Lady Gaga’s “Judas” video is a modern retelling of biblical stories, where Jesus and his disciples are portrayed as a biker gang. But don’t mistake the video for a Bible lesson as it twists and turns important scenes to give them a very different meaning. In fact, it can be argued that the video symbolically describes an important aspect of Gaga’s work and of society in general: a rejection of Christianity in order to make way to what has been called the Age of Horus. This article will look at the origins and the symbols found in Lady Gaga’s “Judas”.
When I first watched Judas, I immediately told myself: “There is no use to write about this, it is simply too obvious”. I mean Gaga is in love with Judas … and Judas betrayed Jesus. It is a direct continuation of Gaga’s anti-Christian and pro-Illuminati theme through symbols, as described in previous articles. What can I add to it that hasn’t been said? So I ignored the video … until I began receiving e-mails. Tons of them. Many people did not understand the message of the video, some did not get the Biblical references and the way they were twisted to communicate a new message; other simply did not know who Judas was. As it is symbolic on many levels, I realized that decoding this video could help many readers — who I call my “Little Vigis” (No.). The video doesn’t only summarize the underlying spiritual message found in Gaga’s work, but it describes an important phenomenon happening in society in general – a phenomenon that is part of the Illuminati agenda: the “de-holyfication” of traditional religions.
In her recent interviews, Gaga has given several interpretations of the song. In an interview with E! Online she said that it was not meant as an attack of Christianity:
“I don’t view the video as a religious statement, I view it as social statement. I view it as a cultural statement.”
On Amp Radio Gaga explained that:
“It’s about falling in love with the wrong man over and over again.”
“The song is about honoring your darkness in order to bring yourself into the light. You have to look into what’s haunting you and need to learn to forgive yourself in order to move on.”
The videos for Gaga’s songs Alejandro (analyzed here) and Born This Way (analyzed here) communicated specific spiritual messages through meanings and symbols. Traditional religious symbols are stripped of their “holy aura” while other symbols, inspired by those of the Illuminati, are introduced and glorified to her young viewers. Of course, this phenomenon does not happen only in Gaga’s works, but is a trend in mass media in general. Aleister Crowley, an occultist who remains an incredibly influential figure in the entertainment industry, claimed the Age of Horus, a new stage in human history, would be defined by the abandonment of traditional religions in order to embrace a new kind of spirituality (read the full article on Crowley here). The same vision for a “new Aeon” is shared by the world elite, where its plans for a New World Order heavily rely on the existence of a single world religion, based on a specific set of values that are compatible with is Agenda. Mass media plays an important role in this paradigm shift – and the results are astonishing. In less than a century, the Western World has witnessed a drastic decline in religious faith, especially Christian. Never such a profound societal change happened in such a short period of time. Of course, Gaga herself is not responsible for this drastic shift, but Judas, in its meaning and symbolism, perfectly describes the transitional period we are going through, as society is taken to, in Crowley’s words, the Age of Horus.
It is therefore in this social and religious context that Judas was released. First seen riding with Jesus, Gaga goes into a transition and falls for Judas, the man who ultimately caused the death of Jesus. Gaga’s conversion is symbolic of society in general, where the altruistic tenets of Christianity have been replaced by a more “self-celebrating” philosophy – embodied in the video by the character of Judas. In short, the story symbolizes the passage towards Crowley’s Age of Horus, and Gaga’s “Eye of Horus” makeup effectively seems to emphasize this point. As seen in previous articles, Gaga is no stranger to Crowley’ philosophy (her Manifesto at the beginning of Born This Way is heavily inspired by his Thelema). This philosophy is, in turn, the basis of the new kind of spirituality that is sold to the masses through media.
To explain Judas, I need to “get Biblical” because the song and the video are heavily inspired by Biblical verses. So, before we get into it, let’s start by understanding the main character: Judas.
Who was Judas?
Judas giving Jesus the kiss of death.
Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Due to his money-management skills, he was put in charge of the group’s money box. Despite having chosen him to become his follower, Jesus knew from the start that Judas would eventually betray him. At one point he even refers to him as “the devil”.
70 Jesus replied, “Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is the devil?” 71 (Now he said this about Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for Judas, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.)
– John 6:70-71
During his time as a disciple, Judas had some “issues” with Jesus, causing him to stir up trouble within the group. An important event involving Judas happened during the washing of Jesus’ feet by Mary Magdalene using expensive ointments. Offended by what he called a waste of money, Judas protested and even caused other disciples complain. This is one of the Biblical passages that was recreated (with a significant twist) in Gaga’s video:
12:1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 So they prepared a dinner for Jesus there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was among those present at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus. She then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.) 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him) said, 5 “Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?” 6 (Now Judas said this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box, he used to steal what was put into it.) 7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept it for the day of my burial. 8 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me!”
– John 12:1-8
Shortly after this incident, Judas meets with the chief priests of Israel – the ones who were trying to “bring down” Jesus – and strikes a deal. He would betray and hand over Jesus to the Pharisees and the police force in exchange for thirty silver coins:
26:14 Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me to betray him into your hands?” So they set out thirty silver coins for him.
– Matthew 26:14-15
During the Last Supper, Jesus tells his disciples that one of them would betray him and reveals it would be Judas:
13:21 When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, “I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples began to look at one another, worried and perplexed to know which of them he was talking about. 23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was at the table to the right of Jesus in a place of honor. 24 So Simon Peter gestured to this disciple to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to. 25 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I have dipped it in the dish.” Then he dipped the piece of bread in the dish and gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son.
– John 13:21-26
At this moment, it is said that Satan possessed Judas:
13:27 And after Judas took the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
– John 13:27
Judas then leads the chief priests and the police to Jesus, identifying him with a kiss:
14:43 Right away, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law and elders. 44 (Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.”) 45 When Judas arrived, he went up to Jesus immediately and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 Then they took hold of him and arrested him.
– Mark 14:43-46
After Jesus’ condemnation, Judas regretted his betrayal and sought to reverse his actions by returning the money, but it was too late and he commits suicide:
27:3 Now when Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!” 5 So Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself.
– Matthew 27:3-5
Most of the passages described above are recreated in the video, but they are given a twist, where roles and symbols are reversed, effectively changing the fundamental meaning of the Biblical stories. As a result, the video ends with a very different “moral of the story”.
Gaga as Mary Magdalene
The video portrays Jesus and his disciples as a biker gang riding around with skull-and-bone insignias on their backs (nice touch). Gaga is riding with Jesus, playing the role of Mary Magdalene.
Although it is not clearly specified in the Bible, Mary Magdalene is said to be the prostitute who was about to get stoned to death by an angry mob until Jesus came along and said: “Y’all country-ass, donkey-riding peasants better drop them rocks and go on home before things get REAL ugly up in here”. Wait, that’s what Samuel L. Jackson would have said. Jesus actually said: “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.
At the very end of Judas, Gaga is seen stoned to death, insinuating that Jesus was not there to save her.
Gaga as Mary Magdalene stoned to death. In Judas, Jesus has failed to save Gaga. Also, does this scene portray Gaga being persecuted by people who are offended by her music?
So Gaga plays the role of Mary Magdalene where Magdalene is not only the friend and disciple of Jesus, but his lover. This portrayal of Mary Magdalene as Jesus’ mate became popular in the past few decades with books such as The Jesus Scroll (1972), Holy Blood, Holy Grail (1982), The Gospel According to Jesus Christ (1991), The Da Vinci Code (2003), The Two Marys: The Hidden History of the Mother and Wife of Jesus (2007); and by films like Bloodline (2008). These alternative accounts on Jesus Christ’s life originate from modern interpretations of Gnostic and apocryphal texts (mainly the Nag Hammadi) where Magdalene is described as Jesus’ “favorite disciple” and “companion”. An interpretation of the apocryphal Gospel of Philip even alludes to Jesus “often kissing Mary Magdalene on the lips”.
Some occult circles believe that Jesus lived well beyond the age of 33 (a number they believed was selected for symbolic reasons). Some claim that Jesus married Mary Magdalene with whom he had a daughter named Sarah. Some even claimed that they moved to Southern France, where they started the fabled Merovingian Bloodline.
Judas therefore portrays Mary Magdalene from this angle, where Gaga is the wife of Jesus. However, she only has eyes for Judas.
The Video
The video begins with Gaga riding with Jesus, yelling in his ear “Judas Juda-ah-as”, almost as if it was an incantation. Usually, when your girl yells the name of some other dude right in your ear, it means something’s up.
From a spiritual point of view, Gaga was “riding with Jesus” – representing the embrace of Christianity – until she fell in love with Judas – a force that is opposed to it. But what kind of force are we referring to? Is it the elite’s peculiar brand of occultism, mainly represented by the symbol of the Eye of Horus?
Yes, as stated in previous articles, hiding one eye refers to the Eye of Horus. I don’t see how Gaga can make this clearer for you.
In the video, Jesus is shown doing good deeds and healing people while Judas is pretty much a douche bag, getting drunk and grabbing women all over the place. Yet Gaga is in love with him. The character of Judas is an embodiment of Crowley’s saying “Do What Thou Wilt” – or Lavey’s Church of Satan concept of hyper-egoism, where the fulfillment of one’s desires is seen as a basic requirement to true enlightenment. Gaga is seduced by and identifies with the values embodied by Judas’ and is therefore in love with him. By doing so, she turns her back on Jesus’ altruism and selflessness.
The recreation of Mary Magdalene washing of Jesus feet…with the addition of Judas drinking a beer with a non-approving look.
One scene recreates Mary Magdalene’s washing of Jesus feet which, as seen above, made Judas angry and jealous. In the video’s version of the story, Judas is however right there with Jesus, his naked feet next to his, apparently also ready to get this treatment reserved for great people. Judas is therefore not simply a disciple of Jesus, but his equal. Afterwards, Judas, being the self-centered jerk that he is, spills his beer on Gaga … but Gaga loves him that way. The first lyrics of the song describe this reversal from the Biblical story, where Judas is the one getting washed by Gaga.
When he calls to me, I am ready
I’ll wash his feet with my hair if he needs
Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain
Even after three times, he betrays me
“I’m on your side Judas, you’re the best”.
Later in the video, there appears to be some kind of showdown between Jesus and Judas. Gaga – who is still Jesus’ lover – goes to Judas holding a golden gun, apparently to kill the one who would betray her spouse. Instead of a bullet, the gun “shoots out” lipstick. Gaga puts it on Judas’ mouth as if saying “go ahead and kiss Jesus, you have my blessing”.
Gaga does not simply reject Jesus, she is an active agent in his bringing down. One of her eye is hidden, confirming that this is part of the Illuminati agenda (bringing down religions).
Judas giving Jesus the kiss of death.
The song also describes Gaga’s participation in “bringing Jesus down”:
I’ll bring him down, bring him down, down
A king with no crown, king with no crown
The “king with no crown” is more than likely Jesus, who is wearing during the entire video the Crown of Thorns. In Biblical accounts, that painful crown was put on his head by soldiers before his crucifixion in order to humiliate the one who claimed to be the “King of the Jews”.
Right after Gaga’s “official” taking sides with Judas, she is shown in a symbolic “cleansing” or “baptizing” scene.
Is this a reference to the great whore of Babylon who is said to “sit on many waters”? There is another reference to the Great Whore in the video.
So, despite Jesus’ virtuous deeds, Gaga is attracted to Judas. The Betrayer is portrayed as a rowdy, egoistical and devious being, which is not surprising since it is stated that Judas was possessed by Satan at the time he betrayed Jesus. Judas personifies the antithesis of Jesus’ selfless ways and represents the self-centered philosophy described by modern occultists such as Aleister Crowley whose philosophical tenets, describes the self as “the center of the universe”. Anton Lavey’s Satanic Bible describes the need for a “new religion” based on man’s earthly needs.
Past religions have always represented the spiritual nature of man, with little or no concern for his carnal or mundane needs. They have considered this life but transitory, and the flesh merely a shell; physical pleasure trivial, and pain a worthwhile preparation for the “Kingdom of God”. How well the utter hypocrisy comes forth when the “righteous” make a change in their religion to keep up with man’s natural change! The only way that Christianity can ever completely serve the needs of man is to become as Satanism is NOW.
It has become necessary for a NEW religion, based on man’s natural instincts, to come forth. THEY have named it. It is called Satanism.
– Anton Lavey, The Satanic Bible
Gaga, playing Mary Magdalene, is attracted to Judas’ ways. She not only “converts” to his side but also effectively brings Jesus down. This attraction to the “dark side” is summed up in these simple words:
I wanna love you,
But something’s pulling me away from you
Jesus is my virtue,
Judas is the demon I cling to
Other Details in the Video
Other apparently meaningless symbols in Judas help decoding the full meaning of the video.
Why does this purple garb particularly stand out? Is this a reference to the Whore of Babylon who is said to be “clothed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls”? Crowley was also fascinated with the Great Whore, naming his scarlet women “Babalon”.
Why is the weapon randomly shown in the video? Is it because it is called a Morning Star, a name attributed to Jesus and…Lucifer?
While Gaga is singing “I’m in love with Judas” one of the dancers is wearing a shirt bearing an inverted pentacle surrounded by Hebrew script. This symbol is used the Sigil of Baphomet, the symbol identifying Lavey’s Church of Satan.
In Conclusion
Going beyond simple shots at Christianity for pure shock value, Judas summarizes the underlying spiritual messages found in Lady Gaga’s works which are, in turn, a reflection of the elite’s philosophy that needs to be taught to the masses. Whether it is intentional or not, Judas symbolizes the spiritual shift of humanity as it enters what is “the Age of Horus”. Crowley considered the last two thousand years to be the Age of Osiris, ruled by Christianity’s “emphasis on death, suffering, sorrow and the denial of the body”. He however considered this era to be necessary to give birth to the Age of Horus, whose Aeon would lead humanity to a new kind of spirituality. Other esoteric schools describe this shift in different words. Some describe it as the Age of Aquarius taking the place of the Age of Pisces, which was dominated by Christianity (they say Jesus was associated with the symbol of the fish because he ruled the Age of Pisces). Is this the reason Gaga’s words refer to the “future of culture”?
In the most Biblical sense,
I am beyond repentance
Fame, hooker, prostitute wench vomits her mind
But in the cultural sense
I just speak in future tense
Whether the general population subscribes to these esoteric predictions or not, it certainly is “following the script” that was laid out. The same way Lady Gaga was eyeing Judas while riding with Jesus, society as a whole has let go of the core tenets of Christianity to embrace a philosophy that is compatible with Crowley’s Thelema. Even if most people do not even know what is the Thelema, they live by it on a daily basis. That being said, organized religions and the elite are not necessarily opposite forces. Religions and religious sects have often been used as tools of the political elite to divide-and-conquer countries and to oppress and to manipulate the masses. Times have however changed and, today, the Illuminati is looking to unite the world under a single world government and a single world religion. This religion’s values are based on egoism, materialism and the sexualization of pretty much everything. Most music videos, movies and TV shows subtly celebrate these values. In other words, they want you to be in love with Judas.
http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/lady-gagas-judas-and-the-age-of-horus/
