KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, May 1, 2004: Saturday, May 01, 2004: This story in the Kansas City Star begins, “Show an empty cross to most Christians at Easter and their minds will go to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s a powerful symbol. But some American Indians may see a symbol similar to a cross and think of the spiritual meaning of the four directions. To Hindus, a cross shaped in the form of a swastika means peace. In pre-Christian Chinese tradition, a cross represented perfection. Because most religious symbols are often common objects, scholars say, they are often commonly shared across those traditions. But from faith to faith, the meaning of the symbols can be similar or quite different. Almost every religion has a symbol that resembles a cross, and it’s a perfect example of one symbol with multiple and even contradictory meanings.”
It goes on, “The swastika cross has been a symbol of peace used by Hindus for thousands of years during prayer and worship services, said Anand Bhattacharyya, a Hindu. But because it was used as a Nazi symbol, a lot of visitors to the Hindu temple are curious about its presence there, Bhattacharyya said. They have to explain that the word ‘swastika’ comes from the Sanskrit word for peace. This article goes on to discuss many aspects of religious symbols.”
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