The pentagram has suffered from some very unfortunate PR.
Many people truly believe that
the pentagram is a symbol of Satan and that anyone who wears it is evil.
The truth is very much the opposite.
Although there are many theories about its origination, it has only been very recently,
the last part of the twentieth century in fact, that the pentagram has been associated with evil.
The following are some of the various ways the pentagram has been used throughout history.
- It was used by medieval Christians to symbolize the five wounds of Christ (2 wrist, 2 ankle and 1 side).
- It has been referred to as the Star of Bethlehem and the Three Kings' star.
- During the times of the Old Testament, the pentacle was the first and most important of the Seven Seals - a Talisman whose seals
represented the seven secret names of God and was inscribed on King Solomon's ring.
- Each point of the pentagram also referred to the five books of the Pentateuch - the first five books in the Hebrew Scriptures; the Torah.
- The Rosicrucian movement consists of groups of Christian mystics. They frequently use a wand, sword, cup and pentagram as tools during their rituals. The pentagram represents "earth, matter and stability."
- The Masonic Order associate the five points of the pentagram with "Five Points of Fellowship." Almost all Masons in North America are Christians.
- It has been used to symbolize life.
- It's on the flag of the United States of America.
- Half the homes in "The Lone Star State" (Texas) have one on the front of the house.
In other words, a star symbol is not evil, it's just a symbol. Evil is in the mind and the heart, it's not worn around the neck.
In addition to the examples above, the pentagram is used by Wiccan and some neopagan religious practitioners as a symbol of their spiritual
beliefs. The pentagram symbolizes the five elements of earth, air, water, fire, and spirit, with the top point of the pentagram pointing heavenward indicating spirit
and symbolizing the triumph of spirit over matter. It is used in jewelry and on altars during rituals. It is also used for blessing and healing.
Wiccans do use "magick" but they are not wizzards, sorcerers or magicians. In fact, the spelling of the word has been changed from "magic" to "magick" to
differentiate between the two practices.
Wiccan "magick" is used for blessing, healing and to seek emotional strength, much as any person uses their religion of choice.
A Pagan calls it "magick", or ritual, while a Christian calls it prayer. A Pagan might anoint a candle with scented oil and
light it in remembrance of a departed loved one or to ask that a friend be healed from an illness. "Magick" is never used to do harm. In fact, the Wiccan rede (motto) is:
If it does no harm, do what you will, meaning that one must be very sure that no one will be harmed by what is asked. Not just someone you know,
but no one at all. Further inhibiting the doing of harm is the Wiccan belief that whatever one does comes back threefold, whether that act was for good or bad.
Wiccan ceremonies celebrate the spiritual and give thanks for the abundance of the earth and their blessings.
Although many people do not understand it, Wiccans do not "serve" or worship Satan or even believe in the existance of Satan.
Many groups attribute religious practices that they do not understand to Satanic "worship".
Satan exists in the realm of the traditional monotheistic religions for the purpose of providing "incentive" for moral behavior. Most Pagans,
however, believe in the principle of justice that says we will create our own reward here on this earth.
Some religious and spiritual groups have used the inverted pentacle.
The Order of the Eastern Star is a international humanitarian organization composed of women who are wives of advanced Masons. They use an inverted pentacle as their symbol. Essentially all Eastern Star members in North America are Christians.
During the 20th century, The Church of Satan inverted the upright pentacle and adopted it as their own symbol. The symbol is most commonly shown with the head of a goat within an inverted pentagram.
The Church of Satan's pentagram is point down and symbolizes the five tenets of Satanism, all of which have to do with earthly gratification.
There has been much publicity over so-called Satanic, sacrificial ceremonies, all of which has
turned out to be driven by nothing more than public hysteria. A most famous case
of supposed Satanic ritual abuse happened during the early 1990's. Helped along by media hype, many people were led to believe that
Satanists ritually abused and killed tens of thousands of children annually. The case was eventually dropped
after an abusive "witch-hunt" driven by evidence no better than the Salem trials. One of the most important
pieces of evidence missing was the "tens of thousands" of victims.
Satanists believe in the existance of God and believe that Jesus was a child of God, as was Satan. They simply choose to follow
what they believe are the teachings of Satan. They do not agree with the Christian idea of sin and choose to believe that human nature should
not be suppressed. They do however have their own ethical, moral teachings and code of conduct and believe that everyone must be held
responsible for their own actions.
The whole point about the pentacle is, right-side-up or upside-down, it's a religious symbol.
- Some Christians wear a cross as a reminder of the gift that Jesus Christ gave to humanity.
- Some non-Christians wear a pentagram as a reminder of their spirituality and as a talisman, much as a Catholic might wear a St Christopher medal.
Am I saying that all Wiccans and Pagans are generous, caring, thoughtful human beings? Of course not. Just that they are no worse or better than
people who subscribe to other religous or spiritual practices. Understanding, tolerance and consideration between all groups of people will make
our world a better place in which to live, and hating others for their beliefs will not make you welcome in whatever afterlife you may imagine.
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