What Do The “COEXIST” Bumper Stickers Mean? (Explained)

Bumper stickers transmit a wide range of messages and information to other road users. They have different themes that include political, religious, or humorous messages whose target audience is other vehicle occupants.

You may have seen the “COEXIST” bumper stickers on the rear of vehicles, perhaps you wondered what the text and images on the adhesive are trying to convey.

If your response is in concordance with the previous statement, then you are in luck, because we will be looking into the meaning of the “COEXIST” bumper stickers.

Here’s the Answer to What the Coexist Bumper Stickers Mean:

The coexist bumper stickers are intended to spread a message of peace among humans irrespective of their race, religion, or gender. This seems straightforward but noble, and the coexist symbol has been around for a long time.

Thankfully, many people recognize it as a great symbol of global unity.

Where Did the Coexist Symbol Originate From?

The COEXIST symbol is the idea and concept of a Polish graphic designer by the name, of Piotr Mlodozeniec based in Warsaw, Poland.

However, the concept was first displayed at the Museum on the Seam in Jerusalem in the year 2001. See also what the numbers on bumper stickers mean.

What Does It Mean Today When Used on Cars?

The COEXIST bumper stickers began gaining popularity in the early 2000s in the United States.

The reason behind this was fundamental, because of the US military overt presence in Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of the 2001 September 11 attacks.

The COEXIST bumper stickers when used on cars today, subliminally appeals to the hearts and minds of motorists and other road users for the need for peaceful coexistence.

The COEXIST sticker is a way of reminding and enlightening people more that humans must strive to live in peace with one another in order to achieve global harmony.

The sticker denotes the capability and yearning of all humans, regardless of religion, race, or gender to coexist in neutrality and friendship.

The blue stickers aim at fostering tolerance among all races and condemn the actions of any form of discrimination.

Therefore, anytime you come across a car with the COEXIST bumper sticker, you should know that it is a mild form of awareness for humanity to live and let live.

Is the Coexist Bumper Sticker Gaining or Losing Popularity?

In order to answer the question without bias, one must have a good appraisal of the content of the bumper sticker.

Also, you must be able to discern the varying perspectives of different people and their level of acceptance or otherwise of the COEXIST bumper stickers.

With that said, it is no news that the fundamental purpose of the COEXIST bumper sticker is the promotion of love and unity.

However, some religious organizations have either suggested or unequivocally asserted that the “COEXIST” logo and what it is presumed to symbolize are not synced.

There have also been a lot of disparate perceptions and interpretations concerning the concept of the COEXIST bumper sticker.

At this juncture, it would seem quite rash to submit in favor or against the popularity of the COEXIST bumper sticker.

But one thing is a fact, the COEXIST bumper sticker enjoys a supportive fan base on the one hand, and it suffers opposition on another.

Nevertheless, from the information available online, the COEXIST bumper sticker is not winning in the game of popularity.

See also, what does the fish bumper sticker mean?

What Does Each Symbol in the Name Mean?

The alphabet in the word COEXIST was initially altered and modified to represent basically the world’s major religions.

These letters were assigned one symbol each to epitomize one distinct religion. Here, we will delve into the meaning of each alphabet-turned symbol and what they symbolize.

Before going into details of the meaning of each symbol in the name COEXIST, it is pertinent to note that after the original prototype, other contrasting versions and parodies alike have surfaced.

However, the original version spelled the word “COEXIST” in capital letters. Out of the 7 letters, only 3 were symbolized.

The first letter, “C” was ousted and replaced with an oversized Muslim Crescent, while the next letters “O” and “E” were left unchanged.

The fourth letter of the word, “X” was expelled and an oversized Star of David took its spot. In a similar vein, the next two letters after “X”, which are “I” and “S” were also untouched.

The last letter, “T” was changed to equally an oversized Latin Cross. But the original version did not last long enough as other variations began to emerge.

The most rampant, prevalent, and generally accepted version continued with the Muslim Crescent for the “C”. This time the “O” was replaced by a Peace sign, and the Hindu OM symbol stood in place of the letter “E”.

The Star of David maintained its “X” spot, while a pentacle replaced the dot in the “I”. The letter “S” was transformed into the Yin and Yang symbol, and the oversized Latin Cross remained intact representing the last letter “T”.

The idea behind the symbols in the COEXIST bumper sticker was to be sure that some significant religions that dominate most regions of the world were appropriately represented.

The large Muslim Crescent represents the lunar phase in the first quarter, and sometimes the moon itself. Also, the Peace symbol, is a lithograph a dove, seeing that the dove is a globally accepted symbol of peace.

The “E” is symbolized OM, which is one of the most significant spiritual sounds in Hinduism.

The bold Star of David that covers the “X” is the generally known and accepted symbol for Jews and adherents of Judaism. A pentacle symbolizes a talisman, a fetish object used to conjure spirits represents the dot in the “I”.

The yin-yang symbol stands in the place of the letter “S”. The large Cross takes the “T” spot and is a symbol of Christianity.

How Is It Different From the TOLERANCE Stickers?

The COEXIST bumper sticker and the TOLERANCE bumper sticker are not so different from one another.

They both seek the peaceful cohabitation of all humans, disregarding religion, identity, beliefs, and all other forms of segregation.

Although the COEXIST bumper sticker and the TOLERANCE bumper sticker share almost identical ideologies and visions, they slightly differ in their arrangement and presentation of symbols.

It is worth of note that both bumper stickers represent well-known religions of the world.

Since the word TOLERANCE is longer than the word COEXIST, the former adopted some symbols from the latter.

They borrowed symbols are, the Christian Cross, the universal peace symbol, the Jewish Star of David, and the Crescent moon symbol of Islam.

The undesignated alphabets in TOLERANCE got other symbols to replace them. A Native American peace pipe replaced the third letter of the word which is “L”.

The next letter, “E” got both male and female gender symbols to epitomize the concept of gender equality.

The fifth alphabet “R”, serves as a symbolic arch where the Hopi fertility god known as Kokopelli plays his flute. The seventh alphabet in TOLERANCE, the “N” is stylized like a door with a 9-point Baha’i star in front.

The second “E” and final letter of the word is designed in a way that depicts Einstein’s popular equation.

From our exploration of both the COEXIST bumper sticker and its TOLERANCE counterpart, it is safe to state that the sole difference between them is the addition of secular symbols in the TOLERANCE sticker.

Are There Other Similar Bumper Stickers?

The COEXIST bumper sticker stands alone, and it only shares some similarities with the TOLERANCE bumper sticker since they have relatively the same ideology.

Notwithstanding, there are loads of other COEXIST bumper stickers out there that have subtly or profoundly altered the generally accepted symbolism.

These alterations forms include addition and/or subtraction of some symbolic letters, different shades of color, and sometimes unusually abstract symbols that could be seen.

Therefore, the only similar bumper sticker to the COEXIST sticker is the TOLERANCE bumper sticker, as we have observed. Other parodies of the COEXIST bumper stickers should be regarded as substandard bumper stickers.

Are There Any Bumper Stickers With a Contrarian View To COEXIST?

Although, there are people of different backgrounds that have been very outspoken about their lack of interest and faith in what the COEXIST stickers stand for.

Some have even gone as far as losing their tempers.

Is There a Real Movement Behind the Symbol?

The COEXIST symbol merges a variety of religious beliefs, ethnic identification, and political affiliations into one heterogeneous group.

However, the challenge still remains in people’s unwillingness to accept change. Most people have been so immersed in a particular way of thinking and living that they are unable to embrace the wind of change.

Even if they stand to benefit from it.

Some religious leaders and politicians as well, only see the COEXIST bumper stickers as mere stickers and nothing more because it conflicts with their own beliefs.

The bitter truth still is, the COEXIST symbol rarely inspires people. It is not a real movement of the sort.

However, there is a nonprofit organization known as the Coexist Foundation located in Washington D.C. and London. It is a charitable organization that strives to promote the peaceful coexistence of all through education.

Meanwhile, here are some bumper sticker rules you must follow.

Sources

The Big Fight Over Coexist | Vox

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