[Artemisia] Cross as site token

[Auraelia de Medici]

I am a happy practicing Catholic, but can be sensitive
to the feelings of those who don't share my faith.  

For those that believe that wearing a cross is not
going to be offensive because it is period, I offer to
have you step outside of your bounds of confort.  

The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit words su,
meaning "well," and asti, meaning 'to be.' An ancient
symbol, the swastika was used in various forms by many
civilizations all over the world. It was the sign of
Thor's hammer for Scandinavians. It was used by early
Christians as an alternative cross to avoid
persecution, and by later Christians as a decorative
emblem. It was widespread among Native American
peoples. It appeared in ancient Oriental, Egyptian,
and Irish cultures. Its origins are unknown, but its
first use might have been as a solar calendar
illustration. 

Indians associate the swastika with good luck and
protection from wrath. They mark it on doors, walls,
shrines, and their own bodies. It can represent the
sun, the god Vishnu, or the 'world-wheel.' It is one
of the 24 auspicious marks in Jainism. 

In the late nineteenth century, the swastika
symbolized a movement celebrating Germanic culture,
heritage, and nationalism. By 1912, this movement
began to take on anti-Semitic undertones. Later,
Adolph Hitler chose the swastika to be the symbol of
the Nazi Party. 

The Nazi swastika was a clockwise pointing swastika,
whereas most Buddhist versions are counterclockwise. 

There are many other historically documented uses of
the swastika as a totem, a decoration, or a good luck
"charm" in ancient civilizations including the
Mesopotamians, Hindu, Native Americans (both North and
South) and Scandinavians. 

Knowing this, how would you feel about wearing a
Swastika as a site token?

Lady Auraelia de Medici


>         Crosses are used in Heraldic display, plenty
> of people  WEAR crosses
> on their person as jewelry,  and if said tokens are
> "nifty cool" looking,
> go with it.    I've gotten into the  {bad?} habit of
> taking my site token &
> putting into my pouch,  and forgetting about it
> until I'm home & cleaning my
> gear & garb.  Being rather a moderate, having a
> small pewter cross, coin
> size, as a token would be cool   -- and maybe with
> Morgan's I could con
> someone into making me earrings!
> 
>     Caointiarn


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