Religious symbolism
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2008-07-12T05:17:22Z
Lockesdonkey
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More Islamic symbols
'''Religious symbolism''' is the use of [[symbol]]s, including [[archetypes]], acts, artwork, events, or natural [[phenomenon|phenomena]], by a religion. Religions view religious texts, [[ritual]]s, and works of art as symbols of compelling ideas or ideals. The symbols helps create a [[reseonant]] [[mythos]] that expresses the [[moral]] values of the [[society]], the teachings of the religion, creates a sense of solidarity between religious adherents, or functions as a way to bring an adherent closer to their god or gods.
The study of religious symbolism is either [[universalist religion|universalist]], as a component of [[comparative religion]] and [[mythology]], or in localized scope, within the confines of a religion's limits and boundaries.
[[Image:CrossMenorahOxford 20051225KaihsuTai.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Christian cross|cross]] of the [[war memorial]] and a [[Menorah (Temple)|menorah]] for [[Hanukkah]] coexist in [[Oxford]].]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Religion or philosophy
! Name
! Symbol
|-
| '''[[Ayyavazhi]]''' {{main|Ayyavazhi symbolism}}
| [[Ayyavazhi symbolism#Lotus and Namam|Lotus Carrying Namam]]
| [[Image:Ayyavazhi Lotus outline.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Bahá'í Faith]]''' {{main|Bahá'í symbols}}
| [[Bahá'í symbols#Nine Pointed Star|Nine Pointed Star]]
| [[Image:Bahai star.svg|40px]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Buddhism]]''' {{main|Buddhist symbolism}}
| [[Dharmacakra|Wheel of Dharma]]
| [[Image:Dharmacakra.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Nelumbo nucifera|Lotus Flower]]
| [[Image:Lotus.svg|40px]]
|-
| rowspan="3" | '''[[Christianity]]''' {{main|Christian symbolism}}
| [[Ichthys]] (fish)
| [[Image:Ichthus.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Christian cross]]
| [[Image:Christian cross.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Patriarchal cross]]
| [[Image:OrthodoxCross.svg|40px]]
|-
| rowspan="4" | '''Ethnic religions, [[Polytheistic reconstructionism]]<BR> [[Paganism]], [[Neopaganism]], [[Wicca]]'''
| [[Hands of God]]
| [[Image:HandsGod.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Mjolnir]] (Thor's Hammer)
| [[Image:Mjollnir.png|40px]]
|-
| [[Pentagram]]
| [[Image:Pentagram green.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Sun cross]]
| [[Image:Simple crossed circle.svg|40px]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Gnosticism]]'''
| [[Sun cross]] (also a symbol of [[neopaganism]])
| [[Image:Simple crossed circle.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Ouroboros]] (also a symbol of [[Alchemy]] and [[Hermeticism]])
| [[Image:Ouroboros-Zanaq.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Humanism]]'''
| [[Happy Human]]
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | '''[[Hinduism]]''' {{main|Hindu iconography}}
| [[Aum|Omkar (Aum)]]
| [[Image:Aum.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Nelumbo nucifera|Lotus Flower]]
| [[Image:Lotus.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Swastika]]
| [[Image:HinduSwastika.svg|40px]]
|-
| rowspan="4" | '''[[Islam]]''' {{main|Symbols of Islam}}
| [[Kalima]]/[[Shahadah]]
| [[Image:Shahadah.png|40px]]
|-
| Name of [[Allah]]
| [[Image:Allah.JPG|40px]]
|-
| [[Star and crescent]] ([[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] symbol)
| [[Image:IslamSymbol.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Rub el Hizb]]
| [[Image:ROUB EL HIZB 06DE.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Jainism]]'''
| [[Swastika]]
| [[Image:HinduSwastika.svg|40px]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Judaism]]''' {{main|Jewish symbolism}}
| [[Star of David]]
| [[Image:Black Star of David.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Menorah (Temple)|Menorah]]
| [[Image:Menorah.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[LaVeyan Satanism]]'''
| [[Sigil of Baphomet]]
| [[Image:Baphosimb.gif|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Slavic neopaganism]]'''
| [[Hands of God]]
| [[Image:HandsGod.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Pastafarianism]]'''
| [[Spaghethys]]
| [[Image:FSM logo2.svg|40px]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Sikhism]]'''
| [[Khanda (religious symbol)|Khanda]]
| [[Image:Khanda1.svg|40px]]
|-
| [[Ek Onkar]]
| [[Image:Ekonkar.normal.png|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Shinto]]'''
| [[Torii]]
| [[Image:Torii.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Southeastern Ceremonial Complex]]'''
| [[Sun cross|Solar cross]]
| [[Image:Southern Cult Solar Cross.svg|45px]]
|-
| '''[[Taoism|Taoism (Daoism)]]'''
| [[Yin and yang]] ([[Taiji]])
| [[Image:Yin yang.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Thelema]]'''
| [[Unicursal Hexagram]]
| [[Image:Unicursalhexigramcurved.svg|55px]]
|-
| '''[[Universal Sufism]]'''
| "Tughra Inayati"
| [[Image:Wingedheart.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Unitarian Universalism]]'''
| [[Flaming chalice]]
| [[Image:Flaming Chalice.svg|40px]]
|-
| '''[[Zoroastrianism]]'''
| [[Faravahar]]
| [[Image:Faravahar.svg|40px]]
|}
{{commons|Religious symbol}}
== References ==
*[http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp United States Veteran's Administration approved religious symbols for graves]
*[http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/blsymbols.htm] Visual Glossary of Religious Symbols
[[Category:Religious symbols]]
[[fr:Symbole religieux]]
[[it:Simbolismo religioso]]
[[nl:Lijst van religieuze symbolen]]
[[pl:Symbole religijne]]