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 ...
If you don’t know, then you haven’t been reading.
Goodbye.
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.
As I read the law of Moses the commandment is quite simple... Thou shall not steal.... no qualifications given as to who specifically from whom one shall not steal.
Now, I have noted that my experience is limited to one self identified mason. And based upon my sole interaction with this particular individual he did not live up to what you say is required to be a mason. Nothing more nothing less.
Now if you find Lucifer as your light bringer that is your choice and I am NOT about to attempt to change your mind.
Really? I pinged you? Funny, there is no record of that on my forum posts. I've never even heard of you before. Maybe someone else pinged you. Check again.
Now if you find Lucifer as your light bringer that is your choice and I am NOT about to attempt to change your mind.
Where did I say ANYTHING concerning "Lucifer"? Why do you people insist upon making things up?
I can't decide whether your incoherent ramblings or your blatant falsehoods make further conversation more pointless, but pointless it is.
The “oaths” are irrational. Any oath that expresses fidelity to a divinity or to uphold neighbor’s well-being (these being open-ended as is, quite difficult to know what the true objective is), becomes moot when one gives a further oath of obedience to higher-ups (Worshipful Master comes to mind).
Freemasons are bound to their leaders. The sect or lodge is only as responsive to their other oaths as their leaders.
As the apparent leaders of the local lodge are with same obedience oath(s) to the further central lodge leader(s), the whole system is prone to personal opinion(s) of said leader(s). You must know if you are out of high school that a major contention of critics is that even those inner-circle lodge “grandmasters” are subject to the rule of yet others. Thus on using logic-in-obedience-lineage alone, there cannot be objective, immutable definition of God and Country in freemasonry. Nor can there be objective truth as to God and Country on the merits of the concepts alone. God has revealed Himself as being (the) God of Popes and Saints, and lodges have near always been at war with each other over what you describe as “patriotism”.
Masons can be very noble patriots, as we see with so many of the US Founding Fathers, but the system finally breaks down, as we see today, eh! It is “godless”, finally. We have organized satanism being accepted in US prisons as “religion”, just as an example.
What I’d really like to know is what your count is on Mason signatories of the US Constitution (39 total signatories). Some put it as low as 9, another as high as 20, most around 12.
I am not participating in this. I have left this thread. I know better than to communicate with any of you any longer.
“Do you deny that Albert Pike’s book is the basic text of (at least) American Freemasonry?”
Yes, I do deny that. Albert Pike was a blowhard.
He attempted to re-shape masonry, and had great influence on the Scottish rite, but he otherwise failed.
“. . . based upon my sole interaction with this particular individual he did not live up to what you say is required to be a mason. Nothing more nothing less.”
Funny, that’s been my experience with all my fellow Christians and Jews.
Touche'
I am a born again Christian, Master Mason, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Hella Temple Shrine and never have I ever met a single brother who espoused or worshiped anything even close to being demonic.
In fact, I would take the promise of a Mason to the bank over that of my fellow church members if push came to shove.
As a young man I was a member of a large holy roller church for several years and the hatred espoused against Catholics, Masons, Mormons, Jews and others was just more that I could take from Sister and Brother Better Than You So and So.
I have listened to Jake Leg Jim Jones wannabes stop in mid sermon pointing out that those who wear makeup and dance are nothing more than Jezebels going straight to hell.
I've experienced a good Brother and Sister Better Than You So and So going through my trash looking for any sign that I might have had a beer on a hot day after mowing the yard.
The bible thumpers can say what they want but the greed for money is their main reason for hating such a great bunch as the Free Masons.
Do you make such inane remarks about Masons because you know a guy who knows a guy who is a fourth cousin to a guy who's 32 second step aunt once heard a Mason yell out something she thought was demonic.
Shame on all you Mason haters.
Do you also have a problem with Marines and Boy Scouts?
After all, like the freemason fraternity, both espouse esprit-de-corps, fraternal duties, and patriotic obligations.
OUTSTANDING response.
I would quit posting if I were you because you are telling the Free Republic nation that the investigating committee found you lacking to be a Free Mason.
You were Black Balled.
Yes, I do deny that. Albert Pike was a blowhard.
Right you are, Brother. But even the introduction to Morals and Dogma tells us that Pike's work does not speak for all Freemasons.
From the Introduction to "Morals and Dogma":
The reader should not interpret the lessons contained in the book as being sacramental, for they extend beyond the realm of Morality into the domains of Thought and Truth. The use of the word "Dogma" in its title is intended in the true and original sense of the word as "doctrine" or "teaching". It does not mean "dogmatic" as in the modern and offensive usage of the term. Every individual may freely accept or reject the words contained within the book as untrue or unsound.
Thanks. :)
I have problems with those who are enemies of Christ, but not to worry, they shall be made a footstool for His feet.
The only people I see as enemies of Christ are those who bear false witness in the name of Christ -— like you.
You spread lies and falsehoods and are a servant, knowing or unknowing, of the Father of Lies.
Congratulations on being seated in the East. I know it is a long long journey, and lots of work. Best wishes for a successful year in the East.
Congrats, just saw your post.
The absurd slanders evil people spew at masons makes me ill.
I strongly suspect they are not Christians, determined to make Christians look stupid and evil.
What do you allege is false?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.