Poster advertising the work of Leo Taxil.

The Taxil hoax was an 1890s hoax of exposure by Léo Taxil intended to mock not only Freemasonry, but also the Roman Catholic Church's opposition to it.^[1] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 412 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (492 × 715 pixel, file size: 255 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) source: http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 412 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (492 × 715 pixel, file size: 255 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) source: http://www. ... A hoax is an attempt to trick an audience into believing that something false is real. ... Léo Taxil, originally Marie Joseph Gabriel Antoine Jogand-Pagès (March 21, 1854–March 31, 1907), was a French hoaxster who duped the pope and the French prelates. ... The Masonic Square and Compasses. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ...

Taxil and Freemasonry

Léo Taxil was the penname of an atheist who had been accused earlier of libel regarding a book he wrote called The Secret Loves of Pius IX. On April 20, 1884, Pope Leo XIII published an encyclical, Humanum Genus, that said that the human race was “Atheist” redirects here. ... In English and American law, and systems based on them, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (or defamation of character), which is the tort or delict of making a false statement of fact that injures someones reputation. ... Pope Pius IX (May 13, 1792 – February 7, 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from his election in June 16, 1846, until his death more than 31 years later in 1878, making him the longest-reigning Pope since the Apostle St. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Pope Leo XIII (March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903), born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, having succeeded Pope Pius IX (1846–78) on February 20, 1878 and reigning until his death in 1903. ... An encyclical was a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church. ... Humanum Genus (on Freemasonry) was a papal encyclical promulgated on April 20, 1884, by Pope Leo XIII. It starts by using the Augustinian concept of the two cities, the City of Man and the City of God. ...

"separated into two diverse and opposite parts, of which the one steadfastly contends for truth and virtue, the other of those things which are contrary to virtue and to truth. The one is the kingdom of God on earth, namely, the true Church of Jesus Christ ... The other is the kingdom of Satan," This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... For other uses, see Satan (disambiguation). ...

which was "led on or assisted" by Freemasonry.

After this encyclical, Taxil underwent a public, feigned conversion to Roman Catholicism, and announced his intention of repairing the damage he had done to the true faith.

The first book produced by Taxil after his conversion was a four-volume history of Freemasonry, which contained fictitious eyewitness verifications of their participation in Satanism. With a collaborator who published as "Dr. Karl Hacks," Taxil wrote another book called the Devil in the Nineteenth Century, which introduced a new character "Diana Vaughan," a supposed descendant of the Rosicrucian alchemist Thomas Vaughan. The book contained many implausible tales about her encounters with incarnate demons, one of whom was supposed to have written prophecies on her back with its tail, and another who played the piano in the shape of a crocodile. Satanism Associated organizations Church of Satan First Satanic Church First Church of Satan Prominent figures Anton LaVey | Blanche Barton | Peter H. Gilmore | Peggy Nadramia | Karla LaVey Associated concepts Left-Hand Path | Pentagonal Revisionism | Suitheism | Survival of the fittest | Objectivism | Might Is Right Books and publications The Satanic Bible | The Satanic... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Thomas Vaughan (April 17, 1621 - 1666) was a Welsh philosopher. ... St. ... A short grand piano, with the top up. ... Genera Mecistops Crocodylus Osteolaemus See full taxonomy. ...

Diana was supposedly involved in Satanic freemasonry, but was redeemed when one day she professed admiration for Joan of Arc, at whose name the demons were put to flight. As Diana Vaughan, Taxil published a book called Eucharistic Novena, a collection of prayers which were praised by the Pope. It has been suggested that Name of Joan of Arc be merged into this article or section. ... Mary Magdalene in prayer. ... The Pope, (or Pope of Rome) (from Latin: papa, Papa, father; from Greek: papas / = priest originating from πατήρ = father )[1], is the Bishop of Rome, the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the absolute monarch of Vatican City. ...

On April 19, 1897, Taxil called a press conference at which he claimed he would introduce Diana Vaughan to the press. He instead announced that many of his revelations about the Freemasons were fictitious. He thanked the clergy for their assistance in giving publicity to his wild claims. The hoax material is still used against Freemasons to this day. Chick Publications publishes such a tract called The Curse of Baphomet. April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... Chick Publications is an American publishing company run by Jack Chick which produces and markets Protestant fundamentalist pamphlets, DVDs, VCDs, videos, books, and posters. ... Baphomet, by Eliphas Lévi. ...

The Luciferian Quote

The quote most frequently associated with the Taxil Hoax reads:

That which we must say to the world is that we worship a god, but it is the god that one adores without superstition. To you, Sovereign Grand Inspectors General, we say this, that you may repeat it to the brethren of the 32nd, 31st and 30th degrees: The masonic Religion should be, by all of us initiates of the higher degrees, maintained in the Purity of the Luciferian doctrine. If Lucifer were not God, would Adonay and his priests calumniate him?

Yes, Lucifer is God, and unfortunately Adonay is also god. For the eternal law is that there is no light without shade, no beauty without ugliness, no white without black, for the absolute can only exist as two gods; darkness being necessary for light to serve as its foil as the pedestal is necessary to the statue, and the brake to the locomotive....

Thus, the doctrine of Satanism is a heresy, and the true and pure philosophical religion is the belief in Lucifer, the equal of Adonay; but Lucifer, God of Light and God of Good, is struggling for humanity against Adonay, the God of Darkness and Evil.

While this quote was published by Abel Clarin de la Rive in his Woman and Child in Universal Freemasonry, and does not appear in Taxil's writings proper, it is sourced in a footnote to Diana Vaughan, Taxil's creation. [1]

Literature

• Alec Mellor, A Hoaxer of Genius Leo Taxil (1890-7)

Notes

For the Canadian equivalent of this channel, see History Television. ...

References

Arturo de Hoyos and S. Brent Morris, Is It True What They Say About Freemasonry? (Available online)

External links

• Devil-Worship in France, by A.E. Waite complete e-text of Waite's debunking of Taxil.
• The Confessions of Leo Taxil E-Text
• "The Leo Taxil Fraud" on an Anti-Freemasonry website
• "The Leo Taxil Hoax" on an Pro-Freemasonry website
• "A hoax" by Edmond Frank l'Illustration, May 1. 1897
• Abel Claren de la Rive (1855-1914)
• Lady Queenborough, Edith Starr Miller