It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Originally posted by Masonic Light
Because of all this, it is impossible for anyone to read unless he's been through his coaching sessions, which take place between degrees. The written cipher is used to aid one in memorizing the ritual, after its already been taught to him by word of mouth.
Originally posted by umwolves123
Is it possible you didnt hear the whole conversation? He may have been asking about something else if you just heard the last part of the convo or something.
He may have been asking because the other guy is a mason or a known Mason Friend (so i've come to call them). Here's an example: A very good friend of mine, who is not a mason, runs a tuxedo shop he knows i'm a mason and gives me a discount on tux's said if i send a mason to him he'll give him the same discount. it's just something nice that he does for me as a friend and i send him more buisness. This i call a "mason friend".
Originally posted by The Axeman
The Texas Work is printed in cipher, though to my knowledge, Texas Masons are prohibited from owning/using them
It was, and passed. It is now ok for a Master Mason to own a copy (not OK for FCs or EAs), but it cannot be brought into the lodge, nor used during the instruction of EAs and FCs learning their work.
Originally posted by The Axeman
The Texas Work is printed in cipher, though to my knowledge, Texas Masons are prohibited from owning/using them (perhaps that was one of the resolutions voted on at GL in December).
Originally posted by Animal
very intriguing, thank you for sharing. Thanks to the masons for making it more clear as well.
I would be very interested to hear about the "differences between lodges" that i saw referenced at least once in this thread. what is it that varies, and why?
Originally posted by Animal
I would also be interested to hear more about what you all know about the content of the book of course only what you felt comfortable sharing.
Originally posted by Animal
Why are they illegal?
There's no central head to Masonry. The closest there is to any standardization only applies within a state at best. Being a tradition that's essentially verbal for reasons Fitzgibbon gave, and being ~300 years old, there's bound to be things that have changed and evolved in their own ways over time. Most of the changes are small... 2 of this instead of 3 of that, words in a slightly different order; some lodges have more or less officer positions than others, or different titles for people who do the same thing; etc. It's one of the reasons Masons find the idea of an all-encompassing Masonic conspiracy laughable, because once you start getting to know the work and how it's changed, it's pretty obvious that there's no puppetmaster controlling things, or they'd be more standardized.
Originally posted by Animal
I would be very interested to hear about the "differences between lodges" that i saw referenced at least once in this thread. what is it that varies, and why?
I would also be interested to hear more about what you all know about the content of the book of course only what you felt comfortable sharing.
Edit to add the most important question...Why are they illegal?
Originally posted by Neiby
Isn't that what the Masons are, basically? A good ol' boys club that helps each other out? I've never noticed them do much beyond that.