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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 Ron Smith |
Should Freemasonry be secret, or should we be more open about it?
Both. Freemasonry is constructed in such a way to allow it to be open when society is accepting of its viewpoints and secret when these ideas become forbidden. Much of the world still lives without freedom and most of the contries that consider themselves free, continually give up pieces of thier freedom everyday. There will always be those who spend thier lives trying to reduce the freedom of others, for good intentions or bad. The bad do it for control and domination for thier own benifit, The good do it because they do not understand the nature of freedom and that in order for free will to exist, people have to have the option of making the wrong choice. It also must go undergrouund at times because of religious finatisism. Most of the world exists in religious boxes and are willing to die and to kill to convince others that thier god-in-the-box view is the correct one, when every individual person has a seperate view of god and no one could possibly be absolutly correct.
Is a member of your family a Freemason, and how do you feel about that?
I am a Master Mason, a senior officer on my way to sit in the east, proficient in all degree work, presentations and other services. I am very proud to be in this fraternity.
If you are a Mason, what does Masonic ritual mean to you?
The ritual is too deep to explain in a singal sitting. The more you study and participate the more truths are revieled. Simply, it is a stuctural framework for a man's life, mapped out against the structure of the Temple, representing the body, soul and spirit as well as the Torah, Mishnah and Midrash, using alligorical figures a man can relate to, all the while carrying the secrets of rebuilding civilization if it were to collapse again.
How did you feel when you were made a Mason?
Like I had a lot to learn. I was energized to build myself up as a better man. All the while I had men like me, willing to assist on this journey.
And what role has Masonic ritual played in your life since?
It has given me a greater understanding of my life, my god, the history of civilization and a better understanding of humanity. It has made me a better leader at work and has provided an outlet for my A.D.D. personality.
Do you feel it is something which can not, or perhaps should not, be put into words?
Although learned masons can rattle on for hours about the craft, they can never capture all of the essence of it. This is why, even though there are libraries of books already written, new books never cease to stimulate the mind.
Do you think Freemasonry benefits society?
Yes. Aside fromm the charities it runs and promotes, it builds men to become closer to what god intended the more they continue on the journey.
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By jeff |
I am not a FreeMason. I do however, need to become one when I have the time to devote to study, reflection and the rituals. I am very interested in history, anthropology and archaeology. I am self educated on the subjects except for a little college in there many moons ago. To me, Freemasonry is a very difficult thing to describe. One must always qualify "Freemason" to exclude the groups that have tried over the millenia to highjack the masonic network for their own sordid and often pathetic reasons. I am refering to groups like the Rosecrucians, the bavarian illuminati, the Golden Dawn, the Oriental Lodges (Shriners), the Knights of the Golden Circle (I'm still not sure what to make of Albert Pike). I like to think of the Freemasons as recipients and guardians of secret sacred knowledge. KNowledge that could get you tortchured and killed in many of the previous centuries. I like to think that the founding principals of the United States of America (the New Atlantis) like all men are created equal (we all meet on the level), majority rule, Freedom of religion, freedom of association and the moral principals this country were founded on came from our Freemason Founding Fathers, not the Christians.
I beleive that the Freemasons or whatever you want to call them; Priests of Heliopolis, Order of the Quest, The Invisble college, The Illuminists of the renessance, the Knights Templar, etc. guarded this information or principals and tried whenever possible over the last couple thousand years to restore what once was, the brotherhood of man (the New Atlantis to give it a name) and were finally successful with the United States of America. I think we need our Freemasons now more than ever. The forces of Darkness; Tyrany, Greed, Privaledged elite, royal families are back. The United States is no longer of the people by the people for the people. Our Founding Fathers said the price of Liberty is eternal vigilance. Unfortunately the United States (The New Atlantis) was so successful that we all got complacent and took our liberties for granted. I fear that I may not recognize the country I was born to before I die and I fear for my childrens and my countries future. We need the Real Freemasons, not the treasonous scum that try to hijack the freemason network to fulfill their New World Order nightmare and secure their control over all the little people. I get the terrible feeling that some are working toward a new capital of the world, Dubai.
When I read "A Bridge to Light" or "Morals & Dogma" or "The Age of Reason" or my "Masonic Altar Bibles" or "Etidorhpa", I can clearly see where the founding principals of the United States of America came from. I have never found anything in all the Real Masonic writings that I would not want to teach my children.
Thank you for creating this online resource, I look forward to the journey from Darkness to Light! |
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By rencemu |
keep up the good work
i think opening up to the world
would make people understand better about
the masonic rather than the misunderstanding especially
here in Kenya. i would kindly request you to assist me in doing so
at your will. thank you. |
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By Robert Charles |
I have been a freemason for nearly fifty years. I think that there is an obsession with secrecy among some freemasons, who never reveal their membership of the craft even to their nearest and dearest. I have heard elderly masons worrying lest a non-mason should see their regalia; I reminded one of these worriers that anyone interested in masonic regalia need only look in the window of one of the regalia shops.The MW the Grand Master pointed out some years ago that the only parts of the ritual that need be kept secret were the traditional means of recognition, as a discipline for us and out of respect for them as secrets preserved by our operative predecessors as the means of identifying properly trained craftsmen and masters.
I enjoyed the ritual, both its sound and its meaning, from the moment that I heard it as an initiate. I feel that the whole of the ethos of freemasonry ( and ideal principles which all men should strive to emulate) is embodied in the second paragraph of the Charge after Initiation. This paragraph is summarised in the three Grand Principles on which masonry is founded (questions before passing). The third paragraph of the Charge should be publicly known, since it should allay all fears that masonry may be used as a cover for illegal behaviour. Obviously there are a few bad apples,but I think that UGLE is gradually weeding them out(if you will forgive the mixed metaphor) and I like to think that the effect of becoming a mason deters some people from breaking not only the legal code but also the moral code.
I have obtained great emotional support from the ritual, both hearing it and performing it, as well as from my brethren.
I think one must try to put the role played by the craft into words, but I do not think one can ever fully explain its significance to someone who has not gone through the ceremonies of initiation, passing and raising. |
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By wasilla ak. |
it is my hope to become a mason ,, i am a union carpenter 28 years , as a apprentice my instructors were mason's.
the truth will set us free ... free will ! |
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By Cephar |
1. I don't really think it is secret any longer .. It does have secrets but these are more to try character.
2. By application it produces order .. It is a source of research that never fails to astound me .. (And I pity those who have had their ritual savaged by "modernisation!)
3. Rather bewildered but very impressed by the obvious effort put in by those conducting the ceremony.
4. Difficult to assess .. but it frequently reminds me of the "oughts" I should endeavour.
5. Can not rather than should not. I am constantly suprised by concepts, values etc still! (After 36 years and various degrees of rank.. but then we are all aware that honour does not come from mere election to office, however exalted that office may be!)
Does Masonry make good men better? I think it does, but I know that the process is continuous. I suspect the Genuine Secrets of a Master Mason may be two inches behind the eyes and in the heart. |
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By knockingthedoor |
Well, in my case, I do not know much about Mansonry.
I am actually in the process of trying to be accepted in one of the lodges in my city.
But so far, ignoring the all crazy and baseless statements that you can find in the internet, what I have found in mansonry is that is a school, a school of virtues, a school of philosophy, a school of character, and that's the reason I have approached the craft and I am intending to be part of such a honorable society.
Should be kept secret?, well, why not?. I mean, I am just trying to be part of the society but so far, the fact that is secret is building so much anticipation and emotion that maybe is part of the teachings that I am awaiting for. In the other hand, been secret is not neccesarily a bad things, because maybe for the people that is not initiated yet, or are just not part of the craft, maybe if they know everything about the rituals, or words, or whatever is there that is secret, they would missinterpret and misunderstand everything. Besides, secret is everywhere, I do not know what's my president is doing today or the pope, what the manager of my bank is doing today, or what my mayor or the closest priest is planning neither, so what's the buzz???.
Sometimes, when I go to the initial meetings, I think that maybe there should be more information available to the newcomer, but in the other hand, I have not seen the other side of the coin in order to have a clear opinion. I will tell you later, haha.
Sorry for my spelling and grammar mistakes, english is my second language and my writing is not the best.
Well, looking forward to read your book, if you want to launch and spanish version, let me know. Cheers, L.C.C.
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By Bro. Kenneth C. Portley |
I am a fourth generation freemason of the Prince Hall faction. This institution has had a very positive effect on my life. Early in my Masonic life I was not mentally or spiritually prepared for the start of my journey. However, throughout my travels in the military and the guideance of WELL INFOPRMED BRETHREN,I was brought to true masonic light.
As I searched books, ancient texts, the library of congress and others for the secret, to no avail, I was recited a story from one the older brothers about three demons who wanted to hide the secrets of life from man. The story goes, that three demons conspired to hide the secrets of life from man, the first suggested to hide it a the bottom of the ocean, the second at the top of the highest mountain. The third reminded the other two of how man with his ingenunity and intelligence would one day overcome both of these obstacles. This in turn caused the other two demons to inquire of the third where he thought it best to hide from man the secrets of life; his reply was to hide the secrets inside of man, for the last place he would look was inside of himself.
This small story changed my life, allowing me to put away my fears and look deep into the inner recesses of my spirit being to find that which was lost. I have been on this journey now for some 25 years and I would not change a thing.I am proud and fortunate to be a member of the craft. |
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By TJL |
Dear Sirs,
I think in today's environment secrecy is a joke. The handshakes and passwords are all on the web.
I knew the rituals prior to going through them and I think it would have made more of an impact on me if it was a suprize. I felt no different after it.
Meetings are boring. We just go through the opening and closing ceromonies and have very little to discuss.
I've been studying Kabbalah on my own and that has had the most influence on my life. I would love to get the lodge involved but I fear they may try to burn me at the stake. The Chaplin is a real Ordained Minister and I know he would not like it.
I have been a Mason for about 3 years now. I joined a Blue lodge here in Georgia, USA and was shocked to find the members were completely ignorant of Masonry. All they knew was the catecism and that was it. I was greatly disappointed because I read several books including your Hiram Key series. I joined the Scottish-Rite and was even more disappointed. I became a 32 degree Mason in a weekend. I leaned almost nothing in that weekend and decided to take the Master Craftsman course from the Supreme Council. I could find nobody in the Scottish-Rite who was well read and knowledgable. All it is is a dinner club and very few people show up. Nobody in any of the lodges around here reads anything and attendance is at best 10% for any lodge. Most people around here are Funamentalist Christians (mainly Baptists) and the most important thing is college football followed by Jesus and hunting and fishing in that order. I hesitate to even discuss some of the subjects that are at the core of Masonry like the Templars, Kabbalah, Tarot etc. These people think anything that is not Orthodox Christian is demonic. It's quite depressing and I have to agree that Masonry is a dying organization. The best thing for me to do is continue to read and not concern myself with trying to educate my lodge brothers because we all know that no good deed goes unpunished.
Fraternally,
TJL |
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By James |
I am a mason. I was raised February of this year. Masonry should be kept secret. It is knowledge that is reserved for those who wish to honestly work on themselves. It was not meant for the passive observer. This doesn't mean that information about masonry should not be available. If one is willing to take the time to study and learn about it, one should have that opportunity. However the actual methods and teacings should be reserved for those who actively "knock". Sublime knowledge and experience made base for the masses serves no one.
If my knowledge of masonry was restricted to what I experience in my initiations, I would be very disappointed. However, luckily, I had made inquiry into a number of spiritual systems and philosophical viewpoints for the 20 years preceding my association with the masonry, so I was able to fill in the missing gaps from my own experience. Although I suppose that is in the design. The gaps are left for one to put one's own experience in to truly internalize the process. I suppose that if one were given a system that was based on someone else's cultural and spiritual experience, something profound would be lost in the process. But then, that's what has happened to most organized religion.
I feel that as a mason, I should hold myself to a higher standard that most, based striclty on the fact that as a mason, I KNOW BETTER! When one spends time studying the perfecting of perfection (reference Circle of Iron, David Carradine), one is actively learing how to live in harmony with natural and metaphysical laws. To not abide by those laws after knowing better would just be silly. If you hit yourself in the head with a hammer, I don't want to hear you complain that it hurt.
Masonry is something that should not be put into words. It should be experienced and every person who experiences will have their own words to describe it, but no words can honestly convey the experience. They are only fingers pointing to the moon, you have to look the moon yourself to see it.
As a separate thought, what it the possibility that the G could symbolize gnosis, as referring to self knowledge gained only by obervation and experience of the phenomena of the universe around us? |
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