Mom Talk: How Do You Teach a Child About Religious Symbolism?

My son recently became obsessed with obtaining a cross. The details are fuzzy, but it had something to do with an image he saw from Indiana Jones.

On our recent trip to Albuquerque, NM, a very Catholic based community, he saw crosses and crucifixes everywhere. He was desperate to buy one that was hand-carved and bejeweled with the spending money he had brought along. They were all out of his price range.

Thank goodness.

I cringed every time we walked into a gift shop and my son asked the clerk in a loud voice, “Where are your crosses?” I walked several feet ahead while he hung back and "oohed" and "ahhed" over the mountains of crosses and crucifixes by the display window. There were magnets, bookmarks, pins, paperweights, necklaces and decorative crosses stacked and hung all over. None were quite right, he lamented.

Thank goodness, again.

Having been raised in an area of Texas that is commonly referred to as the Bible Belt, I spent a great deal of my childhood surrounded by Christian symbolism. I had no idea what any of it meant; all I knew was that I should watch my "ps" and "qs." This God guy sounded scary and kind of out to get me. I watched religion get distorted and used to harm rather than help and decided it wasn’t for me.

Now, as an adult, I have no religious affiliation and I intend to keep it that way. I do not know quite who or what I believe in as far as spiritual matters are concerned, and I am content to remain forever in a state of wondering. I hope to instill this sense of openness in my son. I hope he can recognize and respect others’ beliefs without feeling like he has to choose one to subscribe to himself.

I recognize that my son’s current interest in the cross is purely aesthetic. But the cross is not just a piece of art that he can carry around or wear like Silly Bandz or hoop earrings. The thing I most want him to understand is that religious symbols, such as the cross, carry meaning and when you walk around with one, people will think that they know you and thus, treat you accordingly.

My son’s interest in the figure of the cross has become a great jumping off point for enthusiastic and inspired discussions around our house about symbolism, sensitivity, tolerance and openmindedness. I am no longer afraid of or threatened by his curiosity. Should he choose to be religiously affiliated in the future, I will just have to extend my openness and respect for differences to him and support his ability to make his own choices.

It will certainly encourage some lively conversations and debates.