Posted on 07/01/2012 8:22:51 AM PDT by kronos77
Assembly of the United Grand Lodges of Serbia gave the initiative for the integration of our Freemasonry. In the Masonic Centre in Belgrade will be the temple of the Academy of Arts
At the annual conference of the United Grand Lodges of Serbia (UVLS) in Belgrade, gave the 400 delegates, as "news" found out, the approval for the construction of the first Mason University, and to start the process of unification of Serbian Masonry.
- We agreed that one of our mission, which will contribute to progress and UVLS, but our society is the establishment of a higher education institution where professors and lecturers will be Serbian Masons and brothers from abroad. For students, we provide scholarships, and then - says Vladimir Markovic, a master UVLS. - The goal is to educate the Masons, to raise the quality of education in Serbia and help stop the "brain drain" in the world. We have adopted the project of building the entire Masonic complex in which we make our new church's first university.
The Academy is planned to start operating next year in a rented building, and that by 2017. University Masonic building with boarding. It will be the only public institution of the fraternity of Freemasons in the Balkans and in many ways unique in the world.
(Excerpt) Read more at novosti.rs ...
ping
Freemasonry and islam are very compatible, aren’t they?
Not in the least. At that, Freemasonry is banned in many Islamic countries.
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/freemasonry-islamic-countries.html
The only Masonic lodges in the Middle East are in Israel and Lebanon (and I’m unsure of the fate of the latter in light of recent events.)
There is nothing in Freemasonry precluding the membership of Muslims; and some Muslims are members.
Perhaps mnhring could explain the Islamic symbols on the Shriner’s Fez? Crescent moon + star + sword looks very Islamic to me.
http://www.shrinersinternational.org/en/Shriners/History/Fez.aspx
Simple, the brother (Dr. Flemming) who founded the Shriner’s appellate body was inspired by a trip to Turkey (Ottoman Empire at the time). It was founded in the 1870s during a time when Eastern architecture and emblems were popular because of their mystery. It doesn’t make it compatible with Islamists that we see today, just inspired by the pageantry and mystery of the Ottoman Empire.
Muslims are allowed to become Freemasons as they are monotheists (as are Christians and Jews who primary fill the ranks) but few do because most sects of Islam counter the standards of being a Brother. There was a time when there were more Muslims in Freemasonry, mostly in secular Egypt, Turkey, and elsewhere around the turn of the last century but as Wahhabi thinking took over (As well as the Shah’s Iran before the Ayatollah took over), it pushed the secular out.
These days, not only do most Islamic countries ban it is a capital crime to be a Freemason in some.
wow...
Sounds like a great Eastward road trip.
yup, if i ever make it to Europe again, i'm there...
Thank you for responding to my question.
Masonry, once accepted in the days of the Shah, is now banned in Islamist Iran. As I recall, some of the Iranian lodges exist today on an “in exile” basis.
Freemasons started public activities in Serbia, we had over 250 Freemasons form all around Europe for congress and than large parade was organized in Belgrade.
Outstanding!
Wonderful
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.