Religion and the star of life.

Pittsburgh Proud

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Question for those that might know the bible better than I.
The very first ems job I worked when I was 16 was for a born again Christian and on the arm patch of our uniforms was two quotes from the bible regarding where the snake and staff came from.
I want to say John something was one but I’d love to know what the two were. I tried tracking the guy down but they have been long out of business.
Back then I looked it up and read about it and have to say it was an interesting read.
 

lcope

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Question for those that might know the bible better than I.
The very first ems job I worked when I was 16 was for a born again Christian and on the arm patch of our uniforms was two quotes from the bible regarding where the snake and staff came from.
I want to say John something was one but I’d love to know what the two were. I tried tracking the guy down but they have been long out of business.
Back then I looked it up and read about it and have to say it was an interesting read.

Was it this verse?

Numbers 21:4-9 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
 

paramedix

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I have never looked at the SOL like that before. I didnt even really thought at had a much wider meaning to it.

Thanx Pittsburgh Proud... excellent post...
 

Ridryder911

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Actually the Star of Life serpent has NO association with any religion.

..."The Star of Life is the symbol representing Emergency Medical Technicians. Both the American Medical Association and the Advisory Council within the Department of Health and Human Services encourage this symbols use. The symbol's six-barred cross represents the six-system function of the EMS: Detection; Reporting; Response; On Scene Care; Care in Transit; Transfer to Definitive Care. The staff in the center of the symbol represents medicine and healing. According to Greek mythology, the staff belonged to Asclepius, the son of Apollo (god of light, truth, and prophecy). Asclepius supposedly learned the art of healing from the Centaur Cheiron. But he elicited the wrath of the god Zeus when he started resurrecting people from the dead. Fearful that Asclepius' knowledge might render mankind immortal; Zeus slew Asclepius with a thunderbolt. Eventually Zeus restored Asclepius to life, making him a god. Asclepius is usually shown in a standing position, dressed in a long cloak and holding a staff with a curative serpent coiled around it, an image that Zeus later set among the starts. Worshippers used to sleep in Asclepius' temples in the belief that Asclepius cured the sick during their dreams".....
 

lcope

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Why not go straight to the source for an answer? :)

Check out more info on the Star of Life at http://www.ems.gov/.

Click on "Star of Life Manual" at the bottom right of the page. Page 4 references Asclepius, the god of medicine, from Greek mythology as well as Moses of the Bible.
 

seanm028

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Actually the Star of Life serpent has NO association with any religion.

It may not be associated with religion anymore, but it certainly was derived from religion and therefore has a historical association. You can believe that the staff and snake came from Moses in the Old Testament or from Asclepius in Greek Mythology; either way, it's religion based.
 

Ridryder911

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It may not be associated with religion anymore, but it certainly was derived from religion and therefore has a historical association. You can believe that the staff and snake came from Moses in the Old Testament or from Asclepius in Greek Mythology; either way, it's religion based.

I agree, but it religion was not considered for the symbol.

R/r 911
 

Jon

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It may not be associated with religion anymore, but it certainly was derived from religion and therefore has a historical association. You can believe that the staff and snake came from Moses in the Old Testament or from Asclepius in Greek Mythology; either way, it's religion based.
I agree, but it religion was not considered for the symbol.

R/r 911
Almost...the snake/staff combo has been associated with physicians for so many years, so it was natural to include it in the symbol for EMS.

However.. I believe that the Rod of Aesculapius is deeply rooted in religion... but is it greek mythoogy, the Judeo/Christian bible, or something else? Or is it both? Or are they one and the same?
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Asclepius
 
OP
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Pittsburgh Proud

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Was it this verse?

Numbers 21:4-9 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.


Heck it has been almost 25 years ago , this sounds right but there where defiantly two verses. This sure sound like the one.

I have never looked at the SOL like that before. I didnt even really thought at had a much wider meaning to it.

Thanx Pittsburgh Proud... excellent post...
Interesting relatively save religious type of topic to talk about, It was cool to read and hear about back then.

Actually the Star of Life serpent has NO association with any religion.

..."The Star of Life is the symbol representing Emergency Medical Technicians. Both the American Medical Association and the Advisory Council within the Department of Health and Human Services encourage this symbols use. The symbol's six-barred cross represents the six-system function of the EMS: Detection; Reporting; Response; On Scene Care; Care in Transit; Transfer to Definitive Care. The staff in the center of the symbol represents medicine and healing. According to Greek mythology, the staff belonged to Asclepius, the son of Apollo (god of light, truth, and prophecy). Asclepius supposedly learned the art of healing from the Centaur Cheiron. But he elicited the wrath of the god Zeus when he started resurrecting people from the dead. Fearful that Asclepius' knowledge might render mankind immortal; Zeus slew Asclepius with a thunderbolt. Eventually Zeus restored Asclepius to life, making him a god. Asclepius is usually shown in a standing position, dressed in a long cloak and holding a staff with a curative serpent coiled around it, an image that Zeus later set among the starts. Worshippers used to sleep in Asclepius' temples in the belief that Asclepius cured the sick during their dreams".....
Now this was interesting to hear, this one I have never heard about. Thanks for sharing that aspect or that side to think about.
 
OP
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Pittsburgh Proud

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Why not go straight to the source for an answer? :)

Check out more info on the Star of Life at http://www.ems.gov/.

Click on "Star of Life Manual" at the bottom right of the page. Page 4 references Asclepius, the god of medicine, from Greek mythology as well as Moses of the Bible.

Cool link, thanks... B) Apparently there could be two story's to this. :rolleyes:
 

JPINFV

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Actually the Star of Life serpent has NO association with any religion.

..." According to Greek mythology, the staff belonged to Asclepius, the son of Apollo (god of light, truth, and prophecy). ".....

Greek mythology isn't a religion? It has a lot of the same properties that modern religions contain [creation story, gods, supernatural beings, miracles, etc], or is this more of a mythology [once mainstream, but no longer] vs cult [never was/not is mainstream] vs established religion [Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, etc] distinction?
 
OP
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The other verse just might be Numbers 21: 4 to 9


The Bronze Snake


4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, [c] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.



The guy I worked for had these verses (two of them) on each side of the company arm patch.
 
OP
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The other verse just might be Numbers 21: 4 to 9


The Bronze Snake


4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, [c] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.


The guy I worked for had these verses (two of them) on each side of the company arm patch.

Darn grabbed the same one......Phooey
 
OP
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:p Just found this.... B)
 

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wolfwyndd

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Greek mythology predates Christianity by . . . . oh, at least several hundred years. So while the bible verses my be applied to the Star of Life, it's not the origin.
 

JPINFV

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Greek mythology predates Christianity by . . . . oh, at least several hundred years. So while the bible verses my be applied to the Star of Life, it's not the origin.

Well, to be honest, Exodus itself predates Christianity with the events being considered by historians to have happened sometime between 1580 BC to 1215 BC while Greek Mythology is from 900-800 BC.* So it could very well be the original source.

Date for sources are from Wikipedia. Exodus dates are directly referenced whereas the Greek Mythology is considered a "featured article," which by criteria, is properly sourced and well written.
 

BossyCow

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I'm all for keeping religion out of EMS

but very interesting thread!

A religious person is going to incorporate that religion into what they do, be it wash the dog or work in EMS. It's a personal thing.
 
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