Just a thought, I have bounced from board to board on this forum for a while now and have been intrigued, and bewildered by some of the things claimed and posted. I am amazed at what some have found out and at what some people actually believe.

I am wondering if maybe all the conspiracy surrounding us is just misunderstanding of things, alterations to articles and publications so it doesn't convey the same meaning it originally did.

The reason I wonder this... I am often found to defend Freemasonry, not being a Master Mason myself, some have found their own bewilderment in my efforts. In saying that I found a recent article on line with an explination of a ritual, which goes something like this...

Clearly the primary rite of initiation. Sometimes it is highly dramatic; at other times it appears largely perfunctory. But in any case it is understood as a powerful reenactment of the death and resurrection.

Ritual of conversion: a long period of study and examination followed by immersion.

Immersion symbolized the death of the old person and rebirth of the new. It was appropriate to adapt this ritual to their new understanding of existence.

The drama, which was usually on the morning after a fast and an all-night vigil, culminated with the new Candidate donning white garment, a symbol of purity and new birth.

The next part of the initiations confirmation originally an anointing with consecrated oil of the believer.

In this act the believer receives the gift of the Spirit.

The rite of confirmation is still practiced immediately after the person has reached an age of understanding. In temples where ecstatic experience is the goal the gift of the Spirit has again come into prominence as the mark of the true believer, although it is not usually considered a ritual of confirmation.

The newly converted comes for the first time the meal in honor of the day by full members of the temple. In the early days, candidates were excluded from this part entirely, even as observers; they could attend services only to the point where selections from the book of law were read and a sermon was preached they were allowed to know.

Their first visit after initiation therefore would have been a special event: At last they were part of the inner circle, the intimate community of the temple. In the early decades this was indeed a small group, a dedicated band meeting quietly to avoid detection in times of persecution. Their meals, at which they ritually re-enacted his last meeting before he was killed, would have been charged with tension, excitement, and joyous fellowship. Yet the meaning did not depend on the feelings of those present; it remained powerful and mysterious. It continued as the heart of worship for centuries.

We can develop some sense of the meaning by looking at the way it was most likely practiced in the temples for the first hundred years.

The rite began with a greeting: "Peace be with you." They responded, "And with your spirit." The attending exchanged the kiss of peace, men to men.

Recited was the prayer of thanks

The ritual had three prominent dimensions, each of them important to the new Candidate. It was a joyous communal feast; it was a sacrifice; and it communicated great spiritual power.

The communal nature would have been evident from the beginning, with the exchange of greetings and the kiss of peace; here was the goodwill and intimacy of a group of people who felt almost like a family. Moreover, each person had his in an organic and interdependent society: The layperson brought an offering, the officer presented and distributed the offerings. The society ate together, solemnly, affirming their unity, becoming more truly one in spirit. And as at a wedding, the community overcomes its differences and becomes one in rejoicing.

Second, was a sacrifice, to become part of the sacrifice. The form is reminiscent of the practice of sacrifice in many societies: The person who desires a spiritual benefit brings offerings of the divine source of live. In giving over a part of oneself, one participates in a vital exchange with the deity.This fundamental structure is amplified. The offering one brings becomes transformed into the body, who has sacrificed himself for the benefit.

In this miracle, the sacrifice releases great spiritual power, an infusion of spiritual nourishment for the Candidate. For this reason some Candidates have wished to partake in it often. The extreme holiness of the rite, the sense that it held enormous power, kept some away, because of the enormous power associated with it, the awesomeness of the idea of sacrifice, and the sense of unity it generated, Candidates throughout the ages have entered into the ritual with humility, awe, and gratitude.

As the culmination of the initiation of a new Candidate, the seeker of salvation becomes a part of a community.

Mods, apologies for the long quotation, but the actual online source is a lot longer and would take a large proportion of time to find this part of it and I felt it benefits the thread

As to the explination, I will let you draw your own conclusions as to what the content actually is, but I felt how easy it could be turned into something it isn't.

Just by changing the odd word, re-phrasing the odd paragraph, inserting a few key words could really effect this item.

Just thought I would share my recent thinking.




[edit on 6/1/2005 by Bondi]

[edit on 6/1/2005 by Bondi]

What you've also got to remember is that the explanation above is just one man's opinion of what the ritual means to him.

So even before we get onto the subject of words, we have to remember that the explanation would not be accepted by all Freemasons themselves!!!

One major example of this and how it can be twisted is the relationship of the work of Pike to the anti-mason argument. Again, not all Freemasons would agree with Pike and it is stressed that Pike's words and opinions are his own and not those of Freemasonry. But what makes the whole situation messy is when the antimasons change some of the context and wording of his work and then claim that it is the authorized version of what Freemasonry is all about. They end up being doubly wrong.

[edit on 6-1-2005 by Leveller]

I think the key word is "Interpretation" too many believe anothers view without actually even reading the item in question.

You can if wanting to draw evil from any piece of literature if you wanted to I am sure, but it is the people that believe it without getting their on thoughts is the problem, and not just with the on going saga of Freemasonry evil or not, but with anything.

I have seen gentlemen come to blows in a pub due to a disagreement, only for one to say he didn't really know what the other bloke was talking about, he just didn't want to lose the argument.

It is this kind of thinking that prevents people with a true interest from find the truth. Even though there are many masons on this board saying "no actually what happens is..." or "no what is meant by that is ..." etc etc and people just don't want to know, they would rather try and win the argument, it is more important to win than to be wrong.

I don't think that anti-masons intend to offend Masons they just love to get a good rise out of a Mason. It just makes the day go by a little faster you know like putting tape on the cats foot or putting a brick behind the kitty door in the garage.

Bondi, my friend, could you post the source of your quote there? I should like to read the whole article, methinks.

I tend to disagree, TgSoe.

As many are people in the word, so many there are motives for anti-masonry. Some, like you just mentioned, do it for fun. There are some who are very serious. Others just seek a meaning in their life.

What is relevant is the fact that majority has heard only anti-Masons; therefore they have no idea what the freemasonry actually is.

Originally posted by Agnis
What is relevant is the fact that majority has heard only anti-Masons; therefore they have no idea what the freemasonry actually is.

My hat off to you. That I feel basically sums it up, it is only a lack of understanding that cause rifts between to sides. The inability to acknowledge or even think you may be wrong is want increases the size of the rift. If people could only remember we are actually human and are prone to making the odd mistake or two.

Originally posted by Bondi
My hat off to you. That I feel basically sums it up (..)

Thanks. Could you post the source of your quote, please?

It was chopped intentionally by my, I have to be honest.

It is amazinf how many people U2U'ed me asking what masonic ritual was quoting. A few choice words, and ommittions changes the whole outlook of the ritual of Baptism doesn't it.

I think alot of the conspiracy against the Masons can be attributed to a play on words. And alot of which can be blamed on historians and writers themselves. They find it very relavant to point out so and so was a member of the Masons when the committed an atrocity. But they don't find it relavant what actions the Masons took as a result. They seem to foget to include that "so and so was excommunincated for thier actions" and so on. Or if they do, it's conveyed in a way that leads the reader to believe that they are trying to distance themselves from that person as a cover up, not as a punishment for thier actions.

If a criminal were a member of another notable charitable organization lets say, not to defame other organization, "The Bisons". Do you even think that would be a mention in the article? Pfft no....but if that same criminal were a member of the rumoured reptilian/baby eating/satanic/NWO puppet master organization known as the masons....Now THAT'S news...which just causes the snowball to pick up speed.....

Originally posted by Bondi
It is amazinf how many people U2U'ed me asking what masonic ritual was quoting. A few choice words, and ommittions changes the whole outlook of the ritual of Baptism doesn't it.

I found it also interesting that I knew what ceremony you were quoting, even though you left out important words and/or sentences. FWIW

Perhaps it means that Masons can spot someone manipulating their craft, ceremonies and rituals a mile away.

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe

Perhaps it means that Masons can spot someone manipulating their craft, ceremonies and rituals a mile away.

I would imagine so, but to some one who doesn't know the ritual the simple replacment of a few words, or the inlcusion of a few words can change the whole thing.

I would imagine those that believed it was a masonic ritual believed this due to the use of the words Candidate and Temple.

Yet people will still believe what they want to, you can have 100 articles about freemasonry, and one be of a bad nature, stating the so called evils and future plans, I know which one will be quoted and which 99 will be classed as biased propoganda to misdirect attention from the real goals.