Questions about Masonry: an open and honest forum

That's exactly what I just got through asking.. I thought Anti-Masons wanted discussion, apparently not.

Well Mirthful Me, in the interest of enlightenment, if you really want, you can pretend to be an anti-mason nay-sayer fight-picker.

But also, please keep in mind, that this is also for questions and answers about Masonry.
Not just dispelling the myths or defending the craft.
So, feel free to inquire.

I wish someone would ask something.

I have a question. Is it true that Manly P. Hall wasn't a full fledged Mason when he wrote many of the books about Masonry?

To all the brothers here and anyone intrested.

Simlply out of curiosity, how many hold to the "from the operative" theory and how many hold to the "from the english templars" theory? Or a third or fourth theory for that matter? I'm refering to the origens of Free Masonry.

As for me I've come around to the "from the english templars" theory myself.

To carry on with Masonry being a religion, I believe Masonic Student hit it head on..

It is a philosophy.. or rather a collection of philosophies..

That philosophy is rather simply summed up as "Be a good man, citizen" and being a good man covers family, be a good husband, father, brother and son. Citizen covers your nations law of the land, uphold your nation, defend its people and abide by the rules. Also another huge part of Masonry is express self sacrifice through aiding your fellow man and community, be it through many charities.

And for the many who say men don't join groups to do charity.. I honest to god can think of nothing more fulfilling then being in the kitchen doing dishes with my brothers till 3am supporting the Spaghetti Dinner or any other charity we host. There is connections among your fellow man at all levels, and it takes a mature man to see that it is not best to remain isolated, as it breads malcontent with your life, a feeling of unaccomplishments.. it is best to connect fully with man and community in brother hood, charity and if your really into the craft, the furthering your knowledge in the many philosophies attached to the craft..

Masonry may be many things, it may be a school of thought, a philosophical approach to life, a life style even, but religion does not exactly define it well enough.

Well, while I am not a Mason, I have already stated what I think. I think it dates back to at least the Templars. Actually, I think it probably goes back further, but many Masons seem to disagree.

[edit on 3-4-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Yeah, everything I have read about Masonry would imply that. Actually, it seems to me, from an outsiders point of view looking in, to be a mixture of different spiritual beliefs systems. Which, this, unfortunately, also probably accounts for why Masonry receives so much flak from Christians and such. Most Christians frown on syncretic belief systems. Look at how they respond to "New Age" ideologies.

It is my belief (and I do intend to investigate next year in Scotland) that when the Templar where persecuted the Scots harbored and assisted in protecting Templar activity off the coast of Scotland, citing the Templar navy engaged in pirate activity against the English and French disrupting trade in retaliation..

While in hiding living as normal Scots would, they took in local folk lore and various Gaelic culture, mixing with Christianity, Judaism and various other mythological religions..

It came together after I would say 150 years or so of hiding into an actual brother hood, fashioned after Gaelic Druidic orders, including the three degrees to membership and so on..

The Templar / Masonic groups even engaged in several battles with the Scotts against the English ensuring their protectorates survival until they willingly signed over to the United Kingdom, which I believe was very much so Masonic involved..

There is quite a bit of evidence I see to support my claims, including in Roslyn Chapel all over the walls and pillars is...... the Green Man..

image source: http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/~cfarrar/Biking%20England_files/image022.jpg


image source: http://images.scotsman.com/2006/05/04/rosslynpix7.jpg


An estimated 150 green men reside in Roslyn Chapel.

The Green Man is most typically within Gaelic culture expressed in association with rebirth.

Within the craft its self I see as the most significant indications to Gaelic influences within the verbal communication -- every thing must be memorized, the objective is threw word of mouth are the secrets of the craft pass down to those seeking further or more light, and the degree system its self which Gaelic culture in the form of druidic religions have used for thousands of years.

This is just a very short description of my hypothesis.. I can't wait for the chance to study early Masonic architecture and literature in Scotland for my self.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere (sorry folks, I don't have the source material) that he wasn't a full-fledged mason until his fifties. Years after he wrote many of his masonic themed books.


As for the origins of masonry, I'm going with the operative theory.
The idea of learned builders creating great works that pre-date even the great Egyptian dynasties, and passing their knowledge, secrets and symbols down through the ages...well, that just has an air of romanticism that really appeals to me.

Indeed. And it is the fact that the philosophy is based on Judeo-Christian moral values that drives the confusion. Despite the fact that freemasonry is open to all men who profess a belief in a 'Supreme Being', it was originally a Christian organization. All the lessons taught within freemasony are illustrated by passages and excerpts from the Old Testament, but are broad enough to appeal to a wider audience.

It is a difficult sometimes to draw a distinction between the religion and the 'supporting material', which is what freemasonry is, really. The lessons are broad enough to be interpreted in a number of different ways, which is its power and why it works so well for so many diverse individuals.

Unfortunately that broad interpretation means it can be easily twisted and misinterpreted, and that is what we see anti-masons doing. Not, for the most part, ATS posters, but the people who set up poisonous web sites for the sole purpose of discrediting the Craft.

I'm reminded of a poem by a famous freemason:

OK I have a few basic questions.

Why do you have to believe in a higher power to become a Mason ?
Why is does secrecy still surround aspects of Masonry ?
Is Free Masonry and Masonry the same organisation ?

Surely if there still wasn't a blanket of secrecy chances are many of the conspiracy theories wouldn't exist. I have never known a mason in person little alone have them cause me any trouble. A thanks in advance for answering my questions.

To take them in order.

The reason for the requirement of a belief in a higher power is that we depend on a man's "word" being good. Without a belief in a higher power outside this reality then there is nothing holding him to that "word"

There really is no secrecy left, if you substitute the word "privacy" instead it would be more accurate. We so swear by our own God to keep the secrets of masonry but they are readily avalible on the internet. But we do so out of tradition and most of us take our oaths seriously. For example what is said in lodge is really only the business of the members, sort of like what you talk about at home is noone else's business but yours.

Both free masonry and masonry as used here are really just short hand versions of the full name of the order in N. C. it is Anchient Free and Accepted Masons, in some states it is Free and acceped Free Masons.

I do sertainly agree with you the secrecy lablel is a problem, but it is not likely to go away any time soon. We will keep our traditions, all we can do is try and adress the misconceptions at forums like this. Convincing people that it a matter of privacy not secrecy is like trying to prove a negative.

[edit on 4-4-2007 by Masonic Student]

mod edit; misc. spelling/punctuation

[edit on 4/4/2007 by benevolent tyrant]

It's almost Easter - all the Anti's are in church getting more "dirt" on us to post here about Albert Pike and Lucifer.

It's the calm before the storm

Obviously the anits arn't intrested in this tread. That may or may not be a good thhing but it is interesting.

I'm glad to see this is working so far.

I for one (because that's one of the main reasons I started this thread) do hope to attract some anti-masons to this thread.
I would like to sit and discuss (not argue) the topic from both our points of view.
Hopefully, we can either calm some of the hate, dispel some of the misconception, or if nothing else, have them walk away with some food for thought.

Remember brothers, no matter how inflammatory their statements may be, govern yourselves accordingly.

It definitely shows their true motives. All of their claims that they "want discussion" is bunk. All most anti-Mason's want is a pulpit to spread their hateful drivel.



[edit on 4-4-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Alright, well, you can't honestly say that it is the specific motive of all anti-masons, that's just not fair.
Many of them, perhaps, a handful of them, almost certainly, but all of them, I highly doubt it.

Remember, when we do attract some antis here, I want them treated with respect.
The more hateful their words are, the more kindness I want showed to them, because nothing perpetuates ignorance and spite more, than sinking to it's level.

I always tell them that Lucifer is the bright and morning star...and them tell them that Jesus said in Revelation the he was the bright and morning star so whats you point....this usually shuts them up for a while.