Finally.... I thought I was the only one.
Can`t wait to see Venice, the most uber-gothic city on earth once a year.

Personally, I`ve never seen the appeal of crosses. It`s like people want to be defiant of christian morality, yet they can`t seem to get away from it`s cultural symbology. Personally, I prefer pagan symbology instead: runes, mjollnirs, etc.

I`ve also found surrealist/dadaist-type imagery preferable to the usual cliche symbology.

The cross may be cliche in its pervasiveness, but I see its appeal.

Given the morbid imagery that the scene embraces, we've got graveyards, gothic novels, horror films . . . all involving the iconography of the cross.  Add in the countercultural motivations for wearing a cross with juxtaposed clothing, as well as the desire for those both Christian and goth to profess their faith along with their fashion sense, and you wind up with a lot of salient purpose to the cross as a goth symbol.

On the other hand, I'm an ankh man, myself, so what do I know?


~Nachty: identified with Christopher Lee as a child, and thus couldn't wear a cross for fear of scarring~

I suppose since christian culture has had such a profound impact in the west, crosses have become just as much tied to imagery of a funeral as well as religion. In europe, the christian cross became a replacement for the similar-looking mjollnir, or Thor`s Hammer, on tombstones.

I`ve no problem with any religion, however, it`s always been a compulsion of mine to only wear religious symbols if it`s something I truly believe in.
In japan, people tend to wear crosses as mere fashion, even though the country is 90% atheist. However, it doesn`t deter me from asking people "are you christian?" or why they wear what they wear. I tend to prefer a more profound answer than "I just think the design looks cool".

I guess it`s the same for me as when someone wears a swastika without bothering to research it`s meaning or historical significance (this happens in Japan quite a bit as well).

If people want to wear it, that`s fine, as long as they're aware of it`s meaning and have reasons for wearing it other than it being "cool fashion".

Honestly, I'd say the cross, as an icon, has enterd pop culture beyond its religious symbolism in the US.  That is weird, I grant you, but that's America for you; we also sell "Jesus is My Homeboy" t-shirts at Urban Outfitters.  Sounds like Japan has a similar thing going, without the religious roots in their culture.

Pink fluffy bunnies?  :lol:
Umm... I don't know really, vampires, venetian masks, tombs, crosses, blood etc. I can't decide!

Thanks, Nachty, for expressing so eloquently what I was groping for the words to say.  I have a huge collection of crosses, jewelry and otherwise, and I just love the look of them.

~Legendgirl, who is currently wearing an ankh and crosses in her ears.

Ha!  Sadly, no.  She loved the symbol, but not the one using it...

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My symbolism is velvet.  Black, purple and red, trimmed with black lace.  Half of my wardrobe is damned velvet.  I recently got velvet granny boots.  With jumbo silver eyelets and laces a full inch wide.  Oh I love them so!  

When I talk with people, I tell them I'm the 'velvet / lace / roses / moonlight / red wine in candlelight / campy horror kitsch kind of goth'.  All the angry death stuff does nothing for me.

For me it's roses... dark red or black. Also one of my most favourite accessoires is my beautifully decorated gothic silver cross necklace.  It goes well with both my Christianity and gothiness ^_^
Oh and the traditional... an old castle in a moonlit night with full moon - beautiful.

Certainly blood, rain, mist, dead roses, deep red roses... All been mentioned before me, so forgive me for stealing. :p

For me? Blackbirds. Original, ah? Why I actually like them? Don't really know.

I agree with the cross becoming used for style and not religious believing. I am not religious and, though I don't use a cross, I could use one just for its style and what comes to mind with it.

Depending on the subject, I love referencing the rivers of Hades and each of their properties.

Garlic, definitely garlic. Gotta love the garlic.

ERm... never really thought about it. The eight pointed star?

Another one for me is now what has become the universal symbol of occultism and magic, the pentagram.

I use it in our logo, originally of Setian design, modified with a venetian mask in the middle, an inverted cross below it, and playing card symbols on the other four points.

I like to think of occultism as the "goth" of religion:

Goth is a blanket term describing many styles of music that invoke dark atmospheres

Occultism is a blanket term describing many sects of religion that invoke dark magic.