What is Masonry ?
Traduzca esta página al español
usar FreeTranslation.com 
Traduire Cette Page A Français
utilisation FreeTranslation.com 
Übersetzen Sie Diese Seite Zu Deutsch
Gebrauch FreeTranslation.com 
Freemasonry has rightly been called a system of morality,
veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. But it can also
be seen as an approach to God. It is not a religion, yet it is
religious in nature. This is because it validates the spiritual
nature of Man - the reality underlying all religions.
Dated in 1390 A.D., Regis Manuscript; or Regius Poem details the charter of a lodge operating in the 900s A.D. "Masonry" then meant architecture and encompassed most of the arts and sciences. Because lodges held knowledge as competitive secrets, only trusted, capable companions were instructed in the craft - and then only by degrees, orally and through symbols, because of widespread illiteracy.
There is little doubt that in the 15th century craftsmen had real grievances with merchants, who hired their services, and the local town councils. With differing success they formed associations of their own which sometimes appeared to be so menacing that laws were passed restricting their activities. Notwithstanding these laws, by 1475, the Masons and Wrights of Edinburgh were strong enough to secure a 'Seal of Cause' or Charter from the city of Edinburgh authorities.
This created an Incorporation, roughly equivalent to an English Trade Guild, which laid down rules for the governance of the Craft. see Origins
In the late Renaissance, lodges of freemasons began to accept as speculative masons those educated men who were attracted by the elegance of Masonic traditions for their philosophic expression. In time they were passed through the inner circles.
Thus, the framers of speculative Freemasonry began to describe a code of conduct through the symbolic nature of architecture and the stonemason's craft. Signaling modern speculative Freemasonry, the first Grand Lodge was chartered in 1717. Constituent Symbolic Blue Lodges were soon established throughout the world.
The first Lodge in the Colonies was chartered in Boston in 1733, and the first lodge in New Jersey, St. Johns #1 was chartered on July 3, 1787.
Among millions of Masons, not one was lawfully invited to apply for membership. Our code of conduct prevents it. Thus, no faithful Mason can invite you. Any Mason can obtain a petition for the Degrees of Masonry for you, but you must ask for it - and for good reason.
You must first ask yourself if you're suitably prepared to enter the "gentle craft of Masonry" ...to become a brother in the world's most exclusive fraternal order. Few men are intellectually or spiritually prepared to understand or appreciate even the more apparent meanings of Masonry.
Do you reflect on the nature of man's existence and your obligations to God, your family, and yourself?
If such ethical and moral questions hold little interest for you, then you will gain little benefit from the teachings of the Craft. But if you seek a more meaningful quality of life-and the spirit of charity and good fellowship which flow from it-then Freemasonry has much to offer.
We want you to know what we believe, how we act, and what we do.. and, then, should you become a Mason, to be proud to be our brother and to participate in our work. Only those who desire membership because of their favorable impression of us should seek a petition.
That's why you must "ask yourself"
Freemasonry has been characterized as a fraternity devoted to high ideals and admirable benevolence. Community service and charitable work are, in fact, principle Masonic activities.
Easily the best-known is the world's largest single charitable institution, the
Shriners Hospitals for Children and Burns Institutes, which are located throughout
Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Their emblem is Middle Eastern based, with a curved
scimitar and similary curved moon. They wear Moroccan styled hats with the same emblem.
They greet each other Salam Aleykum, yet they are not Muslim. They have little enemies and
are welcomed by many groups, instutitions, and governments. Reportedly, they received about
$10 billion from the US government for their operations. They focus on fun. The pic is a link
to Shriners Hospitals where the treatment is absolutely free.
Other Masonic bodies support their own statewide and national foundations for research, teaching, and treatment or rehabilitation services for children with learning or speech disorders, cancer, visual problems and need of dental restoration.
Who are the Masons?
Masons (also known as Freemasons) belong to the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. Today, there are more than two million Freemasons in North America. Masons represent virtually every occupation and profession, yet within the Fraternity, all meet as equals. Masons come from diverse political ideologies, yet meet as friends. Masons come from varied religious beliefs and creeds, yet all believe in one God.
Many of North America's early patriots were Freemasons. Thirteen signers of the Constitution and fourteen Presidents of the United States, including George Washington, were Masons. In Canada, the Father of the Confederation, Sir John A. MacDonald, was a Mason, as were other early Canadian and American leaders.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Freemasonry is how so many men, from so many different walks of life, can meet together in peace, always conducting their affairs in harmony and friendship and calling each other "Brother."
Operative Masonry and Speculative Masonry; From the book Symbols of Freemasonry
Contrary to popular belief, which has been defended by many historians in the past, we are now in a position to demonstrate that Spectulative Masonry (meaning theoretical or philosophical) did not derive directly from Operative (or working) Freemasonry. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Freemasons took their inspiration from the rites and customs of the Guild Masons in order to give their work the structure, organzation and symbols necessary to fulfil a specific purpose. This was to gather together people of different origins and different opinions and enable them to work on a common project: the creation of a temple for the whole of humanity.
Rather than saying that Freemasonry was born out of the Guild
of Masons, it might be more helpful to say that learned men who
wished to work together and exchange ideas adopted the symbolism
and structures used by working Masons.
For indeed, the symbolism of the Mason's tools does enable a variety of different kinds of knowledge to be linked.
This in turn was the background of the Royal Society whose learned men were of different backgrounds, cultures and religions. However the ancient code and symbolism of a Mason's working tools was discovered and written in stone 300 years before Christ. The stone is in Italy.
BUILDINGS COME AND GO, BUT BUILDINGS MADE OF STONE REMAIN FOREVER
The Magi, the Teachers of the Ancient School of Knowledge instructed
their pupils - The Masons how to place their wisdom on buildings.
1000 years before Jesus was born, God chose David to be a Prince and ruler of Israel. David then asked for all Masons from far and wide to help his Son, Solomon to build a Temple to God as Explained in I Chronicles 22 Verse 2:
"And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and be set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God."
From the beginning of time the Freemasons knew the most logical place to show this wisdom was upon places of worship, whether you attend a Church, Mosque, Temple or Synagogue - the message is the same.
The message is portrayed by symbols, each of these symbols have a different meaning.Freemason Symbols....Learn the ancient symbolism of Freemasonry.
The skillful Mason can interpret these symbols and apply their meaning to understand the Laws of the Universe.
Freemasons are custodians of the Calendar of Time and use the Sun, Moon , Stars and Planets to regulate the time on Earth.
It has been said by some uneducated people that Masons worship the Sun, nothing can be further from the truth.
Freemasons are explicitly instructed never to worship the Sun, Moon or Planets in the higher degrees of Freemasonry - The Royal Arch.
However, to lack an understanding of the Sun and Moon and their influences upon the Earth is foolish and only serves to keep people ignorant.
Freemasons are asked to make daily progress in the paths of Nature and Science to further educate themselves.
In the ceremonies, Freemasons are told that Freemasonry was in existence when King Solomon built the Temple at Jerusalem and that the masons who built the Temple were organized into Lodges. We found it is much older than that.
The frequent references to King Solomon's Temple in this and other Degrees, has led to the false conclusion that the Fraternity was founded by him. Freemasonry became an organized craft many years after the reign of Solomon. However, our ritual is based upon Masonic legends connected with both Solomon and the Temple at Jerusalem, which has helped enrich the symbolism.
"According to one story, the Grand Masters
of the Order had been in possession of special spiritual
illumination deriving from the Jewish sect of the Essenes. This
had passed through the control of the Canons of the Holy
Sepulcher at Jerusalem, and had gone thence to the Order of the
Temple. Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master, was by
these story-writers given the Masonic name of Hiram, which
according to Masonic lore had been the name of the murdered
builder of the Temple of Solomon."
The requirements are similar to the basic requirements for admission into the Yahad or "Unity group" described in several of the Dead Sea Scrolls. But this was carried forward by the Laws of Moses who was educated in Egypt.
As the candidate "progresses through the ceremonies" he learns
that at the building of King Solomon's Temple at Jerusalem the
skilled masons were divided into two classes, Apprentices and
Fellows; that they were presided over by three Grand masters
(King Solomon, Hiram King of Tyre, and Hiram Abiff) who shared
certain secrets known only to them; that these secrets were lost
by the murder of Hiram Abiff - a result of his refusal to
divulge the secrets - and that certain substituted secrets were
adopted 'until time or circumstance should restore the former'.
The implication in the ritual is that Freemasonry was already
established in Solomon's time and has continued as an unchanged
system since them. The ritual, however, as the candidate quickly
realizes, is not literal or historical truth but a dramatic
allegory by means of which the principles and tenets of the Craft
are handed down."
- John Hamill, The Craft, A History of English Freemasonry
Restoring the 'secret word' is a metaphor for something more than just a 'word' that has been lost.
"The legend of the Master-Builder [Hiram Abiff] is the
great allegory of Masonry. It happens that his figurative story
is grounded on the fact of a personality mentioned in Holy
Scripture, but this historical background is of the accidents
and not the essence; the significance is in the allegory and
not in any point of history which may lie behind it."
- A.E. Waite, New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
"The purpose of Masonry is to train a human being so that
he will reconstuct, through the body of change and death which
he now has, a perfect physical body which shall not be subject
to death. The plan is to build this deathless body, called by
modern masons Solomon's Temple, out of material in the physical
body, which is called the ruins of Solomon's Temple."
- Harold Waldwin Percival, Masonry and Its Symbols in the
Light of "Thinking and Destiny"
Hiram Abiff is, in essence, identical with many of the Mystery School heroes. The drama of the Egyptian god Osiris began with his tragic death, the search for his body by Isis, its discovery and restoration. The Greek god Dionysus was attacked by the Titans. In the course of the fight he went through many transformations but was finally overcome. The Titans dismembered him, but in due time the goddess Rhea came to his aid and he rose glorious and entire. This formula is ancient. It is the concept of the sacred king, who in many instances is lame (which signifies his dedication), and is destined for sacrifice, that the earth might become regenerated and uplifted by divine power.
Because the scientific or alchemical history is not
mentioned in lodge work, Masonry today is
'speculative' only; that is to build one's soul
to be square, level and upright and cemented with the moralistic
code of the Laws of Moses.. ( and of the ancient Egyptian
'Maat', as you will see ) It is speculative because God's
favorite 'secret' science of Geometry is taught to anyone who
wants to learn. The secrets of the 'stone masons' are practiced
by many, therefore the old operative 'craft' is no longer
secret. All that remains is the symbolism of the ancient building
'craft' and the way the 'brothers' recognize each other.
The symbolism of the unfinished Temple is meant to represent
the ongoing effort to obtain the above. "It is never finished".
'Building Solomon's Temple' is now actually building one's
character, creating a temple in one's own body and soul...
Becoming more than a mere man. But our soul is seperate and our
body is only an earthbound discardable container for the soul.
It is therefore unimportant and useless beyond death.
Like 'the Borg' in the Startrek series, we are a 'collective
all' except that we can't function as an 'all' until we learn
the secret behind our creation and purpose.
The Soul is our ego and our personality and it must be trained to
avoid the seven deadly sins of man. Passage of the Secrets, page
3 explains this in detail.
Regarding Hiram as the "Son of the Widow," there are a few things to mention. The Egyptian god Horus, as the child of Isis and Osiris, was also the son of a widow. Hermes Trismegistus called the stone "orphan." There seems to be a Manichaean origin to the terms "son of the widow" and "children of the widow". The Manichaeans were called "children of the widow". Etymologically, the word individual is related to the word widow. Vidua, Latin for widow, derives from the verb videre, meaning "to part."
From Manley P. Hall's Lost Keys of Freemasonry
Freemasonry, though not a religion, is essentially religious. Most
of its legends and allegories are of a sacred nature; much of it is
woven into the structure of Christianity. We have learned to
consider our own religion as the only inspired one, and this
probably accounts for much of the misunderstanding in the world
today concerning the place occupied by Freemasonry in the spiritual
ethics of our race.
A religion is a divinely inspired code of morals. A religious person is one inspired to nobler living by this code. He is identified by the code which is his source of illumination. Thus we may say that a Christian is one who receives his spiritual ideals of right and wrong from the message of the Christ, while a Buddhist is one who molds his life into the archetype of morality given by the great Gautama, or one of the other Buddhas.
All doctrines which seek to unfold and preserve that invisible spark in man named Spirit, are said to be spirit ual. Those which ignore this invisible element and concent rate entirely upon the visible are said to be material. There is in religion a wonderful point of balance, where the materialist and spiritist meet on the plane of logic and reason. Science and theology are two ends of a single truth, but the world will never receive the full benefit of their investigations until they have made peace with each other, and labor hand in hand for the accomplishment of the great work - the liberation of spirit and in telligence from the three-dimensional prison-house of ignorance, superstition, and fear.
That which gives man a knowledge of himself can be inspired only by the Self - and God is the Self in all things. In truth, He is the inspiration and the thing inspired. It has been stated in Scripture that God was the Word and that the Word was made flesh. Man's task now is to make flesh reflect the glory of that Word, which is within the soul of himself. It is this task which has created the need of religion - not one faith alone but many creeds, each searching in its own way, each meeting the needs of individual people, each emphasizing one point above all the others.
Blue Lodge Masonry
"...The Rite is organised as a pyramid, the majestic tomb of Hiram, at the top of
which a 'mysterious stair' of seven steps is placed, similar to Eraclitus path which rises
and descends and it is one and the same. The pyramid image immediately leads to
the Egyptian sepulchres and to the journey of detachment from the body and rising,
which constitute the target of the initiation. At the same time, it wonderfully
synthesises the sedimentation of traditions that the Rite has made..."
- Maurizio Nicosia, The Sepulchre of Osiris
Although the rule is no longer rigorously applied, Freemasonry requires that
candidates must be of sound mind and able bodied; any physical handicap is supposed
to bar admission."
- Christopher Knight & Robert Lomas, The Hiram Key: Pharaohs, Freemasons and
the Discovery of the Secret Scrolls of Jesus
This is similar to the basic requirements for admission into the Yahad or "Unity group" described in several of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
"Tracing Boards are training devices using symbols of the Renaissance classical
revival assembled into integrated images. The First Degree Board [depicted here] sets
out the general Western metaphysical scheme and shows the place of the human individual
within it.""The Second Degree Board is a symbolic representation of the individual in greater detail. Here Jacob's Ladder had become a winding (spiral) stair leading to the interior of the Temple."
The question is asked; Having been in a state of darkness, what is the predominant wish of your heart? The answer is whispered into the candidate's ear.
A. Light.
Q. Then let that blessing be restored.
The blindfold is removed and the "lights" of Freemasonry revealed - the Volume of the Sacred Law (the Bible), the Square and the Compass. The secret signs, grips and password of the first degree are explained, as well as the meaning of Boaz, the left-hand pillar in the Porchway of Solomon's Temple. The candidate is then presented with a white lambskin apron "more ancient than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle". Throughout the ceremony the Apprentice is taught moral virtues based on architectural analogies. At the conclusion, as in each degree, is a celebratory dinner with much toasting, speeches and singing.
Who is Hiram Abiff ( Khuram Abai ) in the Bible? Is he the architect of Solomon's Temple or is he just the bronze sculptor?
As the candidate "progresses through the ceremonies he learns that at the
building of King Solomon's Temple at Jerusalem, the skilled masons were divided into
two classes, Apprentices and Fellows; that they were presided over by three Grand
masters (King Solomon, Hiram King of Tyre, and Hiram Abiff) who shared certain
secrets known only to them; that these secrets were lost by the murder of Hiram
Abiff - a result of his refusal to divulge the secrets - and that certain substituted
secrets were adopted 'until time or circumstance should restore the former'.
The implication in the ritual is that Freemasonry was already established in
Solomon's time and has continued as an unchanged system since them. The
ritual, however, as the candidate quickly realizes, is not literal or historical truth
but a dramatic allegory by means of which the principles and tenets of the Craft
are handed down."
- John Hamill, The Craft, A History of English Freemasonry
Q. What is Freemasonry?
A. A peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.
Q. What are the three grand principles upon which Freemasonry is founded?
A. Brotherly love, relief and truth.
- Masonic ritual
What does science have to do with any of this?
"In the Second Degree ceremony the candidate is asked, 'What are the peculiar
objects of research in this degree?' The answer he is required to give is: 'The hidden
mysteries of nature and science.' On completion of the making of the new Fellow
Craft he is told: 'You are now expected to make the liberal arts and sciences your future study'."
- Christopher Knight & Robert Lomas, The Hiram Key: Pharaohs, Freemasons and
the Discovery of the Secret Scrolls of Jesus
"The Second or 'Fellowcraft' Degree of Freemasonry gives very little knowledge
to the candidate but it does introduce the idea of 'hidden mysteries of nature and science'
and makes a clear reference to what is called the
'Galilean Heresy'."
- Christopher Knight & Robert Lomas, The Hiram Key: Pharaohs, Freemasons and
the Discovery of the Secret Scrolls of Jesus
The working tool of a Master Mason is the trowel, which spreads the cement
and completes the work of the Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft.
The candidate first must pass a series of test question before he is given a password
to enter the temple which is in total darkness. The ceremony begins with a brief review
of the other degrees and the candidate is told:"But the Third Degree is the cement of the whole; it is calculated to bind men together by mystic points of fellowship, as in a bond of fraternal affection and brotherly love; it points to the darkness of death and to the obscurity of the grave as a forerunner of a more brilliant light, which shall follow at the resurrection of the just, when these mortal bodies which have been long slumbering in the dust shall be awakened, reunited with their kindred spirit, and clothed with immortality..."
- Graham Hancock, The Sign and the Seal
"The candidate after this is prepared, blindfolded and tied with cable-tow around his waist, enters the lodge. He is received on both points of the compass, pressed against his breast." - Harold Waldwin Percival, Masonry and Its Symbols in the Light of 'Thinking and Destiny'
After a prayer and a ceremony resembling the first two degrees, the Worshipful Master tells the story of Master Hiram Abiff, said to have been the "principle architect" of Solomon's Temple.
"Wither our Master Hiram Abif had retired to pay his adoration to the Most High, as was his
wonton custom, it being the hour of high twelve."
- Masonic Ritual
Why does the ritual say he died and the Bible doesn't?
What secret was he protecting other than a secret word?
"According to Masonic tradition Hiram was murdered
by three of his assistants [Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum] soon after he had completed
the bronzework of the Temple [of Solomon]. And this event was for some reason regarded as so
laden with meaning that is was commemorated in the initiation ceremonies for
Master masons - in which each initiate was required to play the role of the murder victim."
Graham Hancock, The Sign and the Seal
Refusing to divulge the secrets of his craft, Hiram receives a violent blow on his forehead which drops him to his left knee. At that point in the story, the candidate receives a light blow to his temples and is pressed to the ground by two deacons to his left knee. The story where Hiram seeks to escape by the west gate and is struck with another blow. The candidate goes down on his right knee.
At the east gate, the third ruffian "struck him a violent blow full in the center of the
forehead with a heavy stone maul, which laid him lifeless at his feet. Such was he
manner of his death."
"In the light of the candle I saw the Worshipful Master reach forward over his
pedestal with an instrument which touched my forehead and I felt many hands
pulling me backwards to the floor. I was held straight and my feet were kept in
place, so that I hinged backwards as I swung into the darkness. As I touched the
ground a funeral shroud was immediately draped around me, so only my upper
face was uncovered."
- Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas, The Hiram Key: Pharaohs, Freemasons
and the Discovery of the Secret Scrolls of Jesus
"The Third Degree Board alludes to a process, analogous
to death, by which the individual
can, if it be God's will, transcend the limitations of ordinary human life and realize a
richer interior potential."
- W. K. Kirk MacNulty, Freemasonry - A Journey through Ritual and Symbol
What does Enoch have to do with Masonry?
From a paper describing the role of Enoch in the Masonic legend:
In the legend, Enoch was responsible for preserving the true name of Diety and the principles
of arts and sciences through the Great Flood. ..see
Oracle and
The Missouri Lodge of Research
Several sources, including The Book of Enoch and Clement of Alexandria (Eclog. Proph. iii. 474, Dindorf ed.) maintain that the Nefilim brought with them much astronomical and technical knowledge which they imparted to mankind. As we read in Genesis 5:22 - 24, Enoch walked with God 300 Years and then God took him away.
In Enoch's Secret Books we find out what was going on when 'He walked with God '. These books were so important, copies were found with The Dead Sea Scrolls. A Knight and Scottish explorer named James Bruce stole 3 more copies from Abyssinia (Ethopia) in 1773. This work was not included in either the Hebrew or most Christian biblical canons. "The last of the Essene stragglers buried the secret book in Cave IV at Qumran c.70 CE. The urban Christians and Jews of the Near East rejected it. The authors of the Apocalypse rewrote and retitled it, but they didn't understand the heptadic structure of the original lines, the arrangement of sevens (which we have seen above). Only the students of the Merkabah in Babylonia possessed the key to the Enochian mystery.
Why was Nimrod considered to have done an evil thing by our religious leaders and yet he is recognised as the first Mason? Because he engineered several cities in Babylonia? We reveal the secret about Nimrod for the true 'seeker of knowledge'. More about Nimrod on our forbiddenf1 page.
What was Noah's role in Masonry? Noah is connected with Hiram Abiff. We explain more on the Widow's Son page.
Where did Craft Masonry originate?
"The legend of the Master-Builder [Hiram Abiff] is the great allegory of Masonry.
It happens that his figurative story is grounded on the fact of a personality mentioned
in Holy Scripture, but this historical background is of the accidents and not the essence;
the significance is in the allegory and not in any point of history which may lie behind it."
- A.E. Waite, New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
....That is until The Hiram Key was published.
Some say the legend of Hiram Abiff is closely tied to the origins of German Templarism.
"While there probably are some actual stone-workers who are Masons, Masonry
does not teach is membership the literal techniques of stonework. Rather, it takes
the actual 'operative' work of Medieval Masons and uses it as an allegory for moral
development. Thus, the symbols of Masonry are the common tools that were used
by medieval stonemasons: the gavel, the rule, the compass, the square, the level,
etc. Each of these has a symbolic meaning in Masonry. For example, Masons are
said to meet 'on the level', meaning that all Masons are brothers, regardless of
social status, personal wealth, or office within the Lodge or in the world at large.
Similar symbolism exists for other tools."
- Andrew Fabbro, Freemasonry FAQ Version 1.2
Why is Masonry 'spectulative' now instead of 'operative'? Can we find scriptural confirmation of any of these questions? Some say yes, some say no - however everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion within the Masonic family. We have attempted to answer all these questions. Wheather or not you choose to investigate further is entirely up to you.
"History will show that Freemasonry has always been outlawed under totalitarian
regimes. As an aside; some 200,000 Masons perished in the Nazi holocaust. Both the
Church of England and the Baptist Church have recently completed studies of the
Craft and have decided that it is eccentric but not dangerous."
- InterNews 1.0@wolfe.home.com.
"The purpose of Masonry is to train a human being so that he
will reconstuct, through the body of change and death which he now has, a perfect physical
body which shall not be subject to death. The plan is to build this deathless body, called by
modern masons Solomon's Temple, out of material in the physical body, which is called the
ruins of Solomon's Temple."
- Harold Waldwin Percival, Masonry and Its Symbols in the Light of "Thinking and Destiny"
"And since sin has destroyed within us the first temple of purity and innocence,
may they heavenly grace, guide and assist us in rebuilding a second temple of reformation,
and may the glory of this latter house be greater than the glory of the former."
- Masonic prayer
The ancient religions
Thoth and Enoch
"In ancient Egypt, the engineers, draftsmen, and masons who worked on the big architectural projects were accorded a special status. They were organized into elite guilds..."
"Evidence of the existence of these special guilds was
uncovered by archaeologist Petrie during his expeditions to
the Libyan desert in 1888 and 1889. In the ruins of a city
built around 300 BC, Dr. Petrie's expedition uncovered a
number of papyrus records. One set described a guild that
held secret meetings around the year 2000 BC. The guild met
to discuss working hours, wages, and rules for daily labor.
It convened in a chapel and provided relief to widows, orphans,
and workers in distress. The organizational duties described in
the papyri are very similar to those of 'Warden' and 'Master'
in a modern branch of...Freemasonry.
- William Bramley, The Gods of Eden
"I am the great God in the divine boat...I am a simple
priest in the underworld anointing in Abydos, elevating to higher
degrees of initiation...I am Grand Master of the craftsmen who
set up the sacred arch for a support."
- Thoth to Osiris, The Egyptian Book of the Dead
"According to a very old Masonic tradition, the Egyptian god
Thoth "had played a major part in preserving knowledge of the
mason craft and transmitting it to mankind after the flood...."
- David Stevenson, The Origins of Freemasonry
"...The author of a well researched academic study [The Origins of Freemasonry]...went so far as to say that, in their early days, the Masons had regarded Thoth as their patron."
"...The Book of Enoch has always been of great significance
to Freemasons, and...certain rituals dating back to long before
Bruce's time [1730-1794] identified Enoch himself with Thoth,
the Egyptian god of wisdom." In the Royal Masonic Cyclopaedia
is an entry 'that Enoch was the inventor of writing', 'that
he taught men the art of building', and that, before the
flood, he 'feared that the real secrets would be lost - to
prevent which he concealed the grand Secret, engraven on
a white oriental porphyry stone, in the bowels of the earth'."
- Graham Hancock, The Sign and the Seal
Present evidence is that the Druids had an ancient connection with the oldest religious cultures on earth who were the Atlantides, and the Celts. The Druids have been documented as living in India and decended from a tribe of Brahmins who interacted with a tribe of Celtic Scythians. St Clements of Alexandria suggests that the Druids were contemporaries of ancient Egypt. Some historians believe the Persian the Gallic Druids, and the Assyrian Chalder all to have been of the same religious culture.
The old cultures, the old religions, we are discovering were not occult at all. They were declared as such to keep them from interfearing with newly formed church doctrine and rule. If one undertakes the study of some of these old religions, one will see how some church doctrine forbids these truths to surface and be understood as they would undermine the control these so-called churches how have over their members.
The partisans of an already defined truth impose their dogmas by force, in order to enjoy the power of ruling others. They speek of love and yet they kill in it's name, promoting the ideal of a golden tommorrow. Such truths may be religious, political, philosophic or even scientific. But they are always monolithic, all embrasing and totalitarian, mantained by a chorus of offical voices, be they clergyman, mandarians or apparatchiks. Submission is all that is required from their voluntary or enforced followers, who may be collectively termed the "faithful" or even "militants".
This dogmatic way of thinking comes from a denial of reality as ever-changing, and thus can be considered to be pathological. But every poison had its antidote and other voices rise up in answer, to remind us of the promise as well as the dangers to reality.
The definition of Religion : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs and practices. [ institutionalized is , do what a leader tells you at the expense of other factors; where someone is the head or teacher. ] The point being made is, This is not Masonry. No One ever tells anyone else what they should or should not believe, where they should or should not attend church or if they should even go to a church at all, EVER!!
Christianity arose in a polytheistic world where it was
considered normal to worship several gods. Many of those who were interested in becoming
Christians did not realize that this meant giving up all other religious activities
and associations. Indeed, this is still a problem for
missionaries in polytheistic cultures; the imperative "You
shall have no other gods beside me" seems unreasonable to
polytheists. They want to worship Christ, but do not
understand the Christian claim to exclusivity; there are no
other gods? But some of us don't believe Christ is God. Especially
when he tells us over and over in scripture that he is the 'Son'.
The problem is, Our
varied beliefs are pulling us further and further apart.
Angels were also considered gods, but the Roman culture
did not want its people to depend on angels and the angles
interfeared with the Roman goal of control over the people.
This really doesn't make much sense now because they have saints
that we can offer prayers to, each one specializing in a
particular need. Go to any Catholic book store and there
are dozens of these saintly figures in plastic, for sale.
One figure, St.Joseph has instructions with it as to how
to offer prayers to sell your house. We have offered prayers to St.
Jude many times when we are faced with ensurmountable difficulties,
and our prayers are answered every time.
We are not poking fun at these because they do work. The point is, angels do answer prayers and if it works for you, who are we to say it's inherently wrong or a sin for you to believe what you want to?...and we all believe in ONE GOD, no matter what else we might think is true or not true.
Our problem is with the 'organized church' which denighs us this right and proclaims everyone else is wrong or a 'sinner'. Who gave them the exclusive right to judge anyone?
Study of Greek and Roman culture alone reveals at least 10 gods each and Egypt had as many as 42. The secret was that Egypt's truly educated pharoahs knew there was only one true God. Even Ramses II discovered the secret ancient code in the Emerald Tablets that have proved to be over 36,000 years old. But Ramses worshiped this God in secret because the priests would have killed him if they found out what he was doing. The same 'one god worship' was the reason for the murder of Akhenaten and King Tut.
Freemasonry has its roots in the same sources as the mystery religions of the world that brought on the wrath of the Hebrew God of the Old Testament. The true 'Brotherhood' of the Craft is now preparing the way for the revival of the same religion of the ancients. This is what Christ wants. It is prophesied in the King James Bible. It must happen in order for Christ to come back to us. Then the Angel of Darkness (fear, hate and prejudice) will be defeated because we will all defeat him together.
God has many names. We call him the Lord, the Father, the Allmighty, the Creator, The God of Abraham, and so on. Even the Moslems, when they call God "Allah" are not talking about their specific god, but simply of God which is what "Allah" means; Christian Arabs use the same word. The Masonic term for God is not blasphemous or heretical in any way. It speaks of the Creator in words that have connotations to the symbolism of Freemasonry. It clearly states that God is the origin of all things, visible and invisible.
According to the modern day interpreters of Masonry, it has now taken its logical place as the unifier of all religions. One such interpreter, Foster Bailey, an occultist and a 32nd degree Mason, said that "Masonry is the descendent of a divinely imparted religion" that antedates the prime date of creation. Bailey goes on to say that "Masonry is all that remains to us of the first world religion" which flourished in ancient times. "It was the first unified world religion. Today we are working again towards a world universal religion." The fundamentalist churches are having a fit about this. Unification is the last thing they want.
The Blue Lodge
"Although Freemasonry require each of its Candidates to
confirm his belief in God, it does not expand on the subject
but leaves religion and its practice to the individual Mason.
As a result, men of all religious persuasions have been able
to join in the study of Freemasonry's moral and philosophical principles."
- W. Kirk MacNulty, Freemasonry - A Journey through Ritual and Symbol
More on history and definations.. Brief History
Albert Pike was direct when he stated, "The Blue Degrees are but the outer court of the Temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the initiate, but he is intentionally misled by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them; but it is intended that he shall imagine he understands them. Their true explanation is reserved for the Adepts, the Princes of Masonry." Those who truly want to know and find the 'Light'.
The Mason, however, may be unaware of much of what is taught by the Lodge. The Mason who is uninitiated in the higher degrees is deliberately deceived by his brethren. Albert Pike says that "truth is not for those who are unworthy." He goes on to say that "Masonry jealously conceals its secrets, and intentionally leads conceited interpreters astray."
"Much of the writings of Albert Pike are extracted from
the books of the French magician, Eliphas Levi, one of the
greatest transcendentalists of modern times. Levi was an occultist,
a metaphysician, a Platonic philosopher, who by the rituals of
magic invoked even the spirit of Apollonius of Tyana, and yet
Pike has inserted in his Morals and Dogma whole pages, and e
ven chapters, practically verbatim. To Pike the following remarkable
tribute was paid by Stirling Kerr, Jr., 33? Deputy for the
Inspector-General for the District of Columbia, upon crowning
with laurel the bust of Pike in the House of the Temple:
'Pike was an oracle greater than that of Delphi. He was
Truth's minister and priest. His victories were those of
peace. Long may his memory live in the hearts of the Brethren.'
Affectionately termed 'Albertus Magnus' by his admirers,
Pike wrote of Hermeticism and alchemy and hinted at the
Mysteries of the Temple. Through his zeal and unflagging
energy, American Freemasonry was raised from comparative
obscurity to become the most powerful organization in the land."
- Manly P. Hall, Rosicrucian and Masonic Origins pp 413-414
"...The Rite is organised as a pyramid, the majestic tomb of Hiram,
at the top of which a 'mysterious stair' of seven steps is
placed, similar to Eraclitus path Çwhich rises and descends and it
is one and the sameÈ. The pyramid image immediately leads to the
Egyptian sepulchres and to the journey of detachment from the
body and rising, which constitute the target of the initiation.
At the same time, it wonderfully synthesises the sedimentation
of traditions that the Rite has made..."
- Maurizio Nicosia, The Sepulchre of Osiris
"'Let there be light!' - the Almighty spoke,
Refulgent streams from chaos broke,
To illume the rising earth!
Well pleas'd the Great Jehovah flood -
The Power Supreme pronounc'd it good,
And gave the planets birth!
In choral numbers Masons join,
To bless and praise this light divine."
- from "Anthem III" in William Preston's
Illustrations of Masonry (1804)
Manly P.Hall put it this way: "Spiritual qualities are necessary
before the real Masonic secrets can be understood by the brethren
themselves." What Hall seems to be saying is that
one must reach a certain spiritual level before he can rightly
understand the deep symbolic teachings of Freemasonry.
As an example, one of the best known symbols for Masonry is the
letter "G." Depending on whose interpretation one chooses,
this symbol may represent geometry, God, or gnosis.
It is also G'esu, French for Jesus.
A Christian would obviously interpret the symbol as God, whereas the pagan would see it as knowledge or gnosis. The word 'pagan' is another 'buzz word', made up by church fathers who labeled everything they didn't agree with. If they didn't agree, they simply killed the 'pagan', heretic, or 'witch'. This included the Gnostics, Druids, Celts and even early Christians who believed a different story about Jesus than what they forced on the 'flock'. But the 'Gnosis' is Knowledge of the Truth.
Masons are continually accused of forgetting about Jesus
in the prayers offered in the Lodge. Read the answer and explaination
to this accusation on the pages of Gary Dryfoose
Is masonry Anti-Christian?
He is not forgotten at all, especially by those of us who were
raised up and taught about him in a Christian Church. We do not
forget about our religious upbringing, EVER. We just choose to
have 'freedom' of our religious thought'. We will not have people
point fingers and call us pagans, sinners or heretics.
We cannot be members of the Masonic family with out
this freedom.
It is out of respect for our 'brothers' whose teacher was Mohammed or Budda, ect. that Jesus is not mentioned. If you do not recognize these other great teachers, and 'Sons of God', it is you who is wrong. You cannot hate your brother or sister who is 'like minded' and at the same time claim to Love God. It isn't possible.
"History will show that Freemasonry has always been outlawed
under totalitarian regimes. As an aside; some 200,000 Masons
perished in the Nazi holocaust. Both the Church of England
and the Baptist Church have recently completed studies of the
Craft and have decided that it is eccentric but not dangerous."
- InterNews 1.0@wolfe.home.com.
"The Grand Orient of France is considered a clandestine body by many Grand Lodges due to a major revision of the Constitution of Freemasonry. The Grand Orient of France removed the requirement for belief in a Supreme Being and for belief in the immortality of the soul in 1877. This was done on the basis of Freemasonry's lack of status as a religion. 'Whereas Freemasonry is not a religion and has therefore no doctrine or dogma to affirm in its Constitution...' This caused considerable uproar in England, whose Grand Lodge came to the conclusion that the Grand Orient's actions were in violation of the Landmarks of Freemasonry. Visitors from France could not be received in English Lodges unless they could prove that they were initiated within a Lodge the professed belief in the G.A.O.T.U. Masonic communication between the Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Orient of France ground to a screeching halt.
"The Grand Orient of France permitted the Rite of
Memphis and Mizraim to govern Initiation, Passing and
Raising under its own authority. Today, Craft Lodges
function entirely under the authourity and legislation
of the regional Grand Lodges. These Grand Lodges are
extremely wary of organizations claiming to make Masons
while operating in their regions. Seeing as M&M had the
capacity to do exactly this as it functioned under the
Grand Orient of France, and understanding the questionable
status of said Grand Orient, many Grand Lodges treat
it as irregular and are very cautious about the Rite of
Memphis and Mizraim."
- Jody Lemoine
Historically, there is no question that Jews and Moslems do believe in the same God as Christians, even though their understanding of Him is -- from a Christian viewpoint -- flawed. Standing in prayer to God the Father with them is not against my faith. Indeed, there are certain "liberal Christians" with whom We would hesitate more to pray, because even though that prayer might be said in the name of Jesus, WE would know that they do not truly believe in Him.
Freemasonry does not forbid anyone to pray in the name of Jesus. But if you lead people in prayer at a meeting where participants may belong to several different religions, it is a matter of courtesy that you do not phrase your prayer in a way that is specific to your own religion. We certainly would be put-off if We were participating in a prayer, e.g. grace at dinner, and the speaker finished with "in the name of Joseph Smith, the Great Prophet" or something else that goes contrary to our faith.
Hence, if we want to have a fraternity which is open to believers in different religions, we must either abstain from prayer altogether, or hold separate prayers for separate faiths, or say the prayer in such a way that everyone can join in. Since Freemasonry in the British-American system allows different religions but requires belief in God, where "God" is defined as "the Supreme Being", it is only natural to keep prayers "ecumenical".
WE can understand and sympathize with the zeal of Christians eager to confess their faith in Jesus Christ. But there is no denial here. If you wish to pray to Jesus, you can add "through Jesus our Lord" quietly to yourself. All you are doing by not mentioning him in the public prayer is showing courtesy to those of different faiths. But if you do not feel that you can do this, if the presence of Jews and Moslems disturbs you, then We quite agree that you should not be a Freemason in the British-American system. This is your personal decision, however. It does not mean that it is wrong for all Christians to be Masons. However the Pope and the Catholic system will tell you it is.
When the Pope, Boniface VIII wrote the Papal
Bull in 1302, he made it clear the the Papal Thrones
"power over all men and the divine origins of that very same
power". Meaning the Pope thought himself to be the Surpreme
Power and no Man could ever hope to have salvation unless he
were "SUBJECT to the ROMAN PONTIFF."
more...
My Friend Stephen DaFoe's web site.
George Washington was a Mason and the 20th degree is
dedicated to him. The 'Freedom of Religion Right' is what The United
States of America Constitution and Bill of Rights is based on.
See all the Signers of the Declaration of Independence at this Great Masonic Site
United States Masonic Webmasters
Quote from the home page of the United Grand Lodge of England:
"Although all Freemasons are required to profess and continue in a belief in a Supreme Being, and their ceremonies include prayers, Freemasonry is not in any way a substitute for religion. It has and can have no theological doctrines, it offers no sacraments, and it does not claim to lead to salvation. By having prayers at its meetings Freemasonry is no more in competition with religion than, say, having a meal at which grace is said."
The term "Great Architect of the Universe" is a cover name, for God is not a Masonic invention. Jean Calvin (1509-64, one of the originators of the modern Evangelical tradition) repeatedly calls God the Architect of the Universe in his book "Institutes of the Christian Religion". It is doctrinally correct for a Christian, since God is indeed the Creator and it says nothing false about God. Freemasonry also has other words for God. In the First Degree prayer, he is called "Almighty Father and Supreme Governor of the Universe".
In the Second, "Merciful Lord", and in the Third degree, "Almighty and Eternal God, Architect and Ruler of the Universe". These descriptive vocatives are compatible with all monotheistic religions, since they do not mention any of the things that set their faiths apart. Using them does not implicate that you are worshiping any other god than the same one you pray to in church.
We, as Masons and as Masonic proponents [ Men and Women ] are taught that we must have tolerance and respect of others and that this is paramount to the peace and harmony of all mankind. The Masonic Lodge allows it's members to have their own freedom of choice of Religion yet they get along as 'brothers' with out any conflict about this. It seems they [ the liers ] can't do this so it must be a great past-time for them to HATE somebody who can.
This is our favorite quote from the Nag Hammidi Library;
"And the Spirit came
to him in haste when it raised him. Having given its
hand to the one lying prone on the ground,
it placed him firmly on his feet, for he had not yet stood up.
He gave them the means of knowing the knowledge of the
Father and the revelation of his son.
For when they saw it and listened to it, he permitted them to
take a taste of and to smell and to grasp the beloved son".
from The Gospel of 'truth' in the Nag.
This statement does not encompass any particular religion. It just says, 'the son', no matter what his name might be. This is the fundamental difference the organized religions claim. Only 'their son' can 'save' you..We don't agree with this at all.
But Jesus was a 'Master' and this is written in scripture. So then we see this;
When the Mason has built all these powers into himself, there radiates from him a wonderful body of living fire, like that which surrounded the Master Jesus, at the moment of His transfiguration. This is the Robe of Glory, the garment of Blue and Gold which, shining forth as a five-pointed star of light, heralds the birth of the Christ within. Man is then indeed a son of God, pouring forth from the depths of his own being the light rays which are the life of man.
Striking hearts that have long been cold, this spiritual ray raises them from the dead. It is the living light which illuminates those still buried in the darkness of materiality. It is the power which raises by the strong grip of the lion's paw. It is the Great Light which, seeking forever the spark of itself within all living things, reawakens dead ideals and smothered aspirations with the power of the Master's Eternal Word. Then the Master Mason becomes indeed the Sun in Leo; and, reaching downward into the tomb of crystallization, raises the murdered Builder from the dead by the grip of the Master Mason.
The candidate must participate because it is his own soul that must rise against its internal enemies. Preparing him to be a Master Mason is by teaching him the secret of a Master Mason. What is the Secret?...Do you remember Jesus 'raising' Lazarus from 'the Dead'? Lazarus was never literially dead.
When a Mason takes his oath , he professes to believe in the
One and only True Living God and the existance of Eternal life,
but does he really know this in his heart and mind?...In his Soul?
Can this be proven?.. The answer is yes.
'Blind Faith' is not the answer to this question. Just because
somebody tells you this is true is not enough, You MUST Believe this,
with all you heart and mind and you must Know it is a fact. You must
also understand WHY this is true. This is the 'Baptism of the Mind'
and it is the true
'resurrection of your spirit'. The Third Temple must be built in your
heart.
( " the temple not built with hands". )
Once you have this 'knowlege', by which the soul may rise above its
internal enemies, you become a true Master in reality as well as in
name.. The real Master Mason is the Master of himself.
A Master over your own mind so to speak.
The three enemies came from within his own soul in its own ignorance, lust, passions and sins. The great light reminds us, it is not that which kills the body that we need fear, but that which has the power to destroy the spirit. The 'Body', the 'flesh' is something we do away with, discard. In other words , we have no use for the 'material world'. Our spirit survives and we must work to acheive the ultimate goal of being what God wants us to be. Once you are aware of the Truth, God will be able to direct you on the right path. You can easily give yourself over to his will, forgetting your own selfish wants and needs. WE do his work in many ways and no one has the wisdom to describe them all.
The temple is a symbol of the mind, a mans character and therefore, breaks and falls when the soul, its architect is helpless.
The legend should be printed indeliby on your mind. Then when you are at grip with your enemies, recall it and act accordingly to the light you find in it. Your inner self will give, in the form of Ritual, and you will be wiser and stronger for having the guidance and the Light the tragedy provides.
Freemasonry is essentially mysterious, ritualistic, and ceremonial, representing abstract truth in concrete form. Earth (or substance) smothering energy (or vitality) is the mystery behind the murder of the Builder.
The real object of the Ancient Mysteries was the preservation and inculcation of such scientific knowledge of astronomy and geometry as then existed. This scientific knowledge was common to all the learned peoples of all the prominent nations of the world. To keep this knowledge a secret from the common people, and at the same time preserve it and transmit it to succeeding generations, was the object of the Caballah, so we find the words as having the same sound in many languages and used as carriers of number philosophy. Geometry is Masonry and the words were origionally synonymous terms, being of a devine and moral nature is enriched with the most useful knowledge, and while it proves the wonderful properties of Nature, it demonstrates the more important truths of morality.
The following Ancient Charges and Regulations below, were prepared and presented to the Grand Lodge of England in 1721 by Dr. Anderson and Dr. Desaguliers and adopted by that body on the 25th of March 1722, are also held in great veneration by all regular Masons and state as nearly as possible what it was thought at that time the conduct of a Mason ought to be. They seem to be copied very closely from the laws and regulations of the Ancient operative Masons that had been handed down from unknown antiquity. Many old copies of these laws have been unearthed since the day when Anderson presented them by students of Masonic history, which confirm their authority. They may be said to constitute the standard of Masonic ethics throughout the world.
New members make solemn promises concerning their conduct in the lodge and in society. These promises are similar to those taken in court or upon entering the armed services or many other organisations. Each member also promises to keep confidential the traditional methods of proving he is a Freemason which he would use when visiting a lodge where he is not known.
The much publicised ‘traditional penalties’ for failure to observe these undertakings were removed from the promises in 1986. They were always symbolic not literal and refer only to the pain any decent man should feel at the thought of violating his word.
Members also undertake not to make use of their membership for personal gain or advancement; failure to observe this principle or otherwise to fall below the standards expected of a Freemason can lead to expulsion.
Membership is open to men of all faiths who are law-abiding, of good character and who acknowledge a belief in God. Freemasonry is a multi-racial and multi-cultural organisation. It has attracted men of goodwill from all sectors of the community into membership. There are similar Masonic organisations for women.
Freemasonry is not a secret society, but lodge meetings, like meetings of many other social and professional associations , are private occasions open only to members.
Freemasons are encouraged to speak openly about their membership, while remembering that they undertake not to use it for their own or anyone else's advancement. As members are sometimes the subject of discrimination which may adversely affect their employment or other aspects of their lives, some Freemasons are understandably reticent about discussing their membership. In common with many other national organisations, Grand Lodge neither maintains nor publishes a list of members and will not disclose names or member's details without their permission.
In circumstances where a conflict of interest might arise or be perceived to exist or when Freemasonry becomes an issue, a Freemason must declare an interest.
The rules and aims of Freemasonry are available to the public. The Masonic Year Book, also available to the public, contains the names of all national office-holders and lists of all lodges with details of their meeting dates and places.
The meeting places and halls used by Freemasons are readily identifiable, are listed in telephone directories and in many areas are used by the local community for activities other than Freemasonry. Freemasons' Hall in London is open to the public and ‘open days’ are held in many provincial centres.
The rituals and ceremonies used by Freemasons to pass on the principles of Freemasonry to new members were first revealed publicly in 1723. They include the traditional forms of recognition used by Freemasons essentially to prove their identity and qualifications when entering a Masonic meeting. These include handshakes which have been much written about and can scarcely be regarded as truly secret today; for medieval Freemasons, they were the equivalent of a ‘pin number’ restricting access only to qualified members.
Many thousands of books have been written on the subject of Freemasonry and are readily available to the general public. Freemasonry offers spokesmen and briefings for the media and provides talks to interested groups on request. Freemasons are proud of their heritage and happy to share it.
Brotherly Love; Every true Freemason will show tolerance and respect for the opinions of others and behave with kindness and understanding to his fellow creatures.
Relief; Freemasons are taught to practise charity, and to care, not only for their own, but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.
Truth; Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and aiming to achieve them in their own lives.
Freemasons believe that these principles represent a way of achieving higher standards in life.
Freemasonry demands from its members a respect for the law of the country in which a man works and lives.
Its principles do not in any way conflict with its members' duties as citizens, but should strengthen them in fulfilling their public and private responsibilities.
The use by a Freemason of his member ship to promote his own or anyone else's business, professional or personal interests is condemned, and is contrary to the conditions on which he sought admission to Freemasonry.
His duty as a citizen must always prevail over any obligation to other Freemasons, and any attempt to shield a Freemason who has acted dishonourably or unlawfully is contrary to this prime duty.
The secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with its traditional modes of recognition. It is not a secret society, since all members are free to acknowledge their membership and will do so in response to inquiries for respectable reasons.
Its constitutions and rules are available to the public. There is no secret about any of its aims and principles. Like many other societies, it regards some of its internal affairs as private matters for its members.
Freemasonry and Politics; Freemasonry is non-political, and the discussion of politics at Masonic meetings is forbidden.
From the book "Symbols of Freemasonry" by Daniel Beresnaiak 2003
Andersons Constitutions published in 1723, states that people must be judged according to their conduct, not by their religious opinion.
The idea that a person may be worthy of respect, no matter what their religion, falls within an ancient tradition of tolerance and open mindedness, but it ran against the dominant ideology of the beginning of the eighteenth century. After about one and a half centuries of Religious wars, a fragile peace had been established based on the division of nations between the opposing currents of Christianity. According to the principal of cuius regio, cuius religio everyone had to accept the religion of their ruler.
At the time of Anderson's constitutions, England and France were prey to intolerance and fanaticism. In England , Catholics were prosecuted : in France it was the Protestants. The English Civil War had been a Protestant revolution which had led to the deposition and death of the Catholic King Charles 1. After the death of Cromwell, the royal family resinstated itself with Charles II, who professed to being Angican, but the Protestant Parliament greately feared that Catholicism would regain power under James II.
In 1688 he was desposed and before declaring William of Orange and his wife Mary joint sovereigns, Parliament insisted on them adopting the Bill of Rights which stopped anyone who was Catholic, or married to a Catholic, from ascending to the throne. During this difficult period, Catholics, who were pejoratively called papists, were not allowed to live in London, their taxes were doubled and they were not permitted to own a weapon or buy or inherit land. In 1713, after the death of William, Queen Mary strengthened the old 1605 Test Act and the following year took away the Catholics' right to teach.
In France, after the repeal of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, Protestants no longer had the right to practice their religion. After the declaration of 1724, all religious gatherings except Catholics ones were forbidden. Protestants and those who supported them risked the death penalty and only Catholics could hold public office.
"The 'craft' of Freemasonry was one of the more extraordinary
manifestations of the Age of Reason, typical of its time not only
because it stood for rationalism, deism, and benevolence, but
also because of the ambiguity which turned one side of its
affairs from rationality to mystery. It was in one way an
emanation of that most British of institutions, the club.
It took shape during the first three decades of the eighteenth
century, and reflected the tolerance and the confidence of
Hanoverian England. Its ideology, founded on the metaphors
of the architecture of the universe and the building of the
Temple, was deist and non-confessional. The Freemason obliged
himself to submit to the civil power, whose benevolent nature
was assumed; this optimism was typical of British Whig
self-assurance. The Mason asserted a non-clerical ethos,
and a middlebrow and commonsensical attitude to life. He
claimed to be instructed and enlightened, but he did not
set up to be learned; this distinguished his society from
those of the contemporary 'academies'."
- Peter Partner, The Murdered Magicians
"By 1730 when the Roman Catholic Duke of Norfolk was installed
(prior to the first papal condemnation of Freemasonry in 1738), there
had been nine Grand Masters, six of them nobles. The first royal
Grand Master was the Duke of Cumberland, younger son of George II,
who was installed in 1782, with an Acting Grand Master, the Earl
of Effingham as his proxy. In 1787 both the Prince of Wales
(the future George IV) and his brother William (the future
William IV) were initiated. The patronage by the Royal Family
of the new secret society was thenceforth assured. Queen Elizabeth
II is the present Grand Patroness."
- Stephen Knight, The Brotherhood
"Toward the end of the 1730s, there were lodges in Belgium,
Russia, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. But it seemed to have
a special appeal in France, partly because of the rage then
current there for all things British. In 1735, there five
Masonic lodges in Paris; by 1742, the number was twenty-two.
Some forty-five years later, on the eve of the French
Revolution, there were perhaps 100,000 Masons in France."
- Ancient Wisdom and Secret Sects
At this time, intolerance was a guiding principal; birth and religion were seen as reliable ways of judging people. Both the persecutors and the prosecuted, the dominators and the dominated , were convinced that they belonged to a group of chosen people who were up against the Devil's minions. Only by despising others could they maintain their self-esteem. The prosecutors were more than just the enemies of the prosecuted, they offered a role model to be emulated.
Cruelty- the manifestation of power and of the pleasure of wielding power - became fully self justified in this fanatical obsession with purity and faith!
Talk of the pure and the impure, the chosen and the damned, or the struggle between light and darkness, are examples of the ways in which thought can be made lackey of automatic responces, and ideology be made to support gut instinct. Above all, such divisions deny the truth that reality is grey, contradictory and paradoxical; that life evolves, diversifies and becomes more complex thanks to these contradictions and to those forces which generate energy precisely because they are opposed.
Personally, we take the approach that the cause the religious wars are directly related to intolerance, but the cause of the intolerance and the people who are responsible for it are delt with rather harshly here and for good reason. No it really wasn't the Catholics (Bishops and Pope) fault, but they took the faith of an already bias Hebrew nation, one that feared god, was intolerant of women and didn't believe the soul lived on after death and turned it into an even more intolerant religion which demanded adherance to it's own prejudiced and self invented rules. This religion continued to kill humans who didn't agree with it's dogma and forced faith.
They created armys who killed thousands in it's name. They burned ancient librarys and destroyed ancient texts all in an effort to hide the real agenda from the world. These people know the truth and have been hidding it from the world for 2000 years. They continued to create yet even more lies and deception, fraud upon fraud until no one belonging to this faith knows the truth. From their religious beliefs and lies spun many other religious groups who are also intolerant but are still not telling the whole truth, which they know but keep to themselves.
We are intolerant of people who refuse to educate themselves. We are intolerant of ignorance! These people sit in church never bothering to search out the truth for themselves because they've been told 'there is no other truth' by the clergy. We say there is and they are to blame for believing this lie and perpuating this fraud on everybody else!..."the blind leading the blind!"
Stuipidity and ignorance is therefore the root of Evil. Christianity teaches that Adam was tricked 5 times by the devil. As he learned his cunning ways, he became educated against his tricks and therefore his evil. But organized religion it's self has control over it's members and therefore is organized evil.
With that, we say you have been deceived over and over by the organized clergy and we can prove it. The tricks of the trade are continual verbal threats of 'going to hell' and the loss of salvation. When you awake from this sleep you will find it's all been a lie to control you.
Our moto is, "With knowledge comes truth"...and the truth will set you free!
Hermeticism:
Considers humanity to be on a spiritual journey to return
to a state of unity with the Divine; this is the Great Work of humankind.
Holds that if we would attain to the Divine, we must aspire to
the Divine; spiritual growth cannot be achieved without human effort
Is eclectic and draws material from sources spanning the entire Western Esoteric Tradition
Is polytheistic, yet ultimately monotheisitic (i.e., posits a
multiplicity of Manifestations of the Divine Which emanate from an ultimate Divine Unity)
Holds that the Divine is both immanent and transcendent
Holds that the Universe is Divine and basically good
Teaches that when we seek the Divine, we may best begin with the Mysteries of Nature
Encourages spiritual curiosity
Understands that human beings can access the Subtle Realms
through technique and aspiration; to this end, it embraces
theurgy, meditation, ritual, and other spiritual and magical practices
Urges those who seek the Divine to also seek balance in embracing all things
Is a poetic rather than an ascetic worldview
Hermetics are Seekers --- Seekers of Divine Truth, Seekers of Wisdom, Seekers of Understanding, Seekers of Gnosis. Hermetic spiritual curiosity encourages openness and tolerance of the ways and spiritual paths of others. This curiosity may be partially satisfied through books. As a literate and literary tradition, Hermeticism holds that as seekers we can benefit through the recorded experiences and insights of others --- as well as through the mediation of a living teacher and/or a group of fellow seekers.
But it is not enough to simply read about the spiritual. We will gain little without genuine, personal experience. Therefore, while we highly recommend personal study and teaching, we also stress the irreplacable value of participation in the spiritual through ritual, meditation, and other spiritual practices. The religious devotion of one's choice will prove extremely valuable in one's growth as well.
To the modern Hermetic, Nature is the Divine teacher the Revealer of the Mysteries. A Rosicrucian motto puts it this way, "Art is the Priestess of Nature." Thus, in order to accomplish his or her spiritual Art, the Hermetic must also serve Nature as a Priest or Priestess. The physical world is the manifestation or vessel of Divine Power and Love, and we are uniquely entrusted with caring for that vessel.
In return for our honor and our care, Nature reveals Her Divine Self as an infinitely profound symbol for the spiritual journey. In the rhythms of the Earth and the cycles of the Sun, the Moon, and the Planets, the awesome structure of the Universe, the complementary miracles of birth and death, the Hermetic finds the Divine unveiled --- and celebrates.
Human beings have a unique place in the Divine pattern because of our Will. We have the ability to aspire to the Divine, and this we must do in order to attain to the Divine. A seeker must want to find. A philosopher must desire to know. And furthermore, she or he must use the power of Will to accomplish this. Hermeticism takes an optimistic view of the individua human being as well. Encouraged by Divine Love and through the use of the considerable human power of desire and Will, everyone has the ability to achieve union with her or his Higher Self, and eventually to reunite with the Divine.
The idea that humankind has fallen away from a previous state in which we were more blessed and more unified with the Divine is common to many religions and philosophies. Versions of the concept are to be found in the Egyptian, Greek, Gnostic, and Hebrew mythologies that are components of the Hermetic Current. Hermetics do not see the fall from unity as evil or as a punishment. Instead, it was necessary for spiritual growth. Just as a young person must leave home and truly experience life in order to grow and mature, so humanity as a whole had to 'fall' into experience. But our journey is not complete until we eventually return home and unite with the Divine once more for healing and regeneration.
The work that each Hermetic is called to undertake, though it is sometimes called the Tiqqun,, the Restoration, is not simply regaining our blessed, pre-fall state of Unity; it is the attainment of something new, for we -- and all of reality -- have been metamorphosized by our entry into the great cocoon of incarnation. When we return to Eden, it will not be simply the Garden we once left, but in the midst of the Garden will stand the Holy City, the highest attainment of the human spirit in creative Union with the Divine. This return to a new and transformed Unity with the Divine is the ultimate goal of the Hermetic work. This process is called both the Great Work and the Royal Art. It is the finding of the Stone of the Philosophers, True Wisdom, Perfect Happiness, the Summun Bonum.
This journey home may be understood as a process of renewing our links with the Divine through a system whose keys are the patterns of Nature. Each link is represented by an initiation. Different schools follow different natural patterns. For example, some might use a series of initiations based on the steps of an Alchemical operation; another might base their initiations on the development of the psyche and spirit; yet another on the cycles of the Moon.
Furthermore, instead of a spiritual journey that rejects all things material in order to re-attain the spiritual, the goal of the Hermetic is to embrace and balance all things. Hermeticism may be described as a poetic rather than an ascetic mode of Attainment. Hermes Trismegistos, quoting the Divine Mind, tells us:
Make yourself grow to immeasurable immensity, outleap all body, outstrip all time, become eternity, and you will understand God. Having conceived that nothing is impossible to you, consider yourself immortal and able to understand everything, all art, all learning, the temper of every living thing. Go higher than every height and lower than every depth. Collect in yourself the sensations of all that has been made, of fire and water, dry and wet; be everything at once, on land, in the sea, in heaven; be not yet born, be in the womb, be young, old, dead, beyond death. And when you have understood all these things at once --- times, places, things, qualities, quantities --- then you can understand God.
Subjects you will find on the next 7 pages
Hiram - Forward 1
The Two Pillars that Noah found. Focus of the 24th through
the 28th degree. The 10,000 year old "10 Commandments. How the 'Watchers' married human
women and corrupted mankind.The real Exodus. The eruption of the Santarini
Volcano and it's connection to the 10 plagues of Egypt. The Egyptian Gods, Historical evidence
proves there were two ruling Kings at the same time in Egypt. One was Seqenenre Tao II who
may have been the last man to know the secret name of God. Many secrets of the ancients.
What was Manna? Hiram - Forward 2
The megatsunami that caused Noah's Flood, Archaeology places doubt on biblical
history, How did man come to know science, writing, mathmetics,
grammer, astrology, ect.? "Craft Masonry", how it began, Agriculture, Farming and animal husbantry
taught to man by who? Biblical text 'copied from an earlier source,
The 'One God' theory is of a late date, Astrology, predictions to our destruction? The 13th
sign, the 10th planet, Humanity has forgotten where we came from, Where did Religion began?,
Deities that have the same attributes as Jesus. Disclaimer. Hiram - Forward 3
Ham, Cush, and Miziram lived in Egypt. Is Cush the Scorpion King?,
Shem and Japheth invade Egypt in the predynastic era, Abraham, and Jacob are Hyksos and
invaders of Egypt in the 12 to 16th dynasty. Dynasty Tables provided by
professionals on Egyptology and Egyptian history. Why the Thera volcanic
eruption is connected with the Exodus and the 10 plagues, The sacred city of 'On',
Discovery of 'Jacob's' seal-ring at Avaris. Ancient 'King' list,
Ham's clan become the Dynastic Kings of Egypt. They take on Egyptian names,
How the use of the word 'pharoah' came about. The Set(h) and Horus Gods,
Secret knowledge found in the book of Jasher, Canaan becomes the slave of Shem,
Who is 'US'? Who are the elohim?, The first builders,
The spread of science and philosophy, Hiram Index 1
The Egyptians wore masonic aprons, The 10 commandments came fron the Egyptrian Book of the Dead,
More 'lost gospels', The journey of Death leads to NDE, Thoth and Enoch, The Master Teacher Enoch,
The death of Hiram Abiff, Jacob and his sons kill all the inhabitants of Shechem. Joseph is visor under
an evil Hyksos pharoah. Another God found in the Book of Jasher, The bible
borrowed text from Sumerian sources. Joseph did not live at Thebes,
Moses story copied from the story of Sargon, review of the Hiram Key, more secret
knowledge and science, The magical Sapphire rod of Elohim, Hiram Index 2
How the 'One God' belief emerged. The deception of Jacob.
The 2 Gods of Genesis. Finding the truth.
Why we focus on Egypt. Why we disagree with the Jews. Proof Ham and his sons were caucasian.
Canaan's curse. Ham's clan moves to Egypt around 3200 BC. Conections between Ham and the Egyptians.
The legend of Tiamat..our Earth. The mountain of Moses and it's secrets and the Goddess he surported.
The 18 books missing from the bible. Religious freedom - an Arab Lady
speeks out.. What Enoch was taught. The rejection of Science and knowledge by the church.
Index 3
Religious oppression and the corrupt priesthood of Israel.
The Secret Doctrine. The source of authority is spiritual. What the church claimed was heretical.
The scientists. The "Mystery Schools" - ancient scientific papyrus - secret books.
Who are the Nephilim? Solomon's tribute to Wisdom. Physics, angels, Magicians,
and the supernatural. Hiram Index 4
Who was Cain's wife? The conception of Noah, Church opposition to science, The Pope admits faults
and frauds, Historical and biblical evidence for 2 gods. Joseph, pharoah of Memphis/Avaris. Noah
and his sons. How did Nimrod become a king of Egypt? The ziggurat (Tower of Babel) ruins of Eridu.
The predynasties of Egypt, Sacred ancient texts left out of the bible give the names of Hebrew
Kings in another language. Shem became a ursurper King, then Abraham. The legendary battle of
Set and Horus becomes a real historical event called the 1st Pyramid War. Ham rules in the
first dynasty of Egypt. Back to Hiram Discovered The Master Pythagoras
This may be where it all started - 582BC. NO PART OF THIS SITE MAY BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT THE
EXPRESS WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE WEBMASTER.
© COPYRIGHT 1999 - 2010 C.I.C...ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.