The "peace symbol" - do some people really think it's evil..do you?

In the late 50's a guy called Gerald Holtom designed a symbol for a march against nuclear war. It was adopted by the nuclear disarmament movement, became iconic, and nowadays, doesn't just mean anti nuclear (CND is so 80's), it symbolises peace in all shapes and forms - and even symbolises being totally chilled out, grief, you can even find the symbol on highly fashionable items and expensive jewellery. You even see it on the computers in the Build a Bear store




I've been reading a little bit about this symbol though lately, and it seems some Christians have an issue with it
Even though it has been documented exactly how Gerald Holtom came up with the design, and how he later said in an interview how he'd have preferred in hindsight to have it facing the other way because a symbol of peace should be more joyous, some Christians say it represents the Nero Cross (A Roman emperor who cracked down on early Christians). Say it represents an ancient rune meaning despair (Anything angular will look like a rune in all possibility), they say that having it encircled means rejection of Christianity, and even though the symbol of Christian CND (The nuclear disarmament religious wing) was this symbol with a cross and a dove on it, many Christians won't use this symbol, because "this means it's evil" They say the nazis used it, they say it's used by pagans etc etc.

I'm flabbergasted that once again, Christians seem to be finding something wrong with something - or maybe they're right.

What does anyone think? Is the Peace Symbol evil, or is it just a quite attractive and iconic symbol, and certain Christian fundamentalists really once again need to realise it's not all about them and their persecution complex

Some people think it looks like a mangle cross, but honestly? I don't see it

And for the record, I am a Christian and I wear peace signs

To most Christians, anything that isn't a cross is evil. However, being that the cross symbolizes the most evil event in Christian history, I don't get the thinking on that.

I've heard the argument that it looked like it was off of the Pagan star, but whatever.

Most Christians just don't want to be happy with anything.

*edit* Scratch that, not most Christians, some. That was a bad judgment call on my behalf to say most.

Oh, and yes, I'm Agnostic with Christian fundamentals, and I don't find it offensive.

No .. I don't think it's evil.

But I do think it represents a misguided way of thinking.

Symbols do not have inherent meanings.

You've seen too many of jonnys posts!

In the 60's and 70's it was called the chicken foot. People will read into things what they want. They're usually clueless.

I think maybe its just a few minority christians kicking up a fuss over it.

Its silly to fear a symbol.

I'm with you there. I always used to think the nuclear disarmament brigade were barking - nice idea, but the "bad guys" (Not necessarily the Soviets) weren't going to disarm too.

I reckon on it's own it's a quite nice design, very kitch and of the period, it just reminds me of hippies and when I see it, I don't think of bomb banners, I think of non-conformists. Nowadays though, it's just another commercialised symbol.
I shudder more seeing that tacky nasty "Playboy" symbol on kids goods and clothes, when that was designed for a porn empire

I just wondered, it seems often some religious people just seem to want to spoil something, or have some sort of persecution complex. I know one who released a pamphlet denouncing Harry Potter (Though he admitted he had never read the books or seen the movies) because the kids in the Harry Potter books "disobeyed adults and got rewarded for their disobedience". Riiiiight! Nice well meaning bloke, but a bit of a spoilsport really.

yes....and some people think the sign for "I love you" in sign language says "I love you Lucifer"

I bet that chickens think it's evil.

I was suprised to see this thread appear again. Seeing as the peace sign has made a big comeback, I figured it was important for people to know its origin. Certainly no evil intent here. This is from semaphore code.