Bamophet and the Da Vinci Code

Baphomet and The Da Vinci Code

"A headstone praised by the Templars is the key" (Brown). I would like to first start this paper out by stating my reason for choosing the topic of the significance of Dan Brown's, The Da Vinci Code, its explanation of the origin of the deity Baphomet, and how it conflicts with historical perspectives.

I chose this topic because of how popular Baphomet is in pop culture. The popularity comes from its (Baphomet) association with music, movies, and politics as it relates to the Illuminati, a supposed secret society of freethinkers, that dates back to the enlightened period during the late 1700s. Today, people will say the group has evolved, its members including a plethora of major players in the world of politics and pop culture. The group's main goal is the formation of a single world government or "New World Order", that will bring forth the prophecy of the end of times as foretold in numerous religious texts, most notably the Christian Bible. This group and its members are said to influence everything from presidential elections, to the prosperity of businesses (or at least the people who run them), and even which stars become popular within the film and music industry. As one might have inferred from their purpose, the illuminati are said to be devil worshippers. Why? Because they believe that God is oppressive. The rules that he sets are unfair as he wants all mankind to worship him and he takes the "living" out of life by setting too strict standards on how people are supposed to live their life. When one of the angels objected to the way God ruled, he was cast out of heaven. The illuminati sides with the fallen angel (Satan) and worships him in the form of an idol named Baphomet, who has the body of both man and woman, the head of a goat, and displays symbolism associated with the freemasons, who might I are said to be members of the Illuminati.

The most notable association to Baphomet today includes multiple overt and covert representations in music videos and songs by pop artists Jay Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Bono and bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles. I'll mention a few just as a reference, Jay Z: On to the next one (Video), Rihanna: Umbrella (Video), Beyonce: Beautiful Liar (Video), Lady Gaga: Paparazzi (Video). A quick internet search will find t-shirts and other items related to both the artists and Baphomet.

To explain the significance of the quote at the beginning of this paper, it was taken from the book The Da Vinci code. It was a riddle that needed to be solved in Professor Langdon's quest to find the Holy Grail. According to the book, the Templars were persecuted by the then King of France for worshiping the devil or at least the idolized version, Baphomet. Langdon comes to the conclusion that the name Baphomet was itself cryptic, and when deciphered