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Knights Templar, Baphomet, Masons and More!
By John of AllFaith © 3.11.10
There is lots of misunderstanding on these points and each is debated by someone. I'll try and keep this short but there is a lot to understand here. The following only scratches the surface.
Properly speaking Baphomet is not actually a being -- good or evil --(although the noun has been attached to various gods/demons: especially as "Lord of the Flies" and the Horned God/Goat of Mendes). Baphomet is a sigal or symbol reflecting the balance of light and dark, positive and negative. To this end it is not unlike the traditional Yin-Yang-Tao duality/unity of the East. Where it differs is in its application. The sigal's use in traditional Western Occultism is where the connection is made with the Masons and the Order of the Knights Templar.
There are documented (although debated -- endlessly debated...) examples of the later Knight's Templar "keeping heads" as relics, venerating them and performing diverse Occult rites with them. With these heads it is said they sought (seek) to merge or blend the powers of Light and the Dark dualities (in rites different from but related to certain Gnostic traditions). These heads were at times referred to as Baphomets in Templar writings (because of this merging intent).
It is argued by some that the term Baphomet arises from the name "Mahomet" or Muhammad and may reflect a link established between the Templar Order and Islamic Hashshashin or "Order of Assassins," during their excavations for the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem (Outrimmer). If so, the association with heads may more properly be an association with the jugular vein and the comment of al Qu'ran that God is as near as ones jugular vein (Sura 50:16 ). In support of this interpretation it is noteworthy that many Masonic lodges keep al Qu'ran on their alters as well as a Bible (which hints to Ormus de Outrimmer -- a topic for another time...).
Following "Black Friday the 13th" King Philip of France (by authority of Pope Clement V) ordered the mass arrest and execution of all Knights Templar (founded 1118 C.E) on Friday, October 13, 1307 CE. Jacques de Molay, the Grand Master of the Knights, and 60 of his senior knights were arrested in Paris. The Order was formally dissolved by the Council of Vienne and the Knights Hospitallers inherited much of the confiscated wealth and many of the lower level members of the Templar Order.
Jacques de Molay cursed the Pope and said he would soon be dead, the pope died within 40 days of this curse. As the body of Pope Clement V lay in state, a thunderstorm suddenly developed. Inexplicable Lightning struck the church and both the church and Clement V's body was completely consumed in the flames. His charred remains were later buried at La Chaise-Dieu in Auvergne (a location of key interest to those who study the Bavarian Illuminati). Jacques de Molay's prophecy was seen as fulfilled by the Knights and the storm was viewed as a sure sign of the ongoing power of the thence Secret Order of the Knights Templar. Jacques de Molay and Geoffroi de Charney were burnt at the stake on March 18th, 1314 for heresy.
However... according to some (documented) versions of history many of the key Knights managed to escape to Scotland where they joined forces with the clans of William Wallace (1272 – 1305) and entered into the Masonic Order as a special post 32rd degree secret Masonic Order known as The United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta. To this day the Knights maintain their official motto: In Hoc Signo Vinces which means "with this as your sigil you shall have victory" (the phrase by which Constantine assumed his authority over Rome and established the Vatican). This is regarded as a not-so veiled statement of their continuing involving with the Jesuit Order of Catholicism by some. THIS "sign" or sigil is believed to be not the chi-rho cross (referenced by Constantine) but the sigal Baphomet (which according to some includes the literal head of Jacques de Molay himself that was secreted away to Rosslyn Chapel and the Templar Masons). This is essentially the believed connection between Freemasonry, the Knights Templar and Baphomet.
That Templar Masonry exists is beyond question. Its ties to the original Order and its current intentions of course are the topic of ongoing debate.
By the way, as you study these things out you will doubtless find insulting comments by ill-informed people that this is all based on the DaVinci Code movie. That is not the case. That movie is a work of fiction. It was however based on a heavily documented earlier book called Holy Blood Holy Grail. "Holy Blood Holy Grail" has certain weaknesses we could discuss, however there is a strong scholarly basis behind it that predates that books by centuries.
Nonetheless, much of this remains a mystery.
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