Freemasonry. The Brothers don't pay taxes.

Well, seeing as how the books are about the Knights Templar, who were connected with Masonry (I think), it makes sense to me that the RCC would let the Masons have a copy on the cheap.
Can someone confirm or deny the KT connection to the Masons?

Another example of how the Masons "cook the books" to keep their non profit status.

A spectacular two-hundred-year-old Masonic painting from Oneida County, New York, has been restored by the Livingston Masonic Library. The restoration, performed by highly-trained experts at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, was made possible by a generous grant of $7500 made by the Harry S. Truman Foundation in memory of RW Albert I. Cohan. The Harry S. Truman Foundation is associated with Harry S. Truman Lodge, No. 1066, of New York City.

www.nymasoniclibrary.org...

They donate to each other.

Cheat, cheat, cheat.
Are you familiar with the term,
"hanging by your toes"?


added source: sorry, posted source in original post, didn't realize I had to repost everytime I use it. Will try to do better.
Mod Edit: No Quote/Plagiarism – Please Review This Link.


[edit on 19-5-2008 by elevatedone]

[edit on 19-5-2008 by cutbothways]

reply to post by cutbothways


OMIGOSH... They donated a PAINTING!? Evil satanist!!!

LOL, seriously.

Whats your POINT and what's it got to do with the TOPIC of this thread?

After reading through this thread, I'm wondering if people are upset with the fact that the Masonic organizations don't pay taxes, or that they just disagree with Masonic teachings in general, and are using this forum as another place to disagree.

If you truly disapprove of heavily-financed organizations being tax exempt, just take a look at Sweden-based Ikea. Yup. The furniture store. They are organized as the world's largest non-profit.

World's largest charity

There are many organizations that have a great deal of money, which are still tax exempt, and do a lot of good with their money. But there will always be those who try to skirt the law.

Originally posted by cutbothways
reply to post by Masonic Light

 

Do you pay income tax on your compensation?

Asked and answered...

Originally posted by Masonic Light
I'm not a full-time employee, but everybody who receives a salary gets a W-2 at the end of the year, and pays income tax on it, as well as Social Security and Medicare. Grand Lodge also pays payroll taxes for employees.

Actually, you asked twice after he'd already answered the question. You need to pay closer attention.

Originally posted by cutbothways
I'll be the first one to call BS on the amount listed. People would pay millions to get their hands on ANY secret document from the Vatican, but especially for something as controversial as the Knights Templar.

Well, it's not much of a secret once they've printed 800 copies, now, is it?

Furthermore, from your source,

The Prefect of the Vatican's Secret Archive, Monsignor Sergio Pagano, said there are no discoveries, all the documents were already known.

Likewise, as you also quoted (but seem to have not read)

Libraries and scholars from around the world have already reserved most of the volumes being published.

I'd be more worried that there were 798 other secret societies with libraries that you don't know about!!!

Originally posted by endrun
Can someone confirm or deny the KT connection to the Masons?

Nope. Nobody's been able to do either, unfortunately. People have tried the argument from both sides, but no conclusions have ever held up additional scrutiny.

Edit: More to the point, no connection has been successfully proven to any academic standards. What remains, then, is that there is no direct connection and that the chivalric degrees of Masonic appendant bodies were likely created when the ideas of chivalry and romanticism were regaining popularity in the early 19th century. (The same argument can be said of any Egyptology that might exist in today's ritual work...)

[edit on 5/19/2008 by JoshNorton]

Originally posted by d. duck
After reading through this thread, I'm wondering if people are upset with the fact that the Masonic organizations don't pay taxes, or that they just disagree with Masonic teachings in general, and are using this forum as another place to disagree.

Many of the Orgs don't pay taxes because the don't make any money, not because they are tax excempt. My Scottish Rite Valley files a return every year. As far I as understand the tax system, you pay on income and localy on property. I tried to get tax excemption for my lodge, God you wouldn't belive the paper work. The lodge gave up on it.

[edit on 19-5-2008 by lost in the midwest]

Just a friendly reminder - it's not only well and good to include references when you're posting "facts" for discussion, but also when quoting from an external source, PLEASE INCLUDE A LINK TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL.

Enclosing a quote in 'ex' tags doesn't do much good if we have no idea where it originates from.

Thanks and cary on.

reply to post by cutbothways


And where is the painting now. I bet it is some place open to the public. I know that the Livingston Masonic Library is. So this piece of America history has been saved for the future generations of Americans by those greedy Freemasons. How very evil

@CutBothways

Folks here aren't trying to give you a hard time but your being rather stubborn.Take my view for instance , im a 24 year old male,worked since ive been 16 and lived on my own since 20, im not a mason yet have friends taht are and ive been to a few meetings dinners ect to know enough about the character of the folks there.
They are good hearted nice people that would take the shirt off their back for one in need. No joke you dont find many good humans out there anymore.

Im not trying to say there isnt some mystery to it all but take this for instance theosophy was held in high regard in earlier times, much of the later masonic teachings drives one to look further into the mystery of life . Withought walking that path how can you say this orginaztion/brotherhood is wrongful in their doings. If anything they help society!! Preserve history .. I mean those are morals i hold dear!

If you don't think things like preserving history or encouraging folks to help their brother and do things out of love instead of anger are important then i guess I understand your quarrel but if you do cherish those facets of life then re think what you "know about masons" and go visit your local lodge!! Ask them im sure any brother would be glad to have a heart to heart with a mis guided soul.
Joe



[edit on 19-5-2008 by Localjoe3]

I do belong to two lodges that have considerable wealth because I am in a very wealthy town. One lodge is doing good things with it, the other one miss handled it.
I intend to account for every single dime of it and force prosecution of those culpable for that theft.
That said, churches, business face the same problems. Even a lady here stole several thousands at the town land fill.
I have visited many small lodges, and most are lucky to have $2000 and maybe own their building.
Masons, not a church, but yet based on God. To say its a Godless or anti God is not true.
The beauty of it is, its a place where people of many beliefs can come together on common ground.
To claim Masons avoid taxes to better rule the world is hopelessly stupid.
Maybe that effort should be better focused on the Military Industrial Complex. I know the Masons have nothing to do with that, We cant afford it and certainly have seen no kick back.

Don Dyar

reply to post by cutbothways


Cutbothways, on your last topic. Do you think the top organizers of PETA, the Red Cross, and other non-profits don't get paid? Look them up. It's not different than any other orgainizer at the top of any other Non-Profit, they all get paid because they do this FULL TIME to the exclusion (for most of them) of other endevours.

Some devout there life to the non-profit and are paid for such service, just as I am sure some head an organization while still working for a Corporate pulling down extra cash. Some work for a Corporation while collecting pay from a Non-Profit for being higher up, and donate the Non-Profit pay (it happens, though probably not as much as the greedy ones collect two checks, or the ones that focus solely on Non-Profit).

If you thought all people in Non-Profits worked pro bono, then you are wrong across the board (which you must have thought, or you wouldn't have posted so surprised about the Mason's being paid, like it was something unordaniary).

To quote the late Theron Dunn.

ATS Profile

A little about Mr. Dunn.

After graduating from high school, Theron served as a sergeant in the United States Air Force. He loved computers and many of his work history involved computers, most recently working for Computer Systems Company in Saudi Arabia and presently at the Naval Station in Norco
...
In addition to his love for his family, Theron had great love and respect for the Freemasons and was active in the Moreno Valley Lodge. Theron also loved volunteering, most importantly, he began the Mason's Free Child ID Program for which he worked tiredlessly every weekend.

www.therondunn.com...

Here is what Mr. Dunn said in his blog.

In the interests full disclosure, I want to start this off by stating that I joined Al Malikah Shrine in Los Angeles in March of 2004 in a “Cold Sands” ceremonial. I dimited from the Shrine in March of 2005 after just one year of disappointment.
...
The Shrine is awash in money, literally. IRS records show that just over 5% of the money the Shrine takes in yearly is actually spent on their hospitals and other charities. The rest stays with the Shrine to support their various internal activities. As a charity, the Shrine seems to be no better than the Red Cross… and all the Shrine labor is donated so their costs should be much lower.

beaconofmasoniclight.blogspot.com...

From your own brother. Unfortunately he was banned from ATS and has now passed on. God rest his soul.

He was admitted into the hospital over the weekend and went into a coma. He suffered kidney failure on Tuesday morning, and was pronounced deceased at 12:31 PM.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Over the last 70 years, hundreds - if not thousands - of people have died from kidney failure due to diethylene glycol (DEG) poisoning.

kidneydiseases.about.com...





[edit on 19-5-2008 by cutbothways]

[edit on 19-5-2008 by cutbothways]

reply to post by cutbothways


Check your messages for an important U2U before posting.

reply to post by NGC2736


Please point me to the source I missed, and I will correct it.

Thanks for your patience.

Source issues fixed.

[edit on 19-5-2008 by cutbothways]

Originally posted by cutbothways
So far, one anti-mason against 7 masons, in the conspiracy forum.

Isn't the ATS "unbiased" approach telling?

Oh please!

I don't suppose for a second that the paucity of fact in your OP might more reasonably explain why there isn't a plethora of anti-Masons rallying to your standard?

reply to post by Fitzgibbon


Fitz! Mason number 8

Glad you could join the anti-mason bashing party!

What about the Theron Dunn post?

Don't try to ignore it now.

IRS records show that just over 5% of the money the Shrine takes in yearly is actually spent on their hospitals and other charities.
...
The money raised through various Masonic efforts and donated to the Shrine could be better put to use by the various Grand Lodges for the benefit of Masonry in general, as the United Grand Lodge if England does. They have a single Grand Charity, into which funds have been invested for a LONG time

beaconofmasoniclight.blogspot.com...

The Mason are investing their donations. Isn't that charitable of them?

[edit on 19-5-2008 by cutbothways]

Originally posted by cutbothways
The Mason are investing their donations. Isn't that charitable of them?

You must keep all your extra money under your mattress. Yes, investing donations is a great way to make sure that there will still be money when or if future donations dry up. It's called saving for a rainy day. Good, sound economic principle. But you probably think all banking is corrupt also.

reply to post by JoshNorton

It's called saving for a rainy day. Good, sound economic principle. But you probably think all banking is corrupt also.

Absolutely, banks are corrupt institutions.

Anybody that loans out $1000 for every $10 dollars taken in is in on the whole thing, probably most bankers are masons, although I have no proof on that.

Tell you what. Donate some money to me, and I'll put it in my bank account, and in ten years, I'll actually do something with the money, like donate it to myself, after I've skimmed the interest.

Hows that for sarcasm, scientist?



[edit on 19-5-2008 by cutbothways]

ehh, not the best...

I would like to know where you are going with this thread now..

for example, yes - masonry helps out lots of charities and etc. but Masonry itself is NOT a charity, nor does masonry revolve around raising money for charity, or hospitals, etc.

To my understanding, the whole children's hospital for the shrine, and learning disabilities for the scottish rite, etc. are for the most part, public-relations moves in addition to just reaching out to the community.

I'll state that again, or better yet, I'll quote Wilmhurst's "Meaning of Masonry:"

... Masonry has meant less than this, it has not as yet fulfilled its original purpose of being the efficient initiating instrument it was designed to be; its energies have been diverted from its true instructional purpose into social and philanthropic channels, excellent in their way, but foreign to and accretions upon the primal main intention.

So now, to complain that the Masons aren't giving enough to charity, when that's not their purpose nor duty anyways, is like looking a gift-horse in the mouth.