Who all here is a Freemason?

[Freomæg]

Indeed. But an atheist is not a theist. What do they have against atheists? I honestly don't know.

Whatever truths (or lack of) that lie in the conspiracy theories, one thing is for certain and that is that a fundamental part of Freemasonry is the belief in a creator - a grand architect. Though candidates are supposed to pledge upon a holy book of some sort, my guess is that Freemasonry teaches about a new concept of 'god', or at least a new way of woshipping the existing god. Sacred geometry is key, this is why god as sometimes referred to as 'the architect'. This originates with the Templars, who brought back from the middle east with them an advanced understanding of geometry. This can be seen in the advanced gothic architecture of their time, with all the esoteric symbols contained therein.

I have some of my own theories about freemasonry, including that it essentially harks back to the Ancient Egyptians. The pyramids at Giza have encoded in them some extremely advanced conceptions of geometry, physics and astrology. I even tend to believe that the 'ark of the covenant', the word of god, was actually the ultimate knowledge of nature through geometry and that it came from Egypt, then to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem where the Templars came into possession of it and brought it (or at least, the knowledge) back to Europe. When the Knights Templar were outlawed, they continued under the guise of Freemasonry.

All very fascinating, and I've wondered about joining before. But I'd need to be certain about some of my assumptions first.

[Allenson]

No, I'm not a member. And even if I were, I wouldn't be allowed to tell you much about being one.

I take it that they're not invitation only?

[Tolleson]

Here is a little bit of information I found on another site.

Fundamentals of Freemasonry by Norman Williams Crabbe, MPS
http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/...r/ph-crabb.htm

Cheers

[Loki]

I think the religious requirement is so their members can infiltrate the churches & destroy them from within. Like the Episcopal/Anglican Communion, the Methodists, The Presbyterian, the various reform churches that makeup the United Church of Christ & on & on...

This could be a strategy in America, but certainly not in the UK or mainland Europe. Over here, only people over 70 seem to go to church.

[Heimmacht]

I'd rather join them> http://www.thule-seminar.org/inhalt_referenz.htm

[Baron Samedi]

I think the religious requirement is so their members can infiltrate the churches & destroy them from within. Like the Episcopal/Anglican Communion, the Methodists, The Presbyterian, the various reform churches that makeup the United Church of Christ & on & on...

You don't have to be a Christian (in name only). They allow Unitarians. I'm sure there Islamic lodges.

As for conspiracies, it is hard to ignore the fact that Masons played an important role in planning & executing the American Revolution. The signers of the Declaration of Independence is a who's who of 18th century American masonry. Am I wrong in assuming the main participators of the French Revolution were also Masons?

Sounds like, yet, another good reason to join up.

[Baron Samedi]

I'd rather join them> http://www.thule-seminar.org/inhalt_referenz.htm

What exactly IS this?

I even translated the page, and it made little sense to me.

[Ulf]

I know a Freemason. That's all I am allowed to say.

[Gooding]

Interesting..my maternal grandfather was a Scottish Rite 32nd Degree Master Mason in his Lodge in Falls Church.What I know is that they discuss nothing outside of their meetings about their business, they have their own version of the Bible and they really do have a secret handshake with which to identify other members. During the mid twentieth century, membership could only be obtained by an invitation from another member. It seems to have been semi hereditary as all the adult men of families tended to be members of their local Lodges. A belief in a God or Higher Power seems to have been the minimal requirement. That's all I can tell you because that's all I know..

[Lahtari]

With all the secretiveness, speculation and plain crackpottery surrounding the Masons, I'm still not sure what to make of them. A revolutionary organization masqueraded as a bunch of harmless religious nutters, a platform for the financial and societal elite, or a mystic cult with old, elsewhere lost traditions and horrible age-old secrets?

Even when their code states that a good Mason should not partake in politics or to conspire against rulers, it must be kept in mind that this organization developed in the 18th century pre-revolution France, and the bourgeoisie definitely had a reason to hide their anti-aristocratic intentions. There might as well be a higher-level code for the eyes of initiates of certain degree only, cancelling the previous order and defining societal change as their main purpose. Or maybe not, but anyway, the Masons hardly had a negligible role in the French revolution, as well as in the American one.