I hope this article will reach many people out there claiming to be born-again Christians, and I also hope this will demonstrate a reflection of the idolatrous hearts of those here in the U.S. I don't know how it is in other countries, but here in America, we have a nation that has gone crazy with idolatry in their symbols; however the focus of this article will be the people claiming to be churchgoers and preachers who defy the Word of God by adopting so-called "Christian" symbols and icons.

symbol (n): an emblem or representation of something else

(See 'symbol', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Mar 5, 2014 [webstersdictionary1828.com])

The so-called "Christian" symbols are offense to our Lord Jesus Christ that we ought to repent of because they are being used to represent the Godhead.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device . And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent :

-Acts 17:29-30

" Christians have used the fish symbol — also known as the ichthys (ixthus, icthus) symbol — since the first century... Jesus Christ told His disciples in Matthew 4:19: 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' As the early Christians followed Christ's command to follow Him and lead others to the Lord, the fish symbol became a natural extension of Christ's command and also a way to recognize and identify others who knew the symbol's meaning."

-Creation Tips, "Christian Fish Symbol Explained," retrieved Mar 5, 2015, [creationtips.com/fish_symbol.html]

"[I]n the old Roman catacombs, the fish symbol appears frequently . The Greek word for fish is ichthus and the early Christians saw in the letters of this word a monogram summarizing their faith: 'Iesous CHristos, THeou Uios Soter' But the Christian fish sign was the same as that of the Goddess's yoni or Pearly Gate: two crescent moons forming a vesica piscis . Sometimes the Christ child was portrayed inside the vesica, which was superimposed on Mary's belly and obviously represented her womb, just as in the ancient symbolism of the Goddess ."



-Allison Sledge, The Quintessential Jesus of Nazareth, AuthorHouse, 2011, p. 133, ISBN: 9781463474195

"A magical pass is a hand gesture that a Witch uses to symbolize and therefore invoke specific spiritual energies... Open the thumbs so that they are at a 90-degree angle with the forefinger. Bring the hands together so that the tips of both thumbs and forefingers touch. The hands should meet in front of the body at the genital area. The opening that the two hands create represent the cosmic yoni, a term that refers to the vulva of the goddess . It is the personification of the female principle in nature."

-Timothy Roderick, Wicca, Llewellyn Worldwide, 2005, p. 26, ISBN: 9780738706214; Image from same source; Roderick is a psychologist and experienced witch who founded the EarthDance Collective, a group that promotes feminist witches.

"Witches often depict the Goddess in three stages that represent the three phases of a woman's life: maiden, mother, and crone. Celtic art illustrates this tripart nature as three interlocking pointed loops called vesica piscis, which symbolize the opening to the womb ."

-Skye Alexander, The Everything Wicca and Witchcraft Book: Rituals, Spells, and Sacred Objects for Everyday Magick, Everything Books, 2008, p. 35, ISBN: 9781440524196; Alexander is an internationally published author with over thirty books on paganism and witchcraft.



And this was not just a symbol used in paganism, but in Islam as well:

"The sign of the fish in the Age of Pisces has been adopted as the symbol of Jesus and Christianity. In history it has appeared in Islamic references and coins , though after centuries of religious wars between Christians [i.e. Catholics] and Muslims, one can understand it is unwelcome in Arab societies. The fish symbol is actually the vesica piscis, which is an almond shaped oval defined by two arcs and symbolizes the vagina. "

-Dorothy L. Abrams, Identity and the Quartered Circle: Studies in Applied Wicca, John Hunt Publishing, 2013, ISBN: 9781780992808

"Among some nations in Asia the first day of the week was named in honor of the god Saturn, which would make the last day of the week Friday; at that time, however, this day was sacred to the goddess Mylitta, the Assyrian form of the goddess Venus; this day was consecrated to marriages, and to festivals during which practices were indulged in that are now considered indecent when done in public, but when at that time were done publicly in honor of Venus (Mylitta) in her temples... the fish has a shape which reminds of the vulva or yoni, and as this was a symbol for various goddesses (Ashtoreth, Venus, Isis, etc.) and prominently so for the Assyrian goddess Mylitta, the fish became consecrated to this goddess and was eaten as a feast on the day of the Virgin, call it Mylitta Day, or Freya-Day, or Friday, as you please."

-Otto A. Wall, Sex and Sex Worship, Mosby, 1919, p. 100

(Read "Corruptions of Christianity: Catholicism - Idolatry & Mary" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

"In Roman times, Friday (which in English is an abbreviation of 'Freya's day,' the Nordic lunar goddess of Fertility), was originally the day of Venus , as it still is in Italian and French... Venus was the goddess of Love, whose counterpart in Greece was Aphrodite, goddess of Love in Nature, and in Egypt the goddess, Hathor-Isis. Whether Egyptian, Greek, Roman or Norse, these were all goddesses of love, fertility and destiny... Venus' Day was the day of life not death, when fish was eaten because it was sacred to Aphrodite . "

-Jules Cashford, The Moon: Myth and Image, Basic Books, 2003, p. 289, ISBN: 9781568582658; Cashford teaches mythology at Merton College and has authored multiple books on paganism.

Pagan gods are not real, and so to make them more real, statues and symbols are made to represent them, taking something from the imagination and giving them a concrete aspect that can been seen and/or touched. The omniscient, omnipresent God of the Bible cannot be represented by symbols, so when church-goers make symbols for that purpose,One of the more popular symbols used by church-goers today is the "Jesus fish," which many of them put on t-shirts and bumper stickers. We'll start out by looking at some mainstream sources to see what the typical church-goer will say when asked about this fish symbol:As I read numerous books and websites on this topic, I repeatedly found church-goers claiming that early Christians used the fish symbol, but there was never any information backing up that claim. Typically, when people refer to the "early church," they're actually referring to the Catholic church. Those who live in Greece say that there are some fish symbols put in Catacombs in the area, but the connection to the fish representing Christ is based on pure speculation.This author mentions them being common in Rome (the home of the Catholic Church) as well as Greece:If you haven't figured it out by now, the fish symbol you see created from the two joining circles represents the female genitals. I don't really like having to go into this pagan topic to this extent, but since those calling themselves Christian brethren will not let go of their idols, it is necessary that we understand the origins of this.The above author mentions the word "yoni," and in Wicca, this means the vagina:I wanted to show some pictures of some of the idols used by pagans for this symbol and goddess, but they were too sexually explicit for this website. I leave it to your discretion if you want to go look them up on your own. However, this type of symbol is hidden in many places throughout the U.S., often due to pagan/Masonic influence, for example, the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.; this aerial view shows the use of the vesica piscis with the phallic symbol in the middle:As we have discussed in our articles on Christmas Halloween , and Groundhog Day , the names of the goddesses in paganism have origins back in Babylon, and after God separated their languages, they still worshiped the same goddess, but now they all called her by a different name, which is why we have so many different names for gods and goddesses around the world today. A tradition of worship, using the fish, was created to these goddesses, and is still commonly celebrated today.Catholics celebrate "Good Friday," and they will not eat meats on this day, rather, they will only eat fish., and the Catholics do it in honor of that same goddess, which they call "Mary."These are pagan traditions that were performed long before Christ came to this earth in the flesh, and they are still practiced today. The sickening part about this is that so-called "Christian" churches adopt these same symbols and practices into their church buildings in complete ignorance, and anyone who dares to rebuke them gets shoved out and cursed (but shoved out and cursed "in Christian love," of course).

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake .

-Luke 6:22

Furthermore, the triquetra's origin of design is based on the vesica pisces:

"Also known as a 'trinity knot,' the triquetra is formed from interlocked vesica pisces, marking the intersection of three circles . It has been found on runestones in Northern Europe and on early Germanic coins. It is similar to the valknut, a symbol associated with Odin... Modern Wicca and neo-pagan groups use the symbol for a variety of concepts and mythological figures ."

-Kimberly Daniels, The Demon Dictionary: An Expose on Cultural Practices, Symbols, Myths, and the Luciferian Doctrine, Charisma Media, 2014, p. 23-24, ISBN: 9781621365563

"[T]he triquetra [is] an ancient emblem of three interlocked vesica pisces symbols , marking where three circles intersect. The triquetra is a very ancient symbol, associated with Neolithic and early Celtic mother goddesses , most likely an emblem of the intertwined domains of earth, ocean, and sky."

-Jennifer Emick, The Everything Celtic Wisdom Book: Find Inspiration Through Ancient Traditions, Rituals, and Spirituality, Adams Media, 2008, p. 109, ISBN: 9781440521706; Emick is an author for About.com's most popular source on Celtic spiritualism.

(Read "Why I Use the King James Bible - What About The New King James?" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

There are sometimes vesica pisces symbols that also have letters that spell out "Ichthys" in Greek. In the Greek alphabet, Ichthys is written: "ΙΧΘΥΣ" and the common teaching among new-age church buildings is that this represents Jesus, but that's not true.

Ι is the letter Iota, which is the first letter of Iesous, which means "Jesus."

Χ is the letter Chi, which is the first letter of Christos, which means "Christ."

Θ is the letter Theta, which is the first letter of Theou, which means "God."

Υ is the letter Upsilon, which is the first letter of Uios, which mean "Son."

Σ is the letter Sigma, which is the first letter of Soter, which mean "Savior."

The English letter S is the first letter of Savior.

The English letter A is the first letter of Annointed.

The English letter T is the first letter of Teach.

The English letter A is the first letter of All.

The English letter N is the first letter of Nations.

The triquetra is three of these vaginal symbols interlocked:In our teaching on the King James Bible, we pointed out the corrupt NKJV which used the triquetra symbol on the front, and we also demonstrated that it was a pagan symbol used in casting spells in witchcraft. It is quite common today for church-goers to say this is a symbol of the Trinity in the Bible, but that couldn't be further from the truth--it's another symbol of pagan witchcraft that was adopted by the Catholic church.Someone took the letters of the name of the pagan goddess's son, Ichthys, and made an acronym out of the Greek letters used to spell his name.It's a shame that I have to spend time explaining how ridiculous this is because there is no evidence whatsoever that this was the original meaning of this word. It's just an acronym. That's just a meaning that someone gave to "Ichthys" to try and take a pagan name to mean Jesus, which has the stench of the Catholic church written all over it. This is not a symbol of Jesus Christ; it is a symbol that makes Jesus Christ equivalent to (or actually being) Ichthys, the son of the pagan goddess Astarte.Hey, two can play this game. Watch this:What's that spell boys and girls? That's right, it's SATAN! Why don't we start seeing some Satan fishes spread around now that we know what the acronym stands for? Because they know, by using basic reason, that. Just because some new-agers want to make new idolatrous symbols to represent their new-age "god," does not automatically mean it represents the Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible.It's also interesting to notice that some images (like the one below) are floating around the internet as proof the early Christians in Greece were using the pagan symbol of Ichthys to represent Christianity. However, just like with all other pagan rituals American church buildings observe, they completely ignore the Catholic connection, and if you look closely, you'll see the symbol of the Knights Templar carved in on either side of the Ichthys word, which causes a serious contradiction because that symbol, specifically as detailed on the right side of the picture, was not used until the 12th and 13th centuries.After reading the above passage from Acts 17, it's possible there may have been some early Christians who started to use pagan symbolism and idols after coming out of the heathen nations, but they would have been rebuked by Paul and the other apostles. It would be a complete contradiction for Paul to stand on Mars hill, preaching against the use of symbolism, and then turn around and approve born-again brethren using them.The Bible does have a name for the use of such symbols: It's called idolatry.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above , or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth :

-Exodus 20:4



But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols , and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

-Acts 15:20



Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers... what agreement hath the temple of God with idols ?

-2 Corinthians 6:14-16

To create an image and then put it in secret places that only people who know its meaning can understand; that's called a cult, and it directly contradicts Scripture.

Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD , the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

-Deuteronomy 27:15

These are man-made emblems that church-goers put their trust in without knowledge, and thus invite curses into their homes:

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man , and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD .

-Jeremiah 17:5

(Photo from Brian Bates, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 11, 2010, retrieved Mar 6, 2015 [johntv.com/pic-of-the-day-5112010-try-jesus])

A symbol (like a "Jesus fish" emblem) is a quick and easy method for giving the public an impression of one's beliefs, without having to actually live and speak according to those beliefs. For some reason, people think that if they put a bumper sticker on their vehicles that mentions or references to Jesus, they themselves are of Christ, but there are no Heavenly restrictions that God has put in place that prevents an unsaved person from putting a Jesus-sticker on their car.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved . But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God .

-John 3:19-21

How did the Christians know one another in the early churches? Did Jesus Christ say "You'll know them when they publish my symbol on their clothing and vehicles?"

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance :

-Matthew 3:8



Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them .

-Matthew 7:20

We will know Christians by the doctrine they teach, when they boldly come forth to preach and confess the Lord Jesus Christ, which very few church-goers are willing to do. They are more willing to preach a new-age god they call "jesus," one that accepts them living like the Devil and never rebukes or chastens them, but the Bible shows us that if we are not rebuked or chastened, then we are not the children of Christ.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten : be zealous therefore, and repent.

-Revelations 3:19

If you do not have rebuke and chastening for the wrong you do, you are likely not a child of the Lord God.

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth . If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons .

-Hebrews 12:6-8

"In broad terms, the fish is a psychic being, or a 'penetrative motion' endowed with a 'heightening' power concerning base matters--that is, in the unconscious. Because of the close symbolic relationship between the sea and the Magna Mater ,

Great Mother -- pagan goddess

some people have held the fish to be sacred... the son of Atargatis (Ashtart or Astarte) was named Ichthys."

-J.C. Cirlot, Dictionary of Symbols, Routledge, 2006, ISBN: 9781134958894

(Read "Easter: Christians Celebrating Abomination" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

"The earliest Egyptian and Babylonian stories about the two heavenly Fishes associate them with the Syro-Phoenician fish cult of the great goddess Atargatis ,

Astarte

whom we met in connection with Virgo. Her temples had pools with sacred fishes in them which no one was allowed to touch. Meals of fish were ritually eaten in these temples, for the goddess herself was sometimes portrayed in the form of a fish, and her priests wore fish skins. This fish goddess had a son, called Ichthys, and he too was a fish ... Atagatis and Ichthys are also Ishtar and Tammuz , Kybele and Attis, Aphrodite and Adonis."

-Liz Greene, The Astrology of Fate, Weiser Books, 1985, p. 258, ISBN: 9781609253851; Greene is considered an expert is pagan astrology in the U.K., and has co-founded astrology organizations in London.

The fish symbol ties in directly to the pagan Easter celebration:[i.e.The fish symbol represents the god Ichthys, the son of Atargatis or Astarte, which is another name for Ishtar/Easter, which the pagans worship during the spring vernal equinox. This Astarte/Ichthys connection is the Semiramis/Tammuz symbol, which is Babylonian in origin.[i.e.Most church-goers today are so deeply involved in pagan practices of witchcraft, they can't see the forest because the trees are in the way.

All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him ? The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image , that shall not be moved.

-Isaiah 40:17-20

" Some Christians will not use the fish symbol because they say it has pagan origins. But, like the cross, Christians adapted the symbols to mean something completely different. "

-Creation Tips, "Christian Fish Symbol Explained," retrieved Mar 5, 2015, [creationtips.com/fish_symbol.html]

The same mainstream website I quoted at the beginning about the "Jesus fish" continues to say the following:So the church-goers on this website claim that they can take something pagan, and adapt it (change it) to mean something else. Thus, they believe they can take an evil tree, and get good fruit out of it, which is the opposite of what the Bible teaches us:

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

-Matthew 7:17-18

They don't care that they are attributing God to an idolatrous symbol, and they won't bother to take the time to consider that they're doing evil.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil .

-Ecclesiastes 5:1

"Christians who criticize other Christians for using a cross or fish symbol to identify their faith are being extremely insensitive to other people's beliefs. Most Christians have no idea about the origin of the fish and cross symbols, and to question their faith based on a totally different meaning and intent shows lack of understanding, perhaps even heartlessness, that surely can't be pleasing to God ."

-Creation Tips, "Christian Fish Symbol Explained," retrieved Mar 5, 2015, [creationtips.com/fish_symbol.html]

The author then continues to blast anyone who would dare question them:They base what is "pleasing to God" on their personal feelings, instead of on the His Word, since He has already told us what is pleasing to Him, and it is certainly NOT pleasing to the Lord God for born-again Christians to be using symbols of a pagan sex goddess. What this really comes down to is if these folks at "Creation Tips" will hear and understand His Word:

For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God ; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

-1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

Did the Bible just say that they turned their idols INTO the living God? No. We are to turn AWAY from the idols; not try to transform them for our own pleasure.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols . Amen.

-1 John 5:21

The Bible tells us that using these symbols is NOT pleasing to the Lord God, but the new-age religions teach the exact opposite. And this leads us to the most well-known symbol church-goers use: the cross.



For example, the leavened 501c3 organization Got Questions says:

"Simply put, the meaning of the cross is death. In ancient times (i.e., from about the 6th century BC until the 4th century AD), the cross was an instrument of death by the most torturous and painful of ways... However, because of Christ and His death on the cross, the meaning of the cross today is completely different ."

-Michael Houdmann, "What is the Meaning of the Cross?" Got Questions, retrieved Mar 10, 2015, [gotquestions.org/meaning-of-the-cross.html]

" The cross is one of the oldest of mystical symbols , and in Encyclopoedia Heraldica, there are over 385 different varieties listed. In Christianity,

the cross is an important symbols of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. However, the symbol of the cross is actually not of Christian origin, as many believe. It was widely used by Pagan cultures in pre-Christian times as both a religious symbol and magickal tool, and did not become a symbol of the Christian tradition until about the fifth century. "

-Gerina Dunwich, Wicca A to Z: A Complete Guide to the Magickal World, Citadel Press, 1997, p. 39, ISBN: 9780806519302; Dunwich is a high priestess of witchcraft and considered a professional astrologer.

"Crosses: One of the oldest amulets in the world, predating Christianity by many centuries... Crosses have been associated with sun deities and the heavens, and in ancient times, they may have represented divine protection and prosperity. Crosses also are represented by the Y-shaped Tree of Life, the world-axis placed in the center of the universe, the bridge between the earth and the cosmos , the physical and the spiritual."

-Rosemary Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca, Infobase Publishing, 2008, p. 79, ISBN: 9781438126845

"The ankh is a cross with a looped top that was used by the ancient Egyptians. It symbolized eternal life, and is used by many Witches today. The astrological symbol for the planet Venus is very similar: a cross mounted by a circle. If you look closely, the shape of the ankh is reminiscent of the Isis pose mentioned in the last chapter: the circle being the head, the stem of the body and feet, and the crossbar the outstretched arms. Therefore, the original meaning may have been the Goddess Herself, who is eternal life. The ankh also has similar meanings to the cross and the World Tree; that of the sacrifice connected with the savior aspect of the God. "

-D.J. Conway, Wicca: The Complete Craft, Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony, 2011, p. 160, ISBN: 9780307785893; Conway is a best-selling author on paganism and witchcraft, studying Wicca for over 40 years.

Here, we have another mainstream "Christian" organization claiming that they can take an evil tree, slap a Jesus label on it, and make it good. This author either has not done his research, or he is lying to people about the true origins of the cross symbol.This is very important to note: The cross symbol that we see on all these church buildings when we drive around town is NOT the cross that Jesus Christ died on. It is also claimed by many mainstream sources the early Christians used the cross symbol, which is ludicrous if we simply take a moment to think about it because having a few buildings with a cross on them in the days of pagan Rome would have been a magnet for soldiers to arrest everyone in the building and have them executed. The "early Christians" they're referring to are actually Catholics, which is pagan Rome. And there again, since we are instructed not to use symbols as representations of God, the early Christians would not have done that, or at the very least, would have been rebuked for it.[i.e. Catholicism]The reason so many church buildings have the cross symbol on them is because they have adopted the traditions of the Catholic church, who adopted the cross as their symbol of their pagan version of "jesus" shortly after Constantine started his own Roman religion. The cross symbol has been used in pagan witchcraft for many centuries before Christ was conceived in the womb.The Y-shaped symbol the above author is referring to is found in the ankh:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord .

-Romans 6:23

"A veve [symbol] is carefully drawn out by the mambo or houngan [male Voodoo priest ] while the beat of Voodoo drums accompany the act. Each hounsi (teenage helper) stands in a circle while holding a flickering candle... A hole is quickly dug in the ground for use as the ceremonial pit and grave ... Dirt is quickly swept back into the hole until the chicken is totally covered... After the ground is firmly patted in place... The houngan or mambo then proceeds to draw [a] veve consisting of a circle, cross, and interlacing lines .



-Migene Gonzalez-Wippler, The Complete Book of Spells, Ceremonies, and Magic, Llewellyn Worldwide, 1978, p. , ISBN: 9780875422862 [Image from same source], Gonzalez-Wippler is psychologist and anthropologist who has worked for many prestigious colleges, museums, and institutions.

The Catholic church, which is Pagan Rome, sees the eternal life symbol in the cross shape of the ankh, and notes that Christ is taught to be the way to eternal life and died on a cross, so they adopt the cross symbol as their pagan sign. The modern-day church buildings adopting the traditions of the Catholic church (Pagan Rome) is the reason for the cross symbol appearing everywhere as you drive through an American city.This pagan author documents the traditions of Voodoo in burying a sacrifice alive:Again, the cross symbol has come out of African witchcraft and Voodoo worship, but the average church-goer will argue against what is written in this article, shamefully attempting to use God's Word as their excuse:

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

-Matthew 10:38

This verse does not say you build a wooden cross and carry it around with you any more than when Christ says He is the door that He is a literal wooden door with a handle. It's a metaphor that tells us we have to take up the burden of suffering in the world and sanctify ourselves, just as Christ did, but nowhere did He say we were to adopt symbols like the pagans do.

Behold Israel after the flesh : are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

-1 Corinthians 10:18

Paul is explaining to the Christians in Corinth that when Israel adopted the practices of the pagans, they themselves became as pagans.

What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils .

-1 Corinthians 10:19-20

"Many non-Christians interpreted the making of the sign of the cross as an act of magic , as is clearly shown by Tertullian. He advised against the marriage of a Christian woman to a pagan man because (among many other reasons) when she put the sign of the cross on her bed and on herself, he would interpret this as some work of magic. Exactly like pagan magicians, the Christians used the sign and symbol of the cross as a device to assure divine protection for themselves, and they claimed that the cross was more powerful than pagan magic symbols , and it was thus able to confound the demons and bring pagan magic to naught."

-Stephen Benko, Pagan Rome and the Early Christians, Indiana University Press, 1984, p. 119, ISBN: 9780253342867; Benko is a professor of history at California State University.

"Many rituals performed by other religions are steeped in Pagan history too. Catholics use incense to bless an altar before mass. This is a pagan custom of clearing energy from an altar and setting shields of protective energy before ritual. Candles are lit upon church altars to beckon the presence of Jesus. Again, this is a Pagan custom, going back thousands of years, honouring and calling upon the God and Goddess. Holidays are named after the Holy Days of Pagan descent. Weddings, funerals... all are of pagan origin , and so the list goes on."

-Tony Bell, Wicca Teachings - An Introduction and Practical Guide, Lapwing Books, 2014, ISBN: 9780956955531; Bell is a former Catholic turned pagan and trains newcomers in witchcraft.

The pagan idolatry Rome adopted into the Catholic Church are symbols unto devils! Why would any born-again Christian want to have fellowship with devils by engaging in the same practices as witches with their false gods?There have always been people, calling themselves Christians, that turn to pagan idols and symbology in witchcraft because the Gospel of Christ was now going out into the Gentile world where all many of them had previously known was paganism. Thus, instead of turning to the Lord Jesus Christ and following His doctrine, they sought to bring Christ down to the level of other pagan religions by adopting symbolism in use of magic.Christians need to stop viewing the world the way they WANT to view it, and start viewing it how the Lord Jesus Christ views it. We also need to take into consideration that if we use pagan symbolism as a representation of Christ and His doctrine, then the pagans will only view it as another sect of their pagan worship, which is EXACTLY how pagans view it today.The Hebrews turned to their idols because they thought that was right in their own eyes, not seeking what was right in the eyes of God.

And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God... Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes .

-Deuteronomy 12:3-8



The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

-Proverbs 12:15



Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts .

-Proverbs 21:2

It's because of witchcraft that Catholics draw the cross symbol on their bodies when seeking to protect themselves from evil spirits. They model their rituals after protection spells in white witchcraft:

"A blessing is a spell intended to grant the favor of a deity or some form of luck or protection . The most common form of blessing is the liturgical blessing, given by a priest, using a formula, accompanied by a ritual gesture (placing of the hand on the head or other body part, or using a symbol such as the sign of the cross ), and often using some symbolic object such as sprinkling with water, anointing with oil, or fuming with incense."

-S. Rabinovitch & J. Lewis, The Encyclopedia of Modern Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism, Citadel Press, 2004, p. 253-254, ISBN: 9780806524078; Rabinovitch teaches religious studies at the University of Ottowa; Lewis teaches religious studies at the University of Wisconsin.

This is exactly what the cross symbol was always used for in early witchcraft:

" When worn as an amulet, the cross protects the wearer from the dark forces of evil, jinx, and bad luck. Crosses are used in many Voodoo rituals and Hoodoo spells, and they are often worn as protective amulets by spiritual healers and Tarot card readers to dispel negative influences. For best results, a cross should be made out of gold and anointed once a day with either myrrh oil or holy water."

-Gerina Dunwich, Wicca A to Z: A Complete Guide to the Magickal World, Citadel Press, 1997, p. 39, ISBN: 9780806519302; Dunwich is a high priestess of witchcraft and considered a professional astrologer.

Witchcraft Altars

The altars made for witchcraft are exactly identical to those made in Catholicism, and other like pagan religions around the world. In the video below, I provide examples of a witch altar and a Buddhist altar, alongside a Catholic altar, so you can see the various similarities between them. They are so similar because they all came from the same pagan source. I'll provide some videos here to watch, but as you go through these, I want you to look at the similarities between them; they're always symmetrical, contain personal trinkets, have statues and symbols to go with them.





For example, the witch and Buddhist in the video try to make their altar as symmetrical as possible, and witches believe symmetry is incredibly important. This is why most Catholic altars are also symmetrical; they were developed based on the traditions of pagans. They contain lots of statues and symbols of idolatry; they also have trinkets of great personal value and emotional attachment, and this is important in spellcasting for witches because it helps them to convey strong emotions in their magic and honoring of false gods and goddesses. (i.e. That's where the Catholic traditions come from.)



The origins of all these things are deep in pagan foundation. We Christians have a simple commandment: Stay away from idols. Little children, keep yourselves from idols . Amen.

-1 John 5:21 Once we understand pagan tradition, and how witches generally believe, then it is easy to understand why so many religious cults (like Catholicism and Buddhism) operate the way they do today.

Another commonly used symbol among church buildings is the "halo and wings" that are typically put in paintings and statues that supposedly portray "angels." I've seen these in churchgoers' houses very commonly, and some people have them littered all over the place. These have nothing to do with Biblical doctrine, and they did not come from Biblical description; they were born out of paganism and witchcraft.



Neither word "halo," nor the description of it, is in Scripture anywhere; however, it is very well-known in witchcraft. The "halo" imagery is a portrayal of what witches call the "aura," which they believe is the channel through which they draw their magical energy, and thus, it should be no surprise that we also see it all over Catholic paintings and statues, which also explains why we see it portrayed in modern-day homes of the average churchgoer.

"Where the circle is cast, a boundary of sacred space is defined. Everything within the circle is separated from the rest of the world. The body has a very similar boundary of sacred space. This border between our internal and external world is seen by most children. When young folk draw living things, they often include a glow around the body. The most devout spiritual leaders are often painted with this boundary clearly defined as a radiant field around their bodies. Sometimes this brilliance is concentrated around the head, producing the halo that is seen in classic Western imagery of holy men. This boundary is typically called the aura. "

-A.J. Drew, Wicca Spellcraft for Men: A Spellbook for Male Pagans, Career Press, 2001, p. 82, ISBN: 9781564144959; Drew has authored many books on Wicca and hosts the annual Real Witches Ball for PaganNation.com.

(Read "Why I Don't Celebrate Birthdays" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

"The halo of the flame symbolizes God/desshood , while the body of the candle is the physical world, and when lit, represents all of the elements."

-Patricia Telesco & Sirona Knight, The Wiccan Web: Surfing the Magic on the Internet, Citadel Press, 2001, p. 40, ISBN: 9780806521978; Telesco has authored many books on witchcraft and contributes articles to popular Wiccan news sites, and Knight is a high priestess in multiple pagan and druidic covens.

"The symbol of Wicca is the pentagram, a five pointed star representing the essence of life. The five points represents the elements. The top represents spirit, the point on its right represents water, the next is fire, the next earth and the final point air. The pentagram is usually encased within a circle which makes it a pentacle , an amalgamation of the two words pentagram and circle. When it has a circle around it this makes it a sign of protection. We use the pentacle as a symbol of faith and wear it as jewellery, a tattoo or carry a picture around of one, as it is not only a symbol of the faith but a powerful protection tool. We nearly always keep a pentagram around us, especially on our altar or when performing any spell workings."

-Tony Bell, Wicca Teachings - An Introduction and Practical Guide, Lapwing Books, 2014, ISBN: 9780956955531; Bell has authored a number of books on witchcraft and is highly-praised by his Wiccan readers.

The Bible is not saying that what men want to see is right, but that in their hearts, they don't care what the Lord God sees and thinks, they only care for what they personally want to see and want to think.This is why we so often see Catholic priests with crosses made of gold, or gold-plated. This is all based on traditions that were taken from ancient witchcraft magic and voodoo rituals. The only reason any of this is called "Christian" is because the Catholic church took pagan tradition and called it "Christianity."Most church goers, calling themselves Christians, will find it easier to use railing accusations against me for saying these things, finding ignorance to be an easier path, than to have to admit they have adopted pagan idols into their lives. It will be easier to call me a "Pharisee," than to have to rebuke their churches, and God-forbid, their pastors, for adopting the pagan traditions of Rome.It is a common practice for witches to draw circles in their ritualistic magic, and the following Wiccan author explains more details:The above author described this to help explain to his readers the foundation of protection magic in witchcraft, and the halo auras drawn around the "most devout spiritual leaders" are taken from pagan witchcraft. That's why you don't see any of that in the Bible. When Wiccans light candles to cast their spells, the fire forms a small halo of light, and this is said to represent their gods and goddesses, which is one of the reasons why the smoke from the candle is said to carry one's wishes to their pagan gods. (That's where the tradition of blowing out candles came from in the birthday celebrations.)Though many readers may not have seen witches draw magic circles in their spell casting, there is another place you have commonly seen the halo in witchcraft, although you may not have realized it. The following Wiccan author describes the "five pointed star... within a circle" and explains that this too is a protection circle that is commonly used by witches:When we see the Wiccan symbol of the five-pointed star, we often call it the "pentagram," but when it's encased in the circle, they call it the "pentacle," which is what the author was describing. That circular pattern is sacred to witches since it represents the shape of the sun and moon, is used in their "wheel of the year" (I talk more about that in our article " Christmas: The Rejection of Jesus "), and in many other symbols. Thus, the halo is purely demonic because it comes from the witchcraft that the Living God has called abomination, and worse still, churchgoers run around calling it a "Christian" symbol, or a symbol of angels.The so-called "angel wings" are also specifically condemned in the Bible. The typical "angel" is nearly always portrayed as a female with the wings of a stork, but as the angel of God told Zechariah, this is wickedness:

And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, This is wickedness . And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork : and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar : and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

-Zechariah 5:7-11

" Stork boosts protection spells , especially those intended for children. As a symbol of spring, include stork on your Ostara altar to celebrate the rebirth and renewal of nature . In addition, this bird supports transitions for any type of new beginning in your life... Additionally, stork can be called upon for help in contacting spirits ."

-Sandra Kynes, Bird Magic: Wisdom of the Ancient Goddess for Pagans & Wiccans, Llewellyn Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 9780738749310; Kynes has authored many books on witchcraft and is featured in various Wiccan publications.

(See Denise Zimmerman, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft, Penguin, 2006, p. 194, ISBN: 9781592575336; Zimmerman owns a Wiccan store in Maryland and has been featured as a Wiccan author in newspapers and magazines.)

The above Scripture was a vision given by the Lord God to Zechariah. In case readers don't understand, Shinar was the land of Nimrod and Babylon, which was the source of modern-day witchcraft. The two women were not angels, and they were transporting the wicked woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.We already demonstrated that the halo circle is used by witches for their protection spells, and they also believe that the stork boosts protection spells to make them stronger. In paganism, the stork is a symbol of fertility (which is also the origin of the stork-delivering-babies concept):The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft states directly that if a witch wants to convey fertility in spell-casting rituals, then he/she should use the symbol of the stork. This is why statues and paintings of fertility goddesses have often included stork wings on the back of a female; although due to the lewd nature of these depictions, I cannot publish images of them here.According to Scripture, cherubim and seraphim are said to have wings, but there are no angels mentioned that have wings at all. Thus, all the paintings made depicting angels having wings like a stork, or worse still, men becoming angels to have wings like a stork (because men do not become angels when they die), are not only fictional, but the design of them (halo & wings) was created by the Catholic Church, who took the concepts from paganism and witchcraft. (i.e. It's evil.)God warned Israel not to make images like the pagans because they would corrupt themselves:

Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure , the likeness of male or female,

-Deuteronomy 4:15-16

Jehoram angered the Lord in his sin, but he did not anger the Lord as much as his father because he put away the pagan images:

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father , and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made .

-2 Kings 3:1-2

It doesn't matter how much a church-goer wants to whine that his/her cross necklace, "Jesus fish," porcelain "angels," or any other such symbols are good things, the Word of God has called them, those who make and carry these images, vanity without profit:

They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit ; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

-Isaiah 44:9

One argument you may hear a church-goer use is that these symbols are not actually images because they're not statues, but when Jesus Christ pointed to the symbol on Caesar's coin, he said:

And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

-Matthew 22:20-21

So it's time to put away the excuses because God knows that an image is an image, no matter the canvas. The image of these so-called "Christian" symbols is not of God, but of devils, and the people who keep them honor those very devils. We do not honor God by creating images because that is pagan, but rather, we honor Him by studying His Word, living accordingly, and teaching others to do the same.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

-Romans 1:22-23

How much more clear does God need to be with us that we should not use these images as a representation of Him?Folks, it's not hard to do; just be rid of the images so we can live in righteousness according to the commandments of Christ.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

-1 Corinthians 12:1-2



But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols , and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

-Acts 15:20

(Read about False Converts in the Church Buildings here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

I can say this with confidence: If churchgoers have such a hard time giving up their cross symbols and porcelain angel statues in their home and church buildings, how much more difficult will it be for them to follow Christ when violent persecution comes to America? Food for thought.