Any Truth To This? (33rd Degree Initiation)

I found this excerpt from a novel on ConspiracyArchive.com (which, yeah, is probably not the best source, but what the hell, I like the added drama ):

conspiracyarchive.com...

Basically it's the account of an ex-Mason on the initiation ceremony of the 33rd Degree of the Scottish Rite. I'm guessing that most of the Masons here aren't of that level, and even if they were, they'd be a little reluctant to answer, but still, does anyone have more information on this?

Here's the thing about it that I don't understand when you have articles like this one: is this guy still alive? Yeah, that's kinda Hollywood and all, but could you really write something like this and survive? Obviously there's someone watching (maybe) these sites to make sure the "agenda" is being pushed along, so I guess the real question is, is this for real, or is it planted? If its for real, and we are playing by the prusumd unwritten rules of secret until death, then is this guy still alive? If its planted, then how much of the articles that are published on sites like C.A. and the Alex Jones sites, etc. are for real (if any)?

Just a random thought.

This account is based on the book "The Deadly Deception" by James D. Shaw. It has been covered here before, but here is a brief re-cap:

James Shaw was a Master Mason in Florida in the 1960's. He joined the Miami Scottish Rite Bodies, becoming a 32� Knight Commander of the Court of Honour. He was also a Shriner.
He eventually resigned from the fraternity for the purpose of devoting time to Bible study and becoming a minister.

In his book, Shaw mentions all this, but also adds quite a few lies. For example, Shaw claimed to be Past Master of his Lodge, which isn't true. He claimed that the Miami Scottish Rite allowed drinking alcoholic beverages in their facilities, which is not true. He claimed to be Past Master of all Scottish Rite Bodies, which wasn't true (although he was acting Master for the 25� team and Maundy Thursday / Easter Sunday ceremonial teams).
And he claimed to be a 33� member of the Scottish Rite Bodies, which was not true.

Because he never himself actually received or participated in the ceremony of the 33�, he was forced to plagiarize a ritual published in the book "Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated" by Jonathon Blanchard. Shaw's ritual is almost completely identical to Blanchard's. Blanchard's book, published in the 1860's, is purportedly an expose of the rituals used by the "Ancient Accepted Scotch Rite", an organization headed by Joseph Cerneau. This organization was not an authentic or legitimate Scottish Rite organization, but existed primarily for the purpose of selling its high falutin "degrees" to any one willing to pay for them.

The following link features photocopies of:

1. A Scottish Rite program dated May 8, 1966, showing Shaw as a 32� KCCH (not 33�).

2. A Sept. 14, 1966 letter written by Shaw to his Scottish Rite Temple, indicating that he was looking forward to returning after surgery.

3. Shaw's letter of resignation, dated Oct. 25, 1966, along with his current membership card that he turned in, showing him to be 32� KCCC (not 33�).

4. The Temple's secretary's letter to him in response, dated Nov. 17, 1966.

5. A letter of Dec. 15, 1966 from the Sovereign Grand Inspector General of Florida to Shaw's Scottish Rite Temple, indicating that the Supreme Council's by-laws require that Shaw be affiliated to a Scottish Rite Valley while possessing the KCCH (not 33�).

5. The Temple's response to the SGIG, again indicating that Shaw was 32� KCCH when he resigned.

www.indianamasons.org...

Indeed. I just figured it was some sort of Disinformation Committee thing, but I'm always curious

Originally posted by Washball
Here's the thing about it that I don't understand when you have articles like this one: is this guy still alive?

Shaw passed away a few years ago. He was in his 80's, if I recall correctly.

Obviously there's someone watching (maybe) these sites to make sure the "agenda" is being pushed along, so I guess the real question is, is this for real, or is it planted?

Shaw originally resigned from Masonry in 1966, apparently due to his wanting more time to complete Bible college (see his letter of resignation shown in the link I gave above). Also note that Shaw offered to help "train" a new Master for the 25�, even after he himself resigned.

Shaw did not become an "anti-Mason" until a decade later, when he found that he could make very good money swindling conspiracy theorists and paranoids. This is when he began to invent stories about drinking in Lodges, being a 33�, being a Past Master, etc., in order to appear more authoritative, and thus sell more books.



[edit on 28-11-2004 by Masonic Light]

Ah, a kook who can actually make $$$ off his kookery.

You get that variety, too.

I must do my homework more, obviously. The consideration that this guy used his "experiences" to carve out some kind of retirement has crossed my mind, but being from the South, I still believe there is some honesty in this world. I need to travel more I guess. Thanks for the info.

On a side issue, there are thousands more men made into 33rd degree Freemasons in the US Constitutions than elsewhere.

This is true in proportionate terms as well as in absolute (raw) terms.

Exacty why is this so?

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
On a side issue, there are thousands more men made into 33rd degree Freemasons in the US Constitutions than elsewhere.

This is true in proportionate terms as well as in absolute (raw) terms.

Exacty why is this so?

Many Supreme Councils have a limited membership for the 33�, but the Southern Jurisdiction, USA, does not. During the Pike administration, the Supreme Council amended its Constitution to allow the 33� to be conferred as an honor, without limits.

Currently, every Sovereign Grand Inspector General in the Southern Jurisdiction may nominate to the 33� six members in his state for the first 2500 members in his state, and two for each additional 2500 members, each time the Supreme Council meets (which it does biannually).

Further, the SGIG may nominate to the 33� two members in his state for the first 100, and two for each following two hundred new members of the Rite that have been received since the previous session of the Supreme Council.

Therefore, at least in the Mother Jurisdiction, a large number of Brothers become new 33� members every two years.


[edit on 29-11-2004 by Masonic Light]

Originally posted by Masonic Light

Shaw originally resigned from Masonry in 1966, apparently due to his wanting more time to complete Bible college (see his letter of resignation shown in the link I gave above). Also note that Shaw offered to help "train" a new Master for the 25�, even after he himself resigned.

Ah I get it so basically he's just another mason who has infiltered the church. What about the other man in that 33rd degree ceremony who said," I'm going higher." And did he? What ever happened to him?

Did they ask you if you are a Christian?" He said, "Yes, they did."

"What did you tell them?" I asked, and he replied, "I told them 'Hell no, and I never intend to be!'"

Then he said a strange thing to me, "They said I'm going higher," and he left through a different door, looking pleased.

[edit on 30-11-2004 by TgSoe]

Originally posted by TgSoe


Ah I get it so basically he's just another mason who has infiltered the church. What about the other man in that 33rd degree ceremony who said," I'm going higher." And did he? What ever happened to him?

As mentioned above, Shaw's account of the 33� is fictional. He was never elected to receive the 33�, nor did he visit the House of the Temple in Washington to be "interviewed" for that degree. In fact, there is no "interview" at all. The SGIG recommends members in his state to receive that honor, and the Supreme Council will usually approve the nomination.

Shaw's story about a guy who was told he's going "higher" is purely the product of Shaw's own imagination. When Shaw resigned from Masonry, he was a 32� KCCH, and had not been elected to receive the 33�.

[edit on 30-11-2004 by Masonic Light]

Now here's a question:

Do you have to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement when being admitted into the higher ranks of Freemasonry? Sure, that would take away the mystique of the whole "omerta" concept, but I figure that it would make perfect sense for there to be a legal analogue.

Originally posted by Don Armageddon
Now here's a question:

Do you have to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement when being admitted into the higher ranks of Freemasonry? Sure, that would take away the mystique of the whole "omerta" concept, but I figure that it would make perfect sense for there to be a legal analogue.

No, there are no nondisclosure agreements. The Candidate in Masonry takes a vow in each degree that he will keep private the so-called "secret portions" of the degrees, i.e., where the modes of recognition for the particular degree are communicated.

This promise is, of course, not legally binding, but if it is violated, the perjurer can be expelled from the Fraternity.

reply to post by Masonic Light


IT IS SO AMAZING THAT A FRATERNITY SUCH AS THE FREEMASONS HAS SO MANY "SECRETS" THAT ONLY MASONS CAN KNOW, BUT IN THE SAME BREATH SAY THAT "THE LIGHT" THEY ARE SEEKING IS OF A HIGHER SUPREME BEING OR I SHOULD SAY OUR LORD. IF YOU TRUELY BELIEVE IN THE HIGHER BEING YOU ARE SEEING THEN IT SHOULDNT BE ANY SECRET AND YUO SHOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE WITH EVERYONE NOT JUST "MASONS".