"Gasp! His page is headed by a SATANIC symbol!" Is that what you thought when you saw the pentagram at the top of my page? Well, you're a little off target. The fact is, not very many people are truly educated concerning this ancient symbol.
In case you don't know, the pentagram is a 5-pointed star, often encolsed in a circle. The most common form of it is the symbol gracing the top of my page. A solid form of the pentagram is called a pentacle. These are often carved in wood or metal, and serve specific functions, which I will talk about later.
The pentagram was originally a symbol used by the Druids, the early Celtic sorcerers. The druids used the pentagram in their spells. The pentagram was hung over doors to dispel evil spirits, for such could tarnish the nature of the magic. The pentagram was also used to focus positive energy for use in the magic. It has been said that the Roman Catholic Church once used it, for its points symbolized the five wounds of Christ. After a while, it was adopted by the Pagans, a modern religion that believes in arcane presences. Some also wear it as a pendant for supernatural protection.
There were two major manipulations that gave the pentagram a bad name. The first was the Roman Catholic Church. When the symbol was found to be associated with other religions, the RCC ceased to use it, and they declared it an instrument of Satan. I respect the RCC, but I believe this was hardly a fair move. Later, Satanists in the US (ahhh, the good ol' US of A...) inverted the pentagram and used it in their worship, further tarnishing its reputation. Needless to say, the inverted pentagram is a symbol with a less positive background. At any rate, this is what led it into ridicule among the less educated, and eventually in all of the United States.
If you have any more questions or opinions on the Pentagram, please feel free to e-mail me. I am prepared to argue my points. Thanks for reading!