Posted on 01/16/2009 9:54:17 AM PST by BGHater
President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in Tuesday will incorporate several elements out of America's Masonic past.
One-third of the signers of the Constitution, many of the Bill of Rights signers and America's first few presidents (except for Thomas Jefferson) were Freemasons, a fraternal organization that became public in early 18th-century England.
Although it became fabulously popular in America, at one time encompassing 10 percent of the population, Pope Clement XII condemned Freemasonry in 1738 as heretical. The latest pronouncement was issued in 1983 by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - now Pope Benedict XVI - who called Masonic practices "irreconcilable" with Catholic doctrine.
Still, as the first president, George Washington had to come up with appropriate rituals for the new country. He borrowed many of them from Masonic rites he knew as "worshipful leader" of a lodge in Alexandria.
His Masonic gavel is on display at the Capitol Visitor Center. Until this inauguration, Washington's Masonic Bible - on which he swore his obligations as a Freemason - was used for the presidential oath of office. President-elect Barack Obama will use Abraham Lincoln's Bible.
The worshipful master administered the Masonic oaths. This was adapted to the president vowing to serve his country in an oath administered by the top justice of the Supreme Court.
I learned all this from Garrison Courtney, a 30-something government worker who gives Masonic tours of the District in his spare time. He is worshipful master at the Cincinnatus Lodge in Georgetown. Contrary to public perceptions of Masons being older white guys, current local membership is a racially and religiously mixed group of Gen-X men, he says.
They have, he adds, gotten a bad rap as a secretive organization.
"If people have questions, we will tell them," he says. "We're pretty open as an organization."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I do not understand this well enough to comment
All the people I know, however, who are Masons
are faithful, kind, and generous
That's just what they want you to believe!
It's all a part of their grand scheme
to take over the world
Perhaps
But I am generally a good judge of character
And have not had a reason to believe that
those I know are not acting in good faith,
with a gentle heart
and in kindness
What does it mean to be a Mason? Why do people want to join? Once you’re a Mason, what do you do as a Mason?
Masonic ping, Brother!
There used to be some real battles over Masonry on FR, kind of like the recent name-calling over Mormonism. Personally, I could do without the vitriol. I’m not a Mason, but I don’t think they’re in league with the devil, either. Apparently, some “Christians” think anybody who isn’t a member of their particular sect is a tool of Satan.
"Mason" is shorthand for "Freemason", which is a fraternal organization for men.
Why do people want to join?
Men come to Freemasonry for a variety of reasons, but primarily to build fraternal relationships that are based on friendship, morality, and Brotherly love.
Once you’re a Mason, what do you do as a Mason?
I'm having a little trouble understanding this question. Could you be a little more specific about what you want to know? I'll be glad to help.
I mean are there some sort of duties that freemasons have to perform, such as community help, or just among the organization itself?
OK, gotchya.
Actually, among a Freemason's duties to mankind, charity is especially important. A Mason is reminded that ALL men, not just fellow Masons, are his brothers.
A Mason also has obligations to his Brother Masons, that include respect for his Brother's private conversations with him, respect for the chastity of his Brother's wife, mother, sisters, and daughters, and a duty to never cheat, steal from, or defraud a Brother Mason. A Mason is also obligated to care for the widows and orphans of his deceased Brothers.
Some of Freemasonry's detractors have a problem with it for religious reasons. Freemasonry only requires that a man believe in a Supreme Being... "God", if you will. Beyond that, a man's perception of God, and how he is led to worship is between the individual Mason and his God. Some people feel that Freemasonry is anti-Christian because the fraternity does not require the belief in, and worship of Jesus Christ. We do not disagree (as Masons) with one another over matters of religion or politics, because the discussion of those two subjects is forbidden in the Lodge.
I hope this helps answer your question.
Ping.
It depends on your lodge, really.
We do a lot with local schools.
Thank you. Master Mason here. And very proud of it.
Careful,
Pride goeth before a fall
Gratitude or Humility would be a better choice
"The true name of Satan, the Kabalists say, is that of Yahveh reversed; for Satan is not a black god... Lucifer, the Light Bearer! Strange and mysterious name to give to the Spirit of Darkness! Lucifer, the Son of the Morning! Is it he who bears the Light...Doubt it not!"
No Christian can be a Freemason.
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Thanks for the PING PalmettoMason!
Eat! Have fun-raisers for scholarhips and charities, eat, attend business meetings, eat, learn to pretend that you're not planning to take over the world; eat, drive funny little cars . . . oh, wait! That's the Shriners; eat, do the dishes, . . .
Why do people want to join? So you can attend the annual BBQ, of course!
Seriously, though, people want to be Masons so they can learn the secrets of building better temples.
Great answer!
I know that some actually have a good enough understanding to initially petition the Lodge for that very reason, but many others only learn it as a part of the instruction that they receive during their journey through the degrees.
I have witnessed a lot of men joining because of their desire to simply belong to a fraternity, and discover the TRUE meaning along the way.
Yeah, LOL, I have gone back and read some of those threads. I would hope that most of us are above "taking the bait" these days. In my Grand Jurisdiction, we are actually instructed to avoid arguments with others over matters concerning the craft. It is part of the instructions given at the First Degree.
Most of us have learned to recognize the difference between an honest question that is asked out of actual curiosity, and someone setting up for an argument... one side of which they know very little or nothing about.
Apparently, some “Christians” think anybody who isn’t a member of their particular sect is a tool of Satan.
You said this so well that it deserved repeating, which is why Freemasonry forbids the discussion of religious doctrine in the Lodge.
Now, someone mentioned eating, which reminds me that it is time for me to go enjoy my regular Saturday morning breakfast with my Brothers!
John Wayne was a Mason...
in my year as Master of our Lodge i held a child ID day, two blood drives, three charity breakfasts, five charity dinners and brought things for Masonic Vets and their ward mates at our local VA hospital. all of which i'm sure is fairly typical of the kinds things done all around the country.
That's why it is difficult to answer the question, what is Freemasonry? It would be like trying to describe a vacation before you took it, for it's a continual journey -- not just a one time trip to Disneyland. :)
LOL!
Hey, the forks are behind the knives...
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.
Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
"Rules for Radicals" begins with an unusual tribute: "From all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins – or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom – Lucifer."
http://www.tysknews.com/Articles/dnc_corruption.htm
3rd Degree i guess... i think the knifes should be hinged by the hilt like the forks are though
:)
May God bless you and yours.
Verrrrrry unlikely. Alinsky was far too busy hating and destroying all things American and civilized to engage in genuine fraternal activity. When Alinsky wanted to pose as “charitable”, he connived at creating government programs. When the Masons want to do good, they set up institutions like St. Jude’s Hospital and fully fund the care of desperately ill children, seeking their funding in the private sector.
Masons deny membership to those who simply state they believe in God through faith in Christ. On the other hand, they insist they welcome only those who believe in God. If the latter statement were indeed true, then the prior statement as a subset would be included, but those with faith through Christ are excluded. Go figure. To what 'god' do they actually base their devotion, when they disallow faith through Christ?
A: We can't tell you. It's a secret! LOL
Seriously, I know the K of C to be a fine organization. I know some of the fellows there, and they are fine, fine gentlemen.
I have often said on here that if it were not for the prohibition against Freemasonry, I would be a Roman Catholic (I am an Episcopalian now).
May God bless you and yours.
Continued blessings to you and yours as well.
This is incorrect. The petition for degrees simply asks: "Do you believe in a Supreme Being?"
All that is required is that the question be answered in the affirmative. No further inquiry is allowed.
The "haters" have arrived.
There’s plenty of stuff on the web about Mason’s not all of it true. Sort through some of the founders of Modern Freemasonry and quotes on their beliefs and then check out the authenticity for yourself - not all BBQ’s and Charity I am afraid.
My Uncle (a Policeman in Britain) had a fair bit of trouble with this boys club - he was the youngest ever inspector in his local Constabulary. Once he hit that level he was approached to join the Lodge. He didn’t and never rose above the position he had gained even after 25 years in the force. He took an active lead in trying to get others promoted who also would not join the Lodge with only very limited success. He retired about ten years ago.
I was talking with some of his colleagues when i was in England about 6 years ago and they all stated that you would not rise above a certain position if you didn’t join up. The British Legal system in particular seems to be rife with this sort of ‘networking’. It seems that fellow Freemasons back each other up and can be relied upon if things go a bit belly up in the job.
Mel
All Masons take irrational oaths which are anti-God and anti-Patriotic. They are bound by one thing: destruction of Roman Catholicism. They are the ‘anti-Church’.
My uncle was a 33rd degree Mason, and it seemed as though they had some pretty strange ideas about the after life. I mean, ideas that involved the physical body, not just the soul.
You misunderstand my statement. It is not an accusation. It is testimony.
Albert Pike was not the be all end all of Masonry. That’s just one man’s opinion.
Same with the establishment of Rhodes Scholars.
That’s the supper degree. :^}D
Huh?
Honestly, I really wonder where some people get this garbage.
It'd be nice if more Christians would spend their time facing the challenges of the faithful and less time looking under their beds for Freemasons.
The question/answer on this thread reads like ION by Plato.
At university we first studied liberally the arts and sciences. After completing the courses we concentrated on our focused studies using the knowledge gathered in the formative years. Meanwhile we built bonds with our classmates, sacrificed for our class, performed outreach, and if we were so honored to achieve, were bestowed leadership duties.
Freemasonry is university for the mind and enlightened tolerance for the soul. If you choose to hate the organization you are free to express that hate. Just thank a F&AM for helping forge this right to hate and express outrage.
I can say the same thing. It's sometimes hard to make a distinction between what someone believes and the what someone is as a person.
I've met a few of Chicago's most notorious figures. Though I stand 180 degrees from their public positions, they struck me as "faithful, kind, and generous" people.
There is nothing in the 33rd about after life [speaking from experience].
As an aside, those who are babbling about "Lucifer" might be interested to know that this entity is not mentioned at all in the bible. The concept of "Lucifer" is as the bringer of light - the first household matches a century and a half ago were called lucifers; the substance in fireflies that produces light is luciferin which is acted upon by an enzyme called luciferase.
Perhaps the answer can be found by reading Rudyward Kipling's THE MOTHER LODGE.
Actually, I’m relieved to know that my aunt’s statements had nothing to do with Masonry, and probably much to do with her mental degeneration, because I had a few other members of the Masons in my family, as well.
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