Baphomet is a French word meaning "Mohammed".

French Knights and French Aristocracy.  The 'red' cross didn't start with the Templars either.  It was a bunch of connected French families.

A military order that began circa 1129, the Knights Templar remained active until the first part of the fourteenth century.

Templar knights wore pristine white mantles that sported a bright red cross. Known for military prowess, these highly skilled fighting units reached prominence during the Crusades.

A major financial institution, the Knights Templar managed a large economic infrastructure throughout Europe.

At dawn on Friday, Oct. 13, 1307 (possibly the origin the Friday the thirteenth superstition), French King Philip IV ordered the arrest and execution of the Knights Templar Grand Master Jacque de Molay and scores of other leading knights.   

Jacque de Molay was burned in the year 1314.  The order went underground after this.  French and Scottish Rite Masonry took on some of the ritual but this isn't always seen as solid information.  

There seemed a fantastic connection to the Pope (Templars). How did they come to have such favor with the Roman Church?  Clairvaux was the connection and favor with Baldwin ll.  The church encouraged Pilgrimages and so it was necessary to protect the Pilgrims.   

Molay was sentenced to death together with Geoffroi de Charney in 1314 as a direct result of cardinal legates' decisions and actions rather than being ordered by King Philip the fair. He was burnt at the stake on the Ile des Javiaux in the Seine.  Wikipedia  

Images @ Eminpee Fotography  

Postscript..  I was married to a man with surname Baldwin.  His family goes back to this Royal French Baldwins.  We named our daughter Matilda as did the original Baldwin / Bourdin.  

  

Baphomet presents it all... We do have a lower nature!

“The goat on the frontispiece carries the sign of the pentagram on the forehead, with one point at the top, a symbol of light, his two hands forming the sign of Hermeticism, the one pointing up to the white moon of Chesed, the other pointing down to the black one of Geburah.

As above So below... 

This sign expresses the perfect harmony of mercy with justice. His one arm is female, the other male like the ones of the androgyn of Khunrath, the attributes of which we had to unite with those of our goat because he is one and the same symbol.

The flame of intelligence shining between his horns is the magic light of the universal balance, the image of the soul elevated above matter, as the flame, whilst being tied to matter, shines above it.

The ugly beast’s head expresses the horror of the sinner, whose materially acting, solely responsible part has to bear the punishment exclusively; because the soul is insensitive according to its nature and can only suffer when it materializes.

The rod standing instead of genitals symbolizes eternal life, the body covered with scales the water, the semi-circle above it the atmosphere, the feathers following above the volatile.

Humanity is represented by the two breasts and the androgyn arms of this sphinx of the occult sciences.”
[3. Eliphas Levi, Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie]

Baphomet depicts the duel nature of our Divinity and everything that impresses on Life.  We all have a lower nature as well as a higher nature.  We keep our soul easy by choosing the higher nature always over the lower.  In doing so we are acting out of our divine nature.

"The symbols of the wise always become the idols of the ignorant multitude. What the Chiefs of the Order really believed and taught, is indicated to the Adepts by the hints contained in the high Degrees of Free-Masonry, and by the symbols which only the Adepts understand.”
 [10. Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma]

Read heaps more cool stuff about Baphomet and the truth of the symbolism behind this... go back over the last paragraph and make sure you are not one of these spoken of. 
Link Here

Some more of my images @ Eminpee Fotography

The Goat of Mendes - Banebdjet

Image - Wikipedia

So it seems there is some link to the Royal Family here.  William Wales squadron is the 60th goat squadron.  Cute Wills very cute indeed.  What does Kate think of your squadron badge I wonder.  Does she even know?  The badge has a  huge resemblance to the Goat of Mendes.

What is this Goat of Mendes?  Thank you for asking and so I shall tell you what it is then.

The entity known as the Goat of Mendes is associated with Satanism very often. Fact is, that it really has nothing to do with devil worship – its origins go back to ancient Egypt, where a goat headed deity was worshiped in the ancient city of Mendes. 

It mainly stood for sexual virility and fertility and was later associated with the upkeep of the balance between positive and negative magical forces. Thus it is really a deity of neutrality, as “good” and “evil” were seen as two sides of the same thing in ancient times.

The Church itself introduced the association with Satanism, when the Knights Templar came into contact with the cult of Banebdjet (the real name of the “Goat of Mendes”). Envying their power and riches, the Church was looking for a way to accuse them of Demon worship, and the image of Banebdjet (later transformed into "Baphomet") with his goat like appearance seemed the best way to do so.  

Sequenti die aurora apparente, altis vocibus Baphometh invocaverunt; et nos Deum nostrum in cordibus nostris deprecantes, impetum facientes in eos, de muris civitatis omnes expulimus.

Since then, hordes of Devil worshipers have swallowed this lie (which was issued by their arch enemies of the Christian Church) and introduced the Goat of Mendes into their pantheon of devils and demons. In reality, this entity is much more associated with witchcraft and Paganism – it is just one of the many incarnations of the pagan horned God.

Tarot card from the Rider-Waite tarot deck, also knownas
the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Devil card is also misconstrued as evil and once again this card is a card that shows endings and beginnings.  A suing up of energies.  Everything is in a state of constant evolution or change.  This signifies changes big time.  Neutrality once again.  A bringing into balance.  Note the two people and the horned devil in between them.  this is the balance they must find.

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