Signs and Symbols

Ankh

Caduceus 

Earrings

The Fish Symbol

The Halo

Makeup/Body Paint

Mistletoe

Peace Sign

Rings

Santa Claus

Star of David/Hexagram

Tarot and Playing Cards

Yin and Yang

Anah  

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph signifying "life," a cross surmounted by a loop and known in Latin as a crux ansata (ansate, or handle-shaped, cross). It is found in ancient tomb inscriptions, including those of the king Tutankhamen, and gods and pharaohs are often depicted holding it. The ankh forms part of hieroglyphs for such concepts as health and happiness. The form of the symbol suggests perhaps a sandal strap as its original meaning, though it has been seen as representing a magical knot. As a cross, it has been extensively used in the symbolism of the Coptic Christian church -- Copyright 1994-1998 Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Caduceus Caduceus

The idea of wings is very important in mythology. In A Dictionary of Symbols we find:

"Wings In the more general sense, wings symbolise spirituality, imagination, thought. The Greeks portrayed love and victory as winged figures, and some deities, such as Athena, Artemis and Aphrodite were at first—though not later—also depicted with wings... .In alchemy, wings are always associated with the higher, active, male principle; animals without wings are related to the passive female principle."

Mercury is one god who has a number of wings on his being. He has the caduceus (with winged snakes) and his hat and sandals also have wings. The winged hat (called a petasus) and winged sandals symbolise Hermes' swiftness. In fact, he is called the "flying man."

In Roman mythology Mercury:

"was the god of commerce and travel, and the patron of thieves, gamblers, and ambassadors. The Greeks called him Hermes or Cyllenius, because he was born on Mount Cyllene, in Arcadia. He was the son of Jupiter (Zeus) and Maia, a daughter of Atlas. Pan, the god of shepherds, was the son of Mercury."

Apollo gave him:

"a magic wand called the caduceus. Mercury used this to guide the souls of the dead to the Lower World. He also could control the living and the dead with it, or turn anything to gold."

In one book on mythology, you will find Mercury "seated naked on a rock... ." A book on witchcraft informs us that Mercury was the "inventor of incantations [and] was wont to be invoked the rites of magicians...." Mercury was also one of the names of gods invoked in Roman Necromancy. Necromancy is sorcery communication with the dead. Other books mention that Mercury "the conductor of the dead to Hades [hell] ." Masonic author, Albert Pike, of course, claims that Mercury is the "Guardian and guide of Souls." Do you want a god that is conjured up by magicians and is the conductor of the dead to hell to be the guardian and Guide" of your soul?

This god is portrayed in Masonry and the Eastern Star—but a different guise. In the Eastern Star, the "Star in the East," the inverted/Satanic pentagram, is a depiction of Mercury. In Masonry, Orator is a representation of Mercury. Albert Pike states:

"Of Hermes, the Mercury of the Greeks, the Thoth of the Egyptians, and the Taaut of the Phoenicians, we have therefore spoken sufficiently at length. He was the inventor of letters and of Oratory, the winged messenger of the Gods, bearing the Caduceus wreathed with serpents; and in our council he is represented by the orator."

Are you beginning to get a picture of the god that is being portrayed in Masonry and the Eastern Star? Their god has magical powers. He is the god of the underworld (hell) and the patron of thieves and gamblers. Note also that Mercury's son is Pan.

The caduceus (or magic wand) that Mercury carries "consists of three elements: a rod, a pair of wings and two intertwined serpents. The rod is emblematic of power and authority. In the hands of primitive man, the largest club and the power to wield it were mighty persuaders as to just who was the leader of the tribe." The caduceus "was reported to have the power of producing sleep. Milton refers to it as the opiate rod."

In A Dictionary of Symbols we find:

"For the Romans, the caduceus served as a symbol of moral equilibrium and of good conduct. The wand represents power; the two snakes wisdom; the wings diligence; and the helmet is the emblem of lofty thoughts... According to esoteric Buddhism, the wand of the caduceus corresponds to the axis of the world and the serpents refer to the force called Kundalini, which, in Tantrist teaching, sleeps coiled up at the base of the backbone—a symbol of the evolutive power of pure energy. Schneider maintains that the two S-shapes of the serpents correspond to illness and convalescence. In reality, what defines the essence of the caduceus is the nature and meaning not so much of its individual elements as of the composite whole. The precisely symmetrical and bilateral arrangement, as in the balance of Libra, or in the tri-unity of heraldry (a shield between two supporters), is always expressive of the same idea of active equilibrium, of opposing forces balancing one another in such a way as to create a higher, static form. In the caduceus, this balanced duality is twice stated: in the serpents and in the wings, thereby emphasising that supreme state of strength and self-control (and consequently of health) which can be achieved both on the lower plane of the instincts (symbolised by the serpents) and on the higher level of the spirit (represented by the wings)."

Pike explains the caduceus like this:

"It was originally a simple Cross, symbolising the equator and equincoctial Colure, and the four elements proceeding from a common centre. This Cross, surmounted by a circle, and that by a crescent, became an emblem of the Supreme Deity—or of the active power of generation and the passive power of production conjoined,—and was appropriated to Thoth or Mercury. It then assumed an improved form, the arms of the Cross being changed into wings, and the circle and crescent being formed by two snakes, springing from the wand, forming a circle by crossing each other, and their heads making the horns of the crescent; in which form it is seen in the hands of Anubis."

The caduceus, says Pike, additionally symbolises the four elements. Of course, the four elements figure prominently in witchcraft. One witch writes:

"In casting a magic circle we first purify the space we will use with the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water. We walk around the area that will become the magic circle carrying a bowl of salt and water (for earth and water) and an incense burner (for fire and air). As we walk the path of the circle we say, ‘By water and earth, by fire and air, by Spirit, be this circle bound and purified as we desire. So mote it be."

Did you notice that the caduceus "became an emblem of the Supreme Deity" and that it represented "the active power of generation and the passive power of production conjoined"? In other words, this emblem is a veiled symbol for the sex act and it is this symbol that represents the Supreme Deity of the Masons (and, by extension, the Eastern Stars as well)! Eliphas Levi, the occultist whom Albert Pike plagiarised in Morals and Dogma (which we are told by Masonic author Lucien V. Rule "is the greatest single work on Masonic philosophy ever given to the world"), also mentions that the god Mercury was assigned "to the parts of generation."

Blavatsky remarks:

"That the Serpents were ever the emblems of wisdom and prudence is again shown by the caduceus of Mercury... The two serpents, entwined around the rod, are phallic symbols of Jupiter and other gods who transformed themselves into snakes for purposes of seducing goddesses. . . .The serpent has ever been the symbol of the adept, and of his powers of immortality and divine knowledge....It shows the dual power of the Secret Wisdom: the black and the white magic."

Of course, one Masonic symbol after another has this sexual connotation, but in spite of the sexual innuendoes, Past Master Albert L. Woody, Grand Lecturer in Illinois, tells us:

"As late as 1812, in Pennsylvania, the Deacons in procession carried columns—the same columns which now rest on the Wardens' pedestals. Deacons first carried blue rods tipped with gold, symbolising friendship and benevolence; later these were tipped with a pine cone in imitation of the caduceus of Mercury, the messenger of the gods."

One Masonic book, after explaining about the caduceus, brags: "The rod of the Master of Ceremonies is an analogue [equivalent or parallel]." Another Masonic book claims that "Mercurius Caducifer [Mercury], the bearer of the herald's staff, finds his analogue in a Mason's Lodge, in the Senior Deacon, who accompanies the initiate throughout the ceremonies, and assists at restoration, although himself unable to restore life."

The caduceus is also a symbol for immortality. Of course, Mercury is not the only god who carries a caduceus. Pike indicates that it was also borne "by Cybele, Minerva, Anubis, Hercules Ogmius the God of the Celts, and the personified Constellation Virgo, was a winged wand, entwined by two serpents.

The Migration of Symbols reveals that the caduceus "has alternately been considered to be an equivalent of the Thunderbolt, a form of the Sacred Tree, a contraction of the Scarab, a combination of the solar Globe and the Crescent of the moon, and so forth -- Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, pp. 148-152.

The Cross: Latin  The Cross: Latin

One form of cross is that shown above - a symbol of Christianity; we really need to take a detailed look at the cross and at crucifixion to fully understand its significance, the various types of cross, and their meanings. It is a well-established fact that the cross, symbolic of humankind as a whole. Formerly considered to be a of the death of Jesus, was used as a symbol many thousands of years before the setting up of the Christian Church, and many Bible students feel that the symbol of the cross, being pagan in origin, should not be associated with Jesus Christ or true forms of Christianity.

The crucifix which many wear as a symbol of their belief is carried by more people than any other religious talisman, and is considered by many to be sacred: people sometimes go far as to make the cross an object of adoration or an icon in its own right. Indeed since the time of Jesus' death, the object on which he died has been depicted in many ways. People seeking to trace the actual form of the cross or torture stake have looked back at the original Greek scriptures where the word stauros is used, and concluded that this means any upright wooden stake firmly fixed in the ground. This could mean any implement at all, such as a pole in a fence, but further investigations have revealed that the word 'stauros' also indicates something used for impalement of human beings. In many cases, especially during the time of the Roman Empire, the execution stake became a vertical pole with a horizontal crossbar placed at some point, and although the period of time at which this happened is uncertain, what is known is that simple impalement became known as crucifixion -- Interpreting Signs and Symbols: A Beginner's Guide, pp. 48, 49.

A symbol of Christianity, the cross had symbolic meaning before it assumed its religious connotation. It has been found in China and Africa. It appears on Bronze Age stones in Scandinavia. It was regarded as a magical symbol. It brought good luck and diverted evil. (Think of its use in staving off vampires.) It is thought, in some quarters, that the Cross, found in rock carvings, is a solar symbol. Others say it's the symbol of earth. Its points represent the four directions: North, south, east, and west. Assyrian belief says it's the symbol of universal gods. People wore cross charms to keep away evil in ancient times.

After Christ was crucified, Christians didn't use the sign of the cross as their religious symbol for several hundred years. It was connected with executioners. Christians used the cross, finally, about 200 A.D. in the catacombs. In 312 A.D., Constantine had a dream in which a cross, denoted as a Christian symbol, meant he would prevail in war. Constantine won a battle, and the cross was then carried on banners by the Roman Army. Constantine introduced religious freedom in the Roman Empire during the next year. After the cross was outlawed as a means of execution, it became fully embraced by the Christians as their symbol of Christ. It stood for his death and suffering. And, most important, it symbolised the Resurrection, becoming a symbol of faith to Christians everywhere -- The Modern Witch's Book of Symbols, p. 32.

The sign of signs

The cross has been described as the sign of signs. It is, however, by no means, specifically Christian. Formed by the intersection of two lines, this most basic of shapes, has since prehistoric times been employed as a sacred, protective, or decorative emblem in almost every culture throughout the world. The early Scandinavians, for instance, depicted the hammer of Thor, their god of thunder and war, as a T-shaped cross; it symbolised thunder, lightning, storm and rain. It has also been an attribute of the deities of Assyria, Persia and India. For American Indians the cross represented both the human form, and the four cardinal points and the four winds. According to J. C. Cooper's Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols, the north arm represents the north wind, the most powerful, the all-conquering giant, the head and intelligence; the south arm is the south wind, the seat of fire and passion, and of melting and burning; the east arm is the east wind, the heart and the source of life and love, and the west the gentle wind from the spirit land, the dying breath and the subsequent journey into the unknown. To the alchemists, the cross was a symbol of the four elements: air, earth, fire, water. Elsewhere, the cross variously symbolised health, fertility, life, immortality, the union of heaven and earth, spirit and matter, the sun, and the stars. But it is as the prime symbol of Christ, of his crucifixion and glory, and thus of the Christian faith and Church, that the cross has achieved the most widespread and enduring significance. Wherever Christianity has been established, the sign has been adopted not only as an integral part of the ritual of worship, but also as a principal device in art, architecture, and many other areas including flags, and heraldry (where nearly 400 separate and sometimes bizarre forms have been recorded) -- Guinness Encyclopaedia of Signs and Symbols, p. 90.

Contrary to current popular belief, the Latin or "Passion" cross, was not a Christian emblem from the beginning. It was not assimilated into the Christian religion, until the seventh century A.D., and was not fully authorised until the ninth century (1). Primitive churches preferred to represent Christ by the figure of a lamb, or else a "Good Shepherd" carrying a lamb, in the conventional manner, of Hermes and Osiris (2). In several places the New Testament says that Jesus was hanged on a tree, not a cross (Acts 5:30; 1 Peter 2:24), and some sects believe to be literal, not metaphorical. This envisioned Jesus rather closer, to such tree-slain saviour figures as Krishna, Marsyas, Odin, and Dodonian Zeus.

Some early Christian fathers, specifically repudiated the Latin cross on the ground that it was a pagan symbol. 0n a coin of Gallienus, it appeared as the sceptre of Apollo. On the Damietta stone, it set off the words "Ptolemy the Saviour. (3)" According to the Greeks, this cross signified "the life to come" in the Egyptian religion of Sarapis. (4)

Once the Latin cross was accepted by Christianity, all kinds of pious nonsense began to accrete around the symbol. It was claimed, for example, that the very wood of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden had been preserved by Adam and all the patriarchs after him, in order to be fashioned into Jesus' cross- for Jesus was declared the second or reincarnated Adam designed to correct the fault of the first one. (5) This Tee of Life legend contributed to the enormous proliferation of tons of wood splinters of the True Cross that brought huge revenue into the medieval church when touted as healing charms. To explain the presence of all those splinters, the legend called Invention of the Cross was devised, claiming that the empress, Helena had found Jesus' cross in a crypt under Jerusalem's temple of Aphrodite and had carried it back to Europe. Of course there was no genuine record of any such event, but the credulous do not demand proof.

The Latin cross is not inappropriate for a church that composed itself entirely of men, for in several early societies the Latin cross was a primary phallic symbol. Its mythological alter ego, the Tree of Life, is still a metaphor for male genitals among the Arabs. Phallic-masculine meanings of the cross are broadly hinted at in the fifth-century Gospel of Nicodemus, which says Jesus descended into hell and redeemed Adam, together with Old Testament patriarchs, prophets, and fore- fathers, by making the sign of the cross on their foreheads. "He took them and leaped up out of hell." (6) No mention was made of Eve, matriarchs, or foremothers.

It was also claimed that Golgotha, the "Place of the Skull," was the burial place where Adam's skull lay directly under the cross so the blood of Jesus could drip on it, thus washing away the original sin (again, there was no mention of Eve). Official theology was always vague about whether Jesus' death had really washed away original sin or not. If not, then there seemed to have been little point in the sacrifice; but if so, then there would have been no need for a church.

References:

1. Whittick, 226.
2. Abelard, 54.
3. d'Alviella, 14-15.
4. Baring-Gould, 355.
5. Male, 153.
6. Hall, 100.

Earrings  Earrings

According to Magical Arts evil spirits were thought to be able to enter the body through any of its openings and take control. "The first earrings were probably worn to bar the way to these spirits and so was the first lipstick."

"Earrings are rings that are worn in the ears. Piercing the lobes to allow the wearing of earrings is an ancient practice.

"Most parts of the body have been pierced for various magical and religious reasons throughout the ages. Ears may have been among the first, along with the nose which is still pierced in India for protective, as well as cosmetic reasons.

"Folklore still surrounds this practice. Pierced earrings m general are often recommended to strengthen weak eyes— if set with emeralds, they are particularly effective. Gold earrings are often worn by those wishing to cure headaches, though some say to wear one gold earring and one silver for this purpose."

In Genesis, when God told Jacob to go the Bethel, Jacob:

"said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem" (Genesis 3 5:2-4).

When Jacob’s household was ready to seek God, they got rid of all their earrings and idols. What some people don’t realise is that Satan is a liar and a deceiver. Instead of these items protecting an individual from the evil spirits, they are actually attracting evil spirits.

Hosea 2:13 says that Israel "decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat Me, saith the Lord."

I Timothy 2:9-10 advises: "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."

Concerning pierced ears, a former witch, David Meyer, reports:

"I think it is interesting to note at this point that Hillary Clinton said that she did not allow Chelsea to have her ears pierced until she was 13. There is, of course, a very good reason for that. It is a known fact among occultists that when a girl is 13, she is taken into what is called the ‘outer court’ of a coven, and the token of this child becoming a neophyte witch is the piercing of the ears."

The Halo The Halo

also called NIMBUS, in art, radiant circle or disk surrounding the head of a holy person, a representation of spiritual character through the symbolism of light. In Hellenistic and Roman art the sun-god Helios and Roman emperors often appear with a crown of rays. Because of its pagan origin, the form was avoided in Early Christian art, but a simple circular nimbus was adopted by Christian emperors for their official portraits. From the middle of the 4th century, Christ was also shown with this imperial attribute, as was his symbol, the Lamb of God, from the end of the 4th century. In the 5th century it was sometimes given to angels, but it was not until the 6th century that the halo became customary for the Virgin Mary and other saints. For a period during the 5th century, living persons of eminence were depicted with a square nimbus.

The halo was used regularly in representations of Christ, the angels, and the saints throughout the Middle Ages. Often Christ's halo is quartered by the lines of a cross or inscribed with three bands, interpreted to signify his position in the Trinity. From the 15th century, however, with the growth of naturalism in Renaissance art, the nimbus created problems in representation. At first it was treated by some Florentine artists as a solid object seen in perspective, a disk fixed to the back of a saint's head. The inadequacy of this solution led to its decline in Italian art in the 16th century and to its abandonment by Michelangelo and Titian. In Flemish painting of the 15th century, it began to be represented as rays of light; under the influence of the Counter-Reformation, which sought to restore a glorious conception to religious art, this form was adopted by Italian artists of the late 16th century, notably Tintoretto, as a realistically rendered light emanating from the holy person's head. This new interpretation was the standard one in the Baroque period and in most subsequent religious works.

Makeup/Body Paint Makeup/Body Paint

Body painting is also a magical practice.

Both men and women use some type of makeup as a form of magic in Witchcraft....Native Americans, Polynesians, the ancient Egyptians, the Chinese and Japanese, and African tribal peoples have also used makeup and body paint for magical purposes. The use of colour affects our behaviour and emotional dispositions."

Cabot elaborates:

"Outlining the eye emulates the Goddess, who is often portrayed with large, distinctive eyes, capable of seeing through space and time as well as into our innermost hearts. Ishtarte, the Goddess of Light, was known in the ancient Middle East as the Eye Goddess because the light she brings from heaven to earth illuminates the world. The Egyptian Goddess Maat originally possessed the All-Seeing Eye, which later was transferred to Horns. In Syria the Goddess Man had large, strong eyes that could see deep into the human soul. The Goddess’s ability to see and know all things became a terrifying concept in patriarchal times, and her mystical eye was turned into the ‘evil eye,’ associated during the time of the Inquisition with Witches....

"But the tradition of outlining the eye to honour the Goddess of Love and to make one’s own eyes more radiant and mysterious is a time-honoured custom. Green, rose, or copper eyeshadow or eyeliner draw in energy from Venus, the planet of love and romance. Pink eyeshadow, blush, or lipstick will strengthen self-esteem. Glitter refracts and reflects light and will send out light to others. Affixing jewellery to your body or face is also powerful. Remember to charge your makeup and jewellery and body paint before you use them, catalysing them with the specific intention of your spell."

Another magazine states:

"The use of makeup is also said to stem from witchcraft where the painting of one’s face was believed to ward off evil. Makeup was used extensively by American Indian witch doctors and European witches. Mascara was particularly a charm inasmuch as it is made of antimony, an old witch metal."

On three occasions the Bible refers to face painting. Jeremiah 4:30 and Ezekiel 23:40-44 refer to wicked women who tried to lure men into the sins of immorality. II Kings 9:30 mentions that Jezebel painted her face. Of course, Jezebel was a pagan woman who practised witchcraft (II Kings 9:22) and worshipped Baal. King Ahab married her and he also started to worship Baal (I King 16:31-32). Since the pagans painted their face, it is no surprise to see Jezebel doing the same thing. In fact, wicked and immoral women today are often called a "Jezebel."

"In this connection, I should like to share an incident. About 25 years ago, a returned missionary from China spoke at our church and related the following. He had been in China for seven years, and upon return to this country for furlough he immediately noticed something different about the American women. In the seven years that he had been gone, many of the women had adopted the popular fad of painting their faces [makeup]. In China, the prostitutes were the only women who painted their faces, wore ear rings, and had long painted fingernails. This was their means of identifying themselves to their men-partners in sin. The shocking thing to the missionary was that the American women had taken on the custom of the heathen harlot."

Christmas, Symbols of—Mistletoe, a Sacred Plant in the Pagan Religion of the Druids 

Mistletoe

Source: Francis X. Weiser, Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs (New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1958), pp. 103, 104. Copyright 1952 by Francis X. Weiser. Used by permission of the publishers.

[p. 103] The mistletoe was a sacred plant in the pagan religion of the Druids in Britain. It was believed to have all sorts of miraculous qualities: the power of healing diseases, making poisons harmless, giving fertility to humans and animals, protecting from witchcraft, banning evil spirits, bringing good luck and great blessings. In fact, it was considered so sacred that even enemies who happened to meet beneath a mistletoe in the forest would lay down their arms, exchange a friendly greeting, and keep a truce until the following day. From this old custom grew [p. 104] the practice of suspending mistletoe over a doorway or in a room as a token of good will and peace to all comers…

After Britain was converted from paganism to Christianity, the bishops did not allow the mistletoe to be used in churches because it had been the main symbol of a pagan religion. Even to this day mistletoe is rarely used as a decoration for altars. There was, however, one exception. At the Cathedral of York at one period before the Reformation a large bundle of mistletoe was brought into the sanctuary each year at Christmas and solemnly placed on the altar by a priest. In this rite the plant that the Druids had called "All-heal" was used as a symbol of Christ, the Divine Healer of nations.

Peace Sign Peace Sign

The signal "actually began as a symbol of Satanic benediction during the rituals.'' This sign has been used by Yasser Arafat, Richard Nixon, Winston Churchill, and Stewart Meacham, Co-Chairman of Reds' New Mobilisation Committee." Churchill said that the sign stood for victory but remember that Churchill was one of the insider "elite" and a Mason. He most likely knew the evil significance of this symbol but tried to give it a facelift.

The "v sign" has a colourful history. "V" is the Roman sign for the number five and Adam Weishaupt used it in the Illuminati to symbolise the "Law of Fives,'' but there's more. In the Cabala:

"the meaning for the Hebrew letter for V (Van) is 'Nail.' Now, 'The Nail' is one of the secret titles of Satan within the Brotherhood of Satanism. Satan is letting us know that this is one of his favourite signs. Why else does he like the PENTA-gram (Penta = five!) and the FIVE-fold salute used in Masonry and Witchcraft?''

Furthermore:

"The Leftists, radicals, and Satanists who have popularised that sign...know its ancient significance very well. In fact, that 'V' sign is now used extensively by such Communist organisations as the Young Socialist Alliance, Vets for Peace in Vietnam, and the Students for a Democratic Society."

Although not a hand sign, the peace symbol itself needs to be examined.

"Known as the 'peace sign' throughout the 1960's and into the present day, this symbol is the Teutonic rune of death. 1950's peace advocate Gerald Holtom may have been commissioned by communist sympathiser Bertrand Russell to design a symbol to unite leftist peace marchers in 1958. It is clear that either Holtom or Russell deemed the Teutonic (Neronic) cross as the appropriate symbol for their cause.

"Throughout the last 2,000 years this symbol has designated hatred of Christians. Nero, who despised Christians, crucified the Apostle Peter on a cross head downward. This hideous event resembled the Teutonic cross and became a popular pagan insignia of the day. Thereafter, this sign became known as the 'Neronic cross.'

"The symbol's origin in history proves it to be the visual mystic character for 'Aum' (the split 'Y'). This is the sacred word to the Hindu. Chanting 'Aum' is supposed to help awaken 'the serpent power of Brahma' at the base of the human spine. Occultist Albert Pike also identifies this symbol as mystical in his book on Freemasonry Morals and Dogma.

The peace symbol (also called the "broken cross," "crow's foot," "witch's foot," "Nero Cross," "sign of the 'broken Jew,'" and the "symbol of the 'anti-Christ''') is actually a cross with the arms broken. It also signifies the "gesture of despair," and the "death of man.''

"The Germanic tribes who used it attributed strange and mystical properties to the sign. Such a 'rune' is said to have been used by 'black magicians' in pagan incantations and condemnations....To this very day the inverted broken cross--identical to the socialists' 'peace' symbol--is known in Germany as a 'todersrune,' or death rune. Not only was it ordered by Hitler's National Socialists that it must appear on German death notices, but it was part of the official inscription prescribed for the gravestones of Nazi officers of the dread SS. The symbol suited Nazi emphasis on pagan mysticism.''

With the arms of the cross raised in an upright position, it is "a Pythagorean emblem of the course of life, in the form of a rising path with fork roads to Good and Evil.'' It also signifies fertility, but with the arms pointing downward, it denotes evil and death.

"In fact, the inverted 'Man-rune'--the figure encircled in the common sign which the Communists tell us means 'peace'--has for centuries been a favourite sign of Satanists.''

Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, used the peace symbol as the backdrop for his altar.

One former witch makes the following comment about the peace symbol:

"It is an ancient and powerful symbol of Antichrist. During the dark ages it was used in Druid Witchcraft and by Satanists of all sorts during the initiation of a new member to their order. They would draw the magic circle and give the initiate a cross. The initiate would then lift the cross and turn it upside down. He would then renounce Christianity in all three dimensions (sic) of time (past, present and future) and break the horizontal pieces downward forming the design of the 'Raven's Foot.' This ugly symbol is nothing short of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. For one to wear or display this symbol is to announce either knowingly or unknowingly that you have rejected Christ. Remember, symbolism is a picture language, and a picture is worth a thousand words.''

Below are a few examples of how the peace symbol is being used.

Another hand signal is the Vulcan peace sign. It is supposed to mean "Live Long and Prosper," and can be seen in Star Trek.

Vulcan was a sun deity who was associated with fire, thunderbolts, and light. The festival in honour of him was called the Vulcania in which human sacrifices were offered. "According to Diel, he bears a family relationship to the Christian devil.' It is fascinating to know that he married Venus, another name for Lucifer or the devil. What is even more interesting is that Vulcan is adored in Masonry under the name of Tubal Cain. In the Masonic Quiz Book the question is asked: "Who was Tubal Cain?" The answer is: "He is the Vulcan of the pagans.'' 

In Masonry, Tubal Cain is the name of the password for the Master Mason (or third) degree.

Listen to what occultist and Mason, Manly Palmer Hall, has to say:

"When the Mason learns that the key to the warrior on the block is the proper application of the dynamo of living power, he has learned the mastery of his craft. The seething energies of Lucifer are in his hands and before he may step onward and upward, he must prove his ability to properly apply energy. He must follow in the footsteps of his forefather, Tubal-Cain, who with the mighty strength of the war god hammered his sword into a ploughshare.''

There is also a sexual connotation associated with Vulcan and Tubal Cain. Former Mason, Bill Schnoebelen, explains:

"For Masons who wish to conceal their membership from non-Masons, but still advertise it to their Lodge brothers, there is a special pin (or tie tack) they can wear. It looks like an upside down golf club with two balls near the top....Many people assume the person is a golfing enthusiast, but it is actually a visual Masonic pun.

"This is called the 'Two Ball Cane,' and is a pun on the secret password of a Master Mason, 'Tubalcain (sic).'...It is also an all-too-obvious pun on the 'god' of Masonry, the male reproductive organ. Nice, eh?...especially when many men wear these wretched things to church on Sunday!"

Rings Rings

Let's look at the ring for a few minutes.

"The ring is a circle, symbolic of eternity, unity, reincarnation and the universe. In earlier times the ring was associated with the Sun and Moon. It was an object of protection, a magical guard that warded off negativity through its continuity....

"All rings were once magical or sacred. Even goddesses and gods wore rings; Babylonian mythology is replete with stories of the rings of Shamash and Marduk. Rings have also been linked to the zodiac, the yin/yang and the 'magic circle' of magicians and Wiccaus. Their magical history is complex and fascinating.

"In a magical sense, wearing a ring 'binds' you with power, with energy. The materials of which the ring is constructed, plus your visualisation, determine the nature of this energy ....

"The appearance or attractiveness of a ring, and certainly its material value, are of little importance in magic. The ring's design, the metals and stones used are the only factors involved in selecting rings for magic ....

"The finger on which a ring is worn has magical significance. The index or 'ring' finger was once thought to be especially powerful. Herbal medicines were applied to the body with the ring finger to strengthen the effectiveness of the cure. Thus, rings containing stones which speed the body's healing are best worn on this finger....

"Once, rings were usually worn on the third finger, because it was thought to contain a nerve that went directly to the heart. Betrothal rings are still traditionally worn on this finger."

Another book reiterates:

"In astrology, the thumb is correlated with Venus, the index finger with Jupiter, the middle finger with Saturn, the ring finger with the sun, and the small finger with Mercury.--In popular parlance, the ring finger used to be called the 'heart finger' because people believed that it was directly connected to the heart by a special vein or nerve; the symbolism of love and fidelity of the ring finger, particularly of the left hand (the side of the heart), also has to do with this.''

Our Phallic Heritage says this about the ring:

"The Wedding Ring, customarily put on during the marriage ceremony and worn continuously thereafter, had a phallic origin. In the Buddhistic hand sign of blessing, the thumb and index fingers are joined at the tips, forming a circle, symbolising the yoni, while the other three fingers (the middle, ring, and little fingers) are extended, symbolising...the male [genital] triad. When the ring is placed on the ring finger (the penis symbolised), it symbolises the union of the male and female; hence, through this symbolism, the wedding ring means marriage or union.''

Occultist and Mason, Manly Palmer Hall, asserts:

"The wedding ring originally was intended to imply that in the nature of the one who wore it the state of equilibrium and completion had been attained. This plain band of gold therefore bore witness of the union of the Higher Self (God) with the lower self (Nature) and the ceremony consummating this indissoluble blending of Divinity and humanity in the one nature of the initiated mystic constituted the hermetic marriage of the Mysteries.''

More about the wedding ring can be found in The Occult Sciences. There we find:

"It may be pointed out that wedding rings are a remnant of the magic rings. They are worn on the ring finger, because in chiromancy that finger corresponds to the heart. The husband will be master in the home, if, on placing it on his wife's finger, he is careful to push it right down.''

According to A Pictorial History of Magic and the Supernatural "Chiromancy is based on the cabbala ....

Also, chiromancy is another name for palmistry? This is a form of divination. For instance, Dictionary of Mysticism states: "Chiromancy: The art of divination from the shape, of the hand and fingers and the lines and other markings which appear on them.'' The World Book Encyclopaedia indicates under "palmistry": "It is sometimes called chiromancy. It is a combination of astrology and handreading See also fortune telling."

Christmas, Symbols of—Santa Claus Santa Claus

Source: Francis X. Weiser, Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs (New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1958), pp. 113, 114. Copyright 1952 by Francis X. Weiser. Used by permission of the publishers.

[p. 113] When the Dutch came to America and established the colony of New Amsterdam, their children enjoyed the traditional "visit of Saint Nicholas" on December 5, for the Dutch had kept this ancient Catholic custom even after the Reformation. Later, when England took over the colony and it became New York, the kindly figure of Sinter Klaas (pronounced like Santa Claus) soon aroused among the English children the desire of having such a heavenly visitor come to their homes, too.

The English settlers were glad and willing to comply with the anxious wish of their children. However, the figure of a Catholic saint and bishop was not acceptable in their eyes, especially since many of them were Presbyterians, to whom a bishop was repugnant. In addition, they did not celebrate the feasts of saints according to the ancient Catholic calendar.

The dilemma was solved by transferring the visit of the mysterious man whom the Dutch called Santa Claus from December 5 to Christmas, and by introducing a radical change in the figure itself. It was not merely a "disguise," but the ancient saint was completely replaced by an entirely different character. Behind the name Santa Claus actually stands the figure of the pagan Germanic god Thor (after whom Thursday is named). Some details about Thor from ancient German mythology will show the origin of the modern Santa Claus tale:

Thor was the god of the peasants and the common people. He was represented as an elderly man, jovial and friendly, of heavy build, with a long white beard. His element was the fire, his colour red. The rumble and roar of thunder were said to be caused by the rolling of his chariot, for he alone among the gods never rode on horseback but drove in a chariot drawn by two white goats (called Cracker and Gnasher). He was fighting the giants of ice and snow, and thus became the Yule-god. He was said to live in the "Northland" where he had his palace among icebergs. By our pagan forefathers he was considered as the cheerful and friendly god, never harming the humans but rather helping and protecting them. The fireplace in every home was especially sacred to him, and he was said to come down through the chimney into his element, the fire. ⁷⁰ [Note 70: H. A. Grueber, Myths of Northern Lands, Vol. I, New York, 1895, 61ff.]

Star of David/Hexagram Star of David/Hexagram

Hebrew MAGEN DAVID ("Shield of David"), Magen also spelled MOGEN, Jewish symbol composed of two overlaid equilateral triangles that form a six-pointed star. It appears on synagogues, Jewish tombstones, and the flag of the State of Israel. The symbol--which historically was not limited to use by Jews--originated in antiquity, when, side by side with the five-pointed star, it served as a magical sign or as a decoration. In the Middle Ages the Star of David appeared with greater frequency among Jews but did not assume any special religious significance; it is found as well on some medieval cathedrals. The term Magen David, which in Jewish liturgy signifies God as the protector (shield) of David, gained currency among medieval Jewish mystics, who attached magical powers to King David's shield just as earlier (non-Jewish) magical traditions had referred to the five-pointed star as the "seal of Solomon." Kabbalists popularised the use of the symbol as a protection against evil spirits. The Jewish community of Prague was the first to use the Star of David as its official symbol, and from the 17th century on the six-pointed star became the official seal of many Jewish communities and a general sign of Judaism, though it has no biblical or Talmudic authority. The star was almost universally adopted by Jews in the 19th-century as a striking and simple emblem of Judaism in imitation of the cross of Christianity. The yellow badge that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi-occupied Europe invested the Star of David with a symbolism indicating martyrdom and heroism -- Copyright 1994-1998 Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Tarot and Playing Cards

With the resurgence of the occult and the New Age movement has come a new interest in the Tarot card deck. The New Age Almanac explains:

"The tarot, however, began to take on occult associations and to be used predominantly for cartomancy, divination, or fortune-telling with cards. The person primarily responsible for the new developments in the tarot was a French Huguenot pastor, Antoine Court de Gebelin (1719-1784). In the 1 770s, de Gebelin became active in Parisian freemasonry circles and joined the Philalethes, a French Masonic occult order order derived from the teachings of Martines de Pasqually (d. 1774). He became an accomplished occult scholar. This French occult perspective came to be an essential building block in the revolutionary thought that would bring down the French government in a few years.

"Through his social connections, de Gebelin discovered the tarot. He immediately saw in them occult symbology, and tied them to ancient Egypt. As ancient Egypt disintegrated, the priests developed playing cards to hide their wisdom from the profane and at the same time ensure their survival. He concluded that they had travelled to Rome, kept in the possession of the popes who took them to Avignon. From Avignon they were disseminated throughout Europe. De Gebelin published his speculations in 1781 in the eighth volume of his multi-volume study of the ancient world, Le Monde primitif in which he begins to designate the occult symbology of the deck. De Gebelin is, for example, the one who originated the idea that the 22 Major cards were to be equated with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In an essay by an unknown associate appended to his own account of the tarot, de Gebelin suggested that the tarot be used as a method of divination. The idea was adopted by a fortune-teller known only as Etteilla, who in 1783 published a book detailing a methodology for tarot cartomancy, and over the next decade authored a host of books and pamphlets on fortune-telling using the tarot and other means. Cartomancy with the tarot grew increasingly prevalent during the decades of post-revolutionary France.

"Etteilla’s students passed the practice of fortune-telling with cards to Alphonse-Louis Constant (better known under his penname, Eliphas Levi). Levi, the fountainhead of modern ritual magic, integrated the tarot into his magical teachings and aligned it with the massive body of occult symbolism. Through Levi’s very popular writings, the use of the tarot flowed into the occult groups which flourished in Europe at the end of the nineteenth century, and the mastery of the symbolism of the tarot became a standard part of the training of a magician. The most famous of the accomplished masters of the tarot in France was Dr. Gerard Encausse (1865-1916), who wrote several influential books on the tarot and who was most responsible for lifting up an idea first proposed by de Gebelin, but given some expanded treatment by J. F. Vaillant, of tying The Tarot to the Bohemians (1889), written under the pseudonym Papus.

"In England, the tarot was integrated into the symbolism of that most famous of magical orders, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. One degree of the order’s program of advancement included the member’s construction of a complete tarot deck. Two of the order’s members would create the two most popular decks used in the twentieth century. Arthur Edward Waite (1857-1942) was the most scholarly member of the Golden Dawn. He was responsible for the English translations of several of Levi’s works and he revised the first English translation of Papus’ text. More importantly, with the help of an artist, Pamela Coleman Smith, he devised a new tarot deck complete with all 78 cards (i.e., both the major and minor cards), the first such comprehensive revision in more than one hundred years. He also authored an instruction book, The Pictorial Guide to the Tarot (1910), with which anyone could take a deck of cards and master their use as a basic fortune-telling instrument. It was the combination of the deck and the instruction book which gave the Waite deck its dominance in the field through most of the twentieth century.

"The second accomplished student of the tarot was Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), the order’s nemesis. In 1909 Crowley began publishing the order’s secrets, including their teaching on the tarot, through an independent journal, The Equinox. Crowley worked with Freida Harris in the design of a new tarot deck to which he composed a commentary much like Waite’s The Book of Thoth. It was published in a limited edition in 1944, but the cards were not published until about 1960. Only after a new edition of The Book of Thoth appeared in 1969 did the Crowley deck begin to grow in popularity to rival Waite’s deck. In choosing to name his deck after the Egyptian deity Thoth, Crowley asserted both his own preference for Egyptian magical symbolism and his belief in de Gebelin’s claims as to the deck’s Egyptian origin.

A Dictionary of Mysticism states:

"Tarot: A deck of playing cards, based on a system of occult symbols arranged in a pattern of 78 cards; 22 of these are tarot cards (‘major arcana’), the other 56 are suit cards (‘minor arcana’). These cards can be used for divination. The term tarot is applied also to designate such divination."

We are further informed by an occult organisation that the "Tarot has often been interpreted as a fortune telling device, but, as Gareth Knight reveals, it is also a profound and powerful system of High Renaissance magic!"

Since we’ve already covered the yin/yang symbol and the I Ching, I think it is interesting to note that The occult Explosion states: "The occidental counterpart to the I Ching is the tarot card deck. The most widely-spread occult tradition about the origin of the Tarot is that it was invented by a great international assemblage of esoteric scholars in Egypt...."" It adds: "Tarot and I Ching really have a lot in common...."

What is even more intriguing is that the Tarot is really the ancestor of the standard playing card deck that is used today. For instance one book on the Tarot reveals: "Even the common playing cards we know today are derived from the ancient tarot and vary widely due to their centuries of use as instruments of gambling."

Stewart Farrar, a witch, indicates:

"The Tarot consists of seventy-eight cards, and is clearly the ancestor of the bridge-player’s pack. Fifty-six of them are divided into four suits—Cups (corresponding to Heart), Swords (Spades), Wands (Clubs), and Pentacles (Diamonds). Each suit has the Ace to Ten and the Knave— in between the Page and the Queen. (The Knight is sometimes called the Prince, and the Page the Princess.) The four suits represent the four occult elements—their usual allocation being Cups for Water, Swords for Air, Wands for Fire, and Pentacles for Earth...

In The Occult: A History we are told:

"Apart from the Greater Arcana [in the Tarot deck], there are also the fifty-six cards of the Lesser Arcana, the four suits that have become the ordinary playing cards of today, with its rods, (or wands), cups, swords and shekels (or pentacles) changing into clubs, hearts, spades and diamonds. It is worth observing in passing, that we have here two rod-shaped objects—wands and swords—and two circular objects—cups and money—and since one of the commentators mentions that wands and money were used in mediaeval methods of divination, it would not be inaccurate to see them as related to the yarrow stalks and coins of the I Ching. Each suit has a king, queen, knight and knave, as well as cards numbered from one to ten."

In Our Phallic Heritage we find that the symbols used on the playing cards are actually sexual connotations. This book explains:

"The symbols used on playing cards are the diamond, heart, club, and the spade, which was often the acorn. In sex symbolism the diamond and heart were female symbols, and the spade and club were male symbols. The two colours represented the sexes; red symbolised the male, and black the female. In the Orient are found the yang-yin (male and female symbols), similar to the Northern Pacific Railroad trademark with these colours. Possibly coincidentally, remember that in certain sections of the cities there were the red-light districts, and they operated in the darkness.

"Both sexes are symbolised on each card by having a symbol of one sex and a colour of the opposite sex. The trinity or complete family is seen in the three highest cards, which are the king, queen, and jack or knave. ‘Knave,’ like knabe in German, means ‘boy.’ Therefore, in cards, we have the father, mother and child, the natural trinity or perfect family. There are four suits to symbolise the male triad and female unit, forming the Arba-el, or the four gods. The thirteen cards in each suit represent the lunar months or menstruations in a year. They also represent the weeks in a season, and have been compared to the calendar, the colours red and black representing day and night; the four suits, the four weeks in a month, and four seasons in a year, or the four cardinal points of the compass; the twelve picture cards, the twelve months in a year; the fifty-two cards, the weeks in a year; and counting the jack as eleven, the queen as twelve, and the king as thirteen, the number of spots in the deck equals 364 and, with the joker, 365, the number of days in a year."

I think it would be informative to give the history and the real meaning of ordinary playing cards. The following is taken from The Gospel Standard.

"The first deck of cards was made for Charles of France in the year 1392. King Charles was an insane man. It is not generally known by card players that cards have a secret meaning, but after the following statements were made public, the members of the gambling fraternity of professional gamblers declared that they are absolutely true.

"The King card represents the enemy of God, the devil. The Ten spot represents the spirit of lawlessness and is in direct opposition to the Ten Commandments of the Bible. Closely associated with the ten spot is the Club card. When cards were invented the club was the weapon of the murderer. In those days there were no revolvers or machine guns. The Club card stands for murder. The Jack represents the lustful libertine who lives on the gains of the prostitutes. It represents the moral leper. There is a game of cards called ‘the brothel game’ in which the players use the secret obscene language of the cards and converse with each other merely by dropping a card.

"Now we come to the part that is even more shockingly wicked. The Queen card represents the Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord. In the secrets of cards she is called the mother of harlots. The Joker in card language represents our Lord Jesus Christ. Joker means fool! Jesus Christ is held up by the card players as a fool. And if this is not bad enough yet, the secret language of a deck of cards goes further and declares that Jesus (the Joker card) is the offspring of a lustful Jack, and the Queen mother, Mary.

"And there you have the true meaning of a deck of so-called innocent playing cards!"

As a little extra note, I thought it was interesting to find out that the President of the U.S. Playing Card Company (from 1929-1930) and the President of Standard Playing Card Company (in 1898) was Benjamin C. Hawkes—a Mason.

Many people play or gamble with the regular card deck but is any of this pleasing to Christ—especially in light of the blasphemy that is represented by these cards? Not only do the regular playing cards come from the occultic Tarot card background, but the meaning of the cards are an insult and offence to Christ and the Christian teaching of the Virgin Birth. Jesus did not have an illegitimate birth. Matthew states: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1:23). He was also named Jesus "for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). He came to give His life as a sacrifice on our behalf so that we may have the privilege of receiving eternal life and having our sins forgiven.

I realise that many people had no idea what the cards which they were using meant, but now that you know, can you still use them? -- Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, pp. 79-86.