Originally posted by DasBaldDog
Masonic Light,
Could you provide a link to said thead on TLR...
Not believing either side of this without a bit of investigation.
It sounds as something that MIGHT have happened 150+ years ago.
I think that thread was lost when Bro. Defoe switched servers on the forum, but I'll recap:
In several older versions of the 30°, which is a Templar degree, the Candidate stomped on the crown of King Philip of France and the papal tiara of
Pope Clement V. These were the two conspirators who imprisoned and executed the Knights Templars under false pretenses.
In the various versions of the rituals, it was explained to the Candidate that the crown does not represent legitimate political authority, but
political tyranny; and that the tiara does not represent legitimate religious authority, but religious tyranny. While the Candidate smashed the Crown,
he was required to utter the words "May tyranny perish from the earth!" When he destroyed the tiara, he recited "May intolerance cease to curse
mankind!"
When the degree was revised by Albert Pike in the late 19th century, he eliminated this in several versions, but included it in others. He mentions in
"Morals and Dogma" that he believes the meaning should be preserved, but he is also afraid that the act may be misinterpreted as implying
destruction of the church and state, instead of merely separating them.
Eventually, it was decided to revise it by requiring the Candidate to remove the crown and tiara from the Altar during the ritual instead of
destroying them; this is what is done in the current ritual. After they are removed, the tiara is replaced with the Shepherd's Crook of Faith, and
the crown is replaced with the Roman Cap of Liberty, which represent legitimate religious and political authority respectively.
[edit on 18-12-2004 by Masonic Light]