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What Masonry means to people
Their thoughts on the Meaning of Masonry
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Turning The Hiram Key
Find out what Masonry means to Robert by reading his latest book,
Turning The Hiram Key.
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By William Simpson |
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I AM A MASTER MASON. My thoughts on Freemasonry. I became a Mason in 2001. My first thouth in lodge was that Freemasonry was a social club or fraternity, like the rotary or the Elks, or the Moose. I have since explored the deeper meanings of the craft and now believe that masonry is a lifestyle. Freemasonry compells men to look inward, identify their own personal flaws, and change them. We are guided to envision ourselves at our best, and then to work toward that goal. With the teachings of good sound morals and values that seem to be lacking in moderm society, Freemasonry is that becon of hope for a more moral society. As I explain to those who ask me about being a mason, it's not just a club, It is a lifestyle and a continous education. Never stop learning, Never stop seeking truth. always be on the alert for frauds and fakers that would do the Fraternity harm. Thank you for this opportunity to express my views and beliefs. I believe we should keep Masonry a society of secrets. Masonry really does make good men better. |
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By Aprendiz |
I am a freemason from Brazil. Here we talk a lot about the role our society must have in conducting political pledges. In the nineteenth century it was a really political organization, a forum to discuss forbidden issues, especially republicanism (at that time we were a monarchy).
After the coup to dethrone Peter II, some mason presidents were elected, but, since 1930, our "power" has diminished continually.
Today we are more like a Rotary than like the political organizations we were back then. But I think freemasonry has nothing to do with politics but self improvement, with moral teaching, a kind of civil religion as Rousseau proposed. Maybe we are the enactment of a true civil religion with no sectarian body of thinking.
Best regards from Brazil. |
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By Andres Soler |
Q: Should Freemasonry be secret, or should we be more open about it?
A: It should remain secret
Q: What does Masonic ritual mean to you?
A: Contact with that which is most magical and mysterious
Q: How do you feel when you were made a Mason?
A: I'm not a Mason. But, when I came into contact with my "understanding of ritual" my eyes were opened, my heart stopped, I understood why I always felt so differently about the Universe around us.
Q: And what role has ritual played in your life since?
A: It's my connection, my chance to channel and harness the unseen force fields around everything.
Q: Do you feel it is something which can not, or perhaps should not, be put into words?
A: See above answers. The connection, unless one has truly had it, is impossible to describe or understand, hence it's need to remain a secret.
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By Bill Muirhead |
I too joined Freemasonary (at the age of 18, owing to my father being a master mason in Scotland). As you have stated, rituals appear outdated and obscure, and on the face of it, indicate only values in morality and personal character guidance. I have also read your book(s), together with various other materials relating to humankind's past and the why's and where's.
I would very much agree with most of your evaluation of data re the Hiram Key. I personally believe your time line-may be out (the boundaries are being pushed back all the time). The utter tosh advocated by tradtional (sic) Egyptologists never ceases to amaze me, The Great Pyramid was most definetly not built by Khafu, nor is it a repository of supposedly dead kings, rather it was built much much earlier, for what reasons, we may one day find out if enough people such as yourself continue not only to ask questions, but to push estabilshed historians into seeing the trees.
Masonary did in some small measure provide me with certain moral values (or perhaps that was upbringing anyway), but the historical events definetly need further searching.
(All initiatives that introduced changes to accepted thought through reason and research have been ridiculed, if not ostracised)
At the risk of looking a crank I firmly believe in the connections established by both you and other writers such as Graham Hancock, Robert Bauval ( and God help - to some extent - Edgar Cacye).
The links are irrefutable;
Previous worldwide cataclysms - Atlantis (or in reality, a higher society the name we know not) - Pramids - Polar Shifts - Earth Crust Displacement - Egyptology - Judaism - Christianity - and last but not least, or own mortality vis-a-vis, potential global disaster / change.
Please continue with your efforts, they are appreciate (at least by any thinking / enquiring mind) |
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By Joshua |
Greetings friends and brothers. Before i give my thoughts i would like to thank Robert Lomas and Christopher Knight for spending so much time and energy on this subject, not to mention the related subjects, and a most brotherly pat on the back for having the courage to touch these subjects in which tempers tend to erupt worse than a volcano. Please email me when and if you can find the time, i have a few questions which can not be asked in public under no less pthmtcfete and mttobir. To me the craft is a beautiful and most wonderful mystery. It does not matter if one is a mason or not a great mystery inspires thought and without thought, as Colin Wilson is found of saying, you become a "robot". This is what i think masonry means and symbolizes. As a brother there is also a different meaning which i do not think should be for the public. The mystery is what inspires and it is the gnosis way to leave the mystery for those who wish to find it. There is a lot of talk about putting everything in the open, but i think this would be a horrible mistake. I understand that everyone could benifit greatly from the craft, but would everyone learn from the craft? Most would not. People in general realy do enjoy greed and trying to trample there friends and neighbors in a climb up the ladder of wealth and not the ladder of life. I am not a pessimist and i do beleave that there are also many great people in this world as well. My point is the world is the way it is for a reason and i do not think it would change by handing over the teachings. I do how ever think that it should be a more public order in the sense of spending some time and effort on making mason's more public. If our public here in america knew some of the great leaders and artists were masons, it would inspire more people to seek the mysteries. My opinion is that before opening up any true secrets to the public one should look at what happened to the gnostics with there jewish mysteries which were taken from them and used as a tool to destroy them. The mystery is what inspires one to join and leads one to the light.
Thank you, Joshua Treleven |
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By Scott Wynn J.W. Shekinah #256 Crystal City MO |
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That is a difficult question to answer because the more I study and learn I see the Craft in a different light. Right now I believe that the Craft is a means in which to deepen my understanding of myself and the virtues that make a man better. Not just knowing what those virtures are, like I was taught as a child in religous instruction, but how to know what each virtue is and how to act upon that every day of my life. Also, by trying to live by these virtues I may inspire others who see me as a good person and a Mason, much in the same way I saw a couple Masons years ago and wondered what it was that made them such good men. As a member of the Craft I now can look at all people with love and accept our differences. Masonry has taught me to be a better father to my own children by practicing our virtues and love. I see Masonry as a great asset to all humanity. |
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By TJH |
Whilst living in Italy in the 1970s I started a collection of playing cards which then extended to Tarot Cards. Surprisingly I soon discovered that Tarot Cards gave me access to many people, some of whom were Masons. Being English with fluent Italian I was invited many times to join the Masons, but was too much of an anarchist to allow myself to join such a formal organisation. However I did discover that many of the groups in Italy were very esoteric with strong leanings towards the Occult.
On my return to London I joined the Rotary Club and once again was "approached" to see if I might join the Masons. But for the same reasons I declined.
I am in a library and have just been told I willl be logged off in 2 minutes. I will continue this later.
Regards
PS William Spencer of York 1796 mentioned in the York rite section was my GGG Grandfather. |
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By Thomas G. |
With regards to the occult nature of Freemasonry and the opacity presented to the profane general public, certain limitations need to be imposed from within the fraternity and from without. From within the need for knowledge to be a gradual process is a must and will not be further here emphasized, but from without comes the issue of public clarity. It is this author's opinion that Freemasonry needs to become more available to those who seek it. Currently I am not a Mason, nor do I belong to any fraternal lodge or order, so I will be supplying the view of an outsider. The order needs to begin a campaign in the Universities and educational institutions of this world for the minds that will best serve, and are most prepared for the truth of the light. As a University student myself I see the symbology that has been imbued into the buildings on campus , but am limited to the observance and understanding of the unenlightened. Ergo the first 3 "Blue" degrees need to be made more readily available, how this is to be done is semantical for this discussion. My Great Grandfather was a Mason, and due to the ineptness of my parents and their Eltern I have lost the connection to the lodge by blood. My uncle as a considerably high level oil manager here in Alberta was approached for membership, he wished he had had an opportunity in his twenties to join and not only after he had achieved some prominence at the age of 50. It is therefore my opinion that the Lodge should open the roster books for registration, but only to those with the most potential (University students, etc). For if the lodge is to entice the younger generations it will be through availability, and not inaccessibility that their numbers will once again dominate.
This author is not a Mason, but does wish to join. The rituals are quite the enticement, not only for the ceremonial and theatrical purposes, but for the kinship they in turn bestow. As a student who wishes to continue his arcane studies, the rituals provide an incentive based examination for the knowledge they represent. It is for this reason that the rituals have survived as long as they have and continue to attract the generations looking for some camaraderie and liturgy.
As for the remainder of the questions, I will be unable to answer as I am neither a Mason nor have I any significant knowledge outside what has been published on the University of Bradford's "Web of Hiram". |
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By Ronnie |
I was raised a Master Mason just last Saturday, 15 Nov. 2008. I must admit that Freemasonry has really impacted my life in a positive way since the time that I was conferred as an EAM.
It provides teachings that not only make one a better person but it likewise gives a person an overview on how to act, react to other people, Masons or non-masons alike.
I know I still have a long way to go in learning what Freemasonry is all about, but as they say, we must await a time with patience. This, I am willing to do in order to further increase my knowledge as I am sure the Craft will definitely make a better man out of me. |
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By kim snyder |
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I feel that freemasonry is a cult and that they are trying to bring the new world order. |
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