepresenting yourself, you're wearing a beautiful piece of jewellery with sentimental value. If its not got a crucified Jesus on it, then it's not a crucifix, and you've nothing to worry about IMO.

I don’t assume a person is a Christian just because they wear a necklace with a cross on it.

Yes, I acknowledge I need to reflect on that.

I don’t think we’ve been asked to.

As an atheist I find it bizarre that people think a cross (an instrument of torture and execution) is a thing of beauty.

I would think you were Christian and I stopped wearing mine when I stopped being one, I would feel I was misrepresenting myself too.

No, we haven’t. I was just trying to explain why I wouldn’t wear a cross-or any other religious symbol, however pretty the piece of jewellery concerned

Not true. Very many Christians ( especially Anglicans) wear a plain cross as sign of the risen Christ.

Although I find the title of this thread pretty unpleasant.

I would assume someone wearing a cross ws quite Christian.

🥱

People who know you probably know you are not a Christian. Strangers might think you are but so what? They’re strangers. I don’t get the angst here.

Replace Christian with another religion and all hell would break loose. Goady shit.

Despite my previous post saying I’d never wear one and would assume anyone wearing one was a Christian - I just had a flashback to my early 20s when I almost permanently wore a cross earring (like a pendant dangling on a small hoop) in one ear. They were very fashionable at the time and I clearly thought I was very cool 🤣 I’d say a necklace is a bit different though and more of a statement. If it is in amongst other necklaces maybe not so much

This reminds me of the time I bought what I thought was an unusual-looking, chunky pendant necklace in Tammy Girl aged 14. Thought I'd be the only person ever sporting this mass-produced piece of TG jewellery.

Couldn't understand why everyone kept saying 'Ban the bomb' to me when I wore it.

Here we go...

Devil worshippers? Who the heck is in your social circle? ?

Crosses are also used in paganism so I would assume you’re a witch