Christianity and Hinduism in "Charmed"
Whitelighters and Angels
Whitelighters are protectors of good witches. They are also referred to as guardian angels. This may be due to the fact that that they have the ability called “orbing” as well as the capacity to heal any Good being. Orbing is how whitelighters travel. They come and go in a series of white lights. They are also like angels because they orb up into the sky when they leave (as if they are going to heaven). The whitelighter headquarters (as I like to call it) is referred to as “up there”. When Leo and Piper go “up there” to see the Elders (a select group of leaders of the whitelighters) the scene is white and seems to be up in the clouds and everyone present is wearing white robes. There is an apparently obvious element of Christianity shown here. “Up there” seems to be a lot like Heaven and the whitelighters, Angels.
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The video to the left is of an episode of "Charmed". Watch from 35:10 to 36:08 to see Leo, the Charmed One's whitelighter, heal a wounded man. Doesn't this scene seem a little heavenly? |
The Source (of all Evil) and the Devil
The Source is the leader of all evil beings. He lives underground with many other evil beings. He is very powerful and is at the very top of the demonic hierarchy. His life goal is to extinguish all that is good so that one day all evil beings can live on the surface and roam freely in a world dominated by Evil. For as long as can be remembered the surface of the Earth has been claimed for the forces of Good. The Source aims to change this in Evil’s favour. One could compare him to Christianity’s Satan, a.k.a. the Devil. Satan is also a force of Evil whose sole intent is to tempt those who are Good to become Evil like him. Furthermore, Satan and the Source are leaders of their domain: the Underworld.
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Triquetra and the Trinity
The Triquetra is a very interesting symbol used in the “Charmed” series. It is the symbol of the Charmed Ones, and is on the cover of their Book of Shadows. In the T.V. show, the Triquetra’s three rings represent the three sisters prophesized by Melinda Warren to be the most powerful Good witches of all time; protectors of the innocent. The circle that connects the three rings together represents the bond that is shared by the Charmed Ones and how vital this connection is. If the sisters use their powers against each other, this bond is severed and the sisters lose their powers until it can be restored. In Wicca, the Triquetra’s three rings represent the three stages of a woman’s life: maiden, mother and crone. In Christianity, the Triquetra is known as a Trinity knot. The Holy Trinity is the belief that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all the same entity. As one can see, this symbol is important in the T.V. series, in Wicca and in Christianity.
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Pentagram/Pentacle
The Pentagram is a symbol that resembles that of a star. In Christianity, its five points represent the five wounds of Christ: one on each hand, one on each foot and one on His side. In Wicca, the Pentagram is used during many different kinds of rituals. The five points represent the four seasons (winter, spring, summer, and autumn) and the Goddess, who rules over them all.
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The Cross
Shakti and Shiva
Piper and Leo attended a friend’s Hindu wedding. During the ceremony, Shakti and Shiva were invoked and asked to bless the marriage. The spirits of Shakti and Shiva came down and took over the bodies of Piper and Leo, respectfully. According to the Book of Shadows, Shakti is the Hindu Goddess of Creation and Shiva is the Hindu God of Destruction. They are often called upon at weddings due to the fact that they are considered to be the ultimate lovers. In the beginning, Shakti and Shiva created all things. They will also destroy the universe if they ever consummate their love again. Therefore, the other sisters, Phoebe and Paige, tried their best to make sure that Leo and Piper were never left alone together until they could figure out a way to rid their bodies of their uninvited guests. These facts about Shakti and Shiva are true not only in the T.V. show but also in Hinduism.
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This video to the right is of the episode where Piper and Leo have their bodies taken over by Shakti and Shiva. The voices are a bit squeaky (in order to avoid copyright infringement) but its a great video just the same. Watch from 18:18 to 20:02. |
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