helping with your money, time, influence...

otto per mille (eight per thousand) is an italian legal precept under which taxpayers can choose to whom to transfer a compulsory 0.8% from their annual income tax return. they can give this percentage to one of the churches recognized by the state or, alternatively, to the social assistance plan run by the government. one is not required to indicate to whom the money will go, but the law stipulates that undeclared amounts should be distributed among the recipients according to percentages that are declared.

one of the organizations to which italians can give the fraction of their income tax return is the seventh-day adventist church. i thought their sign to be very creative. as you see the double l is different than other letters. it is because they belong to another logo - the official logotype of the seventh-day adventist church.

there the three lines encircling an implied globe represent two things. the three angels message - the eternal good news of salvation - from revelation 14 to be preached to everyone in the world before the Lord's return (see matthew 34:14). and the Holy Spirit under whose guidance and power only this overwhelming task can be accomplished.  (for more information click here.)

no need to say, i liked the visual play. i guess it can strike a string only in those that recognize the symbol, but our use of money, talents and influence preach a very important fact about us, anyway, doesn't it?