Christain Star Symbols for Christain Witches

[CleftOfLight]

Star (4-Pointed)
A four-pointed star is usually styled to resemble a cross and is used as the "star of Bethlehem" or "natal star." The cross shape reminds us both of Jesus' birth and the purpose for which He was born.
Season: Christmas
Star (5-Pointed)
The five-pointed star is the star of Bethlehem. Shaped roughly like a human being, it represents Jesus' incarnation.
The Christian five-pointed star should be distinguished from the pagan pentagram.
Num. 24:17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. (NIV)
Matt. 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi(n) from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east(n) and have come to worship him." (NIV)
Season: Advent, Epiphany
Star (6-Pointed)
The six-pointed star is the Creator's star. Its six points stand for the six days of creation. The points are also said to represent the six attributes of God - power, wisdom, majesty, love, mercy and justice. This star is also known today as the Star of David, and is a symbol of modern-day Israel. The six-pointed star is of ancient origin and is used in many religions with a variety of meanings.
Star (7-Pointed)
The seven-pointed star represents the seven gifts of the Spirit - wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear of the Lord, and delight in the Lord.
Isa. 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. (NIV)
Star (8-Pointed)
Eight is traditionally the number of regeneration. (It is for this reason that many baptismal fonts have an octagonal base.) Jesus was circumcised and given his name when he was eight days old. Baptism is understood to be the New Testament equivalent of the covenant of circumcision.
Star (9-Pointed)
The nine-pointed star symbolizes the nine fruits of the Spirit listed in the Epistle to the Galatians. This star is sometimes shown with the Latin initials for each of the fruits (charitas, gaudium, pax, longanimitas, benignitas, bonitus, fides, mansuetudo and continentia) placed within the points.
Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV)
Star (12-Pointed)
A twelve-pointed star may be used to represent the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve apostles. It may also be used at Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas, on which the church celebrates the manifestation of Christ as the Son of God.
Stars with Sun and Moon
Twelve stars surrounding a sun and moon represent Jacob and his wife and Jacob's 12 sons, who themselves became the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel. Together they are an Old Testament type of the whole company of God's elect.


I thought this would be helpful to those who practice Christain Magick.Plus I love star symbols.hehehe

[Paracelsus]

Of course, the Pentagram itself was also extensively used in Medieval church architecture as a symbol of the five wounds of Christ.

[Mab]

I guess my question is HOW these should be distinguished from pagan symbols. I mean, a five pointed star is a five pointed star is a five pointed star. And so far, I'm managing to wear crosses & pentacles at the same time & not burst into flame, so.....

Guess I'm just confused as to what makes any symbol different for anybody other than the meaning you place on it. As far as I can understand, a symbol is just a bunch of lines until you put a meaning to it.

[CleftOfLight]

A 5 pointed star without a circle is te star of Bethlehem,
A 5 pinted star with a circle is a pentagram (pentalpha)

[Athene]

A 5 pointed star without a circle is te star of Bethlehem,
A 5 pinted star with a circle is a pentagram (pentalpha)

I'm afraid that a circle does not make it a pentagram, pentangle, pentacle, or pentalpha.

A 5 pointed star with five crossing lines is always a pentagram, etc. Hence the 'endless knot' moniker.


As far as I can understand, a symbol is just a bunch of lines until you put a meaning to it.

Exactly. The pentacle has been used by many cultures and imbued with as many differing meanings.
Culturally speaking, at this moment in time the pentacle is associated with Wiccans.

A Christian witch, Christo-Wiccan/Pagan could use a pentacle within a circle and have it mean anything Christian related. Such as the elements within the eternity of God (circle), or the 5 wounds of Jesus within the eternity of God.

I have a short article about this for anyone interested: Christian witch - tools (http://christianwitch.net/basics5d.htm)

peace

[Necrosapien]

I have to agree. A symbol only means what you attribute to it. I am a Christian yet I inclued a pentagram, hexagram, and septagram each inside an arm of a triqueta which is then inscribed in a circle (if you can follow that, props to you) as a symbol for Godde (spelled that way to distinguish that Godde is neither male nor female but a spirit). If someone else were to look at it, it might be confusing for they would have their own meanings ascribed to the symbols. To me, a symbol is just a symbol.

:shift:

:)

[AstralMagick]

A 5 pointed star without a circle is te star of Bethlehem,
A 5 pinted star with a circle is a pentagram (pentalpha)
A 5 pointed star that has a longer top and shorter arms and legs is the star of Bethlehem, a 5 pointed star of equal length arms, legs and top is a pentagram, and adding a circle, it's a pentacle.

[Ron]

Quibble. Nothing has any meaning but that which the beholder gives it.

[Aidron]

A 5 pointed star without a circle is te star of Bethlehem,
A 5 pinted star with a circle is a pentagram (pentalpha)


Correct.

Astral, the circle has nothing to do with whether it is a pentacle or a pentagram. It's a very common myth, one I used to adhere to myself, but it can be disproven with a little research. Look into suffixes, which will show you that 'gram' denotes to draw or write, while 'cle' denotes a plate, though occasionally a bowl or tile.

In the end, the difference is that a pentacle is a physical object (such as a pentacle pendant or a pentacle upon the altar) while a pentagram is something which is drawn (such as an invoking or banishing pentagram during ritual or in art).

As for the difference between symbolism, it's not much of a leap in some cases. You can link symbols to others quite easily and few symbols do not have multiple meanings, but you need to decide which one seems most prominent or are they all equally significant to you. Christian symbolism is not significant to me (as I am not Christian), therefore the pentagram has occult ties to it as opposed to Judeo-Christian ones. That, however, does not deny the fact that it has Judeo-Christian links. It's the old tug of war between truth and personal truth, which is confusing enough as is.

[halfwaynowhere]

the other day i went by a church, it was methodist or something like that, and there was a stained glass window with a pentacle (five pointed star, intersecting lines, circle around it). it was really pretty. the star was pointed downward, so at first glance, i though it was the satanist church that everybody talks about but is too afraid to go to... but then i read the sign, and i was wrong. i just thought it was interesting.

[valkyriemoon]

ok....i am a cathic witch and i ve worn a pentagram and a cross a the same time.....theres nothing wrong with it and i love to do that i mean yea i get a few weird looks be hey its me

[gurlygurl2004]

ok....i am a cathic witch and i ve worn a pentagram and a cross a the same time.....theres nothing wrong with it and i love to do that i mean yea i get a few weird looks be hey its me


Just curious, and personally I'm interested, so PM about the Catholic witch idealism.

[dragoncrone]

A 5 pointed star without a circle is te star of Bethlehem,
A 5 pinted star with a circle is a pentagram (pentalpha)

...and a five-PINTED star is what you get after drinking WAY too much beer! :cheers: :cheers: ...sorry...once a proofreader, always a proofreader... :lol:

[Kern]

I AGREE with those that pointed out that a symbol only has meaning when given to it by its bearer...The cross is a very ancient pagan symbol as well as other symbols later adopted by Christians,such as the Swastika(Nazi's),,its was common in ancient Europe and Native America and is still common among Hindus and Buddhist..and the fish symbol..and the afore mentioned Stars...were also pagan symbols before being adopted by others....

[CleftOfLight]

YesI know a symbol only has the meaning you put to it.I just thought it was interesting.