It's not disrespectful to give a cross to an atheist?

Bad argument, Bad! The Aunt was already trying to force her religion onto him, he probably said no, and she refused to listen.

"Here, let me disrespect you by giving you something I consider a sacred item to convert you".
"Here let me make a joke about your view on atheists".

Nah.

"you are dead to me until you believe as i believe. You will suffer eternal burning after you die because of what you are. This is why i'm trying to save you, because clearly you can't think for yourself. You are like a child in that i need to protect you from yourself. So here, have this miniature guillotine as a symbol of love and hope, despite it's history of slowly killing enemies of bronze age government's."

This is what someone is saying if they give you a cross to convert you.

Yeah, erm... so, what if they're just giving you a cross?

"Here. I want you to have this cross, it is part of my belief and important to me, so I'm giving it to you."

I mean, that's what I'm hearing. I dunno about you.

well it wasn't was it? op said she thought she could convert him.

if it's important to her why give it away? if your aunt gave you a ******** , telling you how important it is to her, would you accept it as nothing more than a gift, or a suggestion of beliefs?

And it really sucks that you would compare a ******** to Christianity or religion in general. That's like comparing homosexuality with having sex with a dog. I'm sure you'd agree it's two very different things.

Yeah, I would. Whether or not those beliefs are similar to my own, I'd accept it with gratitude as a gesture of kindness. It's basically telling me that I'm just as important if not more important than the item she's trusting with me. In fact my father did just that for me once, entrusting a 14 carrot gold decorated cross that's been ****** down his family for generations to me. I was an irresponsible little **** back then and lost it not a year later, and not a day goes by that I don't regret taking better care of it. So I understand the importance of such gifted items.

I'm not saying OP's aunt wasn't a bible ******** extremist with prideful arrogance in her belief to an insulting point-trust me, I've got one of those myself. But if she gave it to her simply out of the kindness of her heart, why the hell does it matter what she hopes it will do for her niece? Sincerity, kindness, and good intent is all I see in an act like that. Frankly, OP never elaborated to what extreme her aunt tried to "convert" her. So I'm a bit skeptical.

i have to say i disagree. i cannot see a gift of such symbolism being innocent. i, and op (i guess) , see it as literally pushing your beliefs onto someone else.

if it was a pretty cross necklace or a bracelet with a cross on it then yeah that is pretty nice of her and only subtle undertones of suggestion. but if it's a cross with no other purpose than to focus magic into, then my original statement is sound.

Alright, I don't mean to pull a strawman, but saying that you think of it like that basically means you're at the same level when you insult the one who gave you said offer.
"You should have this because I hope you'll convert into my belief one day."
"I don't want your gift because my belief is better and you should believe what I belief instead."
I mean, if you just look at it as a gift you could kindly reject it like any other gift offered to you. If you're that offended by such a simple offering, you're not being rational, just over dramatic. How badly are you villainizing simple beliefs if you have to think something so simple is so offensive? Just look at how religious extremists act towards homosexuality, its no different.

And yes, it was a necklace, but even more so than a wall cross its something that you wear that symbolizes what you believe in, so there's a lot more implication behind it. I doubt I'd catch an atheist wearing a cross saying "it's pretty, don't you think?"

im sorry, i fail to see what belief of mine you are talking about?
in the scenario op described is she insulting someone or is someone taking offence?
it isn't just the gift. the gift alone symbolizes torture, war, death, and occasional good. the act of giving it reduces the receiver to a child, "i know what's best for you.", "you're going to hurt yourself", "let me take care of you, you don't know any better".

yes im sure me finding the cross (the symbol used for death, etc. etc.) offensive and religious extremist's hanging homosexuals for no other crime than being themselves, is exactly the same.

ahh well, it was a stretch. i donno, something about jewelry could be pretty..?

Belief in general. In OP's scenario, the only one I see being insulted is his/her aunt. The dialogue in my quote is basically the same scenario.
The gift, any gift, is what you make it. So if you make it a symbol of torture, death, and oppression, that's what it is. Conversely, it can be just a gift. It's all hypothetical, and you're really overreacting by interpreting it as something else. I find it saddening that anyone would automatically interpret any good act as something insidious just because of its history.

Absolutely. Did you not just compare Hitler and Nazism to Christianity a few posts back? That's the same stretch of a comparison. Nonetheless, the idea of hate is behind both. If you can be insulted by an act of kindness, it's all the same. Same hate that started religious wars, the same hate that burnt churches, the same hate all around. It's all about where it starts.

Sure, but apparently if it symbolizes a belief of oppression and death, it's just not alright, is it? I mean, otherwise you're technically spouting hypocrisy.

Shes trying to force her religion onto you and you're being the disrespectful one?

I would do the same if my aunt would try to convert me. I don't have a problem with any religion until they shove it into my face.