and one could mention that the Mogen David is in use in Vedic India centuries, if not millennia, before it appears in Judaism. The red star might be confused with being Indian at that. The Red Cross obviously has its roots, though innocently perhaps, in Christian symbolism, and one can understand the Muslim resistance to its use, particularly in relation to the Crusades, which by definition were designed to impose the Cross on subject peoples. There have been Crescentades as well. There have not been forced obedience to the religions of the Hindu or the Buddhist, or the Taoist, though perhaps in some ways to the Confucian. It's mostly 'eople of the Book' who feel compelled to imnpose thier will and thier religion on others, by force if necessary. I'll never understand how anyone with a brain and some free time to think about things can actually believe in the god of the old testament, and by extension, the new either, and by extension any so called prophet of that god. The Jews in ancient times worshipped goddesses, and other gods, came to the one god idea rather late, not ab origine as many would have us believe. An all powerful creator demands obedience from his creatures, and curses them to eternal damnation, but is dissuaded by the blood sacrifice of his son? Yes, there was a tradition of blood sacrifice in many ancient religions, the Greek, the Hindu, etc. It is still accepted in Islam and in some Orthodox Christian rites. Primitive. and not to knock the primitive, I think there is something to sympathetic magic. But belief in this god and a promised afterlife? Pie in the sky when you die. Bon apetit. and how many more innocent people must die horrible deaths in the name of this god? I mean, hundreds, thousands of 'martyrs suffered much more than three hours hanging on a cross. Mere humans even recreate the experience every Easter and are not too much the worse for wear. I don't question anyones RIGHT to believe in Santa Claus or whatever they like, but when it threatens the existence of all life on this planet, and some so called religious people develop very late in thier doctrine ideas of Eschatology, and Armageddon, and the Second Coming, it's time to say that's okay for you, but we won't cooperate with your god's plan. Peace to all, may all beings be enlightened.