Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Freemasonry

To be a mason, ask a mason.
Masonic compass
The freemasons are a fraternal organization that have existed for hundreds of years, perhaps even before the Renaissance. For an approved history and some more information, please read the Wikipedia page.
Freemasonry has two roads, or rites, the Scottish Rite (up to 33rd degree) and the York rite (13 degrees).

Masonry Rites Paths Compass
What many Freemasons (or Shriners) themselves do not know is that Freemasonry is much more complex than this. There are so-called “esoteric” branches of Masonry. There is the rite of Memphis-Misraim, for example, that has up to 90 degrees, and I’ve heard at least 97. In all of the Masonic degrees a Mason is promised light, or enlightenment.
This light comes from Lucifer. Lucifer means light-bringer (lucum ferre) in Latin. Lucifer is the same character as the Greek Prometheus who brought fire (knowledge), and thus light and enlightenment to mankind to the chagrin of the gods. For this Prometheus was punished, chained to a rock, to have his entrails torn out and eaten by carrion birds, only for them to grow back so that it could happen again the next day.

It was estimated by a 90th degree Mason in an interview that 1 in 1000 Masons might know that Lucifer is the source of the light.
“And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.” – 2 COR 11:14
Lucifer is also a name for the morning star, or Venus when it appears in the east before sunrise. To see this Lucifer as a Satan (or opponent of God) implies Sun worship and Paganism. In the Latin Bible it is used that way. In modern day English the word usually refers to the devil when he was an angel in heaven, before he was cast out. I believe that this interpretation is mostly due to Paradise Lost by Milton.

Masons must take all kinds of oaths, and for each oath there is a gruesome death for he who breaks it.
Apparently, there are actually 360 degrees of Masonry. This would be a complete and perfect circle of course, with all the things denoted by that Platonic solid.

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