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@mitchconner the symbolatry couldn't have possibly ever been anything else
@mitchconner I don't like the Mormon church at all but this is a common surface level "own." in a Christian context, its usage as a symbol of Christ predates its occult status.
@beardalaxy mfw you're not full of it
The claims that upside-down stars were associated with Jesus before they were with Satan are historically accurate and well-documented.
Historical Timeline
The evidence shows a clear chronological progression:
Pre-1854: Christian and Positive Associations
Early Christians used the pentagram to represent the five wounds of Christ during crucifixion (two hands, two feet, and one side) [^4]
Medieval Christians believed the pentagram was a powerful repellent of evil [^6]
The 14th-century poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" featured pentagrams on the hero's shield as protective Christian symbols [^6][^8]
1814: The U.S. flag with inverted stars flew over Fort McHenry, inspiring the Star Spangled Banner [^1]
1862: The U.S. Medal of Honor was designed with an inverted five-pointed star [^12][^13]
Until 1876: Various versions of the U.S. flag used inverted stars [^1]
1854: The Turning Point
French occultist Éliphas Lévi first associated the inverted pentagram with Satan in his book "Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie" [^3]
Lévi claimed "The Pentagram, with two horns in the ascendant, represents Satan, or the goat" [^3]
This satanic association is "almost certainly a 19th century invention by Eliphas Levi" [^9]
Specific Christian Examples
Religious Architecture
The 17th-century Collégiale Notre-Dame de Vitry-le-François in France features inverted pentagrams representing Jesus as the "Morning Star" [^5]
Mormon temples built before 1854, including the Nauvoo Temple, display inverted stars symbolizing Christ as the Morning Star [^1][^7]
Medieval cathedrals at Amiens and Salisbury incorporated pentagram designs [^6]
Astronomical Connection The inverted pentagram has a natural astronomical basis: Venus (the "Morning Star") creates an inverted pentagram pattern in its orbital cycle [^1]. Since Jesus is called the "bright and morning star" in Revelation 22:16, this celestial connection reinforced the Christian symbolism [^5][^7].
Early Christian Symbolism Prior to the Inquisition, there were no evil associations with the pentagram [^10]. Early Christians used it as a protective emblem alongside other sacred symbols like the cross [^4]. The symbol represented themes of redemption, divine love, and sacrifice [^4].
The Modern Misconception
The association of inverted pentagrams with Satan is a relatively recent development that gained popularity through:
Lévi's 19th-century occult writings [^3]
The Church of Satan's adoption of the symbol in 1966 [^11]
Hollywood and popular culture reinforcement [^3]
Conclusion
The historical record clearly demonstrates that inverted stars and pentagrams had positive Christian associations for over a millennium before being appropriated by occultists in the mid-19th century. This represents a classic example of how symbols can be reinterpreted and their meanings inverted over time, often obscuring their original sacred significance [^2].
[^1]: History of the Nauvoo Temple Inverted Star Windows (17%) [^2]: The Ancient Pentagram – A Christian Symbol – Temple Study (16%) [^3]: Upside-Down Pentagram Meaning: Is It a Satanic Symbol? (14%) [^4]: The Pentagram in Religion and Mysticism: Early Christianity to the ... (13%) [^5]: Understanding the Inverted Pentagram in Historical Christianity (10%) [^6]: Mediaeval Mythbusting Blog #11: The Pentagram - Triskele Heritage (8%) [^7]: Why Are There Inverted Stars on Some Mormon Temples? (5%) [^8]: Five Holy Wounds - Wikipedia (4%) [^9]: Latter-day Saint Temples/Inverted Stars on LDS Temples - FAIR (4%) [^10]: [PDF] Pentagram as a symbol of paganism: - Global Stone Project (4%) [^11]: Images and Meaning of Pentagrams (2%) [^12]: Medal of Honor, A Primer (2%) [^13]: History of the Medal of Honor - PEACE MEMORIAL 101 (1%)
@mitchconner when you grow up Mormon you learn this very quickly lol xD
