Many people get angry when they see the Reiki symbols displayed on Facebook, on websites, probably even in books, on clothes, or jewels. This is because they were taught that the symbols are secret and sacred, and it's a sign of disrespect to display them in public.
Many Master Teachers are adepts of this line of thinking, and are teaching their students accordingly. However, there is another school of thought, and the Reiki Masters adhering to it teach that the symbols are sacred, but not necessarily secret.
Ever since the symbols were first published, there's been an ongoing debate on whether the symbols should be kept secret and reserved only for the students who undergo the second level of attunement, or they should be free for anybody to see and learn about them.
Personally I'm an adept of the second school of thought, whose Masters Teachers see nothing wrong with the symbols being displayed and popularized. Here are a few things trying to clear out the confusion.
Displaying something on Facebook or on a website does not mean you disrespect that thing.
There are already millions of internet pages displaying the symbols. This is a fact that we can't ignore, and its meaning is very, very simple: the symbols are no longer a secret. Pretending they still are is unbecoming.
Technology helps us learn, and helps us spread the word about Reiki. For all its advantages, it also has this slight impediment: it has made it impossible to keep anything secret, especially something of this consequence.
That being said, regarding the two schools of thought, even though they have divergent opinions on this topic, it does not necessarily mean that one is right and the other is wrong. It is simply a matter of choice, and a very personal one too.
Your national flag
If you think that displaying something is a sign of disrespect to that thing, think of your national flag.
Would you display it on your Facebook page? Would you wear it proudly on your t-shirt? Would you feel pride to see it raised at the Olympics when your country's athletes have won gold medal? You probably would.
Does it mean that you disrespect the flag by showing it? No! In fact, it means the exact opposite. Displaying the Reiki symbols does not mean a lack of respect. People who display it choose to do so because they feel that the wonderful thing that Reiki is, should not be kept secret from anybody. If anything, seeing the symbols before the attunements might convince someone to start on this path, find healing for themselves that they probably could not find anywhere else, and contribute to healing the world.