From: pub@riscee.pko.dec.com (Publius)
Subject: Re: Peace Symbol
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard MA
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 05:32:48 GMT

In article <1993Jan24.022044.6538@engage.pko.dec.com> pub@riscee.pko.dec.com (Publius) writes:
>
>Actually, the best book on this is Rev. Alexander Hislop's book "The Two
>Babylons".  The "peace symbol" obviously was derived from the sign of
>cross, and the sign of cross was, as Rev. Hislop documented in details
>in his book, one of most ancient pagan and occult symbols in human
>history, and that is why the cross was called "cursed tree" in the
>Bible, and that is why the Adversary chose to nail Christ on the cross.

Here are some excerpts from "The Two Babylons", written by Rev.
Alexander Hislop, a 19th century Scottish Calvinist.

	"That which is now called the Christian cross was originally
	 no Christian emblem at all, but was the mystic Tau of the
	 Chaldeans and Egyptians--the true original form of the
	 letter T--the initial of the name  of Tammuz ..."
	                                  -- "The Two Babylons", p. 197

	"Now, this pagan symbol seems first to have crept into the
	 Christian Church in Egypt ... A statement of Tertullian,
	 about the middle of the third century, shows how much,
	 by that time, the Church of Carthage was infected with
	 the old leaven ..."
	                                  -- "The Two Babylons", p. 201

	"The cross was worshipped by the Pagan Celts long before
	 the incarnation and death of Christ.  'It is a fact,' says
	 Maurice, 'not less remarkable than well-attested, that
	 the Druids in their groves were accustomed to select the
	 most stately and beautiful tree as an emblem of the Deity
	 they adored, and having cut the side branches, they affixed
	 two of the largest of them to the highest part of the trunk,
	 in such a manner that those branches extended on each side
	 like the arm of a man, and together with the body, presented
	 the appearance of a HUGE CROSS, and on the bark, in several
	 places, was also inscribed the letter Thau.' ..."
	                                  -- "The Two Babylons", p. 199

	"'The cross,' says Colonel Wilford, in the _Asiatic Researches_,
	 'though not an object of _worship_ among the Baud'has or
	 Buddhists, is a favourite emblem and device among them ...'"
	                                  -- "The Two Babylons", p. 199

It is generally believed that the "peace symbol" was derived from the sign
of the cross.  And since the sign of the cross, as Rev. Hislop has
testified, has its origin in paganism and occult, it is probabily not
too much to say that the "peace symbol" can be traced back, indirectly
through the sign of the cross, to that source.  But as far as symbolism
goes, the "peace symbol" might not be without its redeeming feature, for
by showing the two (broken) falling branches of the sign of the cross,
the "peace symbol" can be taken to symbolize that though in His Death,
Christ was nailed by the Adversary to the cross--that "cursed tree"--
the symbol of paganism and occult; yet in His Resurrection, Christ
destroyed the power of the Adversary, as symbolized by breaking the two
branches of that symbol of paganism and occult.  Though the designer of
the "peace symbol" probabily did not have this symbolism in mind; God,
in His Providence, has made this to come to pass.

>The pagan and occult origin of the sign of cross was well-known to the
>early Puritans.  In New England, you can still find many historic
>church buildings dated back to the Puritan days, and in NONE of them
>can you find the sign of cross.

Regards,
-- 
For Christ and His Kingdom
-- Publius
Disclaimer: These opinions are mine, all mine, mine alone.
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc