A -32° Mason?

Now we all know there are positive degrees to freemasonry, and we all know there are "Select Masons" and different divisions, different sects, that type of thing, but did anyone think of the negative degrees? I know shortly I'll recieve a blast from the masons online denying or arguing, but maybe theres something they don't know, after-all you'd honestly have to think of it before you could venture towards it after-all Jesus was introduced to the Silent Brotherhood and also had to go through various degrees after taking the vow of secret brotherhood.

1. And Jesus came to Egypt land and all was well. He tarried not upon the coast; he went at once to Zoan, home of Elihu and Salome, who five and twenty years before had taught his mother in their sacred school.
2. And there was joy when met these three. When last the son of Mary saw these sacred groves he was a babe;
3. And now a man grown strong by buffeting of every kind; a teacher who had stirred the multitudes in many lands.
4. And Jesus told the aged teachers all about his life; about his journeyings in foreign lands; about the meetings with the masters and about his kind receptions by the multitudes.
5. Elihu and Salome heard his story with delight; they lifted up their eyes to heaven and said,
6. Our Father-God, let now thy servants go in peace, for we have seen the glory of the Lord;
7. And we have talked with him, the messenger of love, and of the covenant of peace on earth, good will to men.
8. Through him shall all the nations of the earth be blest; through him, Immanuel.
9. And Jesus stayed in Zoan many days; and then went forth unto the city of the sun, that men call Heliopolis, and sought admission to the temple of the sacred brotherhood.
10. The council of the brotherhood convened, and Jesus stood before the hierophant; he answered all the questions that were asked with clearness and with power.
11. The hierophant exclaimed, Rabboni of the rabbinate, why come you here? Your wisdom is the wisdom of the gods; why seek for wisdom in the halls of men?
12. And Jesus said, In every way of earth-life I would walk; in every hall of learning I would sit; the heights that any man has gained, these I would gain;
13. What any man has suffered I would meet, that I may know the griefs, the disappointments and the sore temptations of my brother man; that I may know just how to succour those in need.
14. I pray you, brothers, let me go into your dismal crypts; and I would pass the hardest of your tests.
15. The master said, Take then the vow of secret brotherhood. And Jesus took the vow of secret brotherhood.
16. Again the master spoke; he said, The greatest heights are gained by those who reach the greatest depths; and you shall reach the greatest depths.
17. The guide then led the way and in the fountain Jesus bathed; and when he had been clothed in proper garb he stood again before the hierophant.

And to all the freemasons... even if you've never heard of it, to deny ignorance wouldn't you have to research it slightly.. of course I can't find any literature on it, but I'm sure theres good reason for it.
We all know your not a christian organisation but pride yourselves on brotherly love and charity and I am also aware that some cults/sects/organizations use donations as atonement, I'm not saying thats what freemasonry does, but its possible that the freemasonry you know is just a pool to pick select individuals from...

I am curious about one thing though, do freemasons consider themselves priests? ascetics? abbots? brothers? gods? a mixture? what is it you consider yourselves? I could go and read a book a mason wrote but you might deny him as a mason, so I would rather hear it from a posting mason.

[edited out big quote, please don't use 'quote' when making a generalized reply, hit 'reply' -nygdan]

Hi dnero6911

I've got a few questions about your posting before I start, if that's OK with you, to help me get my head around what you are asking:

1. Where is that quote from? Is it a bible passage?
2. What is the connection between the Secret Brotherhood of the quoted passage and Freemasonry
3. Where does negative degrees come into it?

As to your last question, freemasons consider themselves brothers - both to each other (it is a fraternity after all) and to all people as members of the 'brotherhood of man'.

[edit on 12-12-2005 by Nygdan]

Two things first things.

Why shouldn't masons discuss the topic, like everyone else?

Does it really make sense to say that they are being ignorant and haven't researched the subject when they are masons themselves?

Anyway. The thing you cite is something called "url=http://reluctant-messenger.com/aquarian_gospel_043_049.htm]The Aquarian Gospel[/url]", ie a....noncanonical gospel.
home.netcom.com...

Q What is the Aquarian Gospel?
A The full story of the life of Jesus.
Q How is the Aquarian Gospel different than the four gospels of Christian scripture?
A This Gospel is much more detailed and comprehensive than traditional Christian scripture. It was written by a direct eyewitness of Jesus’ entire life (as the sacred story unfolded before his eyes), and it has never been edited. Yes, the transcriber of the Aquarian Gospel witnessed the entire life of Messiah – from the birth of Mary, His mother, to the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, and all that transpired between.
Q How can this be?
A The Book of God’s Remembrance is a recording – imprinted on disc-like plates smaller than atoms; and we live in the times of Revelations! Every event that ever occurs leaves a photonic imprint on these radiant sub-atomic particles, which continuously emit extremely fine energy waves. Any person who knows how to fine-tune certain mind-receptors to the frequencies to these tiny transmissions can witness all events that have ever occurred; and this sacred recording of History can never be revised, re-written or edited (thank God).

The transcriber of the Aquarian Gospel, Levi H. Dowling (1844-1911), was strong enough to open the Book of God’s Remembrance (a huge book – also known as The Akashic Records). Levi spent 40 years learning how to fine-tune his mind.

[emph added]

So its pretty much meaningless as a source of evidence.

Mohammed the muslim prophet was also a member of a secret society, for what its worth.

do freemasons consider themselves priests? ascetics? abbots? brothers? gods? a mixture?

not for nothing but, how can you say that others aren't researching the topic and then ask that question? They're almost all going to say 'brothers'. Its what they refer to each other as. I doubt any of them, by definition, will consider themselves gods, since the group requires beleif in a supreme being, and I doubt that that can be yourself. And considering that this aquarian gospel is new-ageish gnostic-like religion, aren't the followers of it the ones who consider themselves gods?

1. Where is that quote from? Is it a bible passage?
2. What is the connection between the Secret Brotherhood of the quoted passage and Freemasonry
3. Where does negative degrees come into it?

1. It's called "THE AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST" found
www.sacred-texts.com...
It was authored via automatic writing during the 19th century.

2. No connection directly, I was wondering (since you where the builders of solomons temple) you might know something.

3. My original intent.. I was wondering if anyone was aware of any negative degrees in freemasonry, or have heard or thought about it before.

Nygdan

So its pretty much meaningless as a source of evidence.

I wasn't aware that evidence, simple because its new or from an alternative source is meaningless... evenmore Why all of a sudden does it become useless because it isn't recognized cannon? Simply because a bunch of old men think that it doesn't fit in nice enough with their laws?

Not trying to blast the book, just noting that because its 'received esoteric/gnostic knowledge' that it can't be used as evidence in any logical-scientific sense of the word. The book can be beleived or disbeleived, but there are no rational-logical reasons for doing so.

As far as it being non-cannonical, the book is so new that it couldn't be considered and then rejected, its a modern book. Scripture has authority (not saying I even agree with it, just recognizing this authority that is given to it by people), what it says about jesus can be taken with a heavy mind, but what this book says, well, its a book from around a hundred years ago that has no connection to even the great great grandchildren of the last people to see the gospels in their natural circulation.

To be short then, it hardly presents evidence that jesus was in a secret society or even that there are negative degrees to masonry.

What evidence is there for negative or 'antithesis' degrees?

Originally posted by dnero6911
2. No connection directly, I was wondering (since you where the builders of solomons temple) you might know something.

3. My original intent.. I was wondering if anyone was aware of any negative degrees in freemasonry, or have heard or thought about it before.

I'm afraid I've never heard of negative degrees and this is the first I've heard of Jesus being part of a secret brotherhood.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

One thing I don't understand is, everybody I know who calls himself a 32 degree Mason doesn't attend the Scottish Rite Lodge like Senrak said he does. Senrak drives two hours to get to a Scottish Rite lodge. What a Mason.

Originally posted by Burnt Offering
One thing I don't understand is, everybody I know who calls himself a 32 degree Mason doesn't attend the Scottish Rite Lodge like Senrak said he does. Senrak drives two hours to get to a Scottish Rite lodge. What a Mason.

I just never mention it. We have meetings on the quarter and I am luky my Valley is in the town I live in, But am sure Senrak is more deacted than I am. By the way he is a publish writer in the Scottish Rite Jurnal

[edit on 16-12-2005 by lost in the midwest]

Hmm, maybe he can be one of our Conspiracy Masters then, if it was about conspiracy tho. I know that masonic conspiracy theory is an area of study.

I think he'll find it very hard to be a Conspiracy Master as he was BANNED.

Originally posted by Trinityman
I think he'll find it very hard to be a Conspiracy Master as he was BANNED.

It couldnt have happened to a nicer person.

Say once a member gets banned does that mean that he has been banished from ATS forerver? Surely THEY'LL let him come back sooner or later???

Originally posted by Burnt Offering
Say once a member gets banned does that mean that he has been banished from ATS forerver? Surely THEY'LL let him come back sooner or later???

Maybe, but why would he want to?