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It encourages both harmony, peace, and stability (in most cases); as it calls for peace and unity (even with non-Muslims). However, in the event of harm being provoked or persecution on the basis of religion occurs; the Holy Quran commands Muslims to fight to defend themselves; even if that means a total war. However, if peace is met, then Muslims should not fight anymore. Depending on the reading you have (if you read the Holy Book in its entirety and not by parts); you will either find answers to most things (if you read completely) or to insane things (if you don´t read it completely).

It has a personal meaning because, as a Muslim I do not only use the Holy Quran to guide my actions and behaviours towards others and myself; but I also derive possitive messages to cheer me up and make me reflect on my mistakes and become a better person. Due to the nature of the Holy Book, this symbol is strictly religious; and thus, has a cognotation even beyond cultural or other type of affinity as an unquestionable truth for me.

Post by: Carlos Roa

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The Jerusalem cross as a symbol of order, stability and harmony (at least, from the historic Christian POV). Used by the order of the holy sepulchre and as arms of the king of Jerusalem. I think this is a good example of both points, positive and negative. To Christians, this would be representative of the unity in the holy land. Though, for others, it might be seen as defiant and/or discriminating.

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Taoism is a Chinese religion that advocates wellbeing and living in harmony. Theist Taoism preaches there are many gods where as Christainty believes there is only one. This has created conflict amongst those who practice either.

The meaning behind the Taoism this symbol represents to opposing but complimentary forces that make up all aspects of life.

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As a child I had to go to confession a number of times a year. It meant telling your sins to the priest, who would then absolve you, making your "soul as white as that of an innocent baby"as we used to say. This ritual both destroys - everything that has been done wrong - and it encourages order and stability by forgiving sins and making it possible for people to try again and better this time.

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Of the Hindu gods and goddesses, Shiva and Kali highlight the 2 examples the best. Shiva symbolises stability and harmony, he holds the poison in his throat in order to protect creation and is in state of calm and meditation. The there is Kali, frightening in appearance and represents destruction and struggle, which can be interpreted as destroying negativity. Thus both sides, harmony and destruction, ultimately have the same protective purpose.

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In Christianity there is the Madonna and Child, providing the model of unconditional love, order, stability and harmony for those who live a Christian life. By contrast there is the horrific and intentionally frightening image of the Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse, predicting the slaughter and destruction of all those who do not accept Christianity's 'absolute truth'.

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This is a cultural symbol of the freedom we have here in America to worship as we choose, but I think that there are some who take our freedoms in the US and pervert them to their own evil uses. Such as the whole Gay Marriage thing. This is so against what America stands for or at least what it stood for when it was first formed.

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wallpaper eagle high resolution vector blue clipart transparent printable cool stars

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Jane Scholz

In the Catholic tradition, we are taught that Christ died for our sins, which is a strong message of forgiveness that encourages stability and harmony. At the same time, this image has been used in the Crusades and at other times in Western history to serve as a rallying point against groups that are seen as threatening some particular Christian religious group, such as the Roman Catholic church during the crusades or the Spanish Inquisition.

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I recognise this - I went to the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon and it was my school logo - greetings :)

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The Biblical story of Adam and Eve symbolises the human struggle with temptation to do bad things. The snake represents the devil - and continues to represent evil - think of the basilisk in Harry Potter! Sadly, I don't think this story does much for women either ...

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The shepherd provides for and cares about his flock - a parallel for God caring about mankind. The shepherd searches for the one sheep that is lost, bringing it safely home to the rest of the flock. The flock is a stable group, living in harmony. This story tells us that individual human beings matter to God - each person is a unique, valued person, within a harmonious world. We may make mistakes and do wrong things, but will always be welcomed back.

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Nature is the biggest religios symbol for me. It consistently brings me to awe-it is larger than any human being, a gver of live and also one that can take it away again. No matter how hard we humans attempt to control it, time and again it has shown us to be stronger than human beings. Also, nature gives life and continuous its own life cycle. We see it happening, and still, it is bigger than we can understand. It brings comfort to be in nature.

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During the American Revolution this Gadsden flag was born. It has a rebirth in popularity with the Libertarian Movement in the U.S.

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This is my school logo (it's a Catholic school) and the motto means I will Serve. It is the core value of my life (I am the third generation to go to this school so it influenced the values I was raised with before I even entered the school). However, I am an atheist and see it as a duty without any religious implications which shows how religion can transcend metaphysical beliefs and become values instead.

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Paul Barrett - A composite image of order & destruction can be found in any of the medieval "Doom" paintings in some Christian churches. Such paintings depict the Last Judgement in Christian theology & highlight the contrasts between the beneficial rewards of Heaven - order, stability & harmony - & the unending agony of Hell - struggle, destruction & damnation.

In the paintings Heaven is usually depicted in light, bright colours on Christs right-hand side. It is usually represented by a castle with Angels blowing trumpets to raise the dead for judgement, & Archangel Michael, complete with scales to weigh the souls so raised.

The entrance to Hell is depicted  though Hell itself is not necessarily shown. The hellish area is populated by dark, demonic & distorted creatures commonly in a fiery entrance / enclosure.

To me the paintings have some interest as historical religious iconography but the best as examples of painterly skill & artistic ideas.

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Rose Britton

One of my sisters believed this to be a literal miracle. No further questions considered. The other sister believed equally strongly that the miracle was that upon one or two people's sharing, others were moved to do likewise-- thereby providing for all.

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My grandmother had a bible with images from the Sistine Chapel artwork by Michelangelo. I was always disturbed by the demonic images of the damned and I think this clearly represents a struggle between good and evil. Other images in this same chapel invoke ideas of peace and harmony. As an aside, I am also fond of the irony of the historical anti-homosexual position of the church and the sexual preference of one of it's most celebrated artists.

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Hans-Peter van den Broek

In Spain, the Cross of Saint James (Cruz de Santiago) is associated with the period of the Reconquista (‘reconquest’), when Christian forces managed to recover the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim occupation (from the early 8th century till 1492). The painting “El triunfo de la Santa Faz” by Marceliano Santa María (19th century) depicts one of the principal battles (Batalla de las Navas de Tolosa) during the Reconquista.

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Hans-Peter van den Broek

Liturgy at a Christian mass: the whole ritual follows an established order, in which each symbolic act is loaded with meaning for those who attend; the liturgy gives believers a sense of belonging, not just to their particular church, but to the wider Christian community.

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Robert Strachan

1) (a) During mass in the Catholic Church, there is a very simple ritual called the Sign of Peace in which everyone greets people nearby to say “Peace be With You” and shakes their hand. It breaks down barriers and is a harmonious moment that brings churchgoers together.

(b) Also within the Catholic Church, there are the Stations of the Cross which are 14 images depicting the struggle that Jesus Christ went through on his way to being crucified and dying. Three of the images depict him falling down, but battling on to his own death.

2) The image I have chosen is the burning of incense which occurs across several religions. I find it a very sombre, but

calming moment, when the incense burning in the Thurible is waved in a religious ceremony. For me, it represents the deceased and I remember family members who have passed away.

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Wendy Machmer - The story of The Good Samaritan had a profound effect on me as a child.  I could not understand why anyone would pass by the poor man who had been beaten, and not stop to help him.  The fact that someone tended to him, put him on his own horse and paid to have him cared for at an Inn was a good example to me of what should be done.

As I grewolder, and was no longer quite so naïve, I realized that the parable had much deeper meaning.  At the time, the Jews (the targeted audience) and the Samaritans hated each other.  The lesson that I have tried to carry with me throughout my life is to help others, no matter their religion, culture, ethnic background or political affiliations. I try to just treat them as “people”, nothing else.  Perhaps I am still a bit naïve.
Oil on canvas painting by Jan
Jansz Wijnants
(alternatively Wynants) (1632 – buried 23 January 1684)

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At first it might look as odd but yes!!! it is sanctity oppressing the bad. But who or what is bad? we might assume that the almighty angel with such powerful wings and a victorious spade is the good! Prevailiing of course! But with violence? Where's diplomacy? San Gabriel was initially the Archangel of the heaven, commander of the angels legions; legions? what for? war?

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This is in response to the second question of the assignment. In Islam, there is a tradition and saying that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)'s face shall remain hidden and covered. Unfortunately, some persons interpret this in an extremist way, thus automatically concludes that anyone tempting to represent the Prophet's face shall be punished.

The true meaning behind this "symbol" is that the Prophet is perceived in Islam as an example, as someone whose moral values shall be followed in a peaceful and respectful manner. By requiring to hide his face, it was not intended to simply "cover" its face "just because". It is mostly to avoid that believers worship his face, or even worse, worship a simple picture or any material, superficial representation. What muslims are required to is to worship and follow his moral value, not his physical appearance. There lies the genuine peaceful and respectful meaning of this symbol: one shall not solely worship and limit their judgement to another person's physical appearance, but are required to truly dig deeper and judge this other person by his moral values and "inner-self".

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This is one of the earliest symbols of Christianity in which a believer could test if the one they encountered was also a believer. One would trace the symbol, as half a circle into the ground or on the palm of a stranger. If the circle was complete, the stranger was not a believer. If the Icthys was completed, the person would know that they were believers and it was safe to talk about their faith.

This symbol is one of particular significance to me because it represents an anxious time in the early days of the Church. Nothing could be taken for granted as the it was, for all intents and purposes, illegal to be a follower of Christ.

As I traversed the rocky seas of belief and faith this symbol, moreso than the cross, spoke strongly to me about personal belief and finding the words and strength to speak of and share it.

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So in Ancient Egyptian culture there was the goddess, Maat. She symbolized order, morality, and harmony. Maat held a scepter, which meant power, and the Ankh, which meant eternal life.

The god Set would be an example of a symbol of violence. There is a story in which he kills the pharaoh, Osiris, and has a violent battle with Osiris' son, Horus.

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Order and  harmony through the ten commandments of the Biblical tradition.

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Order and  harmony through the ten commandments of the Biblical tradition.

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The Biblical traditions behind Christianity feature strong guidance to right and regulated behaviour; little trust in people to seek the right without explicit instruction on what to do.

Here's a pic of the prophet Moses bringing the tablets of the law to the wandering Israelites. The Ten Commandments of this tradition are a powerful and enduring instruction set in Western christianity (probably in Eastern too, but that's not a tradition I know) and decidedly framed to preserve control in a patriarchal society.

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The Christian story of the immaculate conception - the annunciation

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The Christian story of the immaculate conception - the annunciation

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This is in response to the second part of the assignment about the personal meaning behind a particular story or image. The story of the immaculate conception (Luke's Gospel 1:26-38) is at the heart of the Christian message and what believing Christians call the good news. The back story is the transcendent presence of God around everything in this world. The annunciation to Mary of her favoured status is an example of his presence "breaking through". I find this image from the Philadelphia Museum of Art speaks powerfully to me, on a primarily religious level with the image of a column of brilliant light representing the angelic messenger. I think it also has social significance in that a peasant girl in a fairly rough home has been chosen.

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Most religions, especially the three most important monotheist religions, namely, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, have been great sources of poetry, tolerance, and peace. On the other hand, they have inspired hatred towards unbelievers and believers in other faiths. What's worse, their dualism and emphasis on humanity's state of sin resulting from the fall of man from Eden has led their followers to despise themselves, which in turn has given rise to hideous rituals such as this self flagellation rite during a religious procession marking Ashura, a day on which Shi'a Muslims mourn for the martyrdom of one of their saintly men.

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The crucifixion of Jesus encourages order, harmony and stability. It reminds the Christians of everything Jesus did for them, and gives stability by knowing he had to do this for us, and now we are grateful. This magnificent painting by Rembrandt creates space for contemplation and awareness of the removal of all our sins through the death of Jesus Christ. By looking at a painting this beautiful, the artist repeats this story over and over again.

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The Bible of Christianity is a powerful symbol that can be, and has been, used to encourage order, stability and harmony, as well as struggle and destruction. The Bible has been used as a powerful symbol for peace, and for drawing people together for the good of others. But likewise it has been used to support practices such as slavery, encourage wars, and is equally good at dividing both families and countries. The Bible calls people to love others as they do themselves, to put others first, and to turn the other cheek when confronted. It also calls non-believers “fools”, orders the death penalty for homosexuals, and states that all those who do not follow its words will spend eternity in Hell. It is a symbol that can be used in many ways, and which can be wielded in support of vastly different and conflicting ideologies.

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I always wondered why the fish became symbolic of Christianity. It appears the the letters in the Greek word for fish stand for Christian concepts. Also, apparently when the early Christians were being persecuted they would draw one half of the fish symbol in order to meet up with other Christians who would complete the symbol by drawing the second half of the fish. This was used like a code so non-Christians were totally unaware of its meaning. And lastly, the fish became symbolic of Christianity because Jesus chose fishermen to be his early followers and disciples.

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This symbol has a personal meaning for me. I am an American but my father stressed upon me my Irish heritage. As a result I find myself often attracted to symbols of Irish culture. For me, Catholicism was a large part of Irish culture thus the appeal of the Celtic Cross.

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Jesus’s pacifism and the pride in being different and persecuted for righteousness’ sake

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Jesus’s pacifism and the pride in being different and persecuted for righteousness’ sake

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It is believed that Isaiah was indicating Jesus and his death, saying:
“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,”
Jesus did take a pacifistic approach when he was arrested and accused. He never encouraged violence within his followers or between his followers and non-followers. He taught people to forgive each other and he did forgive those who executed Him.
On the other hand, though his teaching encourages forgiveness and tolerance, it overtly and strongly rejects assimilation or compromise. He taught his followers to take pride in being different from others even at the cost of their well-being. He said:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus-followers are supposed to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”, to change the world for the better. And shame on those to fail to meet that expectation as they are like “salt [which] loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” This non-negotiable virtue per se is not evil or violent. However, it may turn those who actually practice it into targets of hatred. Those targets of hatred, on being “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” may not always be patient enough to regard God’s pacifistic lesson on the Cross. So then we have wars.

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The Cross of Iona is a Celtic Cross. According to tradition it is introduced by Saint Columba, a sixth century founder of cloisters (including Iona Abbey) who introduced Christianity into the Celtic World. Since the foundation of the Iona Community in 1938 with the Iona Abbey as its center of activities and ecumenical worship, the symbol became more personal for its visitors. It does not stand for a certain form of Christianity, it can stand for living in peace together, looking across cultural divisions, respecting nature and the earth... Every visitor of Iona gives a different meaning to it, that suits the purpose of visiting the island best and to take the feeling of community home.

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This is a story from the Bible that emphasises harmony and order as the "moral" of the story is to love your neighbour as yourself.

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This is the sign of Opus dei. A ritualistic form of self harm to be able to find God in everyday life. Why? The only way to find God is through pain? Not a very good form of religion. All a part of Roman catholicism.

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Religion is the gift of God to man, for the best. The ambivalence is present in man.

The temple is a place of God's presence there, and the place for the man, where we can get rid of the ambivalence we have ceased to bring to our society. We can see the godless communists in 1917, who rob the temple on the Donbas on the picture 2. Christians do not bear the fear in the world as a negative emotion that prevents democracy. Christian fear it is the knowledge of God's law. If we violate the law, the development of good disturbed.  If we are not  “afraid”  of red light traffic light, the consequences will not be fun. However, only God knows when... Now there is a war in the Donbas in Ukraine... It would be better if we can find ways to cooperate with religion, and we can bring cleansing from our ambivalence of religion.

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богоборцы-мародёры, Юзовка-Сталино

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Religion is the gift of God to man, for the best. The ambivalence is present in man.  The temple is a place of God's presence there, and the place for the man, where we can get rid of the ambivalence we have ceased to bring to our society. We can see the godless communists in 1917, who rob the temple on the Donbas on the picture 2. Christians do not bear the fear in the world as a negative emotion that prevents democracy. Christian fear it is the knowledge of God's law. If we violate the law, the development of good disturbed.  If we are not  “afraid”  of red light traffic light, the consequences will not be fun. However, only God knows when... Now there is a war in the Donbas in Ukraine... It would be better if we can find ways to cooperate with religion, and we can bring cleansing from our ambivalence of religion.

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The Crucifix is the symbol of the Christian church. It is the basis of the belief that Jesus was crucified, died, was buried and rose from the dead 3 days later. It is believed to offer the promise of eternal life, after death, with God in heaven.

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to me the form of a glass is very inspiring. you drink wine, you hold the glass in your hand, and after you emptied the glass - it rests on his foot. three aspects: content, ethics and love.... faith, hope and love. a new symbol.

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1.  Even if I doubt the divine origin of Jesus and am sceptical of virgin births, the iconic image of Virgin Mary and her baby reminds me of fundamental values that reach far beyond religion. And it makes me furious to see how religion and some cultures disrespect children, even mutilates them in the name of some perverted deity or inhuman culture.

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Josette Liebeck

The Triskell is a Celtic symbol in Brittany (Western France). The three branches represent Water, Earth and Fire, but many alternative meanings have been offered thus making it relevant to just about anyone. Some see the Triskell as representing the three main stages of human life, others see sleep, dream, wake, or future, present, past. Its meaning for me has grown due to expatriation and the branches represent the three different worlds I have lived in.

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The symbol representing the Sikh religion is called the Khanda. It is as sacred to the Sikhs as the Cross is to Christians or the Star of David is to the Jews. The Khanda represents a double-edged sword whose sharp
edges separate truth from falsehood. The right edge of the sword represents freedom and authority governed by moral and spiritual virtues while the left edge represents divine justice. The circle around the Khanda symbolises the perfection and eternity of God and the swords on either side symbolise the equal importance
that a Sikh worshipper must place on his spiritual aspirations and his
obligations to society.<br> 

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Christians torturing people who don't share their view. Why can't these hypocrites accept that other people are entitled to live in the way they want. Why must they try to impose their views on others. This is not just a problem from the past, look at contraception, abortion, homosexuality, vaccinations, creationism and so forth. When will the pope sell just one of the many priceless works of art that the catholic church holds to fund true (unconditional on subscribing to Christian beliefs) charity.? Remember the good Samaritan? He was the guy who wasn't Jewish or Christian.

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One of my favourite pagan goddesses - she embodies both light and dark like no other. Hekate is the triple goddess: virgin, mother and crone. Thus she was both called upon when women were in labor, as well as on the death bed. She is both the gatekeeper of new life entering the world as well as the one who with her wild hunt gathers the souls of those who have passed. She was worshipped on triple crossroads as the one who would keep travellers safe, yet it was considered to be a bad omen when she and her wilde hunt were encountered.

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the swastika in hinduism stands for a sun symbol representing creation, life, often accompanied by the OM sign. In nazism the swastika stood for destruction, exclusion and darkness.

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The story of Prahlada in Hindu Puranas is a powerful symbof for both encouraging order , stability & harmony as well as one that justifies destruction and violence to maintain the order and harmony as seen from the perspective of the believer. The story goes ...

Prahlada while being in his mother's womb got to hear Narada's chants. He was taught byNarada in early childhood. As a result, he was devoted towards Vishnu. His father didn't like his spiritual inclination. He tried to warn Prahlada. Despite several warnings from his father Hiranyakashipu, Prahlāda continued to worship Vishnu instead. His father then decided to commit filicide and poison Prahlāda, but he survived. He then trampled the boy with elephants, but the boy still lived. Then he put Prahlāda in a room with venomous snakes, and they made a bed for him with their bodies.

Holika, the sister of Hiranyakashipu, was blessed in that she could not be hurt by fire. Hiranyakashipu puts Prahlāda on the lap of Holika as she sits on a pyre. Prahlāda prays to Vishnu to keep him safe. Holika then burns to death as Prahlāda is left unscathed. This event is celebrated as the Hindu festival of Holi.[2]

After tolerating abuse from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlāda is eventually saved by Narasiṁha, who places the king on his thighs, and kills him with his sharp nails at the entrance to his home at dusk.[3]

There is an underground pillar known as "Prahlāda khamba" in Dharahra village, in thePurnia District of Bihar, India. It is said to be the pillar from which Narasiṁha manifested to kill Hiranyakashipu. Adjacent to the pillar is a large temple devoted to Lord Narasiṁha. Allegedly, attempts to excavate or move the "Prahlāda khamba" have failed. In Maharashtra, an underground temple near the banks of the river Krishna in Sangli District hosts a beautiful stone carved sculpture of "Narasimha and Laxmi".[citation needed]

The story of Prahlāda teaches that:

Faith in God is paramount.

God will always prevail.

God saves his devotees.

Devotion can be practiced at any time. Age does not matter.

Evil will be punished.

God is omnipresent.

Prahlāda eventually becomes king of the daityas and attains a place in the abode of Vishnu (Vaikuntha) after his death.

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It symbolizes forgiveness, gratitude and compassion and invites a balance between humility and pride.

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I come from the Netherlands where we celebrate St Nicholas on December 5th. This is a real mix-up of symbols and origins. St Nicholas appears to have been a bishop in Spain. His servants are moors (so probably effectively African slaves). St Nicholas hands out presents and sweets to children. He rewards those who have been good. Black Peter has a bag with presents, but also carries a rod with which he can punish naughty children. The VERY naughty are taken back to Spain in the bags that are now empty of sweets and presents. This story used to terrify many children and today it is still used in jest. The whole tradition is an odd mix. St Nic still supposedly arrives in a boat from Spain, on a white horse, dressed as a bishop, with a staff and his 'servants' blacken their faces and wear medieval clothes. Historically this tradition refers back to the catholics who defeated the muslims and moors in Spain and the Spanish/French invasion of The Netherlands, which ultimately led to revolution and war.

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Manitou was the fundamental life force, omnipresent Spirit, in Algonquin peoples system of beliefs.

It manifests in everything, from animals to landscape to humans, and it creates order and harmony among all beings, as long as rituals and traditions are observed.

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In Hinduism, gods are often highly ambivalent. The task here is to give an example of, on one hand, order, stability and harmony, and on the other hand an example of struggle and destruction (from the same religious tradition). The god Shiva stands for both creation and order, and destruction. So he embodies both elements that seem to contradict one another. Another example is the goddess Kali, who also stands for both creation and destruction. These gods are feared, but also loved. Shiva is often depicted with symbols of destruction on one side and symbols of creation or fertility on his other side.

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"Eye for an Eye" vs 'Turn the Other Cheek." 

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"Eye for an Eye" vs 'Turn the Other Cheek." 

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The difference in the message of the Old (OT) and New Testaments (NT) of the Christian Bible differs enormously. Whilst there are various interpretations of the above two phrases, the first phrase (OT) is widely identified as promoting retaliation if someone is aggressive towards you. However, the latter (NT) is considered to promote promote pacifism - a more harmonious non-violent approach.

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The true meaning of faith based initiatives - Salem Witch Trials

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The true meaning of faith based initiatives - Salem Witch Trials

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Didn't know what to post for this assignment. While searching for images I came across this which is an interesting observation on faith and its role in the Salem witch trials. Faith often seems to lead to intolerance and persecution of outsiders.

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Blood on the Doorposts in Biblical Egypt

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Blood on the Doorposts in Biblical Egypt

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Blood on the doorposts protected the Israelites in Egypt from the spirit of God as it passed over Egypt and bring to death all firstborns.

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The rainbow serves as a reminder to God's people that never again shall the Earth be destroyed with water.

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In the Christian tradition, the destructive story of the great flood that God sent to "wash away the sins of the world" connects to the ritual of baptism where water is used to cleanse and purify those entering the church.

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In the Christian tradition, the story of Jesus' last supper before his crucifixion forms the basis for the ritual of Holy Communion. The ritual symbolizes many things including the unity of the community of believers who partake in the ritual, evidenced by the lines "We, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians, 10:17)

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The image of Christ, the cross, and the Bible are three major images that bind the Christian community. These images also represent key theological tenants. I combined them into one image in this drawing when I was a Christian.  At the time it seemed profound and full meaning.

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... offers tools for both peace and struggle (as we can see in the history of Jews and Christians). Especially the Old Testament carries a lot of violence and wars. The New Testament is mainly about peace and forgiveness (Jesus telling us to turn the other cheek) , but also carries elements of struggle (non-violent resistance: we must obey God over people) or violent (Judgement Day, and the destruction of non-believers). I am a Christian and strong believer in non-violence under all circumstances. Therefore for me it sometimes difficult to understand the exact meaning of the violence, mostly, from the Old Testament.

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When I think of destruction in relation to Christianity I think of the story of Noah's ark. How God was so angry that people were disobeying him that he decided to destroy every living thing except two of each animal. Can't think of a more destructive story than that!

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When I think of a symbol of peace and harmony in relation to Christianity I think of the dove with the olive branch. When looking into the meaning of this image I found it interesting that it comes from the story of Noah's Ark, the symbol and story that I think about in relation to destruction.

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The Harry Clarke window in the Dysert Centre, Dingle Co. Kerry, Ireland. "Suffer the little children to cpme on to me".

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The rainbow serpent.

I have no special religious symbol so I thought I would share a symbol that is widely accepted in most aboriginal tribes as being sacred. The Rainbow Serpent came from the ground and created the mountains and gorges and inhabits the waterholes. It is androgynous but can be male or female and is generally considered to be the ultimate creator of the universe with the serpent bringing life into empty spaces.

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The Hijab.

This is the Islamic way of the covering of the hair of a woman. It is viewed by many, as a form of oppression and submission to a supposedly patriarchical system. However, for most women it serves as a symbol of freedom, as a statement against what is believed to be the norm for women but most importantly it is a choice. The personal meaning to me is that I find it so beautiful how these women wear this covering so courageously in today's age, in places where its not easily accepted. And show their religious affiliation through this symbol.

Headcovering for women was, and in some orthodox Christian communities is still being used. And other cultures, particularly the African culture, also use head covering for women.

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The Christian Cross and praying hands.  This is a symbol that emphasizes the destruction of Jesus on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind so that we may be forgiven.  The praying hands represent that one only comes through struggle to lasting  peace through belief in the divinity of Jesus.

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First and last letter of the Greek alphabet, signifying Christ is the beginning and the end. Used as symbol in the book Apocalyps.

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an institution for tormenting and executing people for heresy. The very idea of heresy is destrucive.

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Mjölner or Thors hammer has been famous true the Avengers movies but are an old symbol for the god of thunder in the Norse mythology. For me it does represent all my ancestors or the people who lived in my country before me. I look to it when I face something that is hard and think about their collective struggle and everything they had to go trough to put me in the position where I am today. For me its a way to not chicken out, they didnt so I shall not either.

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The Cross as a symbol of intolerant greedy people

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The Cross as a symbol of intolerant greedy people

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In the image jesuit priests are forcing native peoples to become members of their "loving" religion under pain of death.

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Compulsory conversion of Indians by Jesuit missionaries

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Lee Montgomery

In Buddhist symbolism, the Noble Eightfold Path is often represented by means of a wheel whose eight spokes represent the eight elements of the path.
This is for me the basis of how I try to live my every day life and how I would, in an ideal world want to be treated.

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Allegedly St Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland. He explained the philosophy of the Trinity (three Gods in One) and demonstrated it using a shamrock. A shamrock starts off growing as one green leaf and after a few weeks it developed into three separate leaves. This is a lovely story except that now people think that this tale was made up years after the time of St Patrick and also that Ireland was already an Orthodox Christian country when he arrived and his role was to give us the Roman version of Christianity. it's still a good story. I am using someone else's computer and can't get at a shamrock picture. Sorry. Geraldine

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I think the most powerful symbol of the Catholic tradition that I grew up in was that of the Sacred Heart picture showing the face of Jesus and his heart glowing and encircled in a ring of thorns. it was an integral part of every Irish household, displayed in a very visible place and usually illuminated with a small lamp. The eyes in the picture seemed to follow you everywhere, - looking into your soul and reminding you that there was no escape from God's all-seeing eye. The eyes might look kindly or harshly on you - depending on the particular version of the image. I still remember it with trepidation even though I have since cast aside much of the trappings of the Catholic religion, - but as a child it was scary.
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Science and the scientific method teach us how to better understand the world around us. They offer us the tools and concepts and also the motivation to be constantly curious and always ask questions

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I decided to choose two animals that have symbolic meaning in the Christian tradition, both deriving from stories in the Old Testament: the dove, for peace, order and harmony, and the snake, for evil, satan and struggle.

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I decided to choose two animals that have symbolic meaning in the Christian tradition, both deriving from stories in the Old Testament: the dove, for peace, order and harmony, and the snake, for evil, satan and struggle.

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This is the longest speech reported in the Gospel from Jesus Christ. It contains a summary of the teachings of Jesus, the beatitudes, in my view the most profound and modern ones. It has always been a source of inspiration for many Christians and for me. The core of the message is based on ideals of love and humility rather than force and exaction.

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It's one of biggest activity for peaceful , tolerance and equality cause million people performing the same ritual for one GOD in same time

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In Islam and sometimes Christianity, a dome on religious buildings denoted strength and power of the region. This could be seen to encourage struggle and/or destruction since it invites a competitive approach to religion.

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The Celtic cross consists of a cross superimposed over a circle which is a representation of the sun. Prior to Christianity taking over in Ireland, the sun was a key component of Pagan rituals and ceremonies. Christianity adapted most of these Pagan ceremonies and rituals as a means of converting people to Christian ways. It is an important symbol for me as it always invokes the question of what if? Most of the conflict in Ireland over the many centuries has had religion involved at some level. What if we had stayed as we were?

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I was raised in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and i remember from a very early age receiving these blessed cords from our teacher. It wasn't until I was older that I started to understand that is was meant for both protection as well as a symbol to me to remember loving kindness. I no longer adhere to any religion (you can call me secular humanist if you need to label) but this is one of a few traditions I still remember fondly and can see the psychological benefits this type of symbol has to the recipient, it does not have to be only religious.

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The swastika, an ancient symbol, derives its name from the Sanskrit word “svasti,” and usually epresents good luck or well-being. The earliest known swastika-motifs can be found on the tusk of a mammoth in Ukraine, dating back to 10,000 BCE. No one really knows for certain how this symbol was derived or what its original meaning was, but many believe it has to do with the stages of the sun, the seasons and the corresponding solstices and equinoxes. Other explanations include the representation of the four aspects of nature – fire, water, earth and air.

However in the Jain religion, it is believed to represent the cycle of reincarnation. Each square represents one of the four possible places of rebirth: the animal/plant world, hell, heaven or earth (in human form). Throughout your life, you collect karma that contributes to which realm you will be born into. You can collect good karma by being a good person, and you may be rewarded by being reborn into the heavenly realm. If you collect bad karma, you may be reborn in hell. However, the only way you can escape the cycle and find eternal peace in Moksha (nirvana) is by being released from the human realm through total disconnection and a lack of karma, either good or bad. Thus, the humanly realm is the box in the top left, which opens upwards representing the acceptance into nirvana and the escape from the continuous cycle of death and rebirth. Jain monks practice total detachment, releasing themselves from the obligations of society and choosing to live in isolation. They believe total detachment is the only way to rid yourself of the karma that will keep you locked in the cycle of life.

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Kgalagadi- the dry place - Richard Welch

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Kgalagadi- the dry place - Richard Welch

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As a young Christian I had a vivid waking dream in which I traveled thru a land of many peoples coming to 3 churches of which I asked my guide the question, "Whose church is this?" The last was a church so old it was sunk into the ground and he answered, "The church of the first missionary to come to these parts". I tried to open the door which was rusted shut and began to weep because it would not. Then he touched my shoulder and I looked round and saw an ancient gravestone with the Zulu shield and crossed sticks, and above the word Kgalagadi and experienced a profound joy through my tears. We traveled on with no visa. It has religious and other symbolism because we are from Natal. This photo is of a Greek Church in Mani. The nearest word in Greek to kgalagadi is Good Grace.

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The Red Hand of Ulster is a symbol used in heraldry to denote the Irish Province of Ulster and came to be particularly associated with English domination in Ireland. It's said to stem from mythology and can symbolise both oppression and security, depending on which side one was on in the Irish conflict.

I once came face to face with it in armed form when in Northern Ireland.

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Once when I was a young Christian I was kneeling next to an old monk of whom I was very fond, looking up at an image like this. I was trying to see what focus it might give me, when he said, "Horrible, isn't it!". It is a conflictual image which has nothing to do with the Gospel

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The Christian Symbol. Jesus Christ,Saviour to me encourages order and harmony because it reflects a basic food of simple people. it is a truly peaceful image.

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This is the only symbol that we use in our church. It is the

empty cross. Although Jesus died on it, he rose again, and so the cross and the tomb are empty. For me it means salvation, freedom from sin and a personal relationship with God. It brings great joy to me, but it also brings the desire to serve, and the desire to serve in the community. I have worked with the homeless. I volunteer to work on a medical bus through the night, which sits in the middle of the town, picking up those that get into trouble or injured. I am part of the team that puts together over a 1000 food parcels at Christmas. It brings immense joy, which I try to carry into my day to day living.

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Rosaleen Hunt

One of the most misunderstood symbols in the world.

It has been a feature in Christian history as representing the five wounds of Christ,in Islam as the five pillars of Muslim faith,in the Jewish tradition as Gods symbol of creation and in Wicca as representing the five elements(four of matter Earth Air Fire and Water and one of spirit)

In the 20th century The inverted Pentagram (two points facing upward as opposed to one) was adopted by satanic cults to symbolise evil and the power of Satan,but this is sadly how many view it.

The sign of the pentagram can be dated back to 3500 bc and denoted power and leadership.

Taken as a pop culture icon today it,s sad that the negative aspects have overshadowed the positive aspects which it originally represented.

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Richard Walker

The symbols of the humanitarian organisation, the International Red Cross and International Red Crescent are, in my view, divisive. The cross represents Christianity of course, and the crescent, Islam. The organisation itself claims. and I believe succeeds, in providing relief and humanitarian assistance irrespective of religion, race, colour or creed. So why are their symbols religious?

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Christian symbols of
Hope and Hate 2 – by Mick Kelly

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Christian symbols of
Hope and Hate 2 – by Mick Kelly

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My symbol of hate is the burning cross of the Klu Klux Klan...

The Klan were explicitly Christian in their ambition to impose protestant religion to all of their neighbours – as well as to terrorise the ex-slaves. Although their racist ambitions are what they are mostly remembered for, their Christian terrorism deserves a mention in the history of debased human behaviour.