A question to all Masons present, page 4

Do you know by chance if Jesus was a Free Mason or Nights Templar? I have read in several places that he was a Essene which later became the Rosicrusians which later became the knights Templars which later became the FreeMasons.

It is believed that Jesus was either a Mason or a Carpenter; the Greek word in the Gospels as Joseph's occupation literally means "builder". During the era of the Roman Empire, most builders were members of the Dionysian Artificers. Jesus may or may not have been a member of that Society.

Perhaps most importantly, at least from a Masonic standpoint, is that Christ was visited by Magi while an infant. The Magi were the priestly caste of the Persian Zoroastrians, and they were Initiates of the Mysteries of Mithras. It has sometimes been suggested that the �missing years� of Christ not recorded in the Bible (from age 12 to around 30) were at least in part spent with the Magi, studying their Mysteries. Whether or not this is true is only speculation, but the actual teachings of Christ show him to be more closely a Magus than a Jew, at least theologically and ethically. His doctrines were much more similar to the Magi than the Pharisees or Saducees.

The Knights Templar were a fraternal order of monastic soldiers, founded by 9 Frenchman in the middle ages, long after the era of Jesus. Their original purpose was to protect Christian pilgrims from Muslim bandits in the Holy Land. Eventually, the Templars came under the influence of Kabbalism and Sufism, and developed mystical characteristics. They also amassed great wealth, and became friendly with many Muslims and Jews. All this together invoked the wrath of the Vatican, and in one of the most treacherous acts in history, surpassed only by Brutus and Judas, the Roman Catholic Church along with Phillip the Fair arrested the leaders of the Order in a banquet they had thrown in the Templars� honor. The last Grand Master, Jaques de Molay, confessed under torture to heresy, he later recanted his confession and was burned at the stake (De Molay was 76 years old, which helps explain why he confessed under torture; other Templars who were younger chose to die on the torture rack rather than succumb to falsely admitting heresy); the Order was condemned everywhere in Europe except Scotland, where some Templars escape.
There is a legend that a band of fugitive Templars came to the assistance of Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in Scotland. In token of his appreciation, Robert created the Order of the Thistle of Scottish Knights of St. Andrew, which is now the 29� of Scottish Rite Masonry.

Fiat Lvx.