I left Freemasonry in 2016, and I am happy to discuss the subject.

a reply to: Nathan-D
The Blazing Star is an important symbol in Freemasonry and makes an appearance in several degrees. Historically, this symbol wasn’t found in the monitors from around 1717, but by 1735 it is considered a part of the lexicon of Freemasonry. In the lectures credited to Thomas Dunckerley, an 18th century British Mason, and adopted by the Premier Grand Lodge the Blazing Star was said to represent:

the star which led the wise men to Bethlehem, proclaiming to mankind the nativity of the Son of God, and here conducting our spiritual progress to the Author of our redemption.

William Preston, another 18th century British Mason belonging to the Antient Grand Lodge, stated that:

The Masonic Blazing Star, or glory in the center, reminds us of that awful period when the Almighty delivered the two tables of stone, containing the 10 commandments to His faithful servant, Moses on Mount Sinai, when the rays of His divine glory shone so bright that none could behold it without fear and trembling. It also reminds us of the omnipresence of the Almighty, overshadowing us with His divine love, and dispensing His blessings amongst us; and by its being placed in the center, it further reminds us, that wherever we may be assembled together, God is in the midst of us, seeing our actions, and observing the secret intents and movements of our hearts.

From the monitors created by Thomas Smith-Webb, the Blazing Star was said to be commemorative of the star which appeared to guide the wise men of the East to the place of our Saviour’s nativity. While it seems to hold a very Christian character in these early lectures, this symbol was revised in 1843 by the Baltimore Convention where the symbol retained only the allusion to Divine Providence thereby being applicable to all faiths.

The Blazing star is not only a Masonic symbol, but an ancient and historic one. From early days, man has always looked to the heavens for guidance. The worship of sun and stars were some of the earliest religious systems used in ancient days. To these early religions, stars was in fact the soul of a hero or god that had once dwelt upon the earth. With this symbol, many draw comparisons to the Dog Star, Sirius. The Dog Star is actually 2 stars called Sirius A and Sirius B. Due to the fact that the Dog Star is 8.6 light years away, without a telescope of the magnitudinal category of the Hubble Telescope, using the naked eye, we see it as one star. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky because it is approximately twice the size of our sun, and as such has caught the attention of man. The Dog Star has a heliacal rising. Heliacal means relating to the sun. A heliacal rising is when the star becomes visible upon the Eastern horizon at dawn, travels through the sky and "sets" in the West, much like our sun. Stars with heliacal rising were important to the ancients as they used them for the timing of agricultural activities. Travelers upon the sea used the stars as a guide, much as we use a map, today. The stars even played a part in the establishing the borders and layout of the District of Columbia.

originally posted by: KSigMason
a reply to: Nathan-D
The Blazing Star is an important symbol in Freemasonry and makes an appearance in several degrees. Historically, this symbol wasn’t found in the monitors from around 1717, but by 1735 it is considered a part of the lexicon of Freemasonry. In the lectures credited to Thomas Dunckerley, an 18th century British Mason, and adopted by the Premier Grand Lodge the Blazing Star was said to represent:

the star which led the wise men to Bethlehem, proclaiming to mankind the nativity of the Son of God, and here conducting our spiritual progress to the Author of our redemption.

William Preston, another 18th century British Mason belonging to the Antient Grand Lodge, stated that:

The Masonic Blazing Star, or glory in the center, reminds us of that awful period when the Almighty delivered the two tables of stone, containing the 10 commandments to His faithful servant, Moses on Mount Sinai, when the rays of His divine glory shone so bright that none could behold it without fear and trembling. It also reminds us of the omnipresence of the Almighty, overshadowing us with His divine love, and dispensing His blessings amongst us; and by its being placed in the center, it further reminds us, that wherever we may be assembled together, God is in the midst of us, seeing our actions, and observing the secret intents and movements of our hearts.

From the monitors created by Thomas Smith-Webb, the Blazing Star was said to be commemorative of the star which appeared to guide the wise men of the East to the place of our Saviour’s nativity. While it seems to hold a very Christian character in these early lectures, this symbol was revised in 1843 by the Baltimore Convention where the symbol retained only the allusion to Divine Providence thereby being applicable to all faiths.

The Blazing star is not only a Masonic symbol, but an ancient and historic one. From early days, man has always looked to the heavens for guidance. The worship of sun and stars were some of the earliest religious systems used in ancient days. To these early religions, stars was in fact the soul of a hero or god that had once dwelt upon the earth. With this symbol, many draw comparisons to the Dog Star, Sirius. The Dog Star is actually 2 stars called Sirius A and Sirius B. Due to the fact that the Dog Star is 8.6 light years away, without a telescope of the magnitudinal category of the Hubble Telescope, using the naked eye, we see it as one star. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky because it is approximately twice the size of our sun, and as such has caught the attention of man. The Dog Star has a heliacal rising. Heliacal means relating to the sun. A heliacal rising is when the star becomes visible upon the Eastern horizon at dawn, travels through the sky and "sets" in the West, much like our sun. Stars with heliacal rising were important to the ancients as they used them for the timing of agricultural activities. Travelers upon the sea used the stars as a guide, much as we use a map, today. The stars even played a part in the establishing the borders and layout of the District of Columbia.

Thanks for clearing that up. I appreciate Masons because they are always so eager to divulge the truth. As I said in my last post, I assumed that the star between the pillars represented a singularity, connected to Alcyone. I remember reading that somewhere. From what I recall, the person said that the singularity serves as a worm-hole into a higher dimension, beyond time and space. They said we exist within a black-hole orbiting Saturn and we are continuously being looped within this black-hole. They said our 3-dimensional reality is an illusion and when one enters into this singularity they enter the higher dimension and are then able to observe Earth 2-dimensionally from outside. They said that this singularity was at the top of "Akhet" and successfully accessing it enables one to escape the black-hole and then to have command over time and space within the black-hole. Or something to that effect. But I am sure that is all totally nonsense.

originally posted by: GoatWizard
... I decided to permanently leave the Fraternity in 2014.

... It was late in my tenure as Master that has began to have very serious thoughts about leaving permanently, and did in the summer of 2016.

So was it 2014, 2016, or is this all bull?

a reply to: parad0x122

I am sorry for any misunderstanding. I could have worded this a little better... I DECIDED to leave in 2014, as I finished my time as WM. I seriously mulled my decision for over a year ( and looked for any sign to reverse my decision). I finally acted on my decision in 2016, after I was sure as I could possibly be.

At any rate, yes, I am being truthful.

a reply to: GoatWizard

did you ever party with the royal order of jesters?

a reply to: GoatWizard

Cool, thanks for the clarification. I'm still catching up on the thread, but this society has always intrigued me.

originally posted by: noonebutme
I find most of the anti-FM statements utterly ridiculous and for the most part based on Hollywood film stereotypes and nonsense. People are, of course, entitled to their opinions, no matter how wrong.

I found out a couple of my friends recently became masons, one invited me to the annual changing of the officers ceremony, which I guess is the only time per year the lodge is open to the public. I found it really fascinating, and the guys were great. It's everything I want and have been looking for in church but have not yet found. It's funny even my wife said "wow that's exactly what you've been looking for" when I told her about the brotherhood and great friendship these guys have. I am actually supposed to be starting a men's small group at my church, so maybe I can create some brotherly friendships haha, it actually makes me angry that I cannot find a church that has a similar brotherly bond as the masons have, I know they are not a church nor are they a substitution for church, but I don't see why the mens ministry at my local church cant have the same bond between members. Anyways, I thought long and hard about joining the masons, and asked an elder at my church who immediately replied "oh they worship the devil, yep I know a guy who got 33rd degree and he said they worship the devil!" I decided to do my own research and yes, I found it VERY hard to find good information on why someone should not join. Almost all of it was crazy conspiracy propaganda.
I ultimately decided not to join. I guess I disagree with it more on a theological level than anything. I know they say they are not a religion, but what they are is a Gnostic form of spirituality. I just personally have to disagree with it and say I won't join...no judgment on those that do as they are a great bunch of guys and do some good work...

a reply to: AnonymousMoose
Officer Installations can be public, but Lodges can also have public Table Lodges although not every Lodge holds a Table Lodge.

There's a lot of disinformation out there about us, usually surrounding us "worshiping the devil."

a reply to: Sheye

I am a Mason (A.F. & A.M.). What made you leave Brother? I'm asking this question without judgement and without reading the rest of this thread. I just want to hear from you.

Thanks.

a reply to: KSigMason

Not the devil, but the Luciferian Gnosis.

Aside from that, are we an AMORC Master yet?

a reply to: eisegesis
What's wrong with gnosis?

I'm not in the AMORC. I'm in the SRICF.

a reply to: KSigMason

A Brother in my Lodge is a Rosicrucian (I hope I spelled that right). We went for coffee one day and I asked him to explain to me what it was all about. After a while my head was spinning from all the new information he was giving me. It was pretty fascinating stuff. The last time I talked to him, which I believe was this February, he told me he was in the middle of actually writing a book on esoteric symbols from the RC perspective! I told him I'd read it when he's finished.

He knows I'd never join the RC (he never asked me to) because he respects my choice of religion which is very different than his. In fact, I'm likely the only Deist in my Lodge - maybe in my whole jurisdiction for all I know - as almost every single Brother who told me what religion they practice, including my RC friend, is one version of Christianity or other: I know of one Catholic but the rest are Protestants of different denominations. There is one Jewish Brother and one Muslim Brother. I'm very lucky to be a Mason in the sense that I get to fellowship in peace with men from these three Abrahamic faiths that are elsewhere, under other circumstances and settings, at such odds with one another!

A question for the lovely Masons.
"What do you do with the original body once you have come out of your Pod and killed the Original you?" I suspect it all goes on the roses or do you have special Pig owning Masons?.

a reply to: testingtesting

We're not permitted to disclose that information to the public.

a reply to: CanadianMason

Darn it I will catch you all out one day.....

a reply to: testingtesting

Good luck with that, lol! Have fun trying....

Freemasons that can leave the fraternity and tell everyone about it, don't have any idea why they're seen as evil. If they had any idea about why they were allowed to leave the fraternity, and talk about it, freely, when Presidents and other elites NEVER leave, and NEVER talk about it, they'd get a clue there are two, very distinct types, of 'Freemasons'.

One type of Freemason has never seen evil, can leave the fraternity, and can openly talk about his experience as a Freemason.

The other type is one who sees, participates, in evil, can never leave, can never discuss it, and we'll never know what happens.

It's like saying 'I was in the mafia for 30 years, and I never saw anyone commit a crime, or do anything bad. I left the mafia recently, on good terms. And I'm very happy to talk to everyone about my experiences as a mafioso!'

Let me get this straight. There are two types of Freemasons:

1. The type that leaves Masonry and talks openly about his experiences while he was in the Fraternity.

2. The type that never leaves it and never talks about it.

Are you sure you didn't get your information about the supposed existence of a Type 2 Freemason from a Type 1 Freemason? Furthermore, how do you know Type 1 Freemasons aren't lying to you?

What about me? What type of Freemason am I? I have never left the Fraternity and I talk openly about Freemasonry.

a reply to: CanadianMason

That means there is still time, your replacement pod person must not be ready yet....or you are just a normal dude who happens to be a Mason.
I used to think Masons were odd and I'm right but odd in just they are old boys who want to get away from the wife for a bit raising money for charity, In the past Masons were the people who built things and being in an old country I see their work often, none of it evil unless you count the sacrifice alter in that old folks home I worked in.
I have been offered membership because around here they need new blood (just a term not actual blood) but tbh I have better things to do.