From: donal@brewich.hou.tx.us (Donal)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: Who/what is Baphomet?
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 16:21:51 CDT
Organization: The Brewer's Witch BBS, +1 713 272 7350, Brewich.Hou.TX.US

altheimm@nextnet.csus.edu (Murray Altheim) writes:

> In article <1992Aug28.145118.18041@burrhus.harvard.edu> canders@isr.harvard.e
> >In article <1992Aug28.020535.20478@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> pciszek@nyx.cs.du.ed
> >>Baphomet is the name of a god that Knights Templar were accused of praying
> >>to an idol of.  The name probably comes from a degeneration of "Mahomet".
> >>There is no evidence that the Templars actually *did* worship such a deity,
> >>mind you.  There are some books that claim that Templars were (present tens
> >>at the time of the book) doing so, but they were written after there weren'
> >>any more Templars, and are therefor as reliable as a WWN Exclusive intervie
> >>with Elvis.
> >
> >	The theory goes that the story arose from Templars out there in
> >"Outremer" that had gone native and might have become Muslims.  From there
> >the "media" just exagerated everything.
> >	The Templars caught a lot of flak because they were a powerful
> >political and military force - and thus they annoyed other powerful
> >political and military forces ...
> >
> >Carl
> 
> Actually, it's not conjecture. Mohammed -> Mahomet -> Baphomet is correct.
> The spelling of Mohammed was "Mahomet" in certain languages of the period.
> 
> The Templars were a Christian order charged with guarding the Temple of
> Solomon, and in guarding Christian pilgrims on their trek to the Holy Land.
> 
> At the height of their power, they are said to have numbered 15,000 armed
> knights. In 1317, the Inquisition brought them to trial on charges of
> sodomy, praying to another god, and some other _strange_ acts. The Templars
> were among the most worldly and travelled people in Europe, so it's not 
> surprising that their access to other cultures would influence their views.
> 
> Part of the mystery surrounding them is why there was no evidence of struggle
> they all just laid down their arms and/or disappeared. Their treasure was 
> never found, and other than Jacques de Molay, no other leaders were convicted
> 
> A number of Templar gravesites have been found in Scotland, and their is 
> fair evidence that at the very least they were influential in the Masonic
> Temple, and participated in a number of battles against the English.
> 
> For a bit of fun, Lawrence Durrell includes the hunt for the Templar treasure
> as well as a fairly accurate history in two of his fiction series, both
> in the Alexandria Quartet, and especially his Avignon Quincunx (four books
> around a central fifth text). Some people might not like his style -- he is
> an inveterate word-crafter and very "thick", but among _my_ favorites.
> 
> Blessings, 
> 
> Murray
> 
> -- 
> Murray M. Altheim      "Ils ont l'orteil de Bouc, & d'un Chevreil l'oreille,
> Instructional Consultant    La corne d'un Chamois, & la face vermeille
> CSU, Sacramento          Comme un rouge Croissant: & dancent toute nuict
> altheimm@csus.edu       Dedans un carrefour, ou pres d'une eau qui bruict."

For more interesting semi-fictional history of the Templars, see 
_Focault's Pendulum_ by the same guy that wrote _Name of the Rose_... 
just can't seem to pull the name out of the air!!! (I hate it when this 
happens)... anyway F's P is a magnificent book, and should give all of us 
who are in esoteric pursuits a moments pause!
 
Blessed Be!


--------------------
Donal, Sysop of The Brewer's Witch BBS -- +1 713 272 7350
(Internet) donal@brewich.hou.tx.us  (Work) bill%pssi@lobster.hou.tx.us
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(SCA) Ld. Donal Dubh, IC of Dun Bruddair, B of the Stargate, K of Ansteorra