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DISCLAIMER
Now like I said, I mean no offence about this, it is what I found, believe, and why I decided not to join. You asked where this came from, so do not flame me for my answers. I found most of this on my own and not from some web site that�s out there, I do not even think that there where any websites about this when I came to this conclusion.
Originally posted by senrak
defcon5,
Your post shows only one thing.
You know NOTHING about Freemasonry. Period.
Originally posted by defcon5
Actually, I know enough.
What is it that you say I do not know about from the above post?
Show me where I am wrong?
All these things are symbols in a Masonic lodge, and organizations,
I have sat through plenty of bloody ceremonies there when people where getting there ranks for this or that.
Every lodge has a big old eastern star with a G in the center, on the eastern wall.
I can find 5-pointed star after star in their drawing and literature.
I can EASILY find a depiction of the Upstanding Masonic Man; I can even draw it from memory.
And so on�
Besides I said no flaming, I was polite, now you are just dismissing me out of hand, show me where I am wrong�
Originally posted by defcon5
I grew up around a ton of people that where masons, and have been asked to join more times then I care to recount.
My grandfather, two of my best friends, and their fathers where all masons. My grandmother was a member of the order of the eastern star, and at some point, my mother was a member of Job's daughters .
Anyway, the first time I was asked I was still in school,
and came home and asked my mother if I could join with my friends.
I was told that if I did I would be excommunicated from my church.
When I asked why this was I received some response about not being able to pray with others that where praying to foreign gods.
This did not make much sense to me
since my church had a boy scout group that went on trips where there where troupes from around the world, and the pastor used to go with us.
When I was a bit older, I was engaged to someone whose father was a mason and asked me to join with him.
Since P$$n off the future father-in-law before the deal was sealed seemed like a bad Idea,
I did a bit of research on my own
to decide for myself. This is some of what I came across, and why I chose not to join:
First, you need to understand there is a difference between Satanism and Luciferianism, Satanist generally worship themselves and their impulses, Luciferian�s believe that in improving oneself, you can become god.
The symbol for Satanism is the upside down five-pointed star with a goat�s head in the center, which is one of the symbols you already mentioned, Baphomet.
The symbol for Luciferianism is an up right five pointed star with a man standing in it with his arms straight out to the sides, and his legs spread apart. Pike wore a Baphomet because he WAS a Satanist.
Then we have the issue of the eastern star, Venus, which there is tons of documentation about being Lucifer�s star to begin with, the star of the morning. Masonry is loaded with these five-pointed stars including their symbol for god the eastern star.
The masons believe that if they go through the ranks, and follow all the morality plays to complete each level, they can become the Upright Masonic Man, which is very similar to what Luciferianism teaches.
Think back to the story of Lucifer in the Garden, what was it that he promised Eve if she ate the apple? That she would become Like God.
Tubal-Cain is another factor, who was he? He is spoken of very little in the Bible other then being mentioned as the first artificer, but if you read any of the psudopigraphal books of the bible, there is a bit more information on him and his twin brother. What you will find there is that Tubal and his brother Jubal where descendants of Cain, that made the first instruments and opened the first of what you could call bars. It states that demons would enter into the instruments when they where being played by them. So these where the first men in the Bible to have some kind of demon possession going on.
We also have the issue of being born again into masonry during the initiation in the first degree of becoming a mason,
I had a problem with being, �Born again�, into anything but Christianity.
So that is the short list of some of the similarities I found between these two beliefs, and why I did not join.
There are other similarities and more facts then this, but it is enough to give you a starting point. Some of this stuff like about Tubal-Cain, I don�t think you will find any other reference to other then to read the books of Eden, Enoch, and so on, but then again you might.
One more thing that I should point out in closing this is that I personally do not believe that most masons even realize where some of this symbolism comes from, to them it is just a fraternity and these things are part of the traditions. The real reasons behind these traditions may even have been lost over time to all but those of the highest ranks, and I do not mean 32-33rd degree ranks, I mean like the guys that run the whole organization, and even they may not know about them anymore.
There are just too many similarities for me to consider it a total coincidence though�
Originally posted by chief_counsellor
Many people have this idea that Freemasons worship Lucifer, and that this is their God of Light. Where did this idea come from?
Is there any basis to this? Some quote Morals and Dogma where a line says something about Lucifer being God or something. Why is there many people that think Freemasons worship the devil? I just don't get it. This must have started somewhere.
Originally posted by JaseP
Well said Senrak...
His objections don't make sense...
Oh, and about the five-pointed star, the pentagram,... it was only adopted as a satanic symbol around the 1960s. It has been employed in almost every other religion as well as geometry and design for centuries upon centuries before that...
Originally posted by chief_counsellor
In Christian Theology, Lucifer was the name of the devil, when he used to be an angel.
Lucifer was the greatest of all angels, 2nd only to God, he became proud of his power and prestige, and felt that he could be greater than God, and place his throne above that of the most high.
St. Micheal and the heavenly battalions, cast out Lucifer from heaven, and he lost his angelic seat, and became "satan" or "adversary". 1/3 of the angels of heaven fell with Lucifer.
This is where the image of St. Micheal trampling on the devil comes from.
Originally posted by chief_counsellor
In Christian Theology, Lucifer was the name of the devil, when he used to be an angel.
Lucifer was the greatest of all angels, 2nd only to God, he became proud of his power and prestige, and felt that he could be greater than God, and place his throne above that of the most high.
St. Micheal and the heavenly battalions, cast out Lucifer from heaven, and he lost his angelic seat, and became "satan" or "adversary". 1/3 of the angels of heaven fell with Lucifer.
This is where the image of St. Micheal trampling on the devil comes from.
Originally posted by senrak
Your first error (ahem...lie) Masons do not do not DO NOT solicit membership. A man has to ask a Mason to join. We do not ask him.
Originally posted by senrak
And you hate Masons with all these family members of yours having been a part of our fraternity? Interesting indeed.
Originally posted by senrak
Uhm...which school? Grammar School? You have to be AT LEAST 18 (and in some states 21) to be a Mason. Are you talking about the Order of DeMolay for Boys? If so, while it's sponsored by Masons, it's NOT Masonry.
Originally posted by senrak
Straight from the lips and minds of uninformed anti-Masons. Pure garbage.
(Oh and it's "were" not "where")
Originally posted by senrak
I'm going to let this one pass. You need to do a LOT more research on who Lucifer REALLY was. There's only one religion per se that I know of that teaches that you literally become god....but that's been discussed on this list before. Do a search if you're interested in the thread.
Originally posted by senrak
Here we go with Baphomet again. Do a search...this has been discussed over and over....and has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MASONIC ORDER. Period.
Originally posted by senrak
Pike NEVER "wore a Baphomet" (whatever that even means) Show me where he did! Pike wasn't a Satanist...Pike was a Trinitarian Christian. a devout Episcopalian.
Originally posted by senrak
The Blazing Star representing Divine Providence.
Originally posted by senrak
The Order of the Eastern Star (a group for Master Masons and their female relatives) uses the 5 pointed star to represent the Star of Bethelehem that led the 3 wise men to the birthplace of the Christ.
Originally posted by senrak
Lucifer wasn't there. Satan was. Again, this has NOTHING to do with Masonry.
Originally posted by senrak
What a zaney statement. Again, what does this have to do with Masonry? Tubal-cain is significant in a few of the degrees, as are several other Biblical characters.
Originally posted by senrak
Never happens. Whoever told you this lied. There is NO being "born again" in the Masonic Order. Even in the legend of the builder (which is 3rd degree, not 1st) No one is "born again" Silly nonsense. Anti-Masonic dribble.
Originally posted by senrak
Christianity is the only institution that I know of where a person IS said to be "born again." The wide-spread use of the term seems to be centered around Christian fundamentalists too (most of the older, conservative denominations shy away from this expression) Most Christian fundamentalists are notoriously anti-Masonic, by the way, so I don't give them much (if any) consideration.
Originally posted by senrak
Probably the silliest statement you've made. 32nd, 33rd, etc. etc. have nothing to do with anyone "running the whole organization" There is no centralized Masonic Authority. Each Grand Lodge (one in every U.S. state) and one in every free country around the globe) is autonymous. And members of the Grand Lodges (the officers) need only be 3rd Degree Masons (Master Mason) 32nd & 33rd are numbers of degrees but not higher degrees than Master Mason (3rd Degree) This, too and the fact that there is NO "supreme" Grand Lodge etc. has been discussed over and over on this forum and more information is readily available on the web, in libraries and bookstores from legitimate Masonic sources.
Originally posted by senrak
All I can say to that, is it's too bad. You're missing out on a really good thing, but if you honestly feel that way, don't join because we don't want you if you feel that way about Masonry. But don't spread untruths about it. You've obviously done far too little research (or far too much from unreliable sources) to be speaking out against Freemasonry.
It isn't for everyone. Thank goodness.