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originally posted by: network dude
.......Muahahahahahahah!!!!
originally posted by: KSigMason
a reply to: JoshuaCox
I consider Freemasonry more than a social club. Freemasonry is, first and foremost, an initiatic order whose rituals attempt to transform men. The initiatic rituals are what separates Freemasonry from the other fraternal and philanthropic organizations such as the Kiwanis or the Rotary.
originally posted by: KSigMason
a reply to: JoshuaCox
The efficacy of a ritual is not dependent upon the super natural. Ritual is an important aspect of society and human existence. There are a number of categories of rituals such as social rituals, military rituals, celebratory rituals, worship rituals, funerary rituals, bardic rituals, and initiatic rituals. Freemasonry is filled with a variety of rituals, but the most notable is the initiatic or initiation rituals. Rituals remind us of what is important as well as providing a sense of stability and continuity in our lives; it educates us in the values of an organization, allows for knowledge to be passed from generation to generation unchanged, and binds the members together, not just in the Lodge, but across time and space. Masonic rituals attempt to impart values and lessons through symbolism.
FYI, I define ritual as “dramatic, planned sets of activities that bring together aspects of an organization’s culture in a single event” often through the use of symbols and, in regards to Freemasonry, ritual is the physical enactment of our central myth.
That's OCD.
And don't forget the Knock, knock, knock. "Penny?" three times!
originally posted by: TheLaughingGod
a reply to: JoshuaCox
The World is always running away.. how would you have controlled all of the World in the 16th century?
This hypothesis doesn't need for them to exist everywhere, the lack of available informations helps to breed the notion of them being almost omnipresent and omnipotent, this is clearly not the case but it is an exaggeration and therefore also a straw man.
They obviously seem to operate out of the Western world and therefore at least as far as we know they haven't operated out of Asia or South America or any other place.. before the modern era.. now we don't know how far their influence reaches.
You are obviously trying more to convince yourself than me, I'm surprised you fall so easily to these pseudo-arguments because they amount to nothing.
Your reaction to the implications of a consciousness based worldview is to sell things? Profound stuff. The sane reaction would be to wonder if it didn't just confirm all Fortean and spiritual experiences that mankind has ever had. How about that? Thinking things through at least a little bit before burping and trying to "sell magic"? I mean the ridiculousness of it.
Ugh..
originally posted by: TheLaughingGod
a reply to: JoshuaCox
But no one cares, if they really were advertising and this isn't just a Hollywood fad it really doesn't matter, because the public doesn't care and doesn't really believe in it. I.e. if they really were doing it they could get away with it so it wouldn't really even matter.
And we also have to assume that they will want to externalise their hierarchy openly to the public sooner or later, because at some point their presence will become overbearing and obvious, as it already is. They could be dipping their feet right now for all we know.
Thirdly, if they really are adherents of occult mystical systems it would be a natural fit for them to utilise their knowledge of occult dynamics in their work. The influencing of the population by external factors, the hijacking of our collective consciousness. Mind control, black magic.
Even if you reject such conceptions they don't seem to so you can look at it either way, this conspiracy is not contingent on the reality of spiritual phenomena, although I could do a good job defending such a position as I've done it on this site for the last 7 years. Turns out it's easier than one would think.
originally posted by: TheLaughingGod
a reply to: JoshuaCox
But no one cares, if they really were advertising and this isn't just a Hollywood fad it really doesn't matter, because the public doesn't care and doesn't really believe in it. I.e. if they really were doing it they could get away with it so it wouldn't really even matter.
And we also have to assume that they will want to externalise their hierarchy openly to the public sooner or later, because at some point their presence will become overbearing and obvious, as it already is. They could be dipping their feet right now for all we know.
Thirdly, if they really are adherents of occult mystical systems it would be a natural fit for them to utilise their knowledge of occult dynamics in their work. The influencing of the population by external factors, the hijacking of our collective consciousness. Mind control, black magic.
Even if you reject such conceptions they don't seem to so you can look at it either way, this conspiracy is not contingent on the reality of spiritual phenomena, although I could do a good job defending such a position as I've done it on this site for the last 7 years. Turns out it's easier than one would think.
Old woman who "sucks the poison out" becomes grand empress indeed.