God And A Statue

THIS SUMMER (2015), THE SATANIC TEMPLE OF DETROIT, MADE THE NEWS.

THEY HAVE ERECTED A STATUE REPRESENTING BAPHOMET, THE SABBATIC GOAT, THE JUDAS GOAT.

THE IMAGE ORIGINALLY DRAWN BY ELIPHAS LEVI IN 1856 CONTAINS BINARY ELEMENTS REPRESENTING WHAT HE THOUGHT WERE THE SUM TOTAL OF THE UNIVERSE.

MALE AND FEMALE, GOOD AND EVIL.

THE IMAGE OF BAPHOMET GREW TO PROMINENCE IN THE 14TH CENTURY, FROM THE LATIN BAPHOMETTI,

THIS IS THE IDOL THAT THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR WERE ACCUSED FALSELY, OF WORSHIPPING.

ORIGINALLY CALLED “AN ATHEISTS ACTIVIST GROUP”, THE SATANIC TEMPLE OF DETROIT TOOK ISSUE WITH THAT LABEL.

IN AN INTERVIEW IN THE TRENDING SECTION OF THE DETROIT FREE PRESS THE TEMPLES SPOKESMAN, DOUG MESNER SAID, “DETROIT IS OUR PRIMARY CHAPTER. WE FEEL AT HOME IN DETROIT.”

THE SATANIC TEMPLE IS FIGHTING TO HAVE THEIR STATUE, WEIGHING ONE TON AND STANDING NINE FEET TALL, INCLUDED ALONGSIDE THE MONUMENT TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

IT’S BEING CALLED “THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL AND POLITICALLY CHARGED CONTEMPORARY WORK OF ART IN THE WORLD.”

A NAME LIKE THE SATANIC TEMPLE CONJURES UP IMAGES OF BLOOD SACRIFICES AND BLACK MASSES, THESE FOLKS ARE QUITE ORDINARY.

IN FACT, THEIR LITERATURE REVEALS THEIR BANALITY.

THEIR MANIFESTO STATES THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT RELIGION SHOULD BE DIVORCED FROM SUPERSTITION.

THEY CLAIM THAT THEIR FORM OF RELIGION IS A NON THEISTIC, THAT IT IS, WITHOUT GOD. BUT HOW DOES ONE HAVE A GODLESS RELIGION?

THE CLAIM THAT THEIR ADOPTION OF THE NAME OF SATAN FOR THEIR ORGANIZATION “IS TO EMBRACE RATIONAL INQUIRY REMOVED FROM SUPERNATURALISM AND ARCHAIC TRADITION-BASED SUPERSTITIONS.”

“HE IS A SYMBOL OF DEFIANCE, OF INDEPENDENCE, OF WISDOM AND SELF EMPOWERMENT.” MESNER SAID.

AS FAR AS SUPERSTITION AND RATIONALITY GO, WHEN SPEAKING TO KING AGRIPPA IN DEFENSE OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS, THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS ACCUSED OF BEING OUT OF HIS MIND.

HE THEN USED THE MOST RATIONAL APPEAL OF ALL TO PREACH TO A PAGAN KING.

ACTS 26:25 (NIV) - "I AM NOT INSANE, MOST EXCELLENT FESTUS," PAUL REPLIED. "WHAT I AM SAYING IS TRUE AND REASONABLE.”

AND AS FAR AS SATAN BEING A SYMBOL OF THE REBEL, RATIONAL THOUGHT, INQUIRY OR ANYTHING WORTH ERECTING A STATUE TO, JESUS IN HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS SAID TO THE HEBREWS,

JOHN 8:44 - "YOU ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, AND YOU WANT TO DO THE DESIRES OF YOUR FATHER. HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, AND DOES NOT STAND IN THE TRUTH BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHENEVER HE SPEAKS A LIE, HE SPEAKS FROM HIS OWN NATURE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES.

THE STATUE OF BAPHOMET IN DETROIT CERTAINLY ISN’T THE FIRST MONUMENT OR STATUE BUILT TO HONOR SATAN OR ANOTHER FALSE GOD.

THAT TRADITION IS ALMOST AS OLD AS TIME.

THE TEMPLE OF DIANA AT EPHESUS ONCE HOUSED A MASSIVE STATUE OF THE GODDESS ATHENA.

THAT STATUE, THE LARGEST OF IT’S TIME CONTAINED A FRAGMENT OF AN ASTEROID, A ROCK FROM THE SKY, THAT THE EPHESIANS PAID HOMAGE TO. ACTS 19:28 – GREAT IS ARTEMIS…

ONLY ONE PILLAR OF THAT TEMPLE REMAINS TODAY.

A STATUE OF THE GREEK TITAN APOLLO STOOD MAJESTICALLY ASTRIDE THE ANCIENT HARBOR OF RHODES.

THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES WAS ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD BEFORE IT WAS TOPPLED BY AN EARTHQUAKE IN 226BC.

ANOTHER ANCIENT WONDER OF THE WORLD WAS THE STATUE OF ZEUS BY THE GREEK SCULPTOR PHIDIAS.

13 METERS HIGH IT DEPICTED THE KING OF THE GREEK GODS SITTING ON A GOLDEN THRONE ADORNED WITH JEWELS.

A WOODEN FRAME SUPPORTED THE GOD IVORY SKIN AS MICE SCURRIED ABOUT UNDER ZEUS’ FEET.

THE HISTORIAN SUETONIUS HAS IT BEING DESTROYED BY A FIRE.

IT WAS SAID THAT THIS WAS THE IMAGE THAT INSPIRED THE INTERPRETATIONS OF THE FACE OF CHRIST WHICH WE NOW HAVE.

MAN HAS A HISTORY OF CREATING IMAGERY AND ERECTING STATUARY TO THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOD.

EVEN WHEN MAN’S GOAL IS TO COMPLIMENT THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD, HE WARNS AGAINST THE TEMPTATION OF IDOLATRY.

DEUTERONOMY 4:15-19 - YOU SAW NO FORM OF ANY KIND THE DAY THE LORD SPOKE TO YOU AT HOREB OUT OF THE FIRE. THEREFORE WATCH YOURSELVES VERY CAREFULLY, SO THAT YOU DO NOT BECOME CORRUPT AND MAKE FOR YOURSELVES AN IDOL, AN IMAGE OF ANY SHAPE, WHETHER FORMED LIKE A MAN OR A WOMAN, OR LIKE ANY ANIMAL ON EARTH OR ANY BIRD THAT FLIES IN THE AIR, OR LIKE ANY CREATURE THAT MOVES ALONG THE GROUND OR ANY FISH IN THE WATERS BELOW. AND WHEN YOU LOOK UP TO THE SKY AND SEE THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE STARS—ALL THE HEAVENLY ARRAY—DO NOT BE ENTICED INTO BOWING DOWN TO THEM AND WORSHIPING THINGS THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS APPORTIONED TO ALL THE NATIONS UNDER HEAVEN.

SO, WHAT MIGHT GOD DO TO A STATUE OF A PERSON THAT SOME MIGHT CONSIDER TO BE HIS RIVAL.