German Minister proposes to abuse the Swastika once again after Hitler’s evil use
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6/9/2009 7:06 amLast Read: |
Source: Hindu council UK German Minister proposes to abuse the Swastika once again in the 21st century after Hitler’s evil use in the 20th century While Germany holds the European Union presidency, its Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries has, without realizing its wider implications, proposed to ban the swastika throughout Europe. This is evidently to demonstrate Germany’s repentance of the treatment meted out to the Jews by the Nazis. Although such a show of repentance is something everybody can appreciate, it does however look preposterous if it harm’s the world’s oldest religion in its wake. This is because the proposed ban would have far reaching implications as it strikes against the very heart of Hinduism. The swastika is the most auspicious symbol of the Hindu religion, symbolizing the four right angle arms of the ancient sun sign, with its attendant inner significance. The four arms of the Hindu swastika represent: (1) The 4 directions of space (2) The 4 Vedas – the ancient scriptures which form the basis of the Hindu religion (3) The 4 ashrams (stages) of life from birth to death - student life, householder life, retired life and renounced life (4) The 4 seasons of the year. The Swastika symbol is worshiped in the Hindu religion in order to bring well-being and peace from the four corners of the universe. Indeed, the Sanskrit meaning of swastika is “well-being”. On the contrary, the Nazis had used the Swastika in its inverted form to usher in havoc, destruction and mayhem. Anil Bhanot, HCUK’s General Secretary said, “All ceremonies in the Hindu religion are initiated with the use of the swastika. To think of banning its use would render the law abiding Hindus as criminals. The Nazis used it for evil purpose and as ordained this powerful symbol of wisdom representing Lord Ganesh destroyed its abusers and it is ironic that the same country wishes to pass punishment now onto a people who use it rightly to pray for the welfare of all Mankind. Banning an auspicious sign would be to inflict abuse on the Swastika once again and I hope the Germans would learn that two wrongs cannot make a right. Hindus seem to be becoming the new persecuted race, in a contemporary sense of the word.” Mr Bhanot explained that the 4 dots between each of the 4 arms represent the 4 original races of Mankind, created by Lord Brahma, and in terms of its scientific significance the Swastika represents the astral projection of our Solar system. To vilify a profoundly original religion is a crime on humanity. The holocaust remembrance has been held annually all over the world and Germany has very good relations with Israel and the Jewish people in general. It is therefore ludicrous to go a step further and ban the symbol when it clashes with the Hindu religious sign. It is hoped that Germany would not like to hurt one religion to please another. In view of above, Hindu Council UK would urge Germany to initiate to give more prominence to the remembrance of holocaust, the evil that was perpetrated. Any move to ban the swastika will be met with strong protest and resistance from the Hindu community because it will interfere with the Human Right to Freedom of Worship. This proposal having also been brought up in the past, it is now hoped that in view of its deep implications the German minister will abandon the idea once and for all. Thanks :Hindu Council UK |
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6/10/2009 5:11 am |
The swastika is an extremely powerful symbol. The Nazis used it to murder millions of people, but for centuries it had positive meanings. What is the history of the swastika? Does it now represent good or evil? The Oldest Known Symbol The swastika is an ancient symbol that has been used for over 3,000 years. (That even predates the ancient Egyptian symbol, the Ankh!) Artifacts such as pottery and coins from ancient Troy show that the swastika was a commonly used symbol as far back as 1000 BCE. During the following thousand years, the image of the swastika was used by many cultures around the world, including in China, Japan, India, and southern Europe. By the Middle Ages, the swastika was a well known, if not commonly used, symbol but was called by many different names: China - wan England - fylfot Germany - Hakenkreuz Greece - tetraskelion and gammadion India - swastika Though it is not known for exactly how long, Native Americans also have long used the symbol of the swastika. The Original Meaning The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit svastika - "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix. Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck. Even in the early twentieth century, the swastika was still a symbol with positive connotations. For instance, the swastika was a common decoration that often adorned cigarette cases, postcards, coins, and buildings. During World War I, the swastika could even be found on the shoulder patches of the American 45th Division and on the Finnish air force until after World War II. A Change in Meaning In the 1800s, countries around Germany were growing much larger, forming empires; yet Germany was not a unified country until 1871. To counter the feeling of vulnerability and the stigma of youth, German nationalists in the mid-nineteenth century began to use the swastika, because it had ancient Aryan/Indian origins, to represent a long Germanic/Aryan history. By the end of the nineteenth century, the swastika could be found on nationalist German volkisch periodicals and was the official emblem of the German Gymnasts' League. In the beginning of the twentieth century, the swastika was a common symbol of German nationalism and could be found in a multitude of places such as the emblem for the Wandervogel, a German youth movement; on Joerg Lanz von Liebenfels' antisemitic periodical Ostara; on various Freikorps units; and as an emblem of the Thule Society. Hitler and the Nazis In 1920, Adolf Hitler decided that the Nazi Party needed its own insignia and flag. For Hitler, the new flag had to be "a symbol of our own struggle" as well as "highly effective as a poster." (Mein Kampf, pg. 495) On August 7, 1920, at the Salzburg Congress, this flag became the official emblem of the Nazi Party. In Mein Kampf, Hitler described the Nazis' new flag: "In red we see the social idea of the movement, in white the nationalistic idea, in the swastika the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and, by the same token, the victory of the idea of creative work, which as such always has been and always will be anti-Semitic." (pg. 496-497) Because of the Nazis' flag, the swastika soon became a symbol of hate, antisemitism, violence, death, and murder. What Does the Swastika Mean Now? There is a great debate as to what the swastika means now. For 3,000 years, the swastika meant life and good luck. But because of the Nazis, it has also taken on a meaning of death and hate. These conflicting meanings are causing problems in today's society. For Buddhists and Hindus, the swastika is a very religious symbol that is commonly used. Chirag Badlani shares a story about one time when he went to make some photocopies of some Hindu Gods for his temple. While standing in line to pay for the photocopies, some people behind him in line noticed that one of the pictures had a swastika. They called him a Nazi. Unfortunately, the Nazis were so effective at their use of the swastika emblem, that many do not even know any other meaning for the swastika. Can there be two completely opposite meanings for one symbol? In ancient times, the direction of the swastika was interchangeable as can be seen on an ancient Chinese silk drawing. Some cultures in the past had differentiated between the clockwise swastika and the counter-clockwise sauvastika. In these cultures the swastika symbolized health and life while the sauvastika took on a mystical meaning of bad-luck or misfortune. But since the Nazis use of the swastika, some people are trying to differentiate the two meanings of the swastika by varying its direction - trying to make the clockwise, Nazi version of the swastika mean hate and death while the counter-clockwise version would hold the ancient meaning of the symbol, life and good-luck.
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6/10/2009 10:48 pm |
The swastika is an extremely powerful symbol. The Nazis used it to murder millions of people, but for centuries it had positive meanings. What is the history of the swastika? Does it now represent good or evil? The Oldest Known Symbol The swastika is an ancient symbol that has been used for over 3,000 years. (That even predates the ancient Egyptian symbol, the Ankh!) Artifacts such as pottery and coins from ancient Troy show that the swastika was a commonly used symbol as far back as 1000 BCE. During the following thousand years, the image of the swastika was used by many cultures around the world, including in China, Japan, India, and southern Europe. By the Middle Ages, the swastika was a well known, if not commonly used, symbol but was called by many different names: China - wan England - fylfot Germany - Hakenkreuz Greece - tetraskelion and gammadion India - swastika Though it is not known for exactly how long, Native Americans also have long used the symbol of the swastika. The Original Meaning The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit svastika - "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix. Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck. Even in the early twentieth century, the swastika was still a symbol with positive connotations. For instance, the swastika was a common decoration that often adorned cigarette cases, postcards, coins, and buildings. During World War I, the swastika could even be found on the shoulder patches of the American 45th Division and on the Finnish air force until after World War II. A Change in Meaning In the 1800s, countries around Germany were growing much larger, forming empires; yet Germany was not a unified country until 1871. To counter the feeling of vulnerability and the stigma of youth, German nationalists in the mid-nineteenth century began to use the swastika, because it had ancient Aryan/Indian origins, to represent a long Germanic/Aryan history. By the end of the nineteenth century, the swastika could be found on nationalist German volkisch periodicals and was the official emblem of the German Gymnasts' League. In the beginning of the twentieth century, the swastika was a common symbol of German nationalism and could be found in a multitude of places such as the emblem for the Wandervogel, a German youth movement; on Joerg Lanz von Liebenfels' antisemitic periodical Ostara; on various Freikorps units; and as an emblem of the Thule Society. Hitler and the Nazis In 1920, Adolf Hitler decided that the Nazi Party needed its own insignia and flag. For Hitler, the new flag had to be "a symbol of our own struggle" as well as "highly effective as a poster." (Mein Kampf, pg. 495) On August 7, 1920, at the Salzburg Congress, this flag became the official emblem of the Nazi Party. In Mein Kampf, Hitler described the Nazis' new flag: "In red we see the social idea of the movement, in white the nationalistic idea, in the swastika the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and, by the same token, the victory of the idea of creative work, which as such always has been and always will be anti-Semitic." (pg. 496-497) Because of the Nazis' flag, the swastika soon became a symbol of hate, antisemitism, violence, death, and murder. What Does the Swastika Mean Now? There is a great debate as to what the swastika means now. For 3,000 years, the swastika meant life and good luck. But because of the Nazis, it has also taken on a meaning of death and hate. These conflicting meanings are causing problems in today's society. For Buddhists and Hindus, the swastika is a very religious symbol that is commonly used. Chirag Badlani shares a story about one time when he went to make some photocopies of some Hindu Gods for his temple. While standing in line to pay for the photocopies, some people behind him in line noticed that one of the pictures had a swastika. They called him a Nazi. Unfortunately, the Nazis were so effective at their use of the swastika emblem, that many do not even know any other meaning for the swastika. Can there be two completely opposite meanings for one symbol? In ancient times, the direction of the swastika was interchangeable as can be seen on an ancient Chinese silk drawing. Some cultures in the past had differentiated between the clockwise swastika and the counter-clockwise sauvastika. In these cultures the swastika symbolized health and life while the sauvastika took on a mystical meaning of bad-luck or misfortune. But since the Nazis use of the swastika, some people are trying to differentiate the two meanings of the swastika by varying its direction - trying to make the clockwise, Nazi version of the swastika mean hate and death while the counter-clockwise version would hold the ancient meaning of the symbol, life and good-luck.
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