Chick Publishing's, "The Curse of The Bahomet"

On page 7 of the Chick tract it is stated, "This 'Great Architect of the Universe' you pray to is NOT the God of the Bible . . . It's really Baphomet! And he's ugly, frightening and completely satanic."

Freemasonry uses the term G.A.O.T.U. or Great Architect of the Universe when referring to God as a non-sectarian and non-denominational name for the god who created the heavens and the earth. Martin Luther, who founded the Protestant faith, first used this term for God. If Freemasons worship satan did Martin Luther?"

On page 9 of the Chick tract it is stated, "Wait here . . I've got a picture of him in the car. I'll be right back. Here he is 'Baphomet' the old god of Baal worship AND Masonry."

There is a grievous error for the picture presented as an illustration of the Baphomet drawn by the nineteenth century occultist Eliphas Levi. Baal was a god in ancient times worshipped by the Canaanites is a fact that cannot be argued. Although Eliphas Levi was an old man when he drew his image of Baphomet, but he was not 4,000 years old. He was without a doubt an occultist and wrote many books on ritual magic. Great effort has been made between this fact and fact that he was a Freemason. What remains unstated is that his association with the craft was brief. Levi was initiated into Freemasonry on March 14th, 1861. He went no further than the Entered Apprentice degree and when his particular philosophical tendencies were not supported by the Brotherhood he had no further interest in the Craft and was dropped from the rolls of Lodge Rose du Parfait Silence on August 21st, 1861. His drawing of the Baphomet had nothing to do with Freemasonry and in fact was really a representation of hermetic principles."

On page 10 of the Chick tract we find these words, "Tthe Eastern Star symbol is an upside down star, right? Well, it's a satanic symbol. . . . Here's the Baphomet in the Eastern star. The satanic goat of Mendez is the 'God of Lust'."

Here again we find a major problem of fact as well as time continuity. Dr. Robert Morris, the poet Laureate of Freemasonry, along with Robert McCoy founded the Order of the Eastern Star in 1850. The emblem of the Eastern Star is indeed an inverted pentacle with each point of the star representing a Biblical Heroine, Adah, Ruth, Esther, Martha, and Electa as well as the five principles of the order, which are Fidelity, Constancy, Loyalty, Faith and Love. A far cry from the demonic attributes which Mr. Chick places on the emblem. What is interesting is that Chick completely overlooked the Christian significance of the five-pointed star. To the early Christians the five-pointed star represented the five wounds of Christ suffered on the cross at Golgotha. Additionally the two points ascendant star represented the Star in the East which illuminated the way to Christ's place of birth at Bethlehem. Of course pointing out this fact would take away from the point of view he wished to present in the tract.

On pages 11 and 12 Chick allegedly quotes Albert Pike, "the Grand Commander, Sovereign Pontiff of Universal Freemasonry." As all Masons know there never was such a title before, during, or after Pike's lifetime. When someone uses this, and it should send up a red flag. The red flag is that it is a quote by Leo Taxil. Leo Taxil admitted that this quote is a hoax.

Mr. Chick wrote the following in his tract, "In the 8th century, Muslim hords overran the Moroccan city of Fez and butchered 50,000 Christians. The streets ran red with blood. The Muslim murderers dipped their caps in the blood in honor of Allah. These blood-stained caps were called fezzes, idols dedicated to a false god (Satan)."

The city of Fez was founded in 789 by the invader Sultan Idris the first. The conquered citizens were actually pagans and there is no historical record that any Christians occupied the city prior to its invasion.

Secondly the headdress was not introduced to the area until the time of Idris II, who took control in 807 and expanded the city to the other side of the river. In an attempt to encourage local crafts the Fez hat was introduced. Common dyes of the era were not particularly bright in color, but the Moroccans had a formula that created a brilliant red color. This hat took the name of the city for which is was manufactured.

Other errors by Jack Chick in "The Curse of Baphomet." Chick misinterprets the Masonic use of the term "light."

Masonically, "light" is a "symbol of knowledge." Pocket Masonic Dictionary, The Masonic Service Association.

Chick misinterprets the Masonic use of the "all-seeing-eye." The All-seeing Eye is a Masonic symbol of Deity. Pocket Masonic Dictionary.

It is also a symbol "... to represent the watchfulness and omnipresence of Deity." C. Bruce Hunter's Masonic Dictionary.

Chick misrepresents the Masonic use of the obelisk. He writes, "The obelisk is a Masonic symbol of a male sex organ right out of Baal worship and God hates it."

The first question that needs to be asked is, "is it sinful, anti-Biblical or ungodly to erect a pillar?" Along this line of questioning, "do all pillars mentioned in the Bible a reference to Baal worship?"

The third question that needs to be asked is, "what is the Masonic interpretation of the pillars?"

Freemasonry makes allegoric and symbolic use of the building of King Solomon's Temple. The symbolism presented to us through images, allegories, rituals, and myths direct us toward King Solomon's Temple. Masonic symbolism largely consists of the principles and practices of temple building. The working tools of gavel, gauge, plumb, level, and trowel all have symbolic meanings; so do the desinging tools of square and compass. This leads me to ask, Is it appropriate for Masonry to use "pillars", since the lodge represents the Temple of Solomon? According to 2 Chronicles 3:15-17, two pillars were set at the entrance to Solomon's Temple. "Also he made before the house two pillars of thrity and five cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the tope of each of them was five cubits. And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. And he reard up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz." (KJV)

Are the two pillars of Solomon's Temple symbols of a male sex organ right out of Baal worship? And did God hate them being placed there?


August 6, 2007