LOTUS CROSS

THE LOTUS CROSS

WHEN THE APOSTLES

WERE ASSIGNING MISSION FIELDS

THEY GAVE THOMAS

INDIA

THERE WERE JEWISH COMMUNITIES THERE

COURTESY OF THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY

HE WAS SUCCESSFUL

THEY WERE KNOWN AS ST THOMAS CHRISTIANS

IT EXISTS STILL TODAY

IT HAS GONE THROUGH CHANGES

FROM APOSTOLIC

NESTORIAN

CATHOLIC

ORTHODOX

SPLIT OVER IOTAS

BUT ALL ALONG

PREACHING GOD’S WORD

DOING GOD’S WORK

HIS NAME BE PRAISED

IN THE EAST THE LOTUS FLOWER IS IMPORTANT

TO ITS MAJOR RELIGIONS

IT STANDS AS A SYMBOL

THAT MAN CAN TRIUMPH

IT STARTS IN MUD

IN MUDDY WATER

GROWS

TILL IT STANDS ABOVE THE WATER

THEN BLOOMS

DISPLAYING A BUDDHIST SAYING

RISE

ABOVE THE MURK

TO ACHIEVE ENLIGHTENMENT.

.

SO STRONG IS THE ATTACHMENT IN THE EAST

THEY USED IT IN THEIR CHRISTIAN LOGO

THE LOTUS CROSS

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
Lacking the effigy of Jesus, the St. Thomas Cross presages the discovery of the empty tomb, glorifying the Resurrection of Jesus

  The four edges of the cross are floral in shape, symbolizing fruition and life.

  The lotus flower beneath the cross is a symbol of Buddhism and India. A cultural adaptation of local imagery, the lotus is the national flower of India and the cross fixed on the lotus would symbolize Christianity in India in the first century. The lotus is also a Puranic holy flower, an offering to God in the Hindu tradition; anything offered on the leaves of lotus is considered to be auspicious.

  The three steps below the Cross represent Golgotha, symbolically referring to the death of Jesus

  Finally, the dove above the cross represents the Holy Spirit, the third aspect of the Holy Trinity according to the Christian tradition. It is this spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and bestows gifts upon the Church's faithful.

THE CHURCH WAS SUSTAINED BY THE SILK ROAD

A TRADE ROUTE KNOWN TO THE ANCIENTS

RUNNING FROM CHINA TO ROME

IT HELPED SPREAD CHRISTIANITY

ALONG ITS ROUTE

CHRISTIANITY OF ALL FLAVORS

WHY DO THEY TREAT THESE PEOPLE AS ENEMIES

WHEN THEY WERE DOING GOD’S WORK

THOMAS THE DOUBTER

REASONABLY

COULD ASK

WHY

.

WHO SPEAKS FOR CAIN

 

WHO SPEAKS FOR CAIN

 

 

THE TROUBLE BEGINS

WITH YAHWEH NOT TELLING ADAM’S FAMILY

HE WANTED BLOOD SACRIFICES ONLY

IF HE DID IT’S NOT IN THE TEXT

 

A TEXT WRITTEN MANY MILLENNIUMS

SINCE THE FIRST MAN

IT’S NOT A TRUE REPORT

BUT A RECOLLECTION OF FOLK TALES

 

REFLECTING THE TIMES

WHEN IT WAS WRITTEN

 

A TIME WHEN CRUDE NOMADS

WERE TAKING OVER THE CULTURED CANAANITES

 

WITHOUT SOME MEANING

THE STORY DOESN’T HOLD TOGETHER

AN ENGLISH TEACHER

WOULD TURN IT BACK

AS INCOMPLETE

 

SCHOLARS HAVE TRIED TO GIVE IT MEANING

THAT IT WAS FRICTION

BETWEEN HERDERS AND FARMERS

BUT IT’S CONJECTURE

IT’S NOT IN THE BOOK

 

BIBLICAL FAIRY TALES

HAVE BEEN CREATED

LIKE SATAN SPAWNED CAIN THROUGH EVE

THAT CAIN AND ABEL WERE BORN AS TWINS

THAT EACH MARRIED THE OTHER’S TWIN

 

BUT IT’S CONJECTURE

IT’S NOT IN THE BOOK

 

WHICH ISN’T TO SAY

THAT CONJECTURE

AND FAIRY TALES

HAVEN’T BECOME GOSPEL

AND PREACHED AS SUCH

 

BUT WE ARE LEFT WITH A GOD

WHO APPEARS CAPRICIOUS

FICKLE

PERSNICKETY

 

BUT IN THE MIDST OF THIS CONFUSION

THERE IS A JEWEL

WHEN GOD ASKS CAIN

WHERE’S ABEL

 

HE COMPLAINS

AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER

 

THE ANSWER

THOUGH NEVER SPOKEN

THUNDERS EVEN TODAY

 

YES

 

ALL OUR RELIGIOUS THINKING

STEM FROM THAT THOUGHT

 

THE QUESTION LINGERS

WHEN WE SEE THE INEQUALITY OF WEALTH

WHEN UNJUST WARS ARE FOUGHT

WHEN FAMINE EATS THE HUNGRY

WHILE OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE GO TO THE GYM

 

THE QUESTION THUNDERS

AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER

THE ANSWER THUNDERS

EVEN IF WE WON’T LISTEN

 

YES

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER