Best-Looking Religious Symbols?

[Narsil]

What would you say is the best looking religious symbolism? This isn't a debate about the symbols themselves, or religion itself, this is simply asking: Which one looks the best?

I myself am rather partial to the followng two religious symbols:

Number One: The Celtic High Cross



It takes the Crucifix, and blends it with the Celtic Knot artistry, to create possibly a rather intricate and beautiful-looking symbol which I'd actually wear on a necklace.


Number Two: The Yin-Yang.



A prominent Taoism symbol, symbolising balance and harmony. It also has the advantage of looking extremely awesome, I don't know what it is about the Yin-Yang, but it's among the best looking symbols (of anything) in the world, in my opinion.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

Well I always love a Pentagram due to its geometric harmony.





Also note on the image below, the goat's head fits perfectly with the inverted star.

[Ra]

Real: I'll second the Pentagram. I'm half-tempted to say the Symbol of Chaos, but that's not a religion per se, outside of WH40K, that is.

Fictional: The Icon of Eilistraee. Symple elegance and beauty; a bastard sword set on an image of the moon (the Faerûnian moon, in this case).

[Elheru Aran]

The Cult of the God-Emperor of Mankind is just my thing...

In nomine Imperator Deus hominii, amen!

[Bratty]

I am a big fan of the ankh.

But that is because I am a big geek :)

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

I am a big fan of the ankh.

Did you play Ultima? Ankh is also the symbol of the Avatar.

[Comrade Tortoise]

I cant say I care for upside down pentagrams. One which is right side up is pretty, and it's religious connotations, at least for non-christians are pretty tame. SIlly pagans dancing around a fire sort of stuff.

One which is upside down is far more asociated with things like human sacrifice (whether that actually happens is irrelevant. It is part of US folklore, and those are the connotations it carries). FOr me, that overshadows any beauty it might have

On my part, I really do prefer a simple cross; and I fully recognize that that is because I was socialized to like it in my larly christian society

As for fantasy religious symbols. Toss up between Mystra and Lathander

[Bratty]

I am a big fan of the ankh.

Did you play Ultima? Ankh is also the symbol of the Avatar.

When I said geek, I meant Anthropologically speaking :)

Though I do play games, I have not played Ultima. My games tend to run towards Sid Meiers Pirates and SIMS 2, though my friends are trying to peer pressure me into WoW and CoH or CoV crack :) Silly stinkin' humans. (Invader Zim reference)

Though, I am about to be really geeky and laugh at you for referencing the ankh as a symbol of an avatar :).

Breaking it down:

Ankh was an Egyptian symbol of life and fertility. They believed in the ka taking a form after they had died and living the afterlife with all their crap.

Avatar encompasses the soul, either in the form of a thing, or a person whom the soul harbors within.

~snickers~ I know what Avatar means in gaming terms too, but the irony of it in this particular instance is quite amusing.

Though moreso when I don't explain the play on words :P

[Bratty]

~snickers~ I know what Avatar means in gaming terms too, but the irony of it in this particular instance is quite amusing.

Though moreso when I don't explain the play on words :P

Urr clarification. It is clever how all three are intertwined, even though they have no clear distinguishing link.

Okay, Im gonna go now :P

[Dark Silver]

To clarify: the pentagram is a upside down Pentical. ThePentical is the Pagan symbol, which represents the 5 Elements (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water and Spirit) connected. The Penticle has Spirit at the Apex, pointing towards heaven, while the Pentagram has Spirit as the point at the Nadir(pointing towards hell).

As for my preferred Religious Symbol, the Trident or the Triangle, both hermetic symbology which represents the Trinity of Life, Death and Rebirth.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

I am a big fan of the ankh.

Did you play Ultima? Ankh is also the symbol of the Avatar.

When I said geek, I meant Anthropologically speaking :)

Though I do play games, I have not played Ultima. My games tend to run towards Sid Meiers Pirates and SIMS 2, though my friends are trying to peer pressure me into WoW and CoH or CoV crack :) Silly stinkin' humans. (Invader Zim reference)

Breaking it down:

Ankh was an Egyptian symbol of life and fertility. They believed in the ka taking a form after they had died and living the afterlife with all their crap.

Avatar encompasses the soul, either in the form of a thing, or a person whom the soul harbors within.

~snickers~ I know what Avatar means in gaming terms too, but the irony of it in this particular instance is quite amusing.

Though moreso when I don't explain the play on words :P

Yup. In Ultima, there are eight symbols representing the Eight Virtues of Britannia, and the Ankh represents the virtue of Spirituality. Coincidentally, it is also the symbol of the Avatar.

Here's an ordinary Ankh:


And here's the Ultima's Ankh:

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

I cant say I care for upside down pentagrams. One which is right side up is pretty, and it's religious connotations, at least for non-christians are pretty tame. SIlly pagans dancing around a fire sort of stuff.

One which is upside down is far more asociated with things like human sacrifice (whether that actually happens is irrelevant. It is part of US folklore, and those are the connotations it carries). FOr me, that overshadows any beauty it might have

Here we go again......

What would you say is the best looking religious symbolism? This isn't a debate about the symbols themselves, or religion itself, this is simply asking: Which one looks the best?

On the flipside, I can make some remarks that the Cross turns me off because it reminds me of things like Spanish Inquisition or the Ku Klux Klan (silly racists around a burning Cross), which, by the way, actually happened in the real world, which can also overshadow any beauty it might have for me. However, I guess it would be a thread hijack and a potential flame bait if I chose to do so.

Now I hope we'll stay with the OP.

[Caz]

I'd have to say the old Irish triskelion or the triquerta.



And the triquetra. Some of you all might know it as the 'trinity' or 'trinity knot' as a lot of Irish-Americans call it:

[Bratty]

Here's an ordinary Ankh:


And here's the Ultima's Ankh:

OOoooh...it has a stabbity end. Sword goes in, guts come out.

HAHAHAHA! So much for life and feritlity. The blood will make the grass grow. Does that count?