Masonic Ritual

Recently I read a book (Duncan's Ritual) which outlined the first three degrees of Blue Lodge Masonry, as well as the Royal Arch degree. After reading this book a couple questions came to mind. First, with the "secret" masonic ritual as easily acessible and rather mundane as it is, why is Masonry so contriversial? (I might add that the secret handshakes and passwords where clearly shown, so much for masonry being a "secret" society) Second, I read nothing in the rituals that was offensive, distastful, or commanded anyone to act in a conspiritorial manner, so why are the masons catagorized by many groups as acting in one or all of the aformentioned ways? After reading this book I have concluded that masonic ritual is cool, and as an organization masony is a good thing. So what gives folks? Why the big deal?

reply to post by bigred1000


Bigred , I have no idea. I've been asking this wuestion for some time now. I've been through the first three degrees and I aslo have found nothing sinister. Good men doing good things scares people I guess

reply to post by bigred1000


That is what most of us (the masons here) have been saying till we are blue in the face. Thank you for doing your home work.

I'm happy to see somebody do some research with a reliable source instead of the typical fictional stories I see here. But there are a group of people that do not believe that we are not up to anything no matter how many times you try to explain it to them, my own uncle included. He has not spoken to me since I joined the craft.

I echo everyone else's comments: this is something that the masons on here have always tried to point out to the core group of people who are absolutely convinced there _must_ be some satanic plot to control the world. As you've found, its just about as benign as it can possibly be.

The typical tinfoil hat response is going to be - BUT YOU DIDNT READ THE HIGH DEGREES. To preempt that, I'll just say that (1) there is no degree higher than master mason and (2) even if you read through every auxiliary degree, including Knights Templar and/or Scottish Rite, you will find the same thing.

In any case, great research job.

I am not a Mason and I guess people can not accept the fact that there are people that just do good things for others. I guess because they have not joined they feel it is not a good thing.

Keep up to good work

Two cheers for denying ignorance! Go to the source!

While I applaud you reading them, I hope if you are soon joining The Craft that you have a short-term memory. You get so much more out of the rituals if you have not read them beforehand. Despite they are public domain (shocking to many I know.)

Regarding the grips and phrases being published. I have not seen the exact work you refer to but learning the grips from a Mason is different than seeing them online. And simply talking to someone claiming to be a Mason for a bit can illuminate whether the individual is on the level, grips or not.

We also have dues cards!

Most likely it's because it's a group of people who get together and do something in a room or building with the door closed. And there you go, instant controversy. My gramps was in the Masons, better man I've never known.

I would like to add that I got the book I mentioned in my original post, 'Duncan's Ritual', from my local library. I also recently checked out another book which describes in detail the Masonic Third Degree, its name is 'Born in Blood'. It's amazing how easy it was to find out the "secrets" of masonry. And it was cheap!

Of course the lower degrees of Freemasonry put on a good front and do charitable

things like raising money for hospitals and such. None of you on here will ever be

let onto the real secrets of Freemasonry. There are actually 360 degrees in Free

masonry, not 33 degrees like some people may have you beleive. There's an old

saying, " Life begins after forty". Now this can be interpreted in two ways. The first

one of course is life begins after age forty. What the saying really means is that at the

40th degree in Masonry, you are let in on the esoteric side that the lower levels are

generally unaware of. After the 33rd degree there are thirteen levels after that until

you get up to the 360th degree. I won't argue that low level masons aren't doing good

by helping out there community. The truth though is that they are part of a agenda

that they really know nothing about. At least in regard to how the higher orders

operate. If you really want to know what some of the more prominent higher level

masons are into then look into H.G. Wells, well known science fiction writer and

excellent at predictive programming. Or check out Aleister Crowley, another fine

upstanding man. Any ways if you look these guys up, most likely will not mention

that they were higher than 33rd degree masons. The purpose of this of course is

to keep all those who are 33rd degree freemasons thinking that they are at the

highest levels. Hope you all enjoy.

After the 33rd degree there are thirteen levels after that until you get up to the 360th degree.

How did it come to be that you (and probably you alone on this planet) get this information? What is your source?

Originally posted by Saurus

How did it come to be that you (and probably you alone on this planet) get this information? What is your source?

Because he's a Notta Mason, a double-plus-super-secret side rite that counts many an Internet authority amongst its brethren. Members are under such deep cover that they specifically DON'T darken the doors of what most in the world would understand as a Masonic Temple but instead are initiated by way of Google and Freemasonrywatch.

HTH

reply to post by Saurus


I believe the 360th degree is mentioned by conspiracy researcher Alan Watt. Please don't judge him to harshly, he does have some very good stuff. Obviously, this isn't the greatest of his statements.

Here's his site:
www.cuttingthroughthematrix.com...

Originally posted by ConspiracyNut23


I believe the 360th degree is mentioned by conspiracy researcher Alan Watt. Please don't judge him to harshly, he does have some very good stuff. Obviously, this isn't the greatest of his statements.

I've never heard of him, but it is poor scholarship. None of the many Rites have had 360 degrees, and if you combine all the degrees from all the rites, it's much *more* than 360!

The Rite with the most number of degrees was the Oriental Rite of Memphis, which was composed of 97. The Egyptian Rite of Mitzraim comes in at a close second with 90 degrees. The Scottish Rite has now, and aways had, 33 degrees only, although its predecessor, the French Rite of Perfection, had 25 degrees.

The other poster is also confused about "low level" Masons and charity. Most of Freemasonry's organized charities are in the advanced Masonic bodies, not the Blue Lodge. And also, Aleister Crowley was never a regular Mason. and H.G. Wells was never a Mason of any sort, not even an irregular one.

[edit on 5-12-2007 by Masonic Light]

Originally posted by greydawn
Of course the lower degrees of Freemasonry put on a good front and do charitable things like raising money for hospitals and such. None of you on here will ever be let onto the real secrets of Freemasonry. There are actually 360 degrees in Free masonry, not 33 degrees like some people may have you beleive.

And how would you know more about these alleged "higher degrees" than people who are actually Masons? If it's so secret, how do YOU know about it, yet Masons do not?

Originally posted by greydawn
There's an old saying, " Life begins after forty". Now this can be interpreted in two ways. The first one of course is life begins after age forty. What the saying really means is that at the 40th degree in Masonry, you are let in on the esoteric side that the lower levels are generally unaware of.

I hope this is an attempt at humor, and you're not serious.

Originally posted by greydawn
The truth though is that they are part of a agenda that they really know nothing about.

We Masons know nothing about them, but YOU, a non-Mason know about them?

Originally posted by greydawn
If you really want to know what some of the more prominent higher level
masons are into then look into H.G. Wells, well known science fiction writer ....

Not a Mason. (See here: www.masonicinfo.com...)

Originally posted by greydawn
Or check out Aleister Crowley, another fine upstanding man.

Not a Mason either. Did join an irregular Lodge. He seemed to resent the fact that real Masons didn't recognize him.

Originally posted by greydawn
Hope you all enjoy.

Not really.


[edit on 12/5/2007 by JustMe74]

Originally posted by bigred1000
Recently I read a book (Duncan's Ritual) which outlined the first three degrees of Blue Lodge Masonry, as well as the Royal Arch degree.

Good job doing some real research. Duncan's is fairly outdated by now, but you get the gist of it. Of course, nothing can supplement the experience of actually being present at a degree ritual, but at least you are using a legit source.

Is this it... onliine? Duncan's Masonic Ritual

Other online books ATS'ers might be interested in...The Internet Sacred Text Archive

Originally posted by mecheng


Other online books ATS'ers might be interested in...The Internet Sacred Text Archive

That's my favorite website. Tons of great stuff on there.

I love listening to Alan Watts.

He has the most interesting spin on things. At times he seems a bit too paranoid but it's fun to hear.

He can turn anything into a conspiracy and make you believe him by the monotone sound of his voice.

It's like being hypotized.

Yes, the information I have presented does come from esoteric researcher Alan Watt.

I choose the term esoteric because what he talks about is not a conspiracy. In fact

like Alan says the term conspiracy was falsely given to those seeking the truth as

a way of discrediting what they had to say. Now you're probaly wondering how Alan

happens to know so much about the subject. His grandfather was A freemason, and

he himself has been asked to join freemasonry. A person with a superior intellect like

Alan Watt could be of great use to the secret socities. But he has refused knowing

of course the true nature of these societies.