How to tell the difference between the star of David and a pentagram

  • Thread starter Thread starter mommy_k
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mommy_k

Guest
Someone i know who is lax catholic started wearing a star charm and when I asked what it was they said a star of david…I don’t think that’s what it is as this person believes in tarot etc, and I suspect it’s not what they said.

How can I tell the difference?
 
mommy_k said:
Someone i know who is lax catholic started wearing a star charm and when I asked what it was they said a star of david…I don’t think that’s what it is as this person believes in tarot etc, and I suspect it’s not what they said.

How can I tell the difference?
Click to expand...
Pentagram has five points. Star of David has six (it is basically two equilateral triangles), but the Star of David is not actually an ancient symbol of King David and only came into popular use among Jews in the 19th century
 
Same as telling the difference between a square and a hexagon. 🙂

More seriously though, pent means five. Like “pentagon”, a five sided shape. A pentagram will have five points and have a pentagon in the middle of it.

The star of david is made of two intersecting triangles. Once you see those triangles, they will pop out at your every time you see the shape. It will then of course have a hexagon in the middle of it, and six points.

If you need a “point” of reference (pun unintended), a star of david will have a point at the top and at the bottom. A pentagram will have either a point at the top OR a point at the bottom (if it is upside down).

Just google the shapes, and take a look. You’ll be able to tell the difference at a glance soon enough.
 
Also, while we’re on the topic, a pentacle (five-pointed star in a circle with single point up) is a popular symbol in modern paganism, but does not carry the same “evil” connotations as the pentagram (five-pointed star in a circle with single point down).
 
Usagi said:
Also, while we’re on the topic, a pentacle (five-pointed star in a circle with single point up) is a popular symbol in modern paganism, but does not carry the same “evil” connotations as the pentagram (five-pointed star in a circle with single point down).
Click to expand...
Yes. That is very important for a discussion on this, and even more so when comparing religions or identities in the Neopagan or witchcraft movements (and some other related things).
 
… the Star of David is not actually an ancient symbol of King David and only came into popular use among Jews in the 19th century

That is very interesting, I did not know that. 🙂
 
Usagi said:
Also, while we’re on the topic, a pentacle (five-pointed star in a circle with single point up) is a popular symbol in modern paganism, but does not carry the same “evil” connotations as the pentagram (five-pointed star in a circle with single point down).
Click to expand...
The words pentacle and pentagram are used interchangeably and, in my experience, pentacle is used more often amongst the more “pop” or “fluffy bunny” versions of the occult and neo-paganism, such as Wicca or books for teens on “white” or “earth” magic and witchcraft.

What you describe as a pentagram is called an inverted pentagram more commonly than not, especially amongst satanists and practitioners of what is called the Left Hand Path. It is inverted because of a number of reasons, the primary of which is that the top point of the star symbolizes the soul, which is being put beneath the other points which symbolize the natural world. It is a symbol of indulgence and hedonism, of self-love and of being self-absorbed. It is a direct inversion of Christianity.

… and yes, the inverted pentagram is an evil symbol, as is the regular pentagram. There’s no need to use scare quotes there.
 
So far as telling the Star of David and the pentagram apart, I think that’s been pretty well covered. The Star of David is a hexagram, hexa- meaning six, penta- in pentagram meaning five. As far as basic math goes, that would be the main difference between telling them apart at a glance.

Actually, both the hexagram and the pentagram have a place in Jewish history though.

menorah.org/starofdavid.html
Although scholars have attempted to trace the Star of David back to King David himself; to Rabbi Akiva and the Bar Kokhba (“son of the star”) rebellion (135 C.E.); or to *kabbalists, especially Rabbi Isaac Luria (16th century), no Jewish literature or artifacts document this claim. Rather, all evidence suggests that the early use of the hexagram was limited to “practical Kabbalah,” that is, Jewish magic, probably dating back to the 6th century C.E. Legends connect this symbol with the “Seal of Solomon,” the magical signet signet *ring used by King Solomon to control demons and spirits. 2 Although the original ring was inscribed with the Tetragrammaton, the sacred Four-Letter *Name of God, medieval *amulets imitating this ring substituted the hexagram or pentagram (five-pointed star), often accompanied by rampant *lions, for the sacred Name. The star inscribed on these rings was usually called the “Seal of Solomon.”
Click to expand...
religioustolerance.org/wic_pent.htm
During the times of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), the pentacle was the first and most important of the Seven Seals - an amulet whose seals represented the seven secret names of God. It was inscribed on King Solomon’s ring, which is often called Solomon’s Seal in error. 4 Each point of the pentagram was also interpreted as referring to the five books of the Pentateuch - the first five books in the Hebrew Scriptures; a.k.a. the Torah.
Click to expand...
And the same source as above will also give an interesting look at the history of the pentagram, one example below.
In ancient Greece, Pythagoras (586 - 506 BCE) established a school which pursued knowledge in mathematics, music, religion, and other specialties. Driven underground, his followers used the pentagram as a secret sign to identify themselves to each other. The Masonic Order has traditionally traced its origins back 2,500 years to the Pythagoreans.
Click to expand...
The inverted pentagram is typically much less common, but it’s correct that it’s used by Satanists, though that’s a fairly recent development in the history of the symbol. Different groups view this symbol (and its placement) quite differently. Even among pagan groups, the upright pentagram is interpreted in many different ways with some choosing not to use it at all. Satanism is an entire sect that I’ve not given a great deal of research to as I have no interest in it, but I do know that it is similar to many pagan groups in that there isn’t a central organization. Much is left open to the individual’s interpretation.
 
RuthTherese said:
Much is left open to the individual’s interpretation.
Click to expand...
Frankly, this sort of statement is what one sees in more mainstream explanations of paganism, but the problem is that it both claims that things are left up to individuals to decide for themselves, while at the same time imposing a norm on them that is apparently not up to them: the norm that all truth is relative to the individual and his taste.

I think this sort of thing works well in general, because the great majority of occultists are dabblers who impose a hyper-relativism onto the universe anyway, and feel absolutely comfortable making up their religion as they go along, drifting in and out of established ideas and norms and traditions as they see fit. Yes, for them everything is malleable, and their pleasure and emotion guides them along whatever “path” they feel like being on on any given day.

But there are those who seek out structure and the idea of there being an ascending order of “skill” involved in practicing the occult, and of truly understanding what forces exist in the universe on an objective level. A strict understanding of symbols is more important for those, IMO, than they would be for the educated, liberal suburbanite who thinks that goddesses and myth are cool and who like to engage in a bit of “spellwork” now and again, which is often seen as just being some ritualistic form of Psychotherapy.

The more one is prone to believing that one has found something objectively true in the occult, the less likely they are to believe everything is simply “up to them” insofar as interpretation is concerned.
 
LiamQ said:
I think the great majority of occultists are dabblers who impose a hyper-relativism onto the universe, and feel absolutely comfortable making up their religion as they go along, drifting in and out of established ideas and norms and traditions as they see fit. Yes, for them everything is malleable, and their pleasure and emotion guides them along whatever “path” they feel like being on on any given day.

But there are those who seek out structure and the idea of there being an ascending order of “skill” involved in practicing the occult, and of truly understanding what forces exist in the universe on an objective level. A strict understanding of symbols is more important for those, IMO, than they would be for the educated, liberal suburbanite who thinks that goddesses and myth are cool and who like to engage in a bit of “spellwork” now and again, which is often seen as just being some ritualistic form of Psychotherapy.

The more one is prone to believing that one has found something objectively true in the occult, the less likely they are to believe everything is simply “up to them” insofar as interpretation is concerned.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. There are all kinds of people within any religious group. Like the umbrella of Christianity, the umbrella of Paganism is vast. The plentiful Christian denominations have basic tenants that they all share (belief in Christ, the Bible, etc.). The same is true for branches of Paganism. Branches such as Wicca will lay out a concrete frame for the practitioner to follow. This includes the elements of air, fire, water, spirit, and earth being represented in the pentagram. A solid framework is available for the beginner and it’s encouraged that they follow it until they have a solid foundation before they begin to change the way they practice.

And like any other religion, some practitioners are far more devout and serious about their spiritual life than others. You get what you put into it. Oftentimes, those who are just in it for the cool factor will get bored and not last long. Work must be done to develop a Pagan spiritual life, just as it must be done to develop the spiritual life of a Christian, Jew, Hindu, etc. You simply have to be willing to be serious about it, and I would agree, a lot of people who wear the label simply aren’t.
 
RuthTherese said:
Work must be done to develop a Pagan spiritual life, just as it must be done to develop the spiritual life of a Christian, Jew, Hindu, etc. You simply have to be willing to be serious about it, and I would agree, a lot of people who wear the label simply aren’t.
Click to expand...
My comments aren’t necessarily about breaking things down into a “serious vs. less-serious” dichotomy, but about the dichotomy between understanding one’s practice of the occult as being objective vs. subjective, and likewise the difference between doing things on one’s own with a library of hand-picked books, and that of joining a group which demands a strict adherence to the teaching of a particular master.

I don’t know what a “Pagan spiritual life” means, because Paganism, on the outside, is consistently trying to make everything a subjective choice and decision and preference and individual norm. Given such a context, it seems quite disingenuous to insinuate that some “Pagans” aren’t really “Pagans.” Well, why not? Who made it so and by what authority?

Ditto with regards to Christianity. Yes, there are many forms of Christianity, but as a Catholic, I understand those forms as being a lesser participation in the fullness of what Christianity is supposed to be. A Pagan couldn’t possibly say that about other Pagan sects, or about anyone else, because they are largely relativistic in their views of religion. The idea of something being less true or more true is outlandish in that world-view.

Ah! But not to all practitioners of the occult.
 
The pentagram consists of a five-pointed star inscribed in a circle; the Star of David not only has six points, but is not circumscribed by a larger shape.

Not hard at all to distinguish.

BTW, while not dating back to David himself, the Mogen David is much older than the “19th century.”

ICXC NIKA
 
How about the pentacle? There’s a band that uses that as their symbol. Someone sent me a t-shirt with that on it, but I would never wear it on account of the fact that it looked diabolical to me.
 
LiamQ said:
I don’t know what a “Pagan spiritual life” means, because Paganism, on the outside, is consistently trying to make everything a subjective choice and decision and preference and individual norm. Given such a context, it seems quite disingenuous to insinuate that some “Pagans” aren’t really “Pagans.” Well, why not? Who made it so and by what authority?

Ditto with regards to Christianity. Yes, there are many forms of Christianity, but as a Catholic, I understand those forms as being a lesser participation in the fullness of what Christianity is supposed to be. A Pagan couldn’t possibly say that about other Pagan sects, or about anyone else, because they are largely relativistic in their views of religion. The idea of something being less true or more true is outlandish in that world-view.

Ah! But not to all practitioners of the occult.
Click to expand...
There’s so much that we could get into with the theology behind pagan groups in general, but one point I did want to address here: Paganism doesn’t have a central authority because one of the main tenants involves each member being called upon to seek their own truth. You become your own spiritual authority, guided by a few simple truths at the beginning of your journey, through research and prayer. There’s great emphasis on self-awareness, personal responsibility, and spiritual autonomy.

It’s a very different spiritual journey to Catholicism, to be sure. At the core, it’s a great deal of study and soul searching to find your place and you don’t necessarily have an end goal in sight. You are called to be open and learn. And where do we end up? It’s different for each person. Might be a sect of Paganism, might be Judaism, might be Catholicism, might be anything else under the sun.

Of course, this is interpreted differently by everyone. I use the term “pagan” as a blanket term for many who follow this set of beliefs because it’s an easy way to put it. But the title doesn’t really matter in the end. In many cases, it’s a solitary path to follow. You’re “pagan” (or whatever term you prefer) because you’ve committed to that line of study and belief. You give yourself the label, and it’s generally accepted that it’s not your place to judge how “pagan” another person might or might not actually be. Different strokes and all that. 👍
 
MatthewTrainor said:
Pentagram: http://oi27.tinypic.com/nod382.jpg

Star of David: http://www.i2symbol.com/images/symbols/stars/star_of_david_u2721_icon_128x128.png
Click to expand...
Just to add to this one. There’s also the Pentacle.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

This is used by many Wiccans and Neo-Pagans.

Interestingly in looking for that photo above I also discovered that Mormons use both the Pentacle and Pentagram in some of their temple construction, namely in Salt Lake and Logan, Utah. Something of which I was unaware until now.
 
Padres1969 said:
Just to add to this one. There’s also the Pentacle.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Pentacle_2.svg/240px-Pentacle_2.svg.png

This is used by many Wiccans and Neo-Pagans.

Interestingly in looking for that photo above I also discovered that Mormons use both the Pentacle and Pentagram in some of their temple construction, namely in Salt Lake and Logan, Utah. Something of which I was unaware until now.
Click to expand...
I mentioned the pentacle yesterday in my post and no one responded.

Just confirms my decision to never wear the t-shirt, even if it was a gift. Makes me wonder about the band as well. The pentacle was used by them in the seventies.
 
Lormar said:
I mentioned the pentacle yesterday in my post and no one responded.

Just confirms my decision to never wear the t-shirt, even if it was a gift. Makes me wonder about the band as well. The pentacle was used by them in the seventies.
Click to expand...
Well the pentacle was also used as a symbol by early Christians for the 5 senses and the 5 wounds of Christ.

It’s the upside down pentacle or pentagram, that is usually seen as an evil symbol with two points projecting upwards. It’s seen as overturning the proper order of things and demonstrates the triumph of matter over spirit and/or the goat of lust attacking the heavens with its horns.
 
Thank you for your replies…I wonder why a Catholic even a lax one would wear a pentagram or a star of david though… the pentagram would have a more obvious answer to me, and I don’t think this person converted to Judaism.
 
A Star of David is used by Jews. A pentagram is used by occultists. That is the main difference between the two symbols.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top