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THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS: An Introspective Perspective


(By Solomon Mahoi, [Pseudonym, Abck Obba])


August 29, 2024


Generally, history has its unique way of capturing the attention of its audiences through historians’ accounts of events and timeliness despite the mixture of skepticism, pessimism, and optimism which historians’ narrations of events and timelines may sometimes pose in the historical accounts they share with their readers. And in the case of the Knights Templars for example, the access to various accounts tells readers that the Knights Templars were of Latin origin while other accounts depict them to be of Middle Eastern origins. But from what I’ve gathered so far from the various accounts I’ve accessed, the Knight Templars were mainly of European origins with Spain, France, England, Germany and Austria accounting for their bulk in numbers, while Israel had its faction that were based in the city of Jerusalem in Israel.


But what’s interesting about this finding is that regardless of this distributive origins about the Knights Templars story, yet there was a common objective they all shared which was not only to safeguard pilgrims to the Holy Land of Israel but also to converge as one force in fighting against various outside threats that sought to dismantle their spiritual Order, as well as in fighting against the internal politics perpetuated from within their governing heads which the Knights Templars saw as an organized betrayal. And for the purpose of this article being an introspection into the spiritual conducts of this once spiritually noble force that was the Knights Templars, I’ll rather not dwell on the internal politics perpetuated by their governing heads which not only inflicted inhumane physical tortures upon them and ultimately cost most to lose their lives, but this also caused them to lose battles which they could have certainly been the victors. But one thing I must quickly highlight here before I proceed, perhaps for the sake of it serving as a reminder (although I imagine it wouldn’t be strange to the average adult population of our time), is the fact that almost every corruptive maneuvering or betrayals within a set of people usually gets perpetuated by those serving in the leading roles. The story of Hannibal of Carthage is an example of such betrayal, the story of King Alexander the great of Macedon is another example, the story of Rome’s Julius Caesar is for sure another enduring classic example, and perhaps to induce a moment of laughter in you for emphasis sake, I will add that the cock you heard crowed at 6am this morning whose dissected pieces will be in today’s evening meal somewhere here in Africa, had been perpetuated by its owner who perhaps craves enough meat-protein in his or her evening stewed dish. I’m sure you clearly get the point.


So anyway, the brotherhood that was the Knights Templars was a Religious Order in the Middle-Ages between 1307-1312, as this was a time when Christian Faithfuls faced heavy persecutions for their religious convictions. During this time these Christian militants that was the Knights Templars defended these Christian Faithfuls in pockets of battles, as they too were Christian Faithfuls having committed themselves to monastic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, the same way for example, Buddhist monks and nuns lived, daily practicing righteousness, prayerfulness, temperance, and hospitality.


Although the Knight Templars version of spiritual warfare which at the time was the use of armories such as swords, shields, knives as well as prayers, however, today’s version of spiritual warfare of the Christian Faithfuls differs largely in that today’s version mainly centers on utilizing the power of the tongue in prayer, but harshly enough to bring down the enemies’ strongholds including the casting out of demons, the breaking and loosing of the chains of obstacles or derailments, as well as in dismantling evil altars. But the overall objective for both these versions of spiritual warfares remained the same, which is for the Faithfuls to defend their spiritual dignity and moral integrity during which accounts the process to have the Faithfuls harness their spiritual valor against social treacheries orchestrated toward them, which therefore call for them to utilize their God-given divine mandate as co-creators of this universe, by them speaking things into existence because within the tongue lies the power of life and death. And also, because the Kingdom of God suffers violence (and/or wickedness in variations) as scriptured in Matthew 11:12, therefore prayerful spiritual warfare is essential as this is the Faithful’s mandate of taking things to God in prayer, subjectively and independently.


The Knights Templars may be no more in existence as they were in the Middle-Ages, but through religious history’s narratives of them reaffirms to us in this present age that evil truly exists. And so on account of this we must remain vigilant of our surroundings including how and when we interact with others including those closest to us, in addition to how we allow people get closer to us in association, simply of the fact that the enemy almost-always uses those that are closest to us to harm us, and also of the fact that sometimes those closest to us possess the potential to be our very enemies, mainly out of jealousy, envy, and sometimes, out of outright hate.


And if perhaps William Shakespear's soul could allow me the literary liberty to rearrange one of his famous quotes that reads, "Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none," at least for the sake of me making emphasis on the evils that truly exists daily, I will have his quote be read as this: 'Trust a few, love all but do so cautiously, but most importantly, do wrong to none.'


Therefore, with this in mind, be vigilant or remain vigilant.


Shalom.



Reference/Source:

Timeline on the Knights Templars existence, who they were, their distributive origins, their monastic vows, as well as internal politics' treacheries toward them: PETER PARTNER, The Knights Templar and their Myth, 1990, (the entire introduction, as well as chapter 1 which covers from page1-23).


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