Please, please, PLEASE share this. I am so tired of my religion being trampled, appropriated, and oppressed. I need people to know about this.
A TLDR; They have stolen our sacred goddess and perverted her meaning, and at the same time stolen the original work of an artist.
(The above photo is of an earring, and that’s why the shape is less refined.)
I am deeply upset by this, it is so infuriating, degrading, demonizing, disrespectful, and callous.
Oberon Zell is a well known artist in the pagan community. He’s part of the neo-pagan goddess movement, and has contributed to our classic modern depictions of the goddess. He designed Astra in the 1980′s.
As you can see, this is clearly his design. Although he draws influence from the Nile goddess silhouette and possible depictions of a lunar Madonna, his design is unique and original. It is inspired by ancient goddess statues, BUT IT IS HIS OWN WORK OF ART!
FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT, let’s say its a simple design and they came up with it on their own, inspired by neo-pagan lunar goddesses and the Nile goddess. They still chose a modern pagan symbol of female empowerment to use for a cult based on Christianity’s female oppression. I truly feel like this is similar to nazi’s appropriating the swastika from the Hindu religion. They have used us. They have re-defined our symbol as disgusting and oppressive, they have stolen our sacred goddess and perverted her meaning. If I wear his pin, people will think of the Handmaid’s tale TV show, and think it’s a reference.
I DO NOT CARE if they meant for it to be ironic and sad that there is a contradiction between the meaning of the symbol and the group it represents, they do so at the expense of our dignity. A better symbol would be the famous silhouette of the virgin Mary, the ultimate example of dutiful motherhood with dubious consent. (Example: https://goo.gl/images/74aLsF). People will clearly understand its other meaning, so it wont destroy its religious significance. They can even do a stylized version to make the show’s version recognizable. And, the whole point of the red center (as I understand) is a portrayal of Christian extremism. Don’t they use ‘bible’ verses to subjugate the women? No christian organization would be willing to use a pagan goddess, because “satanism.” (Their bigotry has perverted the meaning of the pentagram already).
I have to suck it up when shows use a pentagram for an evil symbol or talk about some demon “SamHain”, but I can not stand the appropriation of the new designs we create ourselves. This is erasure and delegitimization of pagan religions.
I’m going to keep bosting this
Can we seriously fucking stop stealing Pagan symbology and using it for bullshit?? Between this and the IRL fascist babies stealing Heathenry symbols it’s getting asinine. Stop taking our shit and forcing the association with racist, sexist, bigots!
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