From: JBrandt@AAA.UOregon.EDU (Jay Brandt)
Subject: Re: pentacles on arms
Organization: University of Oregon, Architecture
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 19:52:58 GMT

In article <SHAFER.92Sep10111017@rigel.dfrf.nasa.gov>,
shafer@rigel.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer) writes:
> 
> OK, I _have_ to ask.  Isn't the Eastern Star emblem a pentacle?
> With mystical symbols, too?  Why can the Masons bear it but the
> SCA can't?
> 
> I mean, I see Eastern Star bumperstickers and decals all the time
> and no one seems to be burning them as witches.
> 

His Lordship Jason of Rosaria, Pursuivant, and formerly Electrum Herald for
the Kingdom of An Tir, responds:

As I understand it, the idea behind discouraging religious/magickal
symbolism in SCA heraldry is to try not to offend others. We have a -very-
diverse range of religious beliefs represented among SCA members, from
far-right born-again Christians to equaly devout modern-day Neo-Pagan
Witches, and we have Moslems, Jews and Catholics as well. In one small
shire where I once lived we had two devout Catholics, three Neo-Pagans,
three Protestants, a follower of Bushido, an Athiest and several who did
not choose to publicly declare their beliefs. We got along well, because we
didn't insist on rubbing each other's noses in our religious differences. 

Also, refraining from overt use of mystical symbols makes life easier in
dealing with uninformed Moderns. Imagine the uproar if the local 'Preacher
Bob' saw someone at an SCA event wearing a -clearly- pagan device on their
surcoat. "I tell ya martha, they're a bunch of crazy deviul worshipers out
there! I just saw dere high preist!" That's the kind of bad PR and
incorrect assumptions about the nature of our group that the SCA clearly
doesn't need to fuel.

The way the rules for submission are currently written, religious/magickal
symbols are not banned -per se-. But they are recommended against where it
might be taken as offensive to a large number of people. Also, in period
practice it probably would not have been wise for someone living in a
Christian country to display overtly Pagan imagery on your device. (Do you
-really- want a visit from the Inquisition?) There IS a ban on carrying
magical talismans into combat, which is in Copora. Certain uses of
Pentacles for devices might run afoul of that. However, there are ways of
indicating a religious preference without causing offense. The key is -be
subtle about it-. Pagans can easily use mullets, daggers and goblets as
forms of pagan imagery. But you -don't- want to do something like "a mullet
of five points inverted, interlaced Sable, voided of the field and
surmounted by a goats head Argent", which would clearly be a pentagram of
Bahopmet (sp?), and would set many Chrisitans to looking for a good priest
for an exorcisim! Remember -be subtle-. Lets never forget that we all do
this for fun, and that we are trying to work together for the common good
here.

As to Masonic groups and their symbolism, I also happen to be a Master
Mason, and my parents are active in Eastern Star and other such groups. The
Eastern star seal is a mullet of five points conjoined with a pentagon,
with the center and each of the points a different color. Each point is
charged, as is the center of the star. (I don't have one handy, or I'd try
to give you a blazon). It is not quite what most people think of as a
pentacle or pentagram. It also breaks several of the rules of Heraldry in
the SCA, most notably being overly complex. The Masonic bodies do happen to
borrow a lot of -mystical- symbolism that we might think of as Pagan. But
that kind of "Mysticisim" was popular when those groups were founded
several hundered years ago or so. And as a matter of fact, they -do-
occasionally get hassled by uninformed individuals for their -terrible,
unchristian beliefs-. It's all a matter of perspective, and public
relations. (BTW, if you want to read up on other so-called connections
between Masonic groups and mysticism, look on <alt.pagan> and <alt.magick>.
They have been having a marvelously lively discussion there on the topic.

Yours in service,
Hls Jason of Rosaria, AoA, GdS, JdL, (MM, 32 SR, AANOMS)

(who was raised in a Protestant family, yet hangs around on alt.magick and
alt.pagan for some strange
reason)
From: Richard.Tucker@f1077.n147.z1.fidonet.org (Richard Tucker)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP