Inverted pentagram 2

[zemblin]

I'm refering to the star of baphomet.I was aware of the other meanings.this particuliar star is surrounded by little symbols and has a goats head as the star.I'm not to sure, but i think the symbols are pronounciations of certain spirits names,almost kabalistic in origin.At my local library i've read parasychology books with the inverted star on the back and out of curiosity i looked it up in an occult book which led me to baphomet which was supposedly supposed to have been somewhat revived by Eliphas Levi in about 1856.I found an old engraving made by Jan z.in the early 1600s.The thing that stood out to me in the picture was that seated on a throne was a goat with a lit black candle between his horns. Sorry I screwed up by clicking new thread on accident so i made this part 2
:crazy:

[Cailleach Dubh]

Hello everyone....this is my first post here.

Zemblin; the "star" to which you are referring is what became the "sigil of Baphomet" (although it was not known as such in Levi's time) it has since been adopted/adapted by the Church of Satan. I will attempt a "potted" history of this and the point down pentagram.... this is in part response to the other thread(s) pertaining to the penatgram.

The first point I would make (and I won't bore you all with relating the history of the pentagram, as I'm sure you all know it) is that the point down pentagram is not "inverted" as it has a long history of usage in both orientations. It is still used by the Eastern Star, a womens branch of freemasonry, they certainly do not consider it inverted, it has symbolised Winter, it was on the seal of the Emperor Constantine I (312 AD), and I have seen it on pottery dating from 400 BC.

It was, indeed, Eliphas Levi who first associated the point down pentagram with "evil". Inside the point down pentagram was placed the head of the goat which the Knights Templar allegedly worshipped i.e. Baphomet. The charges against the Templar's were trumped up for political reasons i.e. to part them from their considerable wealth. Baphomet, most plausibly, was a corruption of Mahommed (Mahomet) since they had much contact with Islam during the crusades. It also may have been derived from (Greek) Baphe metis, (Arabic) Abufihamat-all contain some reference to wisdom, or the reverse acronym; Tem Oph Ab (Templi omniuum hominum pacis abhas, the father of the temple of universal peace among men). Nonetheless those that died at the stake were accused of worshipping the devil in the form of the aforementioned goat.

Zemblin, the goat you saw in the book was Levi's complete drawing of Baphomet, it is also known as the goat of Mendes (a greek corruption of the place name), a common mis-association with the RAM god Khnemu worshipped at Mendes as Ba neb tettu. In his "Transcendental Magic" the illustration was intended to symbolise the Absolute, male and female, light and dark, animal and human, the torch is intended to symbolise divine revelation or intelligence. Levi apparently based his drawing on a gargoyle on the Commandry of Saint Bris le Vineaux, a building owned by the Templar's. I don't know what 17 th century drawing you are referring to, but goats had long been synonymous with the devil, and so had the word Baphomet.

The letters along the inner circle of the sigil spell out the word Leviathan (LVTHN), a water/chaos demon from the Jewish tradition (as are Samael/Lilith).

As I've said the sigil was adopted by LaVeyan Satanists in the 1960's, but it is only considered "evil" by conservative Xtians, who tend to fret over such things.

Now, in Gardnerian/Alexandrian Wicca, the point down pentagram signifies second degree initiation, where it does indeed mean physical over spiritual, as the initiate is not fully "spiritually developed", it is used point up after third degree initiation. This "in search of the goddess" thing must be an American interpretation. It should be noted that Levi's association of the point down pentagram with Satanism occured long before Gardner created Wicca. The "averse" pentagram is also used in the Thelemic ritual- Liber V vel Regis.

As for Freemasons worshipping Baphomet (!)....this is the old Leo Taxil hoax....he admitted it was just a joke in 1897!

I hope this clarifies the issue somewhat.

[Mairwen]

I answered this already? :confused:

The Star of Baphomet is used by the Scottish Rite Freemasons.

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Cailleach Dubh
As for Freemasons worshipping Baphomet (!)....this is the old Leo Taxil hoax....he admitted it was just a joke in 1897!

Um, no. There is an SRF "church" here in town that has the Star of Baphomet on all of its "stuff".

[Cailleach Dubh]

I have no desire to get into an argument already please see
www.masonicinfo.com/taxil
www.templarhistory.com/taxil.html

Or indeed any reputable source on Freemasonry.

I cannot comment of the "star of Baphomet" on your local lodge, this kind of symbol is quite common and does not prove the freemasons worship Baphomet.

If the history of the Baphomet is discussed elsewhere on this board then please forgive me for repeating what has been said.

[Mairwen]

I was just pointing out what I'd seen with my own eyes. As well, one very important Elder in my Tradition was a Co-Mason, (and my grandfather is a Mason), so I know a little bit about them.