Sacred Symbols Used In Religions

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Every religion has their own symbol to represent them and every symbol has their own meaning. In this paper I will be taking about three different symbols. Those symbols are the Pentagram, the Star of David and the Jain Emblem
The pentagram originated around 3500 BC; it was found on broken pottery with some of the earliest findings of language (Wolf). Many different types of people have used this symbol including Mesopotamians, Hebrews, Egyptians, Christians, and Gnostics (Wolf). The Mesopotamians used in art in royal inscriptions as a symbol of imperial power. For the Egyptians it was a symbol of the underground womb and had a symbolic relationship to the concept of the pyramids. The Christians connected it with the five wounds of Christ; but after some time it was later transformed it in reaction to the neo-pagan use of it (Wolf).
The pentagram symbol is from the Wiccan religion is also called witchcraft. Wicca is a diverse and decentralized religion, and is a part of the nature movements (Legge). For a very long time the ones who practiced this religion were persecuted. They see that everything has a divine spirit meaning it is a polytheistic religion. Wiccan’s honor the elements of nature; earth, air, fire, water, and spirit and their associated directions north, east, south, and west (Legge). This information ties into the meaning of the symbol.
The pentagram’s top point is associated with the divine figures in the religion (Sabrina 67-81). The lower four points connect with the four important elements; fire, water, air, and earth. These elements are important because they are the four ties with nature and to maintain life (Sabrina 67-81). Understanding these elements is very important in the teaching of the Wic...

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Works Cited

"Jain Symbol." jainworld.com. N.p.. Web. 19 Feb 2014. .
"Jain Symbols." ejainism.com. N.p.. Web. 19 Feb 2014. .
"Judaism." Canada and the World Backgrounder 12 1999: 53-9. ProQuest. 17 Feb. 2014 .
Legge, Gordon. "What is Wicca." Calgary Herald [Alberta] 16 11 1991, Sunday Final Edituib A1. Print.
Sabrina, Lady. Exploring Wicca: The Beliefs, Rites, and Rituals of the Wiccan Religion. New Page Books, 2001. 67-81. eBook.
Silberberg, Naftali . "What Is the Mystical Significance of the Star of David?." Chabad.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb 2014. .
Wolf, Spring. N.p.. Web. 18 Feb 2014. .

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