Is it just a coincidence?
 

This has been bothering me for a while. Is it just a coincidence that the Manji and the Swastika look so much alike, or was the Manji copied by the Nazis?

It's originally a Buddhist symbol, so the Swastika was based off that design.

Don't they teach you that in scool?

not here they didnt-.- only the intellectual's know-.- so not many

Not my school. The manji is buddist and my school isn't allowed to teach religion. We only have extracurricular activities and im not involved with any of those.

What kinda pinko commie liberal school is that? Forcing religion on your students is not the same as teaching them about it. Religion is a big player in present times and in history. I feel sorry for y'all

Anyway yes, the Nazis lifted the Swastika from countless other religions that used it before. Hitler was a genius when it came to propaganda and symbols - and we all know what happened when he was rejected from art school :D The SS lightning bolts were originally a Viking rune. If I'm not mistaken, the SS guys were trying to bring back some kind of pagan religion where they'd all become gods.

Very funny, guvnah. I've never heard of an American school that wasn't allowed to even teach religion.

Yea I don't like my school. In fact I dropped out, but I went back because I got bored.

The general sympbol for manji 卍 points the opposite way as the swastika, but the other way is also used.