Can someone explain the difference between an upwards pointing pentagram and downward pointing pentagram?

Question

AND

the difference between an:

UPSIDE DOWN CROSS and a Upwards pointing cross?

BTW, did you know that the Cross was a Pagan symbol long before Christians used it?

Answer 1

general population of christians have simplified it to mean: upwards pointing is sign of witchcraft, down is satan worship. not that simple though. pentagram is very old, from pagan beliefs, symbolizes goddess worship, or the female part of the deity, and even the symbol of man (as in daVinci's man). upside down was a symbol for the male aspect of pagan worship, the goat god or god of the forest, etc. changed by old christians to symbolize the goat or devil, to discourage continued pagan ideas. the cross right side up is of course the cross of crucifixion, to symbolize Jesus and Christianity, and some people use the cross upside down to mean satanic worship or against the church, but there is a part of Christians who use upside down cross as a sign of the disciple who was crucified upside down on his cross after Jesus was killed. but i can't remember which name it was. anyway, obviously these symbols have many meanings now and throughout the past.

Answer 2

point up is traditional, also associated with wicca (of couse the pentagram has the circle around it, as opposed to the pentacle which doesn't have a circle). The pentagram is religious, the pentacle is religious sometimes (wiccan). An inverted pentacle/gram is now associated with Satanism, and it's symbolism in the goats head. an inverted pentagram is made to look like the head of a goat with a nose, ears, and horns. I am not sure about the earth, air, fire, water. But i DO know that those take up the side spikes in a pentacle/gram. The top spike is Spirit.

Answer 3

Here is all the info you need on a pentagram with two points up:
We call it "The sigil of Baphomet"
http://www.churchofsatan.com/home.html

A discussion concerning the symbolism of pentagrams is contained in Eliphas Lévi’s Dogme et Rituel de la haute magie (1855-56 & 61, translated into English by A. E. Waite under the title Transcendental Magic). There are no accompanying illustrations. Here is the English translation of the quote:

Chapter 5—The Blazing Pentagram

The Pentagram, which in Gnostic schools is called the Blazing Star, is the sign of intellectual omnipotence and autocracy. It is the Star of the Magi; it is the sign of the Word made flesh; and, according to the direction of its points, this absolute magical symbol represents order or confusion, the Divine Lamb of Ormuz and St. John, or the accursed goat of Mendes. It is initiation or profanation; it is Lucifer or Vesper, the star of morning or evening. It is Mary or Lilith, victory or death, day or night. The Pentagram with two points in the ascendant represents Satan as the goat of the Sabbath; when one point is in the ascendant, it is the sign of the Saviour. By placing it in such a manner that two of its points are in the ascendant and one is below, we may see the horns, ears and beard of the hierarchic Goat of Mendes, when it becomes the sign of infernal evocations.


Pentagram with 2 points down represent fire,earth,water,air,spirit.

An upside down cross is called St. Peter's cross.
He was crucified that way because he felt he was not good enough for a "Christ-like" crucifixion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_Cross

Answer 4

an upwards pentagram is generally used by Wiccans as a protection symbol and a symbol of there faith. It represents the 4 elements-earth, air, fire, water, and the spirit. it is also a symbol of the human body, and goddess worship. Sometimes wiccans use an upside down penta for banishment's, but the ones who commonly use an upside down penta are those who are Satanic,it is still considered a protection symbol, but also it is a symbol of Baphomet(?) or the horned goat god they worship.

Answer 5

The pentagram is the symbol of humanity. The 5 pionts of the body, head, hands, and feet.
It is the practice of evil men to reverse holy symbols. The
swastika the Nazis used, was the reverse of the Wheel
of Life. It was also drawn at a slant. Was there ever a truer
symbol, considering the LOSS of LIFE this ideaology created?
It was a Satanic attack on all of humanity.
I have been looking into the upside down cross. It can be used
for evil intent. It also represents Peter, who founded the Church
and asked to be crucified upside down.
I have wrote what I just said to many questions, yet I believe
Spirit just gave me an insight. Not that the church itself is
evil. But could the upside down cross have been prophetic
of how mans pride will twist religion around, and turn humanity
topsy turvy? That IS what Christ meant when He said he didn't
come to bring peace, but a sword. Not that Christ brought enmity, but He knew how we would twist it around with our pride.

Answer 6

http://altreligion.about.com/library/weekly/aa100102a.htm
http://www.nightwing.awebspider.com/pentagram.htm
Both of these sites explain the pentagram in detail.
As for the cross, I am not so sure about. I do know that Odin was hung on a cross and it is used as a symbol for sacrificed Gods.

Blessings )O(

EDIT: For anyone who is too lazy to read about an inverted pentagram...the inverted pentagram is used in some European Wiccan traditions to signify a second degree Witch.

Answer 7

an upside down cross is direct opposition of the cross of Calvary.

It is a satanic symbol mimicking the cross that Jesus was hung upon.

Answer 8

1) 36 degrees

2) Peter died on the upside-down cross and most other Crucifixions were right side up.

3) adolescent symbols of anti-christ. like saying the lord's prayer backward- give me a break...

Answer 9

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in* the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. Deu 18:10-12

Answer 10

It's all about opposing symbolism.

;)