Pentagrams/cles and Other Meanings

I was thinking the other day about my pentacle, and how I could better explain why I wear it. We are moving to a new town in a couple of weeks and will be closer to friends we haven't seen in a few years. I usually wear my pentacle whereever I go, and have never given it a second thought, mainly because the friends we have here don't really care or aren't really religious. But when I move, we will live closer to more Christian friends, and I'm not sure how informed they are (on their side) about the pentacle/gram.

I know it's a common occurance for many Christians to view the pentacle/gram as a symbol of devil worship or satan, but lucky me, I have yet to encounter this type of ignorance. But what'll happen IF I encounter such ignorance, perhaps from my very friends who don't know I'm a Witch? It's quite simple...

Question: Are you a Wiccan? Is that not a symbol of Wiccans?

Answer: No. I am somewhat on a Pagan path. I use this symbol to represent many things I believe. Because of my native heritage, I still carry a number of the beliefs and have adhered them to my symbol.

The pentagram holds five points. The four lower points represent the four earthly elements: Earth, Air, Fire Water; elements we cannot live without. We need earth on which to live and to grow our food, we need Air to breathe, we need Water to drink and replenish our fluids, and we need fire to keep warm.

The four lower points also represent the four directions of North, East, South and West; they are also representative of the four nations: The Caucasian, African, Orients and Natives; as well, the four lower points represent the four seasons.

But whatever the four lower points represent, the fifth and topmost point represents the Spirit, or God/Deity. The spirit representation says that spirit rules over all earthly things. That God is the highest power.

The circle that surrounds the pentagram is representative of the cyclical nature of the universe. Everything has a cycle: The cycle of life (birth, growth, death, rebirth); the cycles of the seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn); the lunar cycles that govern the tides of the earth, etc.

Question: I have always been taught that the star is representative of the devil, for he is the fallen star (or angel)

Answer: It makes no sense for anyone to believe a star to be evil, particularly ones of the Christian faith, for evidence has shown (and continues to this day) that the pentagram was used in the early Christian faith. Many ancient churches of Europe still carry the pentagram. Stars have been used in the Christian faith for centuries. Why, Jesus Christ was born under a bright star; The star's five points were used as representations of the five wounds of Christ. So for a Christian to fear a star is hypocritical, as their very faith makes use of stars as various representations of faith.

The star is merely a symbol, and symbols are what we make them. They carry no inherent power of their own, they're just things, until we place "intentions" into them. Like a lucky rabbits foot. It's not really lucky until we say it is, and carry it around with us; an amulet of protection. Christians believe their crusifixes are protective in nature and symbolic of their faiths, so too the pentagram is a symbol of protection and of faith.