RELI 1000 Lecture 8 Signs and Symbolism Shinto Torii A gate that leads to the shine Japanese Shinto Torii It marks the transition from the profane to the sacred A torii at the entrance of Shitenno ji a Buddhist temple in Osaka Judaism Christianity The dove is a symbol of peace A symbol of the Holy Spirit Judaism The Star of David is known as Magen David means the shield of David in Hebrew The six points symbolize God s absolute rule over the universe in all six directions north south east west up and down It is also a symbol of humanity s dual nature good and evil The star is often used as protection against evil spirits Islam The Crescent symbols of Islam Symbolizes Islamic calendar and the Ramadan fast African Ghanaian symbol Gye Nyame Adinkra symbol means except for what God allows to happen or Unless God allows it to happen A Sign Signs and symbols help to express meaning A sign signifies represents another entity often a warning or precursor event or something meant to give direction A natural sign It has causal relation to what it signifies e g thunder A conventional sign It signifies by agreement e g a full stop signifies the end of a sentence A sign can be a symbol and vice versa What is a symbol A symbol is an object picture written word sound or mark that represents something else by Association resemblance convention It often represents an invisible thing reality Religious symbols Symbols are powerful images of the mysterious irrational the sacred They re the axis mundi They represent the center of the universe a link between heaven and earth Myths are symbolic stories that bring the supernatural close to earth Symbols and Behavior These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute A symbol transforms and shapes lives Symbols can evoke mixed feelings both positive and negative Traffic lights Stop or Go Cross or Crucifix Christianity Exaltation suffering anguish and grief Portraits of Prophet Muhammad evoke anger amongst Muslims Multiple meanings It can have multiple meanings a circle represents wholeness renewal movement of the world eternal the ultimate reality Shiva the dancing lord In Hinduism Shiva is pictured dancing on a wheel of fire stepping on a demon he has conquered Buddhist Wheel of Dharma In Buddhism The Eight spooked wheel symbolizes Buddhist dharma and the wheel of rebirth Yin and yang on the path road In Chinese religions Dao the eternal way of the cosmos is symbolized by a circle that encompasses the yin and yang two complementary forces The Swastika The Swastika symbol evokes different meanings Nazi anti Semitism Peace Non violence amongst Hindus Jains and Buddhist Hindu Swastika Jain swastika The raised hand means stop The word in the center of the wheel is Ahimsa The four swastika arms remind us about cycles of birth death into four destinies Heavenly beings Human beings Animal beings including birds bugs and plants Hellish beings The three dots above the swastika represent the three jewels of Jainism Samyak Darshan Right Faith Samyak Jnan Right Knowledge Samyak Charitra Right Conduct The curved arc represents the abode of the Siddhas the final resting place of the liberated souls Siddhashila Representational Symbols words gestures things that connect two unrelated things Meaning is communicated through association custom and habit Cross represents Christianity death and triumph Dove represents the holy spirit peace Chalice represents the last supper the holy communion Presentational Symbols A presentational symbol participates in has likeness to resemblance to what it symbolizes E g Water symbolizes cleanliness purification E g Baptism one is born a new a symbol of an inward change Fire symbolizes purification holy destruction God s appearance to Moses on Mt Sinai in the form of fire is symbolic of purity Symbols Interpretation They have a deeper meaning they re meant to be interpreted Social context influences meaning Symbols are dead by themselves but in their use they are given life meaning Myth Represents a community s worldview What is the difference between a Functionalist Explanation of myth Myth is a feature of our cultures It is a dramatization of the human loss of the power of rejuvenation and the reality of death Myth and World View b A psychotherapeutic explanation of myth Myth represents the deepest level of the psychic life of humankind c A phenomenological Explanation of myth Myth teaches humankind the primordial stories that have constituted humans existentially Their legitimate mode of existence Mircea Eliade Myth is true because it is concerned with reality it effectively answers existential questions Genesis Account and Existential Questions They should be interpreted to discern meaning E g the Genesis Story of Adam and Eve What does this story tell us What is the tree of knowledge Why was Eve created out of Adam s rib Why rib Who was that snake Why did God throw Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden Scripture as Symbolic Scriptural message should contextualized Scriptural message is timeless intended to transcend cultural context Women must not lead during prayers Women should not go to worship Women should veil during prayer Masters should deal fairly with their slaves Literal reading can lead to misinterpretation of the message Parables an extended metaphor They use ordinary things experience to communicate extraordinary meaning Jesus Buddha The Kingdom of God is like a Mustard seed Metaphorical language A Metaphor is a form of communication Time is a river The Lord is my Sheppard All flesh is grass