The Maltese Cross. What's the Deal?

As of late, a very old, and very honored symbol has been usurped once again by a group of people who have forgotten the history of its symbolism. I speak specifically of the Cross Formee, Cross Pattee, the Iron Cross, or in some circles, the Teutonic Cross. Many uninformed call this cross the Maltese Cross, and it is currently one of the hottest symbols of the fashion world, right next to the Nike "Swoosh" or the Izod Alligator! (bet you forgot that one!) The Orange County Choppers are using it as their symbol, hate groups sometimes use it as their symbol, and fashion designers use it whenever they can. (Why? Because it is neatest and strongest looking of all Cross symbols!)

Being a lover of history, especially Western European history, and having a special affection for the Cross Formee, I am going to educate anyone who is interested, in the history of said symbol.

The cross design is first and foremost, the symbol adopted by Christians to remind them of Christ's death on a crucifixtion cross, and an empty cross symbolizes his ressurection. The simplest of cross designs is the Greek Cross. Simply two broad lines crossed at the center. During the first Crusade, the Hospitaller's used this symbol as their own but adjusted it to make the crossing lines angle ever so slightly wider, or flared out toward the ends. This is the beginning of the development of the Cross Formee. The Teutonic knights, not to be outdone, or confused with the Hospitallers, used the same design but instead used the Greek Cross and made the ends flare drastically at the ends. Now is seems only a step away from what we see today as the "Maltese Cross", bringing these two symbols together and getting the current version of the Formee/Pattee cross. However, the true Maltese cross has a very strict definition. "A cross made from four straight lined pointed arrowheads, meeting at their points, with the ends of the arms consisting of indented 'V's." Simply, the ends are not flat. To see one, simply look at the cross on any fire truck in the USA and you will see what I mean.

The Cross Formee, Pattee, or Iron cross you see now adays, is much different and indeed not the Maltese cross. It's finished form was very popular in the Middle Ages, but was probably most identifiable from its use in Germany. It was in March 1813, during the War of Liberation against Napolean, that King Fredrich Wilhelm III issued what is called the Prussian Iron Cross. It was awarded to anyone, of any nation, of any level of society, for acts of heroism, bravery, or leadership skill. It was again used and issued in 1870 for the Franco-Prussion War and for World War I

However, it was in 1939, (and here we get into it's first usurpation, and connotations of being "sinister") that Hitler issued the Iron Cross for bravery and valor, but this time with a Swastika imprinted on it's front. (Oddly enough, the Swastika, or Fylfot Cross has under gone the same transformation as the Formee/Pattee cross, but it never recovered it's image)

The Iron Cross was outlawed in 1945, but re-introduced in 1957 by Germany and still used today as the symbol of it's army, much like the white star on US army vehicles.

Some hate groups still use the Iron Cross image in some of their stuff, but they are losing it to the Motorcycle and fashion world. (Hurray for motorcyclists and fashionistas!)

And here we find the irony in the Iron Cross. It is called the Maltese Cross, which it is not. It is sometimes seen, (by the uninformed) as a symbol of evil, which it is not. It is however, in the end a Christian symbol, used often by military organizations in Christian Nations, as a symbol to evoke the idea of a noble Christian ideal. However, people forget the past and use symbols for what ever purpose they desire.

Now that you know more than you ever wished to know about the Formee or Pattee cross, you might ask why did I take all this time to write this. Simply because history is important to me and I want others to understand it correctly. I hate it when historical information gets changed to meet a current trend or politically correct ideal. And because I take the Formee cross as my own personal symbol, mainly for the original meaning, and I want people to know it for what it is, not what the fashion industry wants it to be. Thanks!

Later!

For more information, take a look at http://netpages.free-online.co.uk/gms/sinister.htm
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The following information on crosses was taken from http://www.likeacat.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=17 , a jewelery site, oddly enough.

Their information reflected what I have found and was the most concise, so I decided to post it here. They have alot of information on different types of crosses along with images of the actual crosses on their website.

"Wotan's Cross reflects similar symbolism, with the cross and circle as a symbol of cosmic union. The circle also stood for the earth horizon, with the four directions meeting at the center. It was also called the Sun Cross for the sun (cross) embraced by heaven (circle). The often repeated symbolism is that of a diety in the middle of a four-way heaven.

Cross Patee was popular in medieval heraldry. It was a combination of the Christian (Greek) cross and Wotan's. This cross, also known as Cross Formee, was often shown as the insignia of the god Frey.

A similar appearing cross is the Maltese Cross, originallly from the island of Malta, home of one of the world's oldest Goddess temples. This design directs attention to the center, possibly to indicate earth's geographical center, omphalos, and site of the Goddess's chief temple."

A BAD feeling

This is a totally "for what it's worth" entry. I am putting this out only because I feel I will need to refer back to it later. I have a feeling something BAD is going to happen. I have had this feeling since the beginning of the year and it has only gotten stronger. I don't know what, how, who, or why this bad something is going to happen, but I just do. It might be on a personal level, or on a larger scale, but in some way I think it will effect me in some way greatly.

So there, now at least I can say, I told you so... I hope I am wrong.


Later!

Back to the Hunt!!!

Okay, so I have not fulfilled my resolution to get a new motorcycle before spring. Oh well, good things come to those who wait. The bike I had my eye on for the last 8 MONTHS (Honda VTX 1800c) got sold... So I am back to hunting for another bike. So far, from what I can tell, I missed the deal of the year when this bike got sold. It really was under priced. The guy selling it though was a jerk, so I guess that makes up for some of the pain of missing out on it.

I have been furiously trying to save up money so any money borrowed from a financial institution is at a minimum. I have sold alot of things that a year ago I would not have considered. However, now, with a real desire in my sights, some of these other things are just not as important anymore. I think that when I do find a bike at the end of this hunt, I will call it "Sacrifice."

Do I need this bike? No, probably not. Lord knows I can divert my money towards other things like bills and retirement, but who wants to be like the TV commercial where the guy buys siding instead of a Harley. Then again, if I had enough money to buy a Harley, I could get a Honda and siding at the same time!!!

Keeping the eye on the prize...
It will happen. I just don't know when. (hopefully soon)

later...

Deja Vu over and over, or Hey, ya want some big ass speakers?!?!

Many, many years ago when I first moved to the Champaign area, one of my first recollections that I was not in small town Illinois anymore, was when I was driving back from my job and I turned towards my apartment on a street that was pretty much traffic free. However, at this particular time, there was this large white van with two guys in it. Both looked to be college aged guys, maybe a bit older, but your average guys. Anyway, I pull up to the stop sign at the same time they do and they start waving at me and yelling out the window. Nothing agressive or anything like that, but enough to get my attention and pull up to them. Now, I know that I probably was the poster child for the freshed faced rural kid, recently relocated to the urban jungle but I thought that they were trying to tell me I had a flat tire or something like that. I pulled over, asked what was up, and they proceeded to give me the highest pressure sales pitch I had ever experienced up to that time. They wanted to sell me some "really big ass speakers" for my sound system at home. They went on and on about how good they were, how loud they were and how cheap they were. (They would never be cheap enough, because at the time, I could barely pay for food!) Anyway, they acted like I was the only guy left in the world they could sell to, but I held out and we parted ways. This was like twenty years ago. I was a bit rattled by the whole thing. Someone stopping me on the street to buy something? The presentation looked a bit like a the guys were try to fence stolen speakers! Why me? Did I look gullible enough to buy them, or were thye just looking for the typical student who thinks that his coolness is measured in the decible volume his stereo can produce? I don't know but it always stuck with me.

Then it happened again. Probably about 10 years ago. Near campus while I was parking the car near the WILL building. No one else was in the parking lot, and I was walking alone on the sidewalk. Deja vu all over again! It was a big white van with two guys, (again typical college guy look) selling some really big, cool, cheap speakers! Being 10 years older and far more wise to the con artists that inhabit the urban jungle which I had aclimated myself to, (yeah, right!) I was able to refused them yet again! They tried desperately once again to convince me I needed those speakers but I shut them down. I told them I had a meeting inside and had to go. I had foiled their plans for easy money...

Okay, now fast forward 10 more years, to yesterday! I'll be damned if while walking out of my office door to get something from my truck, if another big white van, with two typical looking college guys in it didn't drive out of the alley. One of the guys leans out the window, and yells at me, (once again there is no one else around....) "Hey, Dude!" "You want some really cheap, big ass speakers?"(yes, the same wording as twenty years ago! Couldn't they come up with something new?) "They are right here in the van!"

What the hell???!!! Are they on some demonic mission to seek me out every ten years or so, and see if I have finally broken down and decided I cannot live without these big ass speakers!?!? Or do I still give everyone the impression that I am some college student who thinks having a really cool sound system is important? (Okay, don't answer that!)

It was just really weird. I told them "No." very firmly. However, this time they tried to trip me up. They asked if I wanted a job for a couple of days. I was not fooled. I knew their evil plan. Again, I said "No." Then they asked me if I knew of anyone who needed a job. This one confused me a bit. Had they finally worked up to retirement and were now looking for new drivers for the white van to track me down for the next twenty years? I told them "No." again but with some reluctance.

After all, after twenty years of following me around without a single sale, they probably deserved a chance to try something new....

I definately know that coincidence is real and God has a sense of humor!

Later!

From Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts...being a kid again.

Yesterday eve, my son graduated, or "crossed-over" as you will, into the local Boy Scout Troop from Cub Scouts. I have been the Cub Master or a leader in some sense of our local group now for almost 5 years now. I have spent almost every event, every den meeting, and every campout with him and a group of boys from his den over that time, and have grown to know, love and care about these boys. In many ways, I think of them as my boys and feel I have a vested interest in their development and success in life. Over these years, which in reality is only a small portion of the time they will be on this earth, I hope that all that we have done together will make some sort of difference for them and help them become good people. I especially hope this for my son. I have tried to be the best scout leader I can for them and hope I have succeeded. In many ways, my experience in Cub Scouting and now soon, in Boy Scouting, is as much for me as it is for my son or the other boys.
As a kid, I only participated in Cub Scouts for a short time. The organization was very small, poorly developed and my parents, in all honesty, probably didn't think it was all that important. So I never really did anything in Cub Scouts other than a Derby or two and can't even remember what rank I earned. So now, I am reliving, or better yet, getting another chance to be a Cub Scout as a kid in his 30's. Soon I will get another chance to be a Boy Scout, but this time I get to do it some of my good friends, who just happen to be about 30 years younger than me. I feel some of the same excitement, the same tension, and the same thrill that these boys do when they are doing scout activities. Yeah, I have an advantage of 30 years of life experience to fall back on, but when I am doing these things with them, I honestly feel like I am 10 years old again.
My wife likes to say that I am just one of the kids she has to take care of, and she is probably right. (Without her, I think I would be a rather immature mess.) Maybe that is why I enjoy the scouting activities so much and connect so well with these boys. I am just a big kid and they know it. Yeah, I gotta be the adult sometime, but I like it much better when I get to be the kid along with them.
When I was putting my son's little blue Cub Scout shirt away today, I got a little nostalgic, a little emotional, and maybe a little sad, because in that shirt, that shirt that was way to big to begin with but is now just starting to fit my son properly, there is almost 5 years of experiences, activities, fun, disappointments, acheivements, friendships, and life in it. As I held it, I was over whelmed with the amount of life that went into that shirt. It is merely a shirt, but in it resides a multitude of memories for me and I hope that the same holds true for my son and for the other boys in his den. If not now, maybe someday in the future when he and they find these dusty little shirts in a box of other things, they will remember what they did in those shirts. And hopefully they will remember me too. I hope so. I makes me feel good to think that 20-30 years down the line they might remember me doing things with them and make them smile. Maybe they will even look me up and give me a call.
My son and these other boys are growing up, and I am growing up all over again right along with them. I do hope that as they become young men and adults, I can teach them to remember that while we must all grow older, none of us has to really, ever, truly grow up.