MasonicMinute.com
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Posted at: 12:19 pm As the SD is to the WM…as the JD is to the SW…as the SS is to the JW…each pillar officer in our Lodge has his “Right-Hand Man”. I never thought of this till I was setting-up my appointments for the officers in my Lodge. I guess I never paid that much attention. But if you look at the structure of each Blue Lodge, a line of progression, coupled with the physical placement of the officers in the Lodge, makes for a very tidy and thorough way to cultivate leadership and make a Lodge thrive. Taken to its functional end…it is the incoming SD that ought to have a heavy voice in appointing the JS. Why? Well, when elected to the South, the JS will move to the SS position. As that man progresses, the other one does also. Let me use an example with names to illustrate my point. Aaron is the WM elect of the Lodge. At his side in the West is Adam…the JD. In a perfect world, Aaron and Adam would have had a similar relationship last year when Aaron was the JW and Adam was the SS. Get it? So now that Aaron is going to advance to the East, Adam is going to become the SD. So Adam, expecting to be in the South next year, should help Aaron select the man who will be sitting at Adam’s right when Adam ascends to the South. In the meantime, Bob, the JW who is going to move to the West, had a part in selecting Ben, the SS who will be the JD next year. This pair will then move to the WM and SD positions the following year. And, of course, Chip, the outgoing WM gave Cameron, the SD, a chance to help appoint Carlos, the JS. Now, when Cameron moves this year to the South, he will have his right-hand-man Carlos with him for the next three years! I don’t know why it took me so long to figure this out. But the formula (A+a)*(B+b)*(C+c+(c))= OGL comes to mind. OGL in this equation, of course, means One Great Lodge. The point is this…if the WM works hard to ensure that the SD and JS can work very well together, then the pattern will be established every year. The SW and the JD will be getting ready for their shot in the East, and the JW and SS will be making certain that they are ready to advance by working together on ritual and administrative aspects of the craft. This team approach could be very easily expanded on, and would make for one great officer core where the buddy system can promote teamwork at the most basic level…two men standing as friends. It’s not just about “carrying messages from the WM to……”, the SD also carries-on the traditions, attitudes and motivation of the man who helped put him in the progressive line. The SD, presumably the next in line to ascend to the South, will take a little of the Immediate Past Master with him when he gets there. And the new SS will have worked with both of them as well. Continuity in Lodges depends on personal commitment. If every incoming WM was to take his appointed SD by the arm and let him know that he is glad to have him, and wants his input about whom to appoint as JS…after three years of this the lessons would be an incurable virus of commitment on a personal level. I’d really like to know what everyone thinks about this. Please don’t be shy…comment! |
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September 27, 2007
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Posted at: 5:19 pm Hey everybody, I know I haven’t posted anything in a while but I was suddenly inspired by the public rantings of some stupid college kid, again. With the recent (hilarious yet troubling) release of the video with that kid getting tased at that Kerry forum it has come time for me to vent a little bit more on this board about something that annoys me to no end. It was not the questions about the ‘04 elections or even the fact that he got owned by a bunch of campus security guards that irritated me but rather the same old question about the Skull and Bones came up. Granted this particluar student didn’t mention the Freemasons, but 99.9999998 % of the time they do. Now, I have a slightly different view about the whole Skull and Bones-NWO-Bush Administration-conspiracy theories-secret society-masonic crap than most of my Brethren only because I was in college when I joined, and am fully aware of the crap that is put on the internet in the form of youtube videos, paranoid blogs and in useless student demonstrations or debates. I’ve argued with many a college student who has read one-too-many crappy books and everytime they mentioned the whole secret society thing I’d jump on them like a was a kid with bubblewrap. They would always say “You’re a sheep! Don’t you know about the (enter conspiracy-secret society-and then a President’s here)….? Take in mind I am a Freemason. I never let anyone know I was a Freemason in college, especially not during a debate only because I know that the whole class would’ve come down with explosive diarrhea simultaniously and I would be in a world (or class) of shit. I will tell you what I would tell these college students who have the imagination of a five year old on acid. In regards to all those Masonic Presidents, the realm of influence of the Skull and Bones alumni, the cross membership of other fraternal organizations and organizations such as the Trilateral Commission, and Council on Foriegn Relations, I say to the paranoid college kid SOOOO WHATTTT!! It doesn’t make any difference what college fraternity some guy belonged to when he was 21 and getting wasted on a daily basis with a bunch of other guys. Same thing with fraternal and other professional organizations. These conspiracy theorists, college activists and fabricators of history have created an imaginary enemy with imaginary strings that for some illogical reason reach EVERYWHERE. Now, I really don’t care if someone thinks that the Masons control whatever. When I have told some of these people that I am a Freemason, they say the usuall “well, you don’t know much, you’re not HIGH enough yet”. I then say “well, I am a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, A Knight Templar, current Warden of my Blue Lodge, a member of two research bodies, etc… Then they scramble for some other reason to discredit me (usually after these kinds of exchanges I realize that I am not high at all, but they usually are and smell like bong water). But I think it is hilarious when I tell the crazy people that we DO control the world. Their face alone is priceless and they usually believe me for some reason. Anyways, my point to all of this is that the usuall suspects of anti-masons and anti-fraternal conspiracy nuts have reached the populous of undergrads who are in search for political satisfaction, involvement, and best of all TRUTH. But, where they go wrong is that they start to form connections that do not and cannot exist (i.e. the whole Politician-NWO-Masonic connection). So, to all the assclowns out there that aren’t happy with whatever you see or read somewhere I commend you on asking questions and questioning the legitimacy of certain policies etc, but once you fall off your rocker and start believing that just because someone carries a card, wore certain letters on their sweatshirt in college, or is a member of an organization with any reverence for antiquity they are controlling the events of your stupid, unfulfilling, meaningless, empty life, that’s when you look like a donkey wearing a dunce cap. They are not the source of your insecurities and shortcomings. You call people like me a “sheep” because for some reason you think you know something I don’t about clandestine organizations, well to me you have less credibility that Mother Goose. So keep fighting the invisible enemy and keep trying to expose the imaginary power grids you have so eloquently made up in your rancid excuse for a brain. Sooner or later you will figure out that whatever time you have wasted on revealing “secrets” and learning “the truth” would have been more productive if you were playing Dungeons and Dragons with sixth graders. The boogyman was never in your closet or under your bed, but now for some reason you think he left your house, went to an ivy league school, joined a fraternity and now seeks to ruin your life, AGAIN!! Man you people are pathetic. But thats okay, I’m a member of a world dominating organization who is aware of anything and everything. I have to go and buy/sell politicians now, maybe start a war with New Zealand, I’m not sure how I want this afternoon to go. I guess I’ll play it by ear. Be sure to watch the news tonight, something bad will happen and when it does you can blame me and my buddies. |
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Posted at: 10:22 am Time, we are taught in the first degree, is an invaluable and irreplaceable resource. Franklin tells us that it is the stuff that our lives are made of. So it stands to reason that time cannot and should not be wasted. In recent weeks, there has been a decline in the frequency and length of the blogging activity on this site. The important factor that we all realize (because we are Masons, and we’re smart) is that the primary authors of this site may be involved in more important activities. To be sure, sharing thoughts with brothers around the world is important work. But as we all know, there is a time for everything. Have you made time for your family recently? Your Lodge? Your “I gotta do that thing I’ve wanted to do all my life” thing? Have you invested your time in yourself? If you are like so many others, you have not. You spend so much time and energy doing the things that you have to do, that you don’t have time to do the things that you want to do. Such is the life of a busy man. But I take you back to that first degree…the night of your initiation where you were introduced to that first and most important of tools. Look back to that ritual. Figure out which was the first tool presented and explained to you. Are you using it as you were instructed? Are you taking command of your life? Or is your life taking command of you? Tonight, I will be at my Lodge playing poker with my brothers. No ritual, no meetings, no discussions about the building or the budgets. We are taking the time to enjoy each other’s company as friends do. Sure, we had to set a date and make other calendar adjustments…but tonight we play. It is our gift to ourselves and each other. It is time well spent enjoying the fruits of our labor and we will enjoy every minute (until the Big Unit takes all of our money…then we all get silly and complain about his cigars and cushy government job). It is the time of your life. Spend it wisely. And never forget that having read this, you have spent a few Masonic Minutes with my thoughts…and for that, I am eternally grateful. |
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Posted at: 6:31 pm One of the principal steps on our winding staircase is Music. Music of the heart, of the ear, of our lives. While we are instructed to appreciate and learn music, many of us do not take the time to simply sit and listen. We don’t give ourselves the time of our lives…to meditate on music. As Masons, we owe it to ourselves to expand our horizons, to search and learn, to become better men. Music is not gaining ground as an appreciated artform in our culture. Good music is a matter of taste, like coffee or wine, that differs from man to man. But Music as a concept, that artform/discipline, is a valuable addition to our lives that many of us choose to omit. Do yourself a favor…listen. A soaring melody or a triumphant march will both stir something different inside of you. Are you worth that extra 10 or 20 minutes? Can you try to sit for a short time and close your eyes while some song or sonata allows you to feel that little feeling inside? It is an exercise that may awake something in you that you lost, or you may not have known you had. Like a prayer (no, not Madonna’s pop hit from the 80’s…I refer to the reverent exercise), meditating on and focusing into music for a short time is a vital part of the development of of a complete man. That’s why Masons are exposed to this in our teachings. So, I encourage you to consider Music…and enjoy your time with your soul. |
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Posted at: 10:51 am Masonry, that progressive moral science, teaches us about our Craft in stages. It is a journey that one takes to further light in and through our Craft. Our personal development as Men is not dissimilar. We go through life learning, teaching, re-learnig and hopefully thinking deeply along the way. I often have the privilege of working with young people who may be going slightly askew in their lives. The following is what I tell them about learning and knowing more… “Your little cousins or siblings do crazy things…right? I’ll bet you have a three year-old cousin that eats dirt, right? And by the time you were six or seven, you knew better. You were twice as old and had learned so much about the world, that you no longer ate dirt. In fact, now that you are much older than that, you can see the simple foolishness of that child because of your age and experience.” “Now, fast-forward to today. I am twice your age. I see a young, inexperienced person eating dirt. How do you think you will feel about your decisions when you get to be my age? So…you see why I am telling you this? Do you see that I have the perception of age and experience with you just like you do with your little cousins? THINK ABOUT IT!” Carlos Castaneda, in his book “Tales of Power” brings the concept of knowledge and experience out of the playground and back into our Masonic world when he writes, “There are lots of things a warrior can do at a certain time which he couldn’t do years before. Those things themselves did not change; what changed was his idea of himself.” I always like to see the similarities in different paths, whether they are the warrior’s path or a Mason’s progression through degrees. |
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Posted at: 9:18 am Masons have always viewed death as a next step…a continuation of their journey. We see the skull and cross-bones as a humbling and hopeful symbol of our physical demise, perhaps with a promise of something to come. The Greeks (the ancients, leading into the classical period we know from most writings) saw death differently. They saw a shadow of thier selves (their ’soul’) leaving their body with their last breath, and crossing that great river into Hades. But to them, Hades was not hell. It was a place where you went to kind-of hang-out for all eternity. To be sure, Heroes were cast to the plains of Alesium and lived in a veritable paradise…but even paradise is not a Western concept. Paradise is a Persian word…it means garden. So our own attempt to be good and die well really is only an attempt to re-enter that garden from whence we came. (am I mixing-up too many stories here?) Anyway, the point here is to deliver a quote from Carlos Castaneda…it is a message from his mentor, the Yaqui Shaman don Juan Matus. “Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, an arm’s length behind us. Death is the only wise adviser that a warrior has. Whenever he feels that everything is going wrong and he’s about to be annihilated, he can turn to his death and ask if that is so. His death will tell him that he is wrong, that nothing really matters outside its touch. His death will tell him, ‘I haven’t touched you yet.’ This lesson is really like most lessons regarding Death. They are not lessons on how or why to die…but about how and why to live. |
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Posted at: 12:40 pm I have heard from a few young men in my short time blogging. Many of them are ‘interested’ in Masonry, but their interests are driven by many things…not the least of which is the stuff they get off of the internet. You know who I am talking about. They read, research and use their intelect to try to discover what Masonry is about. Unfortunately, the internet is one of the last places where ”Masons-in-waiting” will discover the truth about the Craft. An example: recently I heard wind of a young man who went-out and found the meanings for various little codes that I have used in some of my blogs; VSL, S.A.O.T.U., and others. This young man is intellectually curious, has a strong sense of his own faith, and does not want to get involved in an organization that will compromize his own spiritual background. The Dome, for those of you who do not know, is not one man (although there is one guy who has used that screen-name). I refer to The Dome, in this blog, as all of those who keep searching for a justification to petition a Lodge. They want more out of life than ESPN and Spike TV have to offer. They are looking to see if Freemasonry will blow them away and help guide them along the path of manhood with solid lessons and secure frateral relations. Before I go further, I must reiterate one thing…THIS IS NOT AN EFFORT TO RECRUIT NEW MEMBERS!! There, that’s done, now on to the substance. Fear: The Holy Bible on the Altar in Masonic Lodges (in the US) is an actual Bible. Truth: While it is a Bible, Freemasonry does not promote or require that a person practice a particular faith. The Bible on the Altar is a SYMBOL of each of our individual faiths. It symbolizes the Volume of Sacred Law (there’s that VSL thing) that each brother adheres to while practicing his faith. Our immediate Past Grand Chaplain is a very faithful practicing Bhuddist and my particular Lodge recently initiated a man on his grandfather’s Tanakh, which was placed on the Altar for his initiation ceremony. It is not unusual for more than one VSL to sit on the Altar. We are not a religion, despite the moanings of many ignorant critics. Fear: Freemasonry rules the world. Truth: In the US, each State has its own Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge is the Supreme Masonic Authority beholden to no other. In fact, in 2006, the MWGrand Lodge of Arizona recognized a Grand Lodge in Europe, and later found some irregularity…so we rescinded recognition in 2007. You see, it’s like a whole bunch of Grand Lodges with no central global government. Independent minded men created this system. In my State, our Grand Lodge was created by several Lodges who were originally chartered in other States first. Many countries have their own Grand Lodges (France has at least two), but each other Grand Lodge can recognize whomever they wish as legitimate (Arizona only recognizes one of France’s Grand Lodges). If this is global domination, then I am the Emperor of the World! Fear: I will be brainwashed and sucked into a crazy cabal. Truth: Smart people can’t be brainwashed. Masonry will expose you to an entire world of thought that you may not recognize at first, but there is no systematic means by which you will learn. Enlightenment ideals are normal, but there is no brainwashing. If you are afraid of new perspectives, new ideas mixed with a tolerant and mature view of the world’s history…forget about Freemasonry, it’s not for you. Fear: I will have to commit too much time and money…I don’t have the resources. Truth: You get out of it what you put into it. Freemasonry is a lifelong learning experience. Honestly, I don’t see why more men don’t commit MORE time and MORE money to the Craft. As I stated in another blog much earlier (See “What the hell do you guys do?” in the July archive), we are re-building the fraternity right now. Our personal commitments are on the rise as we increase the importance of the Craft in our own lives. Past generations, for reasons which continue to elude me, did not meet the challenges of preserving our rich history of learning and teaching. Thankfully this is changing…but again, you get out of it what you put into it. The Dome is interested, but does not want to sit-around and talk about painting a building or awarding bikes to kids who read lots of books. The Dome wants to read books himself, and then spend time with like-minded men who thirst for knowledge. The Dome wants the old Freemasonry, the gentleman’s club, the thinkers’ circle, the path to enlightenment. The Dome wants more than most Lodges are equipped to deliver. The Dome has very high expectations and is willing to work hard…but will demand knowledgeable mentors who are well-read, well-mannered and equipped to deliver the kind of guideance that Socrates, St. Augustine, Voltaire and others could give. The Dome has delivered us a tall order, and wants to go beyond the coincidence of dollar bill art features and Washington D.C. street lay-outs. The Dome recognizes that spiritual growth without real thinking, real reading and real analysis is worthless. Are we capable of delivering? Can Freemasonry meet these high expectations? If we cannot, then I suggest that The Dome look elsewhere. It is true, we are not ready to meet all of these expectations. Not, at least, as a whole Craft. But there are Lodges that are taking the leap. They are building traditional observance rituals and discussion groups, learning and teaching in the old way, opening-up their libraries and dusting-off Pike and scrutinizing his work and that of others. Now is the most exciting time to be a Freemason. We are at the beginning of a Masonic renaissance. The Dome can participate in it, but he must come to the Craft with a pure heart. He must be ready to surrender what his eyes see in favor of what his mind will learn. If he comes to the Craft as a curiosity, he will be rejected. If he comes because he is eager to learn how to become a better man - in all ways - then he might be welcomed. I do not encourage passing interest, split-second decisions or idle curiosity to be a motivator to any man interested. These men will detract time and energy from the Lodge, and they will waste everyone’s time. I also encourage Lodges to be very very suspect of all new petitioners. There are many out there who have no honor, and will join simply so that they may wear the S.&Cs. They are not men we should allow into our ranks. Lastly, I hope that The Dome remains interested, and keeps asking questions. Our ritual refers to a passage in Scripture that could apply to any good and important endeavour; “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” And after looking and learning, if Freemasonry is not for you, fine. I wish you the best of luck…elsewhere. But if you do want to join, be prepared to answer some serious questions about yourself. Anyone can knock…but WE get to decide who gets in.
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Posted at: 11:17 pm VOTE BEFORE VIEWING RESULTS!!! …and get a look at the Blog below.
How much are your Dues? (US Dollars per year)
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Posted at: 11:13 pm “Increase our dues.” Those three words are anathema to so many Masons. The issue has been debated in Lodges around the world for many years. The issue will not go away until a reasonable formula is established for setting Dues. Later on in this blog, you will see my proposal for that formula…but before making a proposal, let’s look at the fundamental question; Why do we need dues in the first place? Dues allow us to do what we NEED to do. Pay rent, utilities, taxes (if applicable), per capita (Grand Lodge taxes) and all that other stuff like secretary supplies that must be paid and so forth. Without these essential items, there simply is no Lodge. The following, however, are not voluntary costs…like a VSL for a newly raised Mason, candles for degree work, PM aprons for the junior PM…these are unnecessary costs, from a purely economic sense. Dues, however, are not a purely economic consideration. They let us do all of the other stuff that we don’t ’need’ to do, but those things we ‘want’ to do. For example…four walls and a roof is really all we need, right? Of course it is, so long as there is a door to close and a wooden barrel in the center, we could all sit around on the ground with our legs crossed and still do our thing. But is it not part of our legacy to build the finest temples we can, both in a figurative and a literal sense? The statement above (”…dues…are not purely economic”) is important because dues are an emotional issue more than they are economic. That’s worth repeating - DUES ARE an EMOTIONAL issue. To be sure, you don’t have to pay your dues to be a Mason…right? I mean, we always talk about the guys who are Masons without really knowing it…right? Anybody, after the proper initiation, passing and raising, can pretty-much find the “right” information on the internet and in any library, blog or email folks around the world…subscribe to whatever research society they choose (how many of them check for ‘good standing’ on their perpetual members?)…and continue his personal quest to “Light” without needing a Lodge…right? Wrong. Real Masons attend their Lodge meetings, they support that same Lodge with dues, and they appreciate that you can’t be part of a fraternity on your own. We are NOT “A Fraternity of One.” (I hope the Army doesn’t sue me for this). We are emotionally, spiritually, and geographically connected to that ‘place’ we call home…whether it’s on a highest hill or in a lowest vail…or even in another State. We pay to carry the card. At the present time, most of the brothers I hear from indicate that their dues are laughably low. Some even charge as little as $35 per year for continued membership. While some might not like the exercise, I’d ask you to answer this question…am I paying more for annual dues than for cable tv? How about that cup of coffee twice per week? Smokes? Annual chip-in for Fantasy Football? Why is something SO important…SO life-altering…SO big-of-a-freaking-deal, SOOOOO CHEAP???? What’s your membership worth? Have you ever really thought about it? [Here’s where I get militant…and if you are sensitive and not willing to listen to an opinion that you might disagree with…stop reading.] We should shut up about how great Freemasonry is and put our money where our mouths are. All this talk about the greatest and oldest fraternity in the world…pride…knowledge…spiritual growth…brotherly love…it’s all a bunch of hot-air when each one of us is not willing to fork-out the cash necessary for the organization to live-up to its expectations. There, I said it. Put-up or shut up. We are hypocrites when we proudly blather about our private, men-only exclusive and secluded organization that has a hard time putting a new coat of paint on the walls! Enough with the complaining. We all know that dues need to increase sharply…and we all know that there are plenty of arguments why it should. But just increasing dues for the sake of having more money is as silly and short-sighted as saying we can’t increase dues because of our “poor brothers on a fixed income.” Yeah, right. (How many of those guys go to the Casino once a month and drop a few Benjamins…hmmm?) So here’s the idea. Masonic Grand Jurisdictions ought to think of a way to establish a formula that will 1) be flexible enough to change as the price of things changes, and 2) fix a steady source of income so that brothers don’t have to go around begging and pleading for money with time-wasting fundraisers and other non-sense like that. The Formula should take into account that the Grand Lodge is also going to increase its per-capita tax once in a while, so for starters, each Lodge ought to establish that no matter what their dues are, per-capita is a separate charge (to be added to the Dues bill). The Formula is simple; Annual dues shall be fixed at one percent of the State’s Median Household Income as established by the U.S. Census for Masons between the ages of 30 and 60. Masons up to 29 years old, and older than 60 shall pay one half of one percent of the Median Household Income. Annual dues will not include Grand Lodge per-capita, but said per-capita shall be remitted to the Lodge annually along with Dues. [This formula, of course, would be modified properly for other countries that don’t have the good fortune of having their own U.S. Census Bureau.] So, New Jersey Masons (for this example, we use 2000 census numbers, and the age 30 - 60 bracket) would have to pay $542 per year while West Virginia Masons would have to pay $285 per year. But think of the advantages…think of the simplicity…think of the predictability…no more fighting about dues! A small tight-knit Lodge of about 50 men could easily make ends meet. In Arizona, for example, the Median was $38,537. That means $385 per man per year to the Lodge (if you can’t swallow less than $33 per month, you got problems). If you had 50 men, that translates into $19,250 per year income from dues. I can’t think of a scenario where even a small Lodge could not thrive (with an environment worthy of Freemasonry) with those kinds of numbers! Here’s a real-world example for more illustration. Picture two Lodges, one with about 120 guys closes, and they merge. The closed Lodge buys perpetual memberships for all its members into the new Lodge. Now the total number of members in the merged Lodge is about 220. So the smaller Lodge gets the advantage of numbers right? Wrong. Now the Lodge has LESS paying members who support ALL the brothers from both Lodges (by support we mean building maintenance, food, furniture and all that stuff). Further, lets assume that the annual Dues in this Lodge are $50 per year, and the cost to operation the building, without a mortgage, is about $10,000 per year. At $50 per year dues, it would take 200 dues paying members to run the building. But with less than 100 members paying dues, the Lodge has to struggle each year, with deaths and departures and suspensions, to stay afloat. Now take that same Lodge and increase the Dues according to the formula above. You only need 26 men paying full dues to run the whole operation. 26 men! Wow. Pretend you’re the grumpy (cheap) retiree. Here’s the challenge…take the $50 annual dues, add ten meetings where you donate $10 per meal, random trips to the soda closet/coffee pot at $60 per year, raffle tickets at $50 per year…etc….etc. What does it add up to? About the cost of membership for a 60+ year old Mason in Arizona (under the formula). Dues are necessary. Dues give us the ability to do the things we want to do and the things we need to do. Most importantly, dues allow us to treat each other, and our Craft, with dignity and respect in a setting that feels appropriate for the Great Work of Freemasonry…that is, unless we are not paying enough. Hardship can be addressed. Under the formula, fixed income concerns need only be adjusted once every ten years. These are red herring issues that nay-sayers raise because they are cheap. I love them like brothers…and I respect them enough to be truthful about their attitude. But after all that…here’s the REAL test about our dues: Go to your newest member (or even a prospective member) and ask him what he EXPECTED to pay for dues before we told him how low they were. Chances are, his answer will be near or higher than the formula proposes. Why are we selling ourselves short? |
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Posted at: 3:45 pm Now that I have your attention I would like to impart my own opinion on the whole Satanic-Masonic crap. Since the fraternity has been in my family for at least six traceable generations from two continents I have heard the negative comments and commentary about the Freemasons from the time I was a child. When I did my preliminary research on Freemasonry before I decided to join I read a lot about Satanism, Wicca, Crowley, withcraft and all the other subjects that come up in fundamentalist vitriol. After many hours of research I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be a Freemason and I had no reason to believe that Freemasonry has anything to do with Satanism. My sentiments were not strictly ignorant either, I found out WHY and HOW Freemasonry was not Satanic. I was not going to defend my fraternity without doing my homework. My research consisted of reading the Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals, and other writings by Anton LaVey and I even sat and had a beer with a practicing Satanist to discuss my concerns. I will first talk about my chat with my Satanist acquantance. I knew this guy from high school and he was your average guy (actually very nice, well read and educated), he worked some complicated sounding financial job and was studying to receive his Masters Degree in English literature. I asked him about the connection if any to Satanism and Freemasonry, and he kinda chuckled when I asked him with the attitude that said “yeah, we always hear something about them when people talk about us”, which is funny because many Freemasons think the same thing when the same question is asked. He knew more than the average Joe about Freemasonry so I didn’t have to explain much to him. He was familiar with the ritual and use of symbolism, but he thought that on a fundamental level the philosophies were too different to be compatible or even comparable. He said that as Freemasons work to better mankind, their communities and themselves through charity, study and good works, Satanists have more of an individualistic philosophy. He said that the Golden Rule applies to Satanism on some level, but so do things like vengeance, retaliation and other more instinctual characteristics. He said that Satanists embrace their animal instincts, not denying that humans are animals like the rest so the thought of keeping passions within due bounds is completely opposite of the Satanist thought of exploring and fulfilling your passions. After a great discussion contrasting our philosophies, he went on to talk about symbolism and he said that the Satanic symbols used in his religion are for the most part exclusive in their entirety, but not individually. He pointed out that pentagrams, circles, triangles and other symbols have a larger historical context than the way they are used by Freemasons or Satanists, but their compilation and integration should be easy enough to distinguish. For his example he used the pentagram which in its most simple form is the same as any other pentagram, but with the inclusion of the Hebrew letters, the goats head, and all the other stuff THEN it becomes a Satanic symbol. The pentagram as used by Freemasons and other ancient cultures was never Satanic in itself. He also noted the fact that Baphomet was a HOAX and the drawing you see all the time (although used by Satanists) was not ever and should not ever be thought to be Masonic in any way. We then discussed ritual and we both agreed that the purpose and elements of the Masonic and Satanic rituals have nothing in common, he referred me to the book of Satanic Rituals and encouraged me to compare the two to dispel any confusion (it turns out many Satanists don’t like to be included in exposes about Freemasonry just as we don’t like being called Satanists, who would have thought). Although we disagreed on our philosophy regarding our obligations to the world and ourselves, we had a very civilized conversation and I felt better knowing that I had heard the opinions of someone who I was not, but is accused of being. He even picked up the bill. Now from the Church of Satan website (taken from the writings of LaVey) I will post some of their beliefs and credos. We all know that brotherly love, relief, truth, wisdom, strength, beauty, faith, hope, charity and all the other facets that make up Masonic philosophy. Now compare those to these: (The Bold type is mine.) The Nine Satanic Statements: 1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence! (Opposite of the Compasses) 2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams! (Opposite of Faith) 3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deciet! (Uh, okay.) 4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates! (Opposite of brotherly love to ALL mankind.) 5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek! (Opposite of many Masonic elements too numerous to spell out.) 6. Satan repersents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires! (I don’t really get this one, but there are no psychic vampires in lodge, only the real ones. Just kidding.) 7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual development, ” has become the most vicious animal of all! (Masons would say that he has the potential to be the most LOVING animal of all.) 8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental or emotional gratification! (Again, opposite of the Compasses.) 9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years! (Although a bit clever, it is clearly opposite of the Masonic sentiment towards faith.) The Eleven Satanic Rules of The Earth: 1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked. (Opposite of the Three Precious Jewels of a Fellowcraft.) 2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them. (Same contradiction as number one, including elements of the Five Points.) 3. When in another’s lair, show him respect or else do not go there. (Fair enough.) 4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy. (Or, you could ask them to leave nicely first.) 5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal. (There is no mating in lodge, and no mating signal. That is a super-duper secret sign revealed only to those who have attained the most illuminated title of Awesomely Rad Chiefton of all things Bodacious.) 6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is such a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved. (I get the not stealing part and the part about relief, but other than that its a bit confusing.) 7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all that you have obtained. (No magic is practiced in lodge, unless of course a Shriner puts on a show for the kids.) 8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself. (Who hasn’t comlpained in lodge? It is the only real Masonic tradition!) 9. Do not harm little children. (This one is actually very good, but Masons would not harm big children or adults either.) 10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food. (How about not killing HUMAN animals?) 11. When walking in open terriory, bother no-one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him. (As a martial artist, I know that self defense comes in handy when you are attacked, so I cannot fully disagree with this one although destroying someone is FAR from defending yourself.) The Nine Satanic Sins: 1. Stupidity 2. Pretentiousness 3. Solipsism 4. Self-deceit 5. Herd Conformity 6. Lack of Perspective 7. Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies 8. Counterproductive Pride 9. Lack of Aesthetics Contemplate these and see how our Masonic purpose does not apply. The next time someone accuses you of being a Satanist instead of blindly saying “No, I’m not!” you can now use knowledge and reason instead of emotion to back up your claim and provide proof. I would encourage all Freemasons to read up on what people accuse us of being. By us knowing what we aren’t and why, we will be better prepared to address such matters. And remember, reading a Satanic Bible doesn’t make you a Satanist, just as reading the Koran doesn’t make you a Muslim, or reading the Tao Te Ch’ing doesn’t make you a Taoist, all it does is feed your brain and give you a little piece of mind. We are not in junior high anymore and nobody cares about what kind of shoes you’re wearing or what books you read. Let others be ignorant. |
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