When is a symbol not a symbol?

[seagal]

A friend gave me a key chain with a pentacle on it (pentagram contained in a circle), just a cheap thing. She’s not a Christian and knows that I am, but she says the pentagram is actually symbolic of fire, air, earth, water and spirit, and not *necessarily *associated with witchcraft, at least not with evil. I looked into it a little and found that Christians actually used the pentagram as a symbol of Christ’s wounds until medieval times.

So my question is, can I associate whatever meaning I want to this symbol? Or, if I choose to use it, will the fact that people will associate it with witchcraft and New Age override whatever meaning I personally have for it? Is it like people wearing rosaries as necklaces so that the rosaries are robbed of their original intent?

And please, no hysterical knee-jerk responses. I’d appreciate well thought out comments.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

It seems like there are two pretty much completely separate issues: what it means to you, and what it might mean to others.

The first is more important, but doesn’t seem to be an issue here. If you don’t associate it with things that are evil or wrong then (since there isn’t anything intrinsically wrong with it itself) there is nothing in this area to prevent you from using it.

The second area, though less important, still has weight: is it likely that others will see it, determine from seeing it (wrongly) that you think the newage or similar nonsense is true, and from that be influenced to think so themselves, all without you having a chance to correct them as to why you have it? If the answer were yes, then it would seem like you should not use it. But that seems unlikely to me. It seems much more likely to me that most people would never see it, that those who would mostly wouldn’t care what it meant, and that those who would see it and would be influenced by your own beliefs would be likely to say something like “interesting keychain, is that a new age thing?” at which point you could say no.

 

[christus_vincit]

From my understanding, the pentagram is traditionally a pagan symbol which, in pointing to the different physical elements of the earth, essentially exults the creature over the Creator.

Perhaps, in the past Christians have used this as a symbol of Christ’s wounds - but why would you use this questionable symbol when you could wear a Crucifix -a symbol that is boldly and unmistakeably Christian (and also happens to depict Christ’s wounds and far more)?

My advice: Don’t keep the pentagram even if you don’t assign evil meaning to it. Other people who see it will associate it with New Age religion - even while you are associating it with the wounds of Christ. It is simply not worth toting around a pagan symbol on your keychain - especially when the Church offers so many other medals and sacramentals. May I suggest, in place of the pentagram, putting a St. Benedict medal / keychain on your key ring instead.

 

[chefmomster2]

I agree with those who suggested you beware of associating yourself with this symbol. Here are some of its uses. Would you want to be associated with them?’

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagram

The pentagram was used in ancient times as a Christian symbol for the five senses or of the five wounds of Christ. A Christian use of the pentangle occurs in the 14th-century English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in which the symbol decorates the shield of the hero, Gawain. The unnamed poet credits the symbol’s origin to King Solomon, and says the symbol is key to understanding the work. The poet explains that each of the five interconnected points represents a virtue tied to a group of five. Gawain is keen in his five senses, dextrous in his five fingers, faithful to the salvation provided through the Five Wounds of Christ, takes courage from the five joys that Mary had of Jesus, and exemplifies the five virtues of knighthood.

“Let us keep the figure of the Five-pointed Star always upright, with the topmost triangle pointing to heaven, for it is the seat of wisdom, and if the figure is reversed, perversion and evil will be the result.”

Latter Day Saint
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began using both upright and inverted five-pointed stars in Temple architecture, dating from the Nauvoo Illinois Temple, which was dedicated on 30 April 1846. These symbols come from the symbolism found in Revelation chapter 12, which says, “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”

Wicca
Wiccan publications described ritual practices involving pentagrams since at least the 1980s, and within traditional forms of Wicca, a pentagram (no circle) with two points up is associated with the Second Degree Initiation.

Other Modern Usage
The pentagram is featured on the national flags of Morocco (adopted 1915) and Ethiopia (adopted 1996), in both instances in reference to the Seal of Solomon.

The Order of the Eastern Star, an organization associated with Freemasonry (established 1850), used to have a point-down pentagram as its symbol, with the five isosceles triangles of the points colored blue, yellow, white, green, and red (the logo has been changed slightly[year needed] and is now a five-pointed star with an inscribed pentagon, but no longer a pentagram)

Following Anton LaVey, and ultimately based on a drawing by French nobleman and occultist Stanislas de Guaita (La Clef de la Magie Noire, 1897), the so-called Sigil of Baphomet, a pentagram with two points up inscribed in a double circle with the head of a goat inside the pentagram is the copyrighted logo of the Church of Satan.

 

[KrazyKat]

Most people you encounter that see this will think you are into paganism or satanism. I would deep-six it.

 

[Book_Worm]

Do people really take note of others’ key chains. I certainly never have unless they’re outrageously large.

 

[seagal]

Thanks for all the responses. The only reason I even considered using this key chain is because I didn’t want to insult my friend. She’s an author and the key chain is some give-away bling. It seemed insulting not to accept it even though I didn’t particularly want to. I thought maybe I could “re-purpose” it but you helped me realize that anyone else would probably misinterpret my intentions, so it’s best left alone. Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut