Freemasonry from a freemason

Question:

Are you a Scottish Rite Mason, or part of the Free and Accepted?

Alright, I just checked out the further row on the mason thread and I too apologize if I added to the discord. However, it does still seem to me that , while "worship" is obviously the wrong word (Freemasonry is not alien to my background) that "by their fruits ye shall know them", and Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon have never been known as the "nice kids on the block." What I said before was incendiary, but it's not enouph to show how common perceptions of Lucifer are lacking in depth. Why would one look to the deep symbolisms of those who have opposed "the true light?" Is it due to a belief that the "One" and it's Adversary are really one and the same?

I am just asking, if this thread is still going. It's a big subject but I'd like to do a better job of treating strangers well, no matter how much they may appear to be "foes."

Well, since I said that comment I'll address it:   I don't find it strange at all that I think such a thing.  It just didn't seem likely that a Mason would waste their time coming to a messageboard to defend Masonry.  Why would they feel they'd even have to do such a thing? Grown men don't usually act like that.   It's just not usual guy behavior I don't think.  I don't know, just my perspective, and my opinion.  If someone wants to challenge me on what's "usual guy behavior", so be it, but that's just my personal point of view.   And also, what would be the point in defending Masonry?   To put to rest any misunderstandings?   Why?   What would be the point?   What does it matter if us common folk misunderstand what Masonry's all about?  It's not like our misunderstandings result in harm or violence or other negative stuff coming to Masons, thereby necessitating an open dialogue between "us" and "them".   We just do our thing, and they do theirs.  And to be honest.....isn't that the way they want it to be?   

So again, I couldn't / can't come up with any logical explanation to explain why a Mason would come to a messageboard to defend the Masonry, and engage in dialogue about it. 

Anyway, just addressing this comment since it was brought up, and explaining my thoughts behind why I wrote it.

Well, that's blatently not true.   Your first ever opening post on this board was to correct aaronfirebrand's supposed misrepresentation of Freemasonry, and every post thereafter was related to defending Masonry against the misperceptions and untruths that we and others have about it.   You never once ever discussed the actual movie "National Treasure."   So sorry, that's a blatent untruth right there.

Well then, there are two things you can do:   One, remove the emblem on your car.  Solves THAT problem now, don't it??        Or two:   Learn how to let weird looks, comments, etc. roll off your back.  Learn how to be secure in yourself and unfazed by what a stranger thinks about you.  Who cares what they think?   I mean, I don't know what else to tell you.   

Again.....why?   Why does it matter what we, the common folk, think of Masonry?   Does it matter in the big scheme of things if we have our view on it which differs from yours?   Again, it's not like our views on Masonry -- whether true or not -- results in violence or harm coming to Masons.   

Here's a thought for you:   Say all of us out here in the common folks world got converted to your point of view on Masonry.   We all have changed our views, taken on your views, believe everything you say, and totally and completely support the Masons 100%.

Now what?

???

Ideally, what would you hope to accomplish if in your ideal world you could convert and educated everybody out there to support Masons and view it in a positive light?   What then?   No more weird looks on the highway when you're driving with the Masonic emblem on your car?   Or, something else?  Something deeper?

Looks like Dr Hiram got fed up and gave up. Oh well... on a wedge issue like freemasonry, one side or the other will quit eventually. He asked for it by trying to defend freemasonry in a conspiracy forum.

Generally speaking, masons see themselves more enlightened or righteous than the general population. This belief arose in past centuries when the general population was superstitious, semi-literate, and ignorant, persecuting anyone with heretical views rather than trying to understand them. If we here on NR lived during those times, we'd have to discuss what we discuss in secret as well.

Modern masons believe nothing much has changed, that the conspiracy theorists of today are of the same class as the ignorant religious mobs that persecuted them in the past. So they enter a forum like NR with that biased expectation and it's no surprise that anyone challenging their view of masonry merely reinforces for them that belief.  That is one reason corruption atop the masonic hierarchy goes unchallenged by the lower masons...they don't know about it, and those who try to tell them are seen as blind souls. Too bad for them...isolation perpetuates isolation. If masons and conspiracy theorists took each other's advice to do more research, maybe they'd reach common ground.

If you remove the corrupted, conspiratorial, lucifer-worshipping elements from freemasonry, what you have left is a fraternal organization centered around doctrines and texts containing esoteric information passed down through the centuries, encoded in the form of rituals and symbols. For anyone interested in arcane esoteric knowledge, it would be worthwhile to study these. I doubt most modern masons understand the full meaning of these symbols and rituals. According to Dr Hiram, only the tippity top of the outer circle of masons which he claimed to be part of comprised an "esoteric college"...meaning the rest really is just a men's club.

The particularly sick puppies within the "esoteric college" are recruited into the Illuminati and other elite secret societies, using their connections and positions of power to serve the dark agenda. Often I get the impression that freemasonry serves the Illuminati in two ways - it keeps good natured members from divulging their esoteric knowledge to the "profane" public (thus isolating them), and it acts as a filtering and recruiting mechanism to extract the dark ones well versed in ritual.

A good book on secret societies to compliment conspiracy research is P. Manly Hall's "The Secret Teaching of All Ages", recently republished in a more affordable paperback version.

The Manly Hall book is one of the most-beautiful books I've seen.  I think it's almost a shame to get the new small paperback version when the original is still available.

In any event anyone interested in the day-to-day relevance of masonry might want to check out "The Brotherhood" and "Inside the Brotherhood."  They both cover the organization's influence in government and other positions of power, and discuss the actual and potential corruption that exists in British masonry.  One knowlegable person on the subject described the British masons as "the worst thugs."  I'm not sure how the American version compares as a whole, but I've known several individuals who are members.   Some of them are decent respectable people, although they occasionally will speak with an air of subtle smugness, hinting at knowing certain things but refusing to elaborate.  One person, however, who was in a  leadership position, was a classic manipulative sociopatch type who derived pleasure from lying to people, believing getting away with it was proof he was successful at his art of "hoodwinking" people.  Though people weren't as stupid as he thought and could see right through him. 

In any event I recall an interview with an old-time member which is contained in one of the above-mentioned books, where the member stated that lodges once had very strict quality control when it came to accepting new members, but today it is far too easy to get in, and when the crooks come in for their own selfish purposes, the good men leave.   I think the bad ones especially, but perhaps all lodge members can be viewed as a type of real-life "Matrix agent" or wanna-be spook with whom one must exercise caution in their dealings.