Originally posted by aginstitall
"Free masonry" was originaly parented in ancient sumaria around 4000B.C by a group of architects who use sacred geometry and Astronomy to build monolithic structures. This art then found its way to Egypt wear it was attributes to the Egyptian god Toth (and used to build the great pyrimids.) This is wear a special some one comes into play, Pythagoras ( the Grand father of modren day masonery.) Who studied the art of sacred geometry and started a group called the Pythagoreans, who followed 5 basic rules.
(1) that at its deepest level, reality is mathematical in nature,
(2) that philosophy can be used for spiritual purification,
(3) that the soul can rise to union with the divine,
(4) that certain symbols have a mystical significance, and
(5) that all brothers of the order should observe strict loyalty and secrecy.
I think that there is some argument to say that the Freemasons prior to becoming 'speculative' were holders of mathematical, particularly geometrical, knowledge. When it reached Europe, especially latinised Europe, there can be seen a distinct need for secrecy, at that time much of geometry can be considered heretical. However, there are several possible routes by which the 'sacred' aspect of geometry could have been applied to speculative Freemasonry and simply because we understand that geometry demonstrates the micro to the macro does not mean that operative freemasons also understood that in order to do their jobs. They had instruments that had been 'programmed' to that information, therefore they didn't necessarily know where that programming came from.
The rise of Freemasonry in the west goes hand in hand with the boom in gothic cathedral building, works that ran for decades, centuries even. Much geometric thought can be seen put into practice in these cathedrals. The name itself has geometric origins.
cathedral (n.)
1587, "church of a bishop," from phrase cathedral church (1297), translating L.L. ecclesia cathedralis "church of a bishop's seat," from Gk. kathedra "seat, bench," from kata "down" + hedra "seat, base, chair, face of a geometric solid," from PIE base *sed- "to sit" (see sedentary).
www.etymonline.com...
Interesting thread.
