Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The Big Pentagram thread

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    The Big Pentagram thread

    Yeah, this question has probably been asked before, and probably answered here before, many times before, you're probably all sick of it and don't want this thread posted again... But;

    In Christianity, what does the Pentacle actually represent?
    I've been lead to believe it's a sign of the devil in Christianity, but when I actually looked it up The Five Wounds of Christ and Salvation seem to be at the top of the list with good ol' Lucifer nowhere to be found.
    I know it's related to Satanism and occult (which tends to conflict with Christianity, in some respects) via practice, magic and social belief more than the rest of the Pagan community, which can cause people to come to swift conclusions, but is it actually a bad thing to wear if you're a Christian?
    Ignoring relations to Satanism etc, does Christianity really say it's a bad thing? Is it even a concern in Christianity anymore or is it just a fairly generic Pagan symbol that people connect to Satanism?

    (I'm asking this partly because I have Christian friends and I'm worried that if/when they see the Pentagram I wear it'll cause problems, they're lovely people and I should probably just ask/tell them but I kinda want to ask this here first, as a kind of safety buffer)
    :dummy:
    Work hard Play hard.
    What is history?

    #2
    Re: The Big Pentagram thread

    The answer varies with who you're dealing with. Christianity isn't particularly uniform in its beliefs and different people will see it differently. That said, I will be surprised if the first thought of most US Christians on seeing it is the wounds of Christ. Pop-culture has rather thoroughly linked the pentacle to the occult and pop culture is far more uniform than Christianity.
    life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

    Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

    "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

    John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

    "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

    Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


    Comment


      #3
      Re: The Big Pentagram thread

      I know that the pentagram was inscribed on King Solomon's ring, and that the 5 points were thought to relate to the 5 first books of the old testament (the Pentateuch.) It was apparently used almost as much as the cross to represent Jesus for a while, until someone somewhere around the crusades era decided the cross was the preferred symbol.

      Edit: I can't post links for some reason, but just search "pentagram origin" and even the wiki page has some stuff on the early Christian uses of the pentragram.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: The Big Pentagram thread

        Originally posted by mahgdelain View Post
        I know that the pentagram was inscribed on King Solomon's ring, and that the 5 points were thought to relate to the 5 first books of the old testament (the Pentateuch.) It was apparently used almost as much as the cross to represent Jesus for a while, until someone somewhere around the crusades era decided the cross was the preferred symbol.

        Edit: I can't post links for some reason, but just search "pentagram origin" and even the wiki page has some stuff on the early Christian uses of the pentragram.
        Links and sigs require 15 posts that are not in either the Intro section or Lols, Quizzes and Games. Pretty much once your post count reads 15 since Intro and Lol posts don't register in the count.
        life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

        Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

        "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

        John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

        "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

        Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


        Comment


          #5
          Re: The Big Pentagram thread

          Oh ok. Thanks for the heads up!

          Comment


            #6
            Re: The Big Pentagram thread

            In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain, unlike the other knights, carried a round shield. On the outside (which would be facing an enemy) their was a pentagram. On the other side (the side Sr Gawain would be facing in battle) was Mary, Mother of God.

            The positioning would suggest that the pentagram was intended for protection, and Mary for... I don't know... maybe inspiration or something.

            Anyway, their is a loooong section in the poem, describing, in great detail, the meaning of the pentagram - as a Christian symbol. That might be a good place to look.

            I have also heard or read - can't remember when or where - that with two points up, it has horns & represents a goat head. With the two points down, you have a pentagram that is human-formed, so it represents The Son Of God.

            That's all I remember. It may just be a fairy tale.
            Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: The Big Pentagram thread

              Aye I've read about Sir Gawain and the upside down pentacle generally being a bad symbol (spirit below matter, goats head etc.), thanks for all the contributions this is all quite interesting =3, Though it all points towards Christianity not having have a major problem with the symbol, which is quite a relief :dummy:

              (Ftr, usually when I say Christianity I'm referring to an average practitioner, no particular denomination or a more extremist group)
              Work hard Play hard.
              What is history?

              Comment


                #8
                Re: The Big Pentagram thread

                Originally posted by Amadi View Post
                Yeah, this question has probably been asked before, and probably answered here before, many times before, you're probably all sick of it and don't want this thread posted again... But;

                In Christianity, what does the Pentacle actually represent?
                I've been lead to believe it's a sign of the devil in Christianity, but when I actually looked it up The Five Wounds of Christ and Salvation seem to be at the top of the list with good ol' Lucifer nowhere to be found.
                I know it's related to Satanism and occult (which tends to conflict with Christianity, in some respects) via practice, magic and social belief more than the rest of the Pagan community, which can cause people to come to swift conclusions, but is it actually a bad thing to wear if you're a Christian?
                Ignoring relations to Satanism etc, does Christianity really say it's a bad thing? Is it even a concern in Christianity anymore or is it just a fairly generic Pagan symbol that people connect to Satanism?

                (I'm asking this partly because I have Christian friends and I'm worried that if/when they see the Pentagram I wear it'll cause problems, they're lovely people and I should probably just ask/tell them but I kinda want to ask this here first, as a kind of safety buffer)
                :dummy:
                Unfortunately it's largely irrelevant what the pentagram ACTUALLY symbolizes, because if your main concern is what your friends will think, then you aren't dealing with historical precedent, but modern perception.

                And the modern perception of the vast majority of Christians (regardless of what the religion itself says about the symbol) is that the pentagram/pentacle = paganism = devil worship. From there it really just depends on how devout your friends are as to how much they actually care that you are pagan.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: The Big Pentagram thread

                  How devout and what flavor of devout they happen to be. I know a very devout Catholic who would rather firmly consider you misguided but normally has dozens of other topics to discuss and is only liable to spend a lot of time on the religious angle if you really want to talk faith with her. On the other hand, there are some rather vocal Christians floating around the US who seem to feel they've been authorized to condemn in Heaven's name.
                  life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

                  Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

                  "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

                  John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

                  "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

                  Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: The Big Pentagram thread

                    In mainstream Christian circles, the pentagram and pentacle symbols are evidence of occult practices or activity. This is therefore interpreted as a satanic symbol because it is not of God.

                    Many Christians are not aware of how the symbol is used and why. Many don't really care what it's used for anyway because the use of talismans, symbols, idols, and "graven images" is forbidden because they are not of God.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: The Big Pentagram thread

                      It originally represented the 5 elements: earth, wind, water, fire and spirit. depending upon Path, either RHP or LHP, the point would be either up, for Spirit ruling over the other elements or down, representing the Spirit being ruled by the elements.
                      Christianity, to my knowledge, doesn't use nor recognize the pentagram in any of its religious services.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: The Big Pentagram thread

                        I know my Christian parents do not approve of my protection charm, which is a pentacle surrounded by Ouroboros. They tell me not to wear it because it represents occultism. Your friends might be different. I dunno?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: The Big Pentagram thread

                          Ask most christians and they'll tell you its a sign of the devil or evil, but from what I've read its the wounds of christ. It's open to interpretation, like many things.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: The Big Pentagram thread

                            I went to a Christian orientated high school. I always wore my pentagram under my shirt to prevend questions like this. If people asked, I told them that the pentagram (I had one with the point upwards) represents the 4 elements and the top point represents the spirit. The circle around the star symbolizes the connection that all the elements and our spirits have with each other.

                            Sadly, most people drew their own conclusions and I couldn't convince them that my religion had nothing to do with the devil. My closest friend did listen and although she was Christian, she accepted my symbol, she said, because I accepted hers (a cross). I have had many nice conversations with her since then, comparing our believes. Try talking to your best friend. Maybe keep the topic general at first, to see what he/she thinks about other symbols.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: The Big Pentagram thread

                              I wonder if this question is off-topic. Technically the title is pretty general?
                              So, could you 'represent' a pentacle by drawing the five alchemy* symbols for the elements, perhaps with a circle around them? & if this is on a 'table' (made out of several layers of cardboard ) aaand you plan on maybe one day in the near future, attempting to work some magic on that table/work with herbs/something... Will this have any effect?

                              I guess a lot of it has to do with intention & what power/intent you give the symbol or drawing?

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X