Pentagram symbol, details/meaning?

1. a symbol is a symbol and ANYONE can use or put their own meanings to it. Wiccans use it as do Pagans. It is actually NOT satanic or atheist or Christian even though they do use the symbol as well.

2. Paganism is an umbrella name for non-christian (Jewish) faith (originally Jews were also considered pagan) or monotheistic beliefs.

3. Wicca is also an umbrella name for many different path of Polytheism. And yes, it is a Pagan religion even though many Pagans don't want to recognize it as such.

4. see 2 & 3 for BQ2.

5. This stigma was placed on it by Christians who didn't want competition from scientists, women in power and healers/midwives, or Pagan groups running about giving their "Flock" ideas that women were equal, independent, and could run a business or office as well as if not better than some mean, that science was ok, and that you could be a free thinker. And since the Pentagram was associated with these people the church deemed it evil/satanic.

A pentagram is a geometric shape. Asking where it came from is like asking where squares came from. No group owns it, and no symbol has an inherent meaning. many different groups associate many different meanings to the symbol.

The religion of Wicca is commonly identified by a point of pentagram.

Satanism is often identified by a point-down pentagram.

I've never seen an atheist use it. Atheists don't tend to have symbols, because representing a lack of belief doesn't make much sense

We do have examples of Christians using it to represent the five wounds of Christ.

Paganism refers to all non-Judeo-Christian religions. It's not a specific religion and, thus, has no specific beliefs that covers all pagan religions.

Wicca is one of many pagan religions. Wiccanism is not a word.

The association between the pentagram and evil is, at most, 150 years old. It was a symbol of occultism, and people began to view the occult as evil (mostly through misunderstanding). Previous to the 19th century there was no such concern about the symbol.

1) No symbol is copyrighted to any one religious denomination or group. Anyone may utilize a symbol for their use upon placing personal meaning. Throughout history many people have used the pentagram as a representation for many things, for example Christians used it to represent the five wounds of Christ; today modern Pagans (mostly Wiccans and Witches) use it to represent their beliefs

2) Paganism is an umbrella term encompassing numerous religions and spiritual beliefs, including Wicca. Their use of the symbol varies depending on the system (that is IF they even use it, as not all Pagan religions utilize this symbol).

3) Wicca (NOT Wiccanism) is but ONE religion under the Pagan umbrella.

4) Negative bias. Many people have the idea that it's their way or the highway. You either believe in their God or their Satan...nothing else. Too many people have narrow, black and white beliefs.

It's an old symbol that has been used by may people through the ages for many reasons-- even Chrsitians used it for over 1000 years to symbolize the wounds of Christ. Many Wiccans do use it, as do many other types of Pagans and some Satanists use it. It's also been used as perfect mathematical symbol, in law enforcement and other non-religious ways.

It means different things to different groups. Symbols don't have inherent meanings, they hold the meanings we assign them.

BQ1- Pagan is a category many religions fall under that can be very different. They don't have one single symbol for all of them.

BQ2- Wicca is one religion that falls under the Pagan category. Wicca is a Pagan religion, as is Asartu, as is Hellenism, etc.

BQ3- People think it's evil/satanic because in the 16th & 17th century, Ceremonial Magicians adopted it and used it for magical purposes.

While their type of magic is rooted in Judeo/Christian mythology, they scared Christians, who thought they were evil, witches, devil worshippers, etc. Christians stopped using it.

Horror writers and later movies picked up on the use of the pentagram and began associating it with evil. It stuck in people's minds, and few people bother to research the background of the symbol.

Paganism is more or less synonymous with animistic. Its a belief in a mystical aspect to nature nature. things like "mother earth" and power from natural things such as crystals come from this. The symbol was used to protect people from evil forces.

Wiccan is very similar to paganism in their veneration of natural things, although I think they have a more metaphysical idea of nature as a belief in a universal power or spirit that wouldn't necessarily be there with average paganism.

People think the pentagram is evil because it has been used in practices associated with paganism and wiccan, and in throwing out the baby with bathwater for many everything went when it came to the clash of paganism and Christianity. (with some exceptions such as christmas, Halloween etc.) It has also been widely used in mock "satanic' ritual. Alistair Crowley, Anton Levey etc. and used to sell "satanic" albums in the 80s (Iron Maiden, Winger, Slayer, Eagles, etc. )

Personally I think a symbol only has the power that the observer gives to it. For some the star with a circle is evil, for some it's protection, while for others it's liberty and freedom like on the airplane wing of a United states bomber/fighter.

basicly two different stars- one has five points of logic married[fifth pillar is set] which fails and six points [he brew] can find the middle as seventh eternal