By now you’ve likely heard the outrage over a satanic statue unveiling in Little Rock Arkansas. There’s no question that this would bring out every form of opposition and criticism, and, understandably, most of it coming from the Christian conservatives. Unfortunately the loudest arguments completely miss the point of the spectacle and the consistent messages we should proclaim, rather than upholding an us-verses-them doctrine replete with empty rhetoric.
Backing up a little, the Baphomet statue is a figure with a goat head, sitting upon a throne with its hands in the occult symbolism of, “As above, so below.” Baphomet first appears in 14th century trials against the Knights Templar, but is largely forgotten until the 19th century. The current visual origin and modern interest is attributed to occult author Eliphas Levi. There are a few other symbols of note in the statue, and in the original drawings of Baphomet, but the most striking images of this discussion’s inconsistencies are the hands and the overall pose of the figure.
As Above, So Below
Mostly the figure is opposed by the blatantly evil appearance, but anyone looking for reason to oppose it should stand firmly on the representations outside of the overt. A Christian should be adamantly against any figure that pushes the occult, in any form it comes in. The phrase, “As above, so below,” finds its earliest origin from the almost 2000 year old Emerald Tablet. The translation gives us the English phrase, “That which is below is as that which is above, and that which is above is as that which is below.” It explains the idea that what happens in one realm affects the other, or that the human body is connected to a transcendent Universe. And so the occult communities use this text to form their varying spiritual tenets. Levi’s Baphomet illustrated the symbolism in the hands – the right hand, with fingers pointing up, “as above”; and the left hand, with fingers extended toward the ground, “so below”.
As expressed, we should be a little more critical of this statue for this symbolism, rather than just its use by the Satanic Church. If we were critical of this statue for the message it projects, we would take offense to Horatio Greenough’s statue, Enthroned Washington.
Enthroned Washington
Greenough’s Enthroned Washington is a massive statue that sits in the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. Many people may not be aware of the statue if they have not visited the museum, but once you see it, the similar symbolism of the seated, bare chested and raised finger of a demigod can not be argued.
Unfortunately, the public’s impulse is of a presumed nobility of any representation of our country’s leaders or history. However, are we to really think that this is a coincidence? This federally commissioned artist, and the political representatives that placed it on the lawn of the country’s capital were unaware of the occult symbolism?
The Apotheosis Of Washington
Sadly, the occult symbolism is weaved throughout the foundational images, yet we excuse it and are mesmerized by it anyway. Enthroned Washington, though large in symbolism and physical appearance, is a small part of a larger plan to plant the idea of the Nation as a god. The deification of Washington is found everywhere, be it the implications of associating his name with the genesis of the United States, or more blatantly in the mural, The Apotheosis of Washington. The painting appears under the state capital dome, rife with deified symbolism. Washington, sitting in the clouds with his hands “As above, so below,” overlooks the goddess depiction of liberty fighting men representing the tyranny that was fought in the founding of the country. The appearance alongside such mythological god and demigod figures should give one pause, but none of it alone is even as blatant as the tile itself. Apotheosis is the rising to the status of a god. Yet we do not even flinch at this.
State Power
Another unfortunate aspect that is lost in this discussion, of which occult symbolism is allowed to sit on capital hills, is that of the complete failure that Christians do not recognize in state power. Christians, conservative or liberal varieties, are always arguing to have the state enforce their flavor of holiness. Be it socialized welfare or moral direction, the argument is always for increased state power. Like any election that devolves into left verses right partisan team rallies, we never seem to learn that the more power you give the state, it can and will eventually, be controlled by the other side.
The First Amendment Contradiction
The First Amendment is in the center of this controversy, and highlights well the power struggle, rather than the principles preached. The Satanist are erecting the statue in protest to public displays of the Ten Commandments, and are using the protections granted in the first amendment to use the statue to make their point. The point is being heard legally, as they were successful in Oklahoma, removing the statue after the Ten Commandments were removed.
The irony here is that they have a point, but it is not being heard by Christians because of the appearance of their protest, the Baphomet. However, following through with the rhetoric of a country, or governments, that does not respect a specific religion, and the democratic nature of our society, Baphomet has as much a right to sit there as the Tablets do. It is a metaphysical Tragedy of the Commons. There are no resources to be consumed, but the fighting over the public space persists. Even the Baphomet objection is a lesson in privatization and socialism.
New Covenant Commandments
Taking a step back from the emotions and imagery, Christians should ask themselves if they really believe in the political and legal rhetoric of freedom and liberty they claim. Are our preferred symbols more important than consistent principles? Which brings the conversation the long way around to a specific interest with the Ten Commandments displayed in public squares. It is curious that as a nation that is agreeably not a Christian theocracy and arguably not a Christian nation at all, why would we desire the primary symbol of the Mosaic covenant between God and the nation of Israel?
We are Christians, are we not? Christians wholeheartedly agree that we are not under the Mosaic covenant, and Christ has fulfilled the Law. Pushed even further, a Christian will paraphrase Jesus as summing up the Commandments with what He called the Greatest Commandments; love God, and love your neighbor.
The question then is, as a supposedly Christian nation, why are we looking toward Mosaic Law rather than Christ as the guiding point for our social regulation? What would a Christian institution look like if it proclaimed Christ’s Greatest Commandments? Do we deceive ourselves in saying we are Christian? Determined by our regulation, should we more accurately call our desire a Mosaic nation? Why do we look to the shadows, rather than Christ himself?
All these questions serve to drive home the real issue with the Baphomet statue. The accusation of hypocrisy against Constitutional Christians is, unfortunately, accurate. The worst position we can hold is that of proclaiming an ideal and living completely contrary to it.
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