Trick Tracts Facts: Baphomet

In the Chick Tract The Curse of Baphomet [tract][review], the ancient and mythical god is portrayed as an evil devil primarily concerned with satanism. In fact, Baphomet is portrayed as the devil himself. The tract also accuses Masons of being a secret, devil-worshipping cult; though historical research cannot even prove the validity of this worship by the original Masons. Here are the facts on Baphomet himself, and the Mason controversy.

Baphomet, or the Goat of Mendes or the Sabbath Goat, and otherwise known as the Horned God, Cernunos, Great God Pan, or Abraxas has a looong history and deep meaning, but we'll concentrate on it in the Satanic aspect. Baphomet, in the form of the horned god, is considered by some to be one of the oldest fertility divinities in history. Mendes or Mendez is a place in Egypt (if I'm not mistaken) where the fertility god, Baal, was worshipped, hence the name "Goat of Mendes." In fact, one of the more esoteric derivates of Baphomet is "Baphe-Metis," that is, Initiation into Wisdom-Measurement. See, no one knows for sure where this thing REALLY originated from, or what it means! It's considered one of the most mysterious things ever.

The name Baphomet supposedly comes from "Bapho Mithras", meaning son of Mithras. Mithras (supposedly) is an old Indo-Iranian divinity mentioned as early as 14 century BC, and in approximately 66 BC this "cult" reached the Roman Empire.

The sigil of Baphomet as we know it today appears first with the Knights Templars; a group of knights moved into stables next to jerusalem, wanting to be next to the temple, night and day, to protect it - hence the name, Templar Knights. Later on, they accumulated great amounts of gold and wealth that made them richer than even some rulers in Europe. Rumors began that they worshipped the devil. Some knights did admit that they worshipped the devil in the shape of Baphomet. This is when the "Sigil of Baphomet" first appeared. Satanism, however, is not the only religion where some form of Baphomet appears. Wiccans worshipped a horned god long before the sigil of Baphomet appeared and Pan was worshipped long before Christianity came to be. It's believed that Pan was used by Christians as a model for the image of the devil - with his cloven hooves, tail, horns, and goat legs.

- History of Baphomet provided by Shannanlc

More Info on Baphomet

Baphomet on Encyclopedia.com:
(baf´emet), idol or mystical figure that the Knights Templars were accused of worshiping in the 14th cent. Apparently the name was unknown before that time in Western demonology. Its origin is disputed: it may have been a distorted form of Mahomet (Muhammad); it may have been of Greek origin.

Excellent information on the origins of Baphomet from Liber Minor:

Excerpt:
The origin of the name Baphomet is from a deity worshipped by the Knights Templar, (the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon). Below I will discuss two major sources of information on this god, the first of major scholarly significance, giving the true origin of the name Baphomet. The secret had been secret since the Templars demise back in the forteenth century, until it has at last been rediscovered with the publication of the book The Essene Odyssey by Hugh Schonfield. Give special attention to Appendix A - The Essenes and the Templars...read more.

Very well-done essay on Baphomet from magick12000:

Excerpt:
Nicknamed 'The God of the Witches', Baphomet, is a complex occult symbol that is too easily dismissed as a manifestation of the popular Christian devil and, therefore, a representation of evil. The 19th Century French occultist Eliphas Levi is credited with the now famous drawing of the goat-headed god (though the version here is the work of another artist, based on Levi's). Levi identified the bearded deity as representative of the Greek god Pan . Today, Satanists and Christians alike both identify Baphomet only as Satan, yet, both factions are mistaken and prefer to exhibit ignorance as they continue to promote their erroneous beliefs...read more.

Concise information on Baphomet and its symbols from Satanic Reds:

Excerpt:
Eliphas Levi, who drew the full figured Goat of Mendes, translated "Baphomet" as a reversed composition of three abbreviations: Tem. Oph. Ab., standing for the Latin Templi omnium hominum pacis abhas (The God of) the Temple of Peace Among All Men." Levi felt this to be a reference to King Solomon's Temple, which he believed had the sole purpose of bringing peace to the world...read more.

Essay on the myth of Baphomet in Templar history from The Knights Templar:

Excerpt:
Central to the accusations brought against the Knights Templar was that they worshipped an idol named Baphomet. This idol is said to have taken the form of a head or sometimes a black cat. The Fifth category of accusations states the following: V. That the brothers practiced idol worship of a cat or a head. That this one aspect of the Templars mythos, could generate so many theories as to its true origins is amazing. The interest in the Baphomet has survived over 600 years and taken many forms. The opinions on the Baphomet vary greatly from scholar to scholar and mystic path to mystic path. The purpose of this section is to shed some light on some of the theories and the connection, if any, to the Knights Templar...read more.

Good page on the occult history of Baphomet from The Mystica:

Excerpt:
There have been many strange idols throughout the ages but the idol of Baphomet seems to be among the most mysterious. All which seems to be known about this unknown figure it that it is sometimes called the goat idol of the Knights Templar and the deity of the sorcerers' Sabbat. Even the name Baphomet seems to be a composition of abbreviations: 'Temp. ohp. Ab.' which originates from Latin 'Templi omnium hominum pacis abhas,' meaning "the father of universal peace among men."...read more.

Well researched page on the Templar accusations from Who is Baphomet?:

Excerpt:
Baphomet - what was the connection of this strange sounding name to the Templars if any? Over the years since the fall of the Knights Templar many scholars have tried to ascertain the etymology of the word, with little success. Below we present some of those etymological theories for the readers further edification into this the greatest of the Templar mysteries...read more.

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