by Robert Hieronimus, Ph.D. and Laura E. Cortner
Co-authors of The Secret Life of Lady Liberty: Goddess in the New World

1. List Of Bible Statues
2. Statue Of Liberty Described In The Bible Gateway
3. Statue Of Liberty In Prophecy
4. Statue Of Liberty Described In The Bible Study

Now there’s a headline you won’t see in most history books about the Statue of Liberty! Yet, surprisingly, a growing number of people are buying into this wild conspiracy theory that Lady Liberty is demonic because she is a goddess, and should be torn down. Most of our academic friends pooh-pooh these theories, dismissing them with the wave of a hand as irrelevant, based on the lack of any historical evidence behind them. We take these theories quite seriously, however, and have spent years tracking this attempt to recast the Statue of Liberty as the Whore of Babylon. Here’s why: These beliefs represent the fringes of a much larger attack on religious freedom in the United States – and because when you look behind the claim that all goddesses are Satan-in-disguise you find a not-so-veiled attack on women’s rights.

If you’ve heard of this conspiracy theory at all, it was when former Texas Governor Rick Perry was running for President, and Right Wing Watch revealed that he was being advised by preachers from the New Apostolic Reformation. Their sermons were recycling threadbare conspiracy chestnuts about the Illuminati and the Freemasons, and challenging their followers to tear down “that demonic idol right there in New York harbor.” They call our Lady Liberty “a statue of a false goddess,” and “the beast mother of all harlots… Ishtar, Lucifer.” All you have to do is google the word “secret” along with “Statue of Liberty,” and prepare to be shocked at the hatred spewing forth in hundreds of thousands of hits.

It may be a fringe group of zealots proclaiming the Statue of Liberty is demonic, but their political reach is very, very real. Their burning hatred of “the other” and their patriarchal, misogynist worldview are being manipulated by a politically savvy group of right-wing ideologues whose agenda includes the dismantling of all the women’s rights legislation achieved in the past few decades. Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton join the Statue of Liberty as others frequently labeled as the Whore of Babylon, because fear of the goddess translates into fear of real women who are comfortable in their own power. From Hitler’s Germany, Stalin’s Soviet Union, Khomeini’s Iran, the Taliban of Afghanistan, the Theocratic Rightists’ position across the globe is that women are dangerous to men sexually, and need to be controlled. Legislators who say we can’t trust women to make her own decisions about when and how many children to bring into this world are operating under the misinterpreted mythology that no women can be trusted because of the fall of Eve.

The United Nations’ Millenium Development Goals underscore the importance of women’s health and empowerment in the health of every country, including the United States. Image: Rahulkepapa / CC BY-SA 3.0

And yet, ironically, the fear that extremist theocrats have for an empowered woman is actually counterproductive to their own health. Giving a woman control over her reproductive cycle is key to pulling her family, and by extension, her country, out of poverty. The statistical inversion between the proclaimed values of conservative voters and the actual health of the constituencies where they live is on display again with the recent headlines that the state of Texas today has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the developed world. This skyrocketing rate of women dying from complications related to being pregnant is a direct result of the closure of dozens of Planned Parenthood clinics across the state where most poor women had previously turned for quality medical care for everything below their belly button.

Misinterpreting scripture in order to conclude that all goddesses are one big whore-monster is part of an anti-female agenda that yearns for some idyllic version of 1950s America, where masculine white men were decidedly in control, and women stayed home. In a nation that was founded to protect religious freedom and freedom of speech, anyone should be allowed to say that the goddess, or the Statue of Liberty for that matter, is the Whore of Babylon if they choose. However, when those same people turn around and say that religious freedom in this nation does not apply to anyone other than members of their particular brand of evangelical Christianity, then that’s a problem. When they say that women’s health and opinions must be controlled by men who fear their life-giving power, then that’s a problem.

The Statue of Liberty reminds us that we all have the freedom to ask questions. Who you are and why you are here should not be just a matter of blind belief. You can and should discuss the ideas you have accepted since you were a child. You can and should challenge your assumptions, and that includes the folklore of your religion—especially if it does not allow room for powerful women or for the goddess.

This statue of the pagan Madonna, the Statue of 'Liberty,' is a statue of this same ancient pagan 'Queen of Heaven,' the wife of Nimrod, or Semiramis! Goddess Diana of the Ephesians The worship of this pagan goddess caused no small persecution for the true believers of the first century. Before the ‘Statue of Liberty’ episode of Brad Meltzer’s Decoded first aired on the History Channel December 16th, 2010, if you asked the average American what the Statue of Liberty represented, they couldn’t say anything other than “America,” “freedom,” or “democracy.”. Is it possible that the Statue of Liberty is the Whore of Babylon mentioned in Revelation chapters 17-18, and could New York City and its port be the new Babylon as described in Revelation chapter 18? This statue of the pagan Madonna, the Statue of 'Liberty,' is a statue of this same ancient pagan 'Queen of Heaven,' the wife of Nimrod, or Semiramis! Nimrod's Wife and Consort But Nimrod has a consort, a woman, a 'harlot-mother,' who became deified with him - his mother-wife Semiramis.

About the Authors

Authors Robert Hieronimus, Ph.D., and Laura E. Cortner inside the head
of the Statue of Liberty after the long climb to the top.

Robert Hieronimus, Ph.D. is an internationally known historian, visual artist, and radio host and has appeared on History, Discovery, BBC, and National Geographic. The host of 21st Century Radio®, he lives in Maryland. Laura E. Cortner has co-authored previous titles with Robert Hieronimus including Founding Fathers, Secret Societies and United Symbolism of America. Her work appears regularly in periodicals like UFO Magazine, FATE Magazine, and several Beatles publications. She is the director of the Ruscombe Mansion Community Health Center and lives in Maryland.

Who is Mystery Babylon in Revelations?

List Of Bible Statues

Revelation 16:16 announces the beginning of the Battle of Armageddon: “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”
The next three verses record the fall of Babylon the Great. “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air…and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.”
This passage clearly teaches us that the destruction of Babylon will take place at the time of the Battle of Armageddon.
Since we know that the Battle of Armageddon occurs at the end of the Great Tribulation, after the reign of the Antichrist and after the Mark of the Beast, it is obvious that Babylon has not yet fallen.

The entire ministry of the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah was devoted to prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem and the carrying away of Israel into Babylonian captivity. He also prophesied the return of Israel to Jerusalem after 70 years and foretold the ultimate destruction of Babylon.

The prophecy against Babylon is found in Jeremiah 50:1-23.

“The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet. Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken…For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein… Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.”

Verses 17 and 18 establish for certain when this destruction of Babylon was to occur:

“Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.”

The above scriptures teach us that this particular prophesied destruction of Babylon would occur during the era of the Babylonian empire of Nebuchadnezzar.

Furthermore, verses 39-40 declared that Babylon would never again be inhabited. “Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands will dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever…”

The prophecy of Jeremiah clearly stated that Babylon would be destroyed, never to be inhabited again. Yet the book of Revelation prophesies the destruction of Babylon at the time of Armageddon. How do we reconcile what appears to be a biblical contradiction?

The physical city of Babylon was originally built by Nimrod after the flood. It was located on the Euphrates River, about 55 miles south of where Baghdad, Iraq stands today. The name Babylon came from the Tower of Babel that was constructed there.

Babylon became a large city of global prominence around 1728 BC during the reign of Hammurabi. The glory years of Babylon were achieved under Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC). The city declined during the reign of Belshazzar, and came to ruin when Xerxes, the Persian king, destroyed it in 478 BC.

Thus, Jeremiah’s prophesied destruction of Babylon was accomplished, and, just as the prophecy said, it has never been inhabited to this day. Saddam Hussein launched a project to rebuild Babylon in the late 1980’s, but the effort was halted by Gulf War I and has yet to be resumed.
But if Babylon is never to be rebuilt, why are two entire chapters of the book of Revelation devoted to the destruction of Babylon? And why is the destruction of Babylon clearly described as occurring at the time of Armageddon?
The Babylon described in Revelation is called “Mystery Babylon.” The prophecy of Mystery Babylon is found in Revelation 17:3-5.

“So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

A mystery is something secret or hidden— a thing that some understand while others do not. In Revelation 17, there are several clues given to the identity of Mystery Babylon. We will discuss four of them here.

Notice in the above prophecy that a woman is used to symbolize Mystery Babylon. Verse 18 of the chapter tells us that the woman is a city. “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

In verse 1, we are told that the woman sits on many waters. Verse 15 explains the meaning of the waters. “And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”

Not only is this woman a city, but the city is apparently the headquarters over a vast international system.

In verse 3, we are told that the woman rides on a beast with 7 heads. Verse 9 reveals the meaning of the heads. “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”

Remember, we’ve already learned that the woman is a city. This passage tells us that the city sits on seven mountains. There is a city on earth that is known as “The City of Seven Hills.” It’s the city of Rome.
But is Rome the headquarters for an international power that rules over “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues?”
The Vatican claims to rule over one billion Roman Catholics worldwide. Remember, this prophecy was written long before the Catholic Church existed and long before Rome became her headquarters.

Statue Of Liberty Described In The Bible Gateway

Revelation 17:4 “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:”

Statue Of Liberty In Prophecy

There are two ruling bodies in the Roman Catholic Church: The College of Cardinals and the College of Bishops and Archbishops. These two bodies are somewhat like the Senate and the House of Representatives here in the US.
An article appeared in The Criterion, a Roman Catholic publication, July 1, 1988. The article was entitled, “More than You Want to Know About Cardinals.” It stated, “Cardinals wear red, while non-Cardinal Bishops and Archbishops wear purple.”
So let’s review. Mystery Babylon is a city that sits on seven hills. Rome is known worldwide as “The City of Seven Hills.”
Mystery Babylon is to “sit” on peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues.” Rome is headquarters for the Roman Catholic Church, claiming one billion members worldwide.
Mystery Babylon is described as being clothed in purple and red. The official colors of the two ruling bodies of the Roman Church are purple and red.
One other factor should be understood. In Revelation 17, God chose to use a woman—a whore—to symbolize the Roman Catholic Church. Why?
It’s really very simple. In scripture, God always used a woman to symbolize a church. He used a virgin to represent His true church (II Corinthians 11:2), and He used a harlot to represent a false church—as he did in Revelation 17-19.

Statue Of Liberty Described In The Bible Study

There can be only one conclusion: The Vatican is the Mystery Babylon of Revelation. And it is this false religious system that has deceived the people of the world that will be destroyed at the time of Armageddon.