What's The Big Deal With Skulls?

[drizzle]

Edit disclaimer: I am not a Goth

Whew! I couldn't handle a goth moderator! My tolerance only goes so far.

 

[Beamhead]

The skull crowd is much like those pathetic loser high school Goth brats who have black trench coats, black fingernails and black hair. They attempt to show how individual they are by dressing up just like all of the other folks who are showing how individual they are.

Wow, I am glad one generous CPFer liked my skull enough to create and present me with this INDIVIDUAL item.

I am quite surprised at how a silly little thing can cause such comments and feelings.

I have been called much worse than a pathetic loser but only by my wife.

LONG LIVE OZZIE!

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Note: A facination with skulls does not necessarily translate into GOTH. For you latecomers it should be noted that skulls have been on the scene millions of years before GOTH reared it's (really) ugly head. It's no big deal. I will confess, however, that I like skulls so much that I keep my brain in one.

Don't sweat the skulls -- in the 21st century there are thousands of things that threaten you far more than the thing you keep your brain in...unless you break into my house...that's entirely something else again...

 

[Samuel]

Note: A facination with skulls does not necessarily translate into GOTH. For you latecomers it should be noted that skulls have been on the scene millions of years before GOTH reared it's (really) ugly head. It's no big deal...

Ditto.

In about a minute, I can think of maybe half a dozen skull logos that have NOTHING to do with anything GOTH...

 

[Sturluson]

I don't remember anyone saying that skulls = Goths exclusively.

I do remember linking them to the medieval Catholic Church, the Mayans, the Aztecs, the Tibetans, the Nepalese, the 17th Lancers, and the 3rd Waffen-SS Division Totenkopf. And I left out a bunch. None of these connections implies exclusivity...

 

[The_LED_Museum]

First off let me say if you like skulls that's fine and you have the right to like anything you want. That said, what's up with the big proliferation of skulls in the last few years? I see skull lanyards and skull stuff everywhere even here on CPF...

The only times I've ever used a skull (other than Halloween) were on a computer intro page I wrote for BDS (Brain Damage Studios) in 1992. They wanted one or two rotating skulls on the screen along with their logo, scroll text, and music; and around 1986 or so, I had an illuminated skull dangling from the rear view mirror of my car.

Other than those two instances, I have no interest in skulls except near Halloween, when I use them for decorative purposes.

 

[d'mo]

As a Christian, I find skull images distasteful. My deepest concern is that some may use then to glorify the evil one. We're supposed to value life, not death.

I knew a guy whose wife was a medical student. She was given a real human skull buy a professor who offered it with the condition it could noy be returned. She placed on her desk for a week or so before she was begging the professor to give it back. He refused, so she donated it to her school's medical program.

I asked her why she wanted to part with it so badly. She said that initially, it was a novelty, but started thinking that it was once a human being with thougths and feelings. They had a mother and father, possibly children. They loved and breathed and laughed and sang and cried. Somehow, no matter what the circumstances were how this person's remains ended up on her desk, it seemed unfair to trivialize the life it represented.

Since hearing that, I've never viewed skulls the same again.

 

[Sturluson]

The Church - the only Christian Church there was at the time - popularized the skull and crossbones symbol in the Middle Ages. It has never, as far as I know, represented "the evil one", as you call him (shades of Harry Potter, here).

Memento Mori - to remember the dead. To remember that this mortal life is soon over, and that the eternal life to come must be found through.....I'll let a Christian theologian finish that one. But you get the point. There's no "evil one", Devil, Satan, Belzebub, Diablo, Teufel, or any other antichrist-type guy lurking around skulls.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

As a Christian, I find skull images distasteful. My deepest concern is that some may use then to glorify the evil one. We're supposed to value life, not death.

If your God created something that you find distasteful that is something that the two of you will have to work out. I'm glad that neurosurgeons are interested in skulls and I don't think that they value death above life. I fear no skull. My wife is the Christian and I really doubt that she is some 'death worshiper'.

The reality is that what has been will probably be again if we give it enough time. The sidewalks beneath our feet can't help but contain relics that would be sacred to someone if they could still speak. Earth is an old place and humans have been around for a long, long time. If we roped off every area with human remains there would be no room left for the living.

It doesn't mean that we worship the dead or that we have no respect for the dead. It only means that the unused vessels that have not been crushed into dust and mixed into the concrete beneath your feet still hold some interest for some. No less, no more.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

...no "evil one", Devil, Satan, Belzebub, Diablo, Teufel, or any other antichrist-type guy lurking around skulls.

You forgot to add Feklar - the Klingon devil figure. :green: :sick2: :green:

 

[xochi]

Skulls are skulls. Death is fascinating and taboo. I used to gather dead animal skulls and let the flesh rot then collect the bleached skull a year or so later. I just thought they were interesting. It is an amazing exercise to identify with the being that was the skull as a being that existed and has died, just as we will. The neat part is that there is so much death everywhere hidden that the realness of it terrifies us.

It's too bad people can't own skulls and such. I think it would be cool to have my skull handed down as an heirloom (when I'm finished with it thankyou) to be signed and decorated by future generations. Macabre and cool, hell, I wouldn't even mind if they used it in some evil glorifying ceremony so long as everyone was polite.

 

[TedTheLed]

<snipster>
...I think it would be cool to have my skull handed down as an heirloom (when I'm finished with it thankyou) to be signed and decorated by future generations. Macabre and cool, hell, I wouldn't even mind if they used it in some evil glorifying ceremony so long as everyone was polite.

of COURSE you won't mind, you won't mind about anything ! YOU'll BE DEAD, or have you forgotten already??

 

[Kiessling]

As a Christian, I find skull images distasteful.

I take it you have never been in those ancient churches and Cathedrals then ... 'cause there are skulls aplenty, and monsters, too ... put up by the Chruch itself.
The Church is even displaying "relics" ... the teeth and bones and skulls of ancient holy men ... in the open ... for everyone to be seen, to be worshipped.

bernhard

 

[xochi]

of COURSE you won't mind, you won't mind about anything ! YOU'll BE DEAD, or have you forgotten already??

Oh, Yeah! Thanks for the Memento Mori

 

[greenLED]

As a Christian, I find skull images distasteful. My deepest concern is that some may use then to glorify the evil one. We're supposed to value life, not death.

I knew a guy whose wife was a medical student. She was given a real human skull buy a professor who offered it with the condition it could noy be returned. ... Somehow, no matter what the circumstances were how this person's remains ended up on her desk, it seemed unfair to trivialize the life it represented.

Since hearing that, I've never viewed skulls the same again.

Life and death are part of God's creation. Why value one over the other. Don't Christians believe in eternal life? Why worry about death, then?

I think we're taking this thread too seriously. In my mind, the OP was talking about toy skulls in lanyards and such. How those novelty items relate to a former live person and evil worshipers escapes me. True, skulls may have many cultural meaning to some people, but for many others they're just novelty items.

 

[Beamhead]

I think we're taking this thread too seriously.

:goodjob:

 

[Datasaurusrex]

IThe Church is even displaying "relics" ... the teeth and bones and skulls of ancient holy men ... in the open ... for everyone to be seen, to be worshipped.

bernhard

That would be the Catholic church. IIRC there are different 'orders' of relics, 1st, 2nd, 3rd. 1st order relics are the bones of saints, 2nd order is an object that the saint owned, and 3rd order is something the saint touched but did not own.

I believe that every Catholic altar must have a relic held within it. I think that only 1st order relics (pieces of bone, hair, finger nails, etc.) qualify.

Personally I think that Christians who toss out the phrase "so called Christians" might be a little misguided and prejudiced, a little prone to unreasoning judgment/bias, but that's just my personal opinion

Wear a skull, heck shave your head and paint it blue, if you want to go ahead and dance under a full moon... None of that is my buisness

 

[CLHC]

Fascination with death. . .Speaking of skulls—How about those fellows that stole a 350 pound T-Rex skull from a museum? :huh:

 

[d'mo]

Wow, I apologize if I stirred anything up on this subject. I suppose I should clarify myself. I completely agree that skulls in themselves are part of God's creation, and are beautiful in their own way. What I find distasteful is how they are presented. I see most skull icons and, to me anyway, they seem to glorify death or, at the very least, seek to portray some kind of "toughness". It's just an opinion. I'm Sorry if I offended anyone.

 

[Topper]

What a thread I thought I did not have any "skull stuff" I was wrong, I have two swords that have skulls as pommels I just never really noticed. One of my pals at work has the Skull and crossed bones Tatooed on his right forearm to help balance out the Rebel flag on his Bicep
I honestly have never given alot of thought about it however I do understand most of the points (both PRO and CON) and respectfully will stay slap dab in the middle. If you like or dislike skulls; I am happy for you.(humming the "Why Can't We Be Friends" song)
Topper