Halloween may have just passed but horror movies are more popular than ever. Thus you more than likely have seen quite a few pentagrams. The pentagram has become heavily associated with the devil and evil practices. However, the pentagram (or pentacle) actually has no relation to the devil at all.
The pentagram is an incredibly common symbol in many different religions, including Christianity.
The pentagram is a common pagan/Wicca symbol. However, the earliest use of the pentagram was actually not from pagans, but from ancient Sumeria. In 6th century BCE, the symbol was used to represent the human body. In the physical form (head, arms, and legs) seen below, and elemental form (earth, air, fire, soul, and water).
The pentagram was also used in Judaism, representing the 5 books of the Torah.
Even in early Christianity, the pentagram was used to represent Christ’s five wounds. Christians thought the pentagram was actually protective, and it was a more common symbol of Christianity than the cross in early times. It was worn on amulets and jewelry. The pentagram actually symbolized Christ himself.
Some LDS churches still have pentagrams on the outside of them, and often receive a lot of backlash because of it.
"Christian Kabbalists of the renaissance were especially enamored of the pentagram, which they viewed as a mystical proof of the divinity of Christ – to them, it symbolized Christ as the Holy Spirit manifest in the flesh."
Simply put, the pentagram was used in a multitude of religions and beliefs.
The symbol started getting bad connotation in the 14th and 15th century, mainly because of the rise of occult practices (study of astrology, magic, alchemy, etc.) that used Judeo-Christian symbolism and beliefs. They used many symbols from Paganism and Gnostic religions, including the pentagram. The Christian church would (surprise surprise) accuse the practices of heresy. So naturally, anything associated with the occult practices became associated with heresy. Even though the pentagram was once a very common Christian symbol, the witch hunt craze in the Victorian times caused the symbol to the associated with paganism, witchcraft, and Satan.
In the 20th century, Hollywood adopts the pentagram as a symbol for evil and devil worship. The symbol creates quite a good shock value, so it’s put into almost every horror movie imaginable.
"For most of human history the pentagram has symbolized good things – the heavens, stars, health, scriptures, truth, and even the Savior, Jesus Christ . The adaptation of the pentagram into a Satanic symbol is a modern invention, another attempt of the Adversary to turn everything that is good into evil ( Isaiah 5:20)." Temple Study
The pentagram has no historical ties to evil or “Satan-worshipping”, and was simply given a bad name due to Hollywood and the emergence of the “Church of Satan”, who used the upside down pentagram with a goat head to symbolize their church (seen below) The “Church of Satan”, however, does not worship the devil or any evil presence (or believe in doing evil), they’re just atheists.
(Note: There is a multitude of backstories and origins to the pentagram. This article mainly talks about its ties to Christianity and Paganism in early times.)
Resources:
www.exemplore.com/wicca-witchcraft
www.templestudy.com/2008/02/04/the-ancient-...
http://symboldictionary.net/?p=1893
www.paganspath.com/magik/pentacle1.htm
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