tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55005655102723886542024-03-13T11:14:03.449-04:00Freemasonry: Reality, Myth, and Legend™Implications and meditations concerning events and trends in the Masonic world. Masonic education, ethics, and philosophy. Freemasonry in the media and popular entertainment. Responses to Anti-Masonry. My personal experience as a Freemason. <br><a href="http://www.koltkorivera.com"><b>www.koltkorivera.com</b></a>Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-26313980300953464172016-03-25T14:51:00.001-04:002016-04-07T06:06:15.302-04:00Are We the Last Generation of American Freemasons?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/images_download/broken_column.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/images_download/broken_column.gif" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Is this the future of American Freemasonry?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The <a href="http://archive.aweber.com/awlist3826145">current issue (March 23, 2015)</a> of the Masonic Edition of my newsletter, <i>Markings</i>, contains a single major essay,
perhaps the most important of my Masonic career to date: <b>“Are We the Last Generation of Freemasons?”</b> The essay is too
comprehensive for a blog post, but I thought I would post highlights
here:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The decline of American Freemasonry dates to </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>1954</i></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">,
over a decade before the anti-establishment movements of the later 1960s gained
the attention of young Americans.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Currently, the force driving the membership
crisis is </span><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">not</i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> so much the death of
members, but the rise in </span><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">voluntary
attrition</i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">: demits and NPDs. But what is driving that?</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The answer is simple, if chilling: </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>In
many lodges, Freemasonry just does not deliver what it promises.</i></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> (Details
are available in the essay.)</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If current trends continue, by the time the Entered
Apprentices we initiate in 2016 have passed on, the Fraternity will have shrunk
almost 90% from current levels. As the Grand Orator in Florida declared in
2007: </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">“We are one generation away from
extinction.”</b></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I give extensive suggestions for how we might
turn this situation around.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I end with links to five online resources for
recommended reading.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quite frankly, in putting this essay together, I felt like I
was on a mission. I also felt like I was putting together an outline for a book—but
that could take months to get to, given my current list of projects. We really
can’t wait that long to make more progress in turning this around. So, I urge
you to read this essay, ponder it, and decide what part of it you would like to
discuss for implementation in your lodge.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Freemasonry is too valuable to vanish from the American
landscape. Let us nurture it, and build it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- - -<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I invite you to subscribe to my mailing list, to receive my
twice-monthly newsletter <i>Markings—Masonic
Edition</i>. Fill in the box in the upper-right hand corner of this blog post,
and we’ll set you right up!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also invite you to become a “follower” of this blog
through the box in the upper-right hand corner. I also invite you to subscribe
to the RSS feed for this blog.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Visit the “The Freemason Mark” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThatFreemasonMark">page</a> on Facebook.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Visit Mark
Koltko-Rivera’s personal <a href="http://www.koltkorivera.com/">website</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
[The <a href="http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/graphics.html" target="_blank">image</a> the broken column—a traditional symbol in Freemasonry, signifying the death of
a Freemason—was obtained from a page of print-quality images on the website of
the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon. This image is in the public
domain.]<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>(Copyright 2016 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)</i></div>
</div>
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-6131550040856713342016-02-10T12:34:00.001-05:002016-02-10T14:12:00.696-05:00The Point of Freemasonry, Part 1:Personal Transformation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pre06.deviantart.net/b5a9/th/pre/f/2010/066/a/9/hero_transformation_by_silster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://pre06.deviantart.net/b5a9/th/pre/f/2010/066/a/9/hero_transformation_by_silster.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is easy
to be so wrapped up in the minutiae of daily life—taking out the trash and the
recyclables on the right days; making sure the kids have done their homework,
and that there are no (longer any) potatoes growing behind their ears; keeping
track of whether one’s Dear Spouse’s birthday is next week or the week after (or,
<i>quelle horreur</i>, last week); getting
All That Work done—it is so easy, I say, to get so wrapped up in this that we
lose perspective, and forget about our ultimate objectives: Why do I do this
work? Why are my Dear Spouse and I together? Why do we have these children? Why
am I living this daily life?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As with our
lives as a whole, so too with our Craft. It is easy to get so caught up in the
minutiae—Who is driving whom to what Masonic event? Did we get enough food for
the Festive Board? (and so on and <i>so</i>
on)—that we can lose track of the more important questions, the questions that
should be uppermost in our minds regarding our Fraternity: Why Masonry? What is
Freemasonry really about? What are our objectives as Freemasons?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is,
of course, a well-worn answer to the question of the purpose of Freemasonry: “To
make good men better”—an answer that has been slung around since at least the
mid-twentieth century. It is a fair capsule description, as far as it goes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But it does
not go nearly far enough. To really understand the point of Freemasonry, to
comprehend and even to fulfill our purpose as Masons, we need to understand the
full scope of Masonry’s objectives.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We need to
understand that <b>Freemasonry is about
transformation.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the
first blog post of a series in which I explain my approach to the purpose of
Freemasonry. In this post, I describe the objective of Masonry in terms of
individual, personal transformation: self-transformation—even, I daresay,
self-transmutation.</div>
<h1>
Symbols as Principles of Personal Transformation</h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think of
the visual symbols that are most characteristic of each of the three degrees of
the Blue Lodge: the working tools, the tracing boards, the symbolic stairway. Ponder,
as one great whole, the <i>experience</i> of
the rituals of Masonic initiation. All of these things are intended to change
the way that Freemasons think about themselves and their lives, and the way
that they behave, both in their personal lives, and in their interactions with
others. Consider this:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The candidate enters the sacred space of the
Lodge room in darkness—not because the room is unilluminated, but because the
candidate is ‘blind.’ This is our position in the world, despite whatever
position, rank, or wealth we may possess: without spiritual light, we are as
good as blind.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Our blindness is not relieved until we kneel at
the Altar of prayer, holding fast to the Volume of Sacred Law (and Insight).</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
To create a
life of excellence, we learn, it is necessary to apply certain principles and
practices. Among these are:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A constant, unremitting effort to correct the
defects of our characters, to chip off the characteristics we should not
possess, and to fill in the areas we lack.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A commitment to hold our behavior to the highest
standards. There is to be no bending of the rules here, when it comes to our
integrity.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Determination to take a balanced approach to
every day, and use our time wisely: to work industriously and diligently, but
not to the point of exhaustion; to rest, but not to the point of sloth; to
engage in recreation, but not to the point of indolence or intemperance. (I will
consider service in another post in this series.)</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A lifelong, major effort to improve our minds
and skills, in multiple areas of knowledge, the arts, the sciences, and the
humanities.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A firm commitment to keeping our word; to doing
what we say we will do, when we say we will do this; to not doing what we say
we won’t do, when we say we won’t do that.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A determination to stick patiently with the Work
and the Journey, not expecting results or progress that are not really earned.</span></li>
</ol>
<h1>
A Contrast to the Ways of the World</h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One cannot overestimate how radical the transformation promoted by Freemasonry would have been
in 17<sup>th</sup> and early 18<sup>th</sup> century Britain and continental
Europe:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Spiritual discipline was largely a thing for
monasteries, convents, and seminaries, not for laypeople in the world.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Aside from the Jewish community, most Europeans
were either illiterate or barely literate by today’s standards. In contrast,
Freemasonry promoted ongoing education in the Arts and Sciences.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Among the aristocracy, intemperance and
indulgence were quite widespread. There is a reason why the English simile, “drunk
as a lord,” has endured for centuries.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03388/sundouble_3388350b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03388/sundouble_3388350b.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It is easy
to tut-tut at life in the age when Freemasonry as we know it began. But our own
age is not so very different, and is filled with more powerful distractions.
Let us just focus on the situation in the United States.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
functional “illiteracy” of the American public in multiple areas is astonishing
to the point of parody. The relatively <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/02/02/u-s-students-improving-slowly-in-math-and-science-but-still-lagging-internationally/" target="_blank">mediocre ranking</a> of the U.S. in terms of students’s
mathematical and scientific knowledge is well documented (and, to my mind, is
even a threat to national security). The <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10640690/Americans-surveyed-misunderstood-misrepresented-or-ignorant.html" target="_blank">geographic and historical ignorance</a> of
Americans is all too well documented, as well. Even in relation to their own <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/divine-ignorance-americas-religious-iq-lacking/" target="_blank">religions</a>
(let alone anyone else’s!), Americans as a group are stunningly ignorant. To
all of this, Freemasonry counters: educate yourselves!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Much of
popular culture—particularly as seen in certain works of music and video—promotes
a materialistic lifestyle focused on an alcohol- and drug-fueled binge of hedonistic self-indulgence, an attitude
exposed in such films as <i>The Wolf of Wall
Street</i> (trailers <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idAVRvQeYAE" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pabEtIERlic" target="_blank">here</a>)—a film which is, after all, a dramatization of a <i>non</i>-fiction <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Wall-Street-Jordan-Belfort/dp/0553384775/" target="_blank">book</a> by a former Wall Street insider). To all of this,
Freemasonry responds with a vision of a life of purpose, based on spiritual
principles of one’s own choice—and with the tools to make that vision a
reality.</div>
<h1>
Conclusion—and Two Take-Away Messages</h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Freemasonry
is meant to “get into your head,” as well as your heart. It aims to transform
the Mason’s worldview, and the Mason’s very motivational structure within the
personality. <i>That</i> is personal
transformation. It has been the focus of initiatic disciplines over the course
of at least the last 4,000 years of human history. And it is the focus of
Freemasonry today.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are
two take-away messages here:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, for
my fellow Freemasons: Understand what Freemasonry is really about. Masonry is
meant to help you thoroughly change yourself—to help you transform yourself; even (in an alchemical sense) to help you <i>transmute</i>
yourself—into a person different than the person you were when you first
approached the Western Gate. I exhort you to <b><i>engage that process</i></b>,
actively, not passively. (In future posts on this blog, I shall consider in
more detail how to do that.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Second, to
my readers who are not Masons, who are intrigued by all this: Consider getting
involved. There is, almost certainly, a Masonic body near your residence or
workplace. (You can learn more about Freemasonry in my book, <i><a href="http://booklaunch.io/koltkorivera/551b31087918fe2954016043" target="_blank">Freemasonry: An Introduction</a></i>; Chapter 9
is titled, “How to Become a Freemason.” Ladies: I describe woman-oriented
Masonic groups in Chapters 3 and 6.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Next in the series: Freemasonry and Community Transformation.</i></b> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I invite you to subscribe to my mailing list, to receive my
twice-monthly newsletter <i>Markings—Masonic
Edition</i>. Fill in the box in the upper-right hand corner of this blog post,
and we’ll set you right up!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also invite you to become a “follower” of this blog
through the box in the upper-right hand corner. I also invite you to subscribe
to the RSS feed for this blog.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Visit the “The Freemason Mark” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThatFreemasonMark" target="_blank">page</a> on Facebook. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Visit Mark
Koltko-Rivera’s personal <a href="http://www.koltkorivera.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
[The image was created by the artist known as “silster,” and is titled “Hero
Transformation.” It was found on the artist’s <a href="http://silster.deviantart.com/art/Hero-Transformation-156524201">webpage</a>.]<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>(Copyright 2016 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-44087053843844477002016-02-09T23:11:00.000-05:002016-02-09T23:11:44.300-05:00Speaking at Wappingers Lodge #671 (NY)--2/13/16<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ruMCGLyEOvE/Vrq0339YblI/AAAAAAAAA9U/ZsxdEjFeCnU/s1600/Poster%2BW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ruMCGLyEOvE/Vrq0339YblI/AAAAAAAAA9U/ZsxdEjFeCnU/s400/Poster%2BW.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
On Monday, February 15, 2016, I shall be speaking at Wappingers Lodge #671 F&AM in Dutchess County, New York. (All the details are on the poster, illustrated; click for a larger image. A map of the location and driving directions are available on the lodge website, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/wappingersmasons/driving-directions" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
All Master Masons from the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of New York, or from lodges of jurisdictions in amity with said Grand Lodge, are welcome to attend.<br />
<br />
My topic will be precisely what the folks on the wild-and-wooly fringe of conspiracy theory would <i>think</i> that the Masons talk about: <b>Freemasonry and Global Domination: Simple Steps to Ruling the World</b>.<br />
<br />
It only demonstrates the intellectual shallowness of the wild-and-wooly crowd when they assume that I am talking about dominating the <i>external</i> world. That would be so limiting! But that's not a mistake that my readers here would make, I am sure.<br />
<br />
I look forward to seeing many of my Masonic brethren at this presentation.<br />
<br />
(And none of the wild-and-wooly persuasion.)<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>(Copyright 2016 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-10222312196891472502015-08-05T08:05:00.000-04:002015-08-05T08:17:34.073-04:00A Discovery: The Ultimate Source of Faux-Albert Pike’s ‘Luciferian Doctrine’ Instructions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Leo_Taxil.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Leo_Taxil.png" width="444" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Léo Taxil, ‘The Great Swindler’</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most people who’ve spent time on the Internet researching
the Fraternity have run into the claim that Albert Pike, a 19<sup>th</sup> century
leader in the Scottish Rite and other branches of Freemasonry, was a Satanist—and
that all Masons are as well. This accusation often comes accompanied by an
extended quote from instructions that Pike supposedly sent to Scottish Rite
operatives in Europe, emphasizing that an alleged ‘Luciferian doctrine’ was the
core of “Palladian Freemasonry,” the truly secret society that, it was claimed,
was hidden within the Fraternity. This quote is usually given as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
That which we must say to the crowd is—We worship a God, but it
is the God that one adores without superstition.<br />
<o:p> </o:p>To you, Sovereign Grand Inspectors General, we say this, that
you may repeat it to the Brethren of the 32nd, 31st and 30th degrees—<span style="color: red;">The
Masonic religion should be, by all of us initiates of the high degrees,
maintained in the purity of the Luciferian doctrine.</span><br />
<o:p> </o:p>If Lucifer were not God, would Adonay (The God of the
Christians) whose deeds prove his cruelty, perfidy, and hatred of man,
barbarism and repulsion for science, would Adonay and his priests, calumniate
him?<br />
<o:p> </o:p><span style="color: red;">Yes, Lucifer is God</span>, and unfortunately Adonay is also God. For
the eternal law is that there is no light without shade, no beauty without
ugliness, no white without black, for the absolute can only exist as two Gods:
darkness being necessary to light to serve as its foil as the pedestal is
necessary to the statue, and the brake to the locomotive.<br />
<o:p> </o:p>In analogical and universal dynamics one can only lean on that
which will resist. Thus the universe is balanced by two forces which maintain
its equilibrium: the force of attraction and that of repulsion. These two
forces exist in physics, philosophy and religion. And the scientific reality of
the divine dualism is demonstrated by the phenomena of polarity and by the universal
law of sympathies and antipathies. That is why the intelligent disciples of
Zoroaster, as well as, after them, the Gnostics, the Manicheans and the
Templars have admitted, as the only logical metaphysical conception, the system
of the two divine principles fighting eternally, and one cannot believe the one
inferior in power to the other.<br />
<o:p> </o:p>Thus, the doctrine of Satanism is a heresy; and <span style="color: red;">the true and
pure philosophic religion is the belief in Lucifer, the equal of Adonay; but
Lucifer, God of Light and God of Good, is struggling for humanity against
Adonay, the God of Darkness and Evil. </span></blockquote>
<div class="block">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="block">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="block">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="block">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="block">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="block">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Could it get any more damning (literally!) than this? Albert
Pike, revered as the leader of the Scottish Rite, saying things like “Lucifer
is God”? Saying that “the Masonic religion” is based on “Luciferian doctrine”?
This passage is reproduced on hundreds of websites, as evidence that
Freemasonry is Satanism, whether the poor Masons know it or not.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>But it is all a
forgery.<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although the passage is sometimes ignorantly cited on
websites as if it were in Pike’s real-life masterpiece, <i>Morals and Dogma</i>, the quotation comes from another source entirely.
The passage, as I quoted it above, is from pages 220-221 of the 1933 book <i>Occult Theocrasy</i>, by Edith Starr Miller,
Lady Queenborough; the book is a classic example of the wild and wooly sector
of conspiracy theories, full of anti-Masonry and anti-Semitism, to boot. Miller
stated that this was her translation from a French book by noted anti-Mason,
the journalist Abel Clarin de la Rive, <i>La
Femme et l’Enfant dans la Franc-Maçonnerie Universelle</i> [in English: <i>Woman and Child in Universal Freemasonry</i>],
published in 1894. I own a copy of de la Rive’s book, and I can testify that
this passage occurs therein. But the question has long been asked, what exactly
was de la Rive quoting? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have just identified the ultimate source for the ‘Luciferian
doctrine’ passage. It is the 1891 book, <span class="a-size-large"><i>L'Existence des loges de femmes affirmée par
Mgr Fava, évêque de Grenoble, et par Léo Taxil</i> [trans.: <i>The Existence of the Lodges of Women
Affirmed by Monsignor Fava, Bishop of Grenoble, and by Léo Taxil</i>]. The book
is supposedly edited by ‘Adolphe Ricoux,’ just another pseudonym for Taxil.
Below, I show the title page of the book, and the pages (pp. 93-95) on which
the ‘Luciferian doctrine’ passage occurs. (Click on the images to see them larger.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="a-size-large"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0JdRKujPIdQ/VcHxcZUl88I/AAAAAAAAA7M/bxRElOnzxUE/s1600/page%2B00%2B%2528Title%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0JdRKujPIdQ/VcHxcZUl88I/AAAAAAAAA7M/bxRElOnzxUE/s400/page%2B00%2B%2528Title%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Title Page, <i>The Existence of Lodges of Women Affirmed ... by L<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">é</span>o Taxil.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8okFSVoCP4M/VcHxe9jOJPI/AAAAAAAAA7U/JQDDZI7VIt4/s1600/page%2B93.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8okFSVoCP4M/VcHxe9jOJPI/AAAAAAAAA7U/JQDDZI7VIt4/s400/page%2B93.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fourth and fifth paragraphs start the quote given by Miller, "That which we must say to the crowd is ..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KkFQlfgrwTY/VcHxgbMiafI/AAAAAAAAA7c/lMUDxZXjYn4/s1600/page%2B94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KkFQlfgrwTY/VcHxgbMiafI/AAAAAAAAA7c/lMUDxZXjYn4/s400/page%2B94.jpg" width="337" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The third and fourth paragraphs continue the quote by Miller: "If Lucifer were not God ..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-558vvGYmjRo/VcHxiJdCh8I/AAAAAAAAA7k/vEvu3edTkLY/s1600/page%2B95.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-558vvGYmjRo/VcHxiJdCh8I/AAAAAAAAA7k/vEvu3edTkLY/s400/page%2B95.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the top of the page through "ALBERT PIKE, 33<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">°</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">" concludes the quote given by Miller.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="a-size-large"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="a-size-large"> </span>In 1897, <a href="http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/taxil_confessed.html" target="_blank">Taxil publicly confessed</a> to a roomful of journalists that
he had pulled off an immense anti-Masonic and anti-Catholic hoax over the
preceding two years, during which he published thousands of pages about the
supposed orgies held under the auspices of the entirely fictitious Palladian
Freemasonry. During his confession, he specifically stated that he himself had
written Pike’s supposed instructions—although Taxil did not specify where he
had published them, if indeed they had been published at all. This discovery of
Taxil’s now quite rare book proves definitively that Taxil had indeed written the
instructions about ‘Luciferian doctrine,’ and where he published them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h1>
<span class="a-size-large">Why This Matters<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why does any of this matter? As it happens, some elements of
the anti-Masonic community have disputed the idea that Taxil was the actual
author of the instructions about the Luciferian doctrine. As the highly
anti-Masonic website <i>Freemasonry Watch</i>
(“Help us take a bit out of Freemasonry”) <a href="http://freemasonrywatch.org/luciferquotes.html" target="_blank">stated</a>, in reference to the Luciferian doctrine passage quoted in
Miller’s book:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
NOWHERE in ANY of Freemason Taxil’s writings does the [Luciferian
doctrine] quotation appear, in whole OR part. If it did believe us the
Freemasons would have the Taxil writing which included it plastered from one
end of the Net to the other. We challenge the Freemasons to produce ANY
document written by the anti-clerical Freemason Gabriel Jogand (Leo Taxil) that
includes the [Luciferian doctrine] quotation!</blockquote>
<div class="block">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well then: So much for that. With this discovery, we now have the Luciferian
doctrine quotation firmly placed within the published writings of Léo Taxil. That should put
this issue to rest permanently.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Note to <i>Freemasonry
Watch</i>: This Freemason has taken up your challenge—and met it. I now
challenge you to retract your statement as I have quoted it above, <i>and</i> to state that the Luciferian
doctrine instructions have been clearly tied to Taxil.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h1>
Coda: Why So Long?<o:p></o:p></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One might ask, why has it taken so long to pin this tail on
Taxil’s donkey? Such are the vagaries of books and their audiences. de la Rive’s
735-page doorstop of a book, in all its sensationalistic detail, apparently made
its way into the hands of more readers, such as Miller. Perhaps the book’s
lurid cover had something to do with it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HqAKb03wiYk/VcH0kkev5iI/AAAAAAAAA70/LoT2RGA4nxQ/s1600/de%2Bla%2BRive%2B1894%2Bcover%252C%2Bsharpened.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HqAKb03wiYk/VcH0kkev5iI/AAAAAAAAA70/LoT2RGA4nxQ/s400/de%2Bla%2BRive%2B1894%2Bcover%252C%2Bsharpened.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover of de la Rive's <i>Woman and Child in Universal Freemasonry</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How could a publisher beat that cover for sensationalism? Baphomet pushing the lovely “Eve”
through the Masonic pillars, almost onto the tell-tale mosaic pavement of the Lodge, Eve dressed in a blasphemous parody of a Masonic apron displaying “L”
for Lucifer. The triangle at the top of the cover proclaims Freemasons as “Forerunners
of the Antichrist.” The scrolls on the pillars Jachin and Boaz promise stories
of Lodges of Adoption (that is, Lodges for women) and “Luciferian Triangles,” and
juxtapose stories implying conjugal relations with stories about Masonic
funeral parlors. So: Religion, secret societies <i>within</i> secret societies, sex, and death. When it comes to selling books, it
simply doesn’t get better than that combination. (Is that Dan Brown chuckling that I hear?) Whatever they paid the artist
for the cover illustration, it wasn’t enough.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They must have sold so many copies that it’s no surprise it
came to the attention of Miller in England, or that enough copies were floating
around that, in our day, it’s been made <a href="http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008374893" target="_blank">available online</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In turn, Miller’s <i>Occult
Theocrasy</i> brought de la Rive’s quote from Taxil to the English-speaking
world, where it has been a staple of the fringe area of the conspiracy community
for over 80 years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Taxil’s original book, on the other hand, is just over 100
pages in length—called “a pamphlet” by <a href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/evil/dwf/dwf07.htm" target="_blank">A. E. Waite</a>—and has the most boring cover possible. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N0DfAPfKuhE/VcH16hdNSAI/AAAAAAAAA8A/VyuUw5xifHE/s1600/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N0DfAPfKuhE/VcH16hdNSAI/AAAAAAAAA8A/VyuUw5xifHE/s400/Cover.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover of <i>The Existence of Lodges of Women ... by L</i><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;"><i>é</i></span><i>o Taxil</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My guess is that this book sold relatively poorly. This may
account for its rarity; on WorldCat, an online catalog of the world’s libraries, I was
only able to find two copies in the entire Western hemisphere. (Just to make it
available to scholars, I plan to issue a reprint edition through my Masonic
publishing company, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreeMasonicMedia" target="_blank">Free-Masonic Media. “Like” us on Facebook</a> to receive a notice of its
publication.) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h1>
Conclusion<o:p></o:p></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This discovery glues the origin of the Luciferian doctrine myth
quite firmly to Léo Taxil himself. This myth—a libel on all Freemasons,
actually—is very much alive today. I have some suggestions for what we as
Masons might do about that, which I make in a manuscript currently under
consideration at a major Masonic publication. (Watch this blog for an
announcement of my article’s publication, wherever that might be.) In the meantime,
please feel free to share this blog post with people who still labor under the
burden of ignorance when it comes to the false claim that Masons are Satanists.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- - -<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I invite you to become a “follower” of this blog through the
box in the upper-right hand corner. I also invite you to subscribe to the RSS
feed for this blog.<br />
<br />
Visit the page for “That Freemason Mark” on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThatFreemasonMark" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Visit Mark
Koltko-Rivera’s <a href="http://www.koltkorivera.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
[The <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leo_Taxil.png" target="_blank">image</a> of Léo Taxil originally appeared on
the front page of the French newspaper <i>Le
Frondeur</i>, issue of April 25, 1897, which reported Taxil’s confession. The image
was later reproduced in a German publication, whence it made its way into
Wikipedia Commons. It is in the public domain.]<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>(Copyright 2015 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-38747310754131193862015-05-01T22:25:00.001-04:002015-05-01T22:25:37.479-04:00The Illuminati<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Adam_Weishaupt01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Adam_Weishaupt01.jpg" height="400" width="379" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam Weishaupt, founder of the Bavarian Illuminati</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I write this blog post, it is Friday, May 1<sup>st</sup>. The first day of May is a date that means different things to different people: to some, it is just
a calendar date; to others, a day for folk celebrations of spring and summer.
But May the First is also the anniversary of the founding of an organization
that has proved to be even more famous in its death than during its life, a
group about which more falsehood has been published than perhaps any other. To some, the group is a historical footnote. To others, it is the hidden power behind every throne,
even today—and supposedly the secret masters of the Masonic fraternity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So it is that today’s blog post is, if not in honor, in
acknowledgement of the establishment of that fascinating and sinister
organization: The Bavarian Illuminati, founded on this date in the year 1776.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The group was revolutionary in origin, seeking to overthrow
the power of aristocracy and monarchy in favor of a form of government
resembling democracy<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">—</span>largely through assassination, or so they planned. The group also sought to overthrow the political and
social power of the Roman Catholic Church, in favor of instituting reason and
logic as principles by which to govern the world and educate humankind. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Illuminati were originally known as Perfectabilists,
reflecting their belief that people could achieve a sort of perfection through
rigorous devotion to reason and logic, rather than through supernatural means
(such as the atonement of Christ).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Illuminati was a truly “secret society,” in that it
tried to keep its very existence secret. The Illuminati infiltrated dozens of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Masonic lodges in central Europe,
where they sought to recruit members whom they hoped to lead, through a system
of ritual degree ceremonies resembling Masonry, from a position of belief in
God (a requirement for membership in regular Freemasonry) to a position of
atheism, devoted to the overthrow of monarchy and church. The leadership of the
group believed that, to further this endeavor, any means were justified,
including political assassination.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To understand the Bavarian Illuminati, it is important to
understand the political context of their times. American-style democracy had
not been invented, and people throughout central Europe in particular were
ruled by absolute monarchs who essentially held power of life and death over
the people they governed. Dissent was crushed. In addition, the major church of
the period held a significant degree of political power; in religious matters
as well as political ones, dissent was not tolerated. The emphasis that the
Illuminati placed on freedom of thought and expression was very appealing to
some people, including even members of the aristocracy, and German literary
figures such as Goethe and Herder; reportedly, the Illuminati reached a
membership of about 2,000 during the decade or so of its existence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Illuminati were strong on rhetoric, but weak on action.
They assassinated no one, despite their “ends justify the means” ethics.
However, when their aims became known to the governing authorities, they were
crushed by the rulers of several countries, beginning in 1784. By the early
1790s, for all practical purposes the Illuminati had ceased to exist.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And it was then, after the group known as the Illuminati
died, that it really got to work.</div>
<h1>
<strong><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Strange Afterlife of the Illuminati</span></strong><o:p></o:p></h1>
The late 18th and early 19th centuries were a time of
monumental social change—which meant, not only positive changes like the rise
of democracy, but also social disruption that was experienced very negatively
by many thousands of people. In the mid-18th century, before the Revolutionary
War, many American colonists considered themselves loyal to the British crown;
after the war, thousands of these people left their homes and businesses and moved, to Canada, England, and elsewhere,
leaving behind thousands of relatives and friends who were quite unhappy about
losing their connections.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Loyalists and their
relatives were not the only people who were less than happy with the American
Revolution. A lot of clergy of “established” churches (that is, churches
formerly supported by the government) were troubled by the withdrawal of financial
support, which they took to be an attempt to undermine religion generally.
Overall, many people in the new United States—echoing even greater numbers of
people in Europe, still under the power of Crown and Church—were troubled by
the direction that the new Republic was taking, in denying aristocrats and
clergy their former privileged position in government.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thus arose the rumor
that the inspiration of the new Republic was actually the Illuminati. In the
1790s and thereafter, American clergy preached sermons from their pulpits
against the supposed influence of the Illuminati in the United States. Books
originally published in Europe alleging the ongoing Illuminist conspiracy, such
as John Robison’s <i>Proofs of a Conspiracy</i> (1797), were widely
read in the United States, and fanned the flames of what amounted to hysteria.
The first novel by the first American to make his living as a novelist, Charles
Brockden Brown’s <i>Wieland</i> (and his unfinished <i>Memoirs of
Carwin the Biloquist</i>) involved the role of an Illuminati agent in America
impersonating the voice of God to convince a man to murder his wife and
children. In the real world, Thomas Jefferson himself had to answer charges
that he was an Illuminatus.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It gets better. The
1970s-era <i>Illuminatus!</i> trilogy of novels, by Robert Shea and
Robert Anton Wilson (two editors at <i>Playboy</i> magazine), put forth the rumor that Adam Weishaupt left Europe,
came to the United States, murdered George Washington and actually took
Washington’s place as first President of the U.S. Incredibly enough, there are
those who believe today that this actually happened!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No, it gets even <i>better</i>.
Current proponents of way-out-on-the-fringe conspiracy theories—people like Jim
Marrs, Texe Marrs, and David Icke—say that the modern world is under the secret
control of the Illuminati even today. For Jim Marrs, the Illuminati are
political powers; for Texe Marrs, they are Satanists; for David Icke, they are
reptilian space aliens. (No, I am <i>not</i> making this up.) All
of this is furthered by the appropriation of the name and supposed symbolism of
the Illuminati by some current entertainers, who use it to give themselves the
sheen of power that attaches to the paranoid version of the Illuminist legend.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Illuminati have been the scapegoat of American politics
(and, to some extent, European politics) for the last 200 years. The horrific
excesses of the French Revolution were blamed on the Illuminati. The
suppression of American Freemasonry in the first half of the 19th century was,
in part, based on fear of the Illuminati. In our day, particularly since the
middle of the 20th century, the Illuminati have been blamed for everything from
AIDS and the Great Recession to the flouridation of public drinking water.
(Google “Illuminati” and you'll see what I mean.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And it’s all a pile of hooey. The Illuminati died out in the
late 18th century. They are kept ‘alive’ in the minds of ignorant people today
because we, as a society, have done such a poor job of teaching critical
thinking skills. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a cost to all this wild-eyed attention given to the
Version Two-Point-Paranoid of the Illuminati. By projecting all of society’s
problems onto some supposed All-Powerful Others, people perpetuate the myth
that they themselves are not responsible, either for creating society’s
problems, maintaining them, or trying to solve them. Today, the myth of the
Illuminati lets people off the hook for taking charge—of their lives, of the
political process, of their own destinies.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope that my Masonic brothers will spread the truth about
the Illuminati, and lead the way in following the Enlightenment-era maxim that
should guide all Masons, and all people, “Follow Reason,” in evaluating
conspiracy theories, and in approaching the very real problems that our society
faces.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- - -<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I invite you to become a “follower” of this blog through the
box in the upper-right hand corner. I also invite you to subscribe to the RSS
feed for this blog.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThatFreemasonMark" target="_blank">the “That Freemason Mark” page</a><span style="color: #111111;"> on Facebook.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Visit <a href="http://www.koltkorivera.com/" target="_blank">MarkKoltko-Rivera’s website</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
[The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adam_Weishaupt01.jpg" target="_blank">image </a> of Adam Weishaupt was obtained
through Wikipedia. The artist is unknown, but the image is in the public
domain.]<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>(Copyright 2015 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-53598316569508437302013-03-30T06:48:00.000-04:002013-03-30T19:52:41.682-04:00Mark to present at the American Lodge of Research, 4/1/13: Mormon Temple Ritual and Masonic Initiation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKXdjNfDKBs/UVa71F0LfwI/AAAAAAAAAvI/V89KbUK6UHw/s1600/Masons+n+Mormons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKXdjNfDKBs/UVa71F0LfwI/AAAAAAAAAvI/V89KbUK6UHw/s640/Masons+n+Mormons.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">This coming Monday, April 1<sup>st</sup>, I will be speaking
in New York City on the topic, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Of
Masons and Mormons: The Relationship Between the Masonic Rituals of Initiation
and the Latter-day Saint Temple Ceremonies.”</b> This topic has been the topic
of extremely heated controversy—even violence—for much of the last two
centuries; indeed, it figures into many contemporary anti-Masonic and
anti-Mormon discussions, as a simple internet search will demonstrate. Very
rarely has this matter been addressed by someone who thoroughly understands
both Freemasonry and the Latter-day Saint (LDS) faith. However, I am both a
<a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/about-mark-koltko-rivera/freemason/" target="_blank">Mason</a> and a <a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/about-mark-koltko-rivera/latter-day-saint/" target="_blank">Mormon</a>. I apply my fraternal and faith
backgrounds, as well as my <a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/socialscienceprofessional/" target="_blank">professional background</a> in the psychology of religion and humanistic psychology, to
this matter. I propose what I believe is the first explanation that fits all the
facts of the case—and I will be presenting it live for the first time on April
1<sup>st</sup>. (A Facebook page for the event is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/events/331742026945632/" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Meeting Details<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">This presentation will be made under the auspices of <a href="http://www.americanlodgeofresearch.org/" target="_blank">TheAmerican Lodge of Research (ALR)</a>,
the oldest continually operating Masonic Lodge of Research in the United States
(founded 1931). It will take place at 8 p.m. within the beautiful <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/6259100667/" target="_blank">French Doric Room</a>, on the 10<sup>th</sup>
Floor of Masonic Hall, 71 West 23<sup>rd</sup> Street (just yards east of Sixth
Avenue/Avenue of the Americas) in Manhattan, New York City. The event will take
place within a tiled meeting of the Lodge, and so it is closed to the general
public; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Freemasons of any jurisdiction
in amity with the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, F&AM, are invited
to attend.</b> Such brethren are invited to attend in business suits. Admission is without charge.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(Please note: Attendees are welcome to join the officers of
the Lodge, of whom I am honored to be one of the most junior, for an
on-your-own dinner <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>beforehand</u></b>
at 6 pm at <a href="http://www.sagaponacknyc.com/" target="_blank">Sagaponack</a>, 5 West 22<sup>nd</sup> Street, just
west of Fifth Avenue.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Why This Matters<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">A little over 170 years ago, in March of 1842, the first
Mormon prophet, <a href="http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Smith%2C_Joseph" target="_blank">Joseph Smith, Jr.</a>,
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was made a Mason on sight by the Grand
Master of Freemasons in Illinois. Joseph Smith was aged 36 at the time, and the
Church that he organized had only been in existence for 12 years. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">It is entirely possible that, by the time of his Masonic initiation,
Smith had already seen several Masonic initiation rituals acted out in public
by either seceding Masons or non-Masons, in connection with the preceding fifteen
years of the <a href="http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/morgan_affair.html" target="_blank">Morgan Affair</a> and
the <a href="http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/aqc/morgan.html" target="_blank">Anti-Masonic Episode</a> of
American history. These rituals Smith might have witnessed include the rituals
of the Blue Lodge, the York Rite, and the Scottish Rite, many of which had been
exposed to the public in David Bernard’s 1829 anti-Masonic best-seller, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=QlIZAAAAYAAJ&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank">Light on Masonry</a></i>.(An excellent edition of this exposure, with an extensive
introduction, is available through the Scottish Rite Research Society, <a href="http://www.scottishritestore.org/cgi-php/store.php?search=yes&detail=yes&keywords=david%20bernard%20light%20on%20masonry&item_no=LOM40" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">About seven weeks after his Masonic initiation, Smith conferred
upon a small group of close associates what he called the “endowment” ceremony—as
in ‘endowment of power.’ This ceremony is one of the major rituals conducted in
the Latter-day Saint (LDS) temples around the world even today. (I myself
received the endowment for the first time in the LDS Washington DC Temple,
shown in the lower half of the image above. Of course, the upper half of that
image shows the House of the Temple, the headquarters of the Supreme Council,
33</span><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">°</span></span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">,
of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Southern Jurisdiction of the U.S.A.
Are there connections between the ceremonies recorded in the vaults of the
House of the Temple, and those conducted in the LDS Washington, DC Temple? Good
question.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Since 1842, some people have alleged some sort of connection
between the LDS temple ceremonies and the Masonic rituals of initiation. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Did the Mormons steal from the Masons?</b>
On this question hinge all sorts of issues involving the spiritual integrity,
not only of the LDS faith, but of Freemasonry itself (at least in the eyes of
some people, as I shall explain). In brief, there is much at stake here for
just about everyone in sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I hope to shed more light than heat on these important
issues. Although I have previously addressed some of these matters in a video
presentation sponsored by the <a href="http://vimeo.com/27863838" target="_blank">Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry</a> in August 2011 (now also available on
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/koltkorivera" target="_blank">Youtube</a>), I have more material
to present after a further year and a half of research, and of course the presentation
at ALR will allow for questions and answers, which I expect to illuminating for
all. I hope to see you on Monday evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Incidentally, I shall have with me at the presentation information
about my forthcoming book, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Of Masons and Mormons</i></b>, which
considers these matters at book length. (The book itself will be available
directly from Amazon in the coming weeks.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Finally, I am more than willing to entertain invitations to
speak on this issue in other Masonic venues, and, for that matter, in
Latter-day Saint venues as well. I am easy to contact through my profiles on <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729" target="_blank">Blogger</a>, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/markkoltkorivera/" target="_blank">Linkedin</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkKoltkoRiver" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, through my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Mark-Koltko-Rivera-Writer/134875848276" target="_blank">Facebook writer's page</a>, or through my <a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/contact/" target="_blank">website's Contact page</a>.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">[I must apologize for giving everyone such short notice
about this event. This is a time of professional transition for me, and I
apologize for letting those complications get in the way of my giving the
readers of this blog due and timely notice.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I invite you to become a “follower” of this blog through the
box in the upper-right-hand corner of this page, to be informed of future
posts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I discuss the basics of Freemasonry in my book, <i>Freemasonry:
An Introduction</i>, published by Tarcher/Penguin. (Described <a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/writer/nonfiction/freemasonry/freemasony-an-introduction/" target="_blank">here</a>, available <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/marswri-20" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Mark Koltko-Rivera on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkKoltkoRiver" target="_blank">@MarkKoltkoRiver</a> .</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Visit the “Mark Koltko-Rivera, Writer” <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Koltko-Rivera-Writer/134875848276" target="_blank">page on Facebook</a>.</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Visit Mark
Koltko-Rivera’s <a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(Copyright 2013 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-13203439615333668672013-02-02T15:20:00.000-05:002013-02-03T00:23:45.122-05:00Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl Commercial Links Freemasonry to Satan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c3XZDQjc4MQ/UQ1xD7pMF0I/AAAAAAAAAts/E2-nJs7UwB4/s1600/5+Mercedes-Benz+2013+Super+Bowl+Commercial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c3XZDQjc4MQ/UQ1xD7pMF0I/AAAAAAAAAts/E2-nJs7UwB4/s400/5+Mercedes-Benz+2013+Super+Bowl+Commercial.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Tomorrow, during the fourth quarter of the television broadcast of the Super Bowl,
Mercedes-Benz will officially unveil its commercial for the all-new CLA-class
automobile. It’s a terrific commercial. Unfortunately, it also is a monumental
libel upon Freemasonry.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">You can see the commercial for yourself </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPNr0_6MnDo"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">. The commercial features
the talented Willem Dafoe (shown above) in a great turn as Satan.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">No, Dafoe’s character is never actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">named</i> Satan, but the soundtrack features the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy
for the Devil” (available </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBecM3CQVD8"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">
with lyrics in the notes). More to the point, Dafoe’s character presents the
protagonist with a contract to sign, a contract which has already been executed
under the seal of “the Master of Devils and Demons” (translating the Latin,
seen below). No reasonable person could see the commercial and think that Dafoe’s
character is anyone other than Satan or one of his minions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NeizZMv4zkw/UQ1xhf1IyZI/AAAAAAAAAt0/kk-EP1Da_Dw/s1600/2+Mercedes-Benz+2013+Super+Bowl+Commercial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NeizZMv4zkw/UQ1xhf1IyZI/AAAAAAAAAt0/kk-EP1Da_Dw/s400/2+Mercedes-Benz+2013+Super+Bowl+Commercial.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Here’s the thing: Satan is depicted as wearing a Masonic
ring—on his left ring finger, yet!—easily visible at several points in the
commercial, some of which feature close-up shots of Satan’s hands (two shown
below).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-05fOoLdJiLQ/UQ1xyDzm4sI/AAAAAAAAAt8/3TmHI380ms8/s1600/1+Mercedes-Benz+2013+Super+Bowl+Commercial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-05fOoLdJiLQ/UQ1xyDzm4sI/AAAAAAAAAt8/3TmHI380ms8/s400/1+Mercedes-Benz+2013+Super+Bowl+Commercial.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B5BYn88MLkU/UQ1x7fhbBJI/AAAAAAAAAuM/RtY80hjh59I/s1600/3+Mercedes-Benz+2013+Super+Bowl+Commercial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B5BYn88MLkU/UQ1x7fhbBJI/AAAAAAAAAuM/RtY80hjh59I/s400/3+Mercedes-Benz+2013+Super+Bowl+Commercial.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(The pointy fingernails, à la the Devil in the film <em>Rosemary’s
Baby</em>, are an especially nice touch, don’t you think?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The implication is clear: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mercedes-Benz links Freemasonry to Satan</b>. (Yes, I know, this
particular ring shows that the Devil hasn’t gotten very far in Masonry, but
that’s not the point.) </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">There are, of course, those who would say we should just
ignore this in the spirit of good fun. Except that it’s not good fun to have to
answer to people who think that Freemasons are devil-worshipping Satanists. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Last Wednesday night, I attended the Special Communication
of the </span><a href="http://www.americanlodgeofresearch.org/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">American Lodge of
Research</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">, at Masonic Hall, in New York City. (Facebook page </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/americanlodgeofresearch"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">.) Those in
attendance heard a paper on the topic, “Freemasonry and the Holocaust,” by
Brother C. Moran (which will appear later this year in the published <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Proceedings</i>). During the presentation, I
was struck by the parallels between the situation of the German Masons in the
1930’s, and our Masonic situation today. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">To a surprisingly large extent, these Masons faced the same outrageous
accusations that Masons today are faced with: that Masonry is an international
conspiracy, and so forth. The Taxil hoax occurred only about forty years or so
before the Nazis came to power, and many people throughout Europe believed that
Masons worshipped Lucifer. Sound familiar? All of this helped to create a
climate where thousands of thousands of German and other European Masons would
be imprisoned in concentration camps—and many murdered—by the Nazis during the
Holocaust.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">There are three things you can do to make your displeasure known:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span> </div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
1. Tell Mercedes-Benz Your Thoughts</h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Mercedes-Benz people, knowingly or not, are perpetuating
a dangerous myth by linking Freemasonry with Satan. I think we should complain
about this—in great numbers. The following is the text of the e-mail that I am
sending to Mercedes-Benz through their </span><a href="http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/contact_us/overview"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">online comment form</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> and the Facebook pages for <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/MercedesBenz" target="_blank">Mercedes-Benz</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/mercedesbenzusa" target="_blank">Mercedes-Benz USA</a>. (The latter page, incidentally, allows you to comment specifically about the commercial.)
Feel free to adapt it for your own comment, if you wish:</span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">For the 2013 Super Bowl, Mercedes-Benz sponsored
a television commercial, titled “Soul,” about the new CLA. It features a
character portraying Satan, who clearly wears a Masonic ring in plain sight on
his left ring finger. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">This linking of Freemasonry to Satan is no joke. It was rumors
like this that set the stage for the imprisonment and murders of thousands of
Freemasons in Europe by Nazis during the Holocaust. The false rumor that Freemasons
worship Satan is alive and well among millions of Americans today.
Mercedes-Benz is adding fuel to the fire of that defamation with this
television commercial.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Surely, to sell cars, Mercedes-Benz would not jokingly link Jews
to Satanism (another popular rumor during the Nazi era). It would be good to
not jokingly link Freemasons to Satanism either.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">There are over a million Masons in the United States. Every single one of them is old enough to purchase and drive a car. None of
them is pleased about this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Mark Koltko-Rivera</span></div>
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Master Mason</span></div>
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Winter Park Lodge #239 Free and Accepted Masons (Florida)</span></div>
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The American Lodge of Research (New York)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Incidentally, the Mercedes-Benz Twitter handle is @MercedesBenz . I just tweeted them this: "@MercedesBenz: Why did you go out of your way to de</span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">fame the #Freemasons in your #SuperBowl ad? http://themasonicblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/mercedes-benz-super-bowl-commercial.html" Why not drop Mercedes-Benz a tweet yourself?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
2. Tell the Advertising Agency Your Thoughts</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The people who produced the ad (and made the decisions about what rings Willem Dafoe would be wearing) and who placed the ad in the Super Bowl, and who rung up big billings doing all of this, are the advertising agency, </span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Omnicom Groups' <a href="http://www.merkleyandpartners.com/" target="_blank">Merkley + Partners</a>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">As of late Saturday night, Merkley+Partners is not sounding especially contrite. This is how they responded to one person (Ms. Jacquie Carson) who took issue with the ad on their Facebook page:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
"We always strive to create advertising that’s consistent with both our agency and client values, and we believe the 2013 Me<span id=".reactRoot[31].[1][2][1]{comment472561816127123_4864097}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[31].[1][2][1]{comment472561816127123_4864097}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[31].[1][2][1]{comment472561816127123_4864097}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]">rcedes Superbowl commercial delivers on that promise. It is our position that this commercial is simply a fun, exciting and innovative piece of advertising with the core objective of promoting a vehicle, and has no intention of insulting or offending anyone."</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">So, Merkley+Partners implies (however unintentionally) that misrepresenting Freemasonry as Satanic is consistent with their agency's and their client's values. Beyond that, it doesn't matter to them in the slightest that many Masons, their friends, and their families are insulted and offended by their ad: everything's fine, because they had "no intention of insulting or offending anyone."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">What baloney. These guys deserve our greatest disdain, and they deserve to have that disdain made crystallinely clear. So let's do just that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">T</span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">he advertising agency's</span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> Facebook page is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MerkleyandPartners" target="_blank">here</a>, and this is one way to reach them directly. Other ways include their postal address and telephone number: </span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> 200 Varick Street, 12th Floor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> New York, NY 10014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> Tel. 212-805-7500</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">You can also contact specific individuals by e-mail:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> Mr. Rob Moorman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> Chief Marketing Officer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> <a href="mailto:rmoorman@merkelyandpartners.com">rmoorman@merkelyandpartners.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> Julia Zak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> Assistant Media Planner</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> <a href="mailto:jzak@merkeleyandpartners.com">jzak@merkeleyandpartners.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<h2>
<o:p>3. Tell the Advertising Industry Media Your Thoughts</o:p></h2>
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><o:p>The advertising business loves to hear about how the public perceives advertising. No ads get more attention, of course, than those on the Super Bowl. </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><o:p>As it happens, the industry paper <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://www.adweek.com/news-gallery/advertising-branding/top-10-commercials-week-jan-25-feb-1-146948?page=4&js=1&view_name=news_gallery&view_display_id=node_content_1&view_args=146948&view_path=node%2F146948&view_base_path=node%2F146948&view_dom_id=1&pager_element=0#mercedes-benz-soul-5" target="_blank">Adweek</a> has proclaimed the Mercedes-Benz ad one of the top ten ads of the Super Bowl. Adweek's website for this ad has a comment space, too. Why don't you tell them how you feel about the Mercedes-Benz ad?</span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">- - -</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><strong>UPDATES</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(12:20 a.m. ET, Superbowl Sunday) There is now a <span style="color: red;"><strong>petition</strong></span> on change.org, asking Mercedes-Benz to remove the Masonic ring from the ad. You may sign that petition <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/mercedes-benz-remove-the-masonic-ring-shot-in-your-super-bowl-commercial-titled-soul" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(11:49 p.m. ET Sat. 1/2) This topic has surely struck a nerve--1600+ pageviews of this post in eight hours!--but the real news worth sharing is that, as I had feared, the wild and wooly sector of the conspiracy community has latched on to the Mercedes-Benz ad as a legitimate communication from the Dark-Powers-That-Be, revealing their evil ways. Here is one good example, at <a href="http://vigilantcitizen.com/latestnews/the-2013-mercedes-super-bowl-commercial/" target="_blank">"The Vigilant Citizen" blog</a>--quite looney, but apparently somewhat popular.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Brethren, we need to step up to the plate for our Fraternity. Let's each take these three steps to do so.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">- - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I invite you to become a “follower” of this blog through the
box in the upper-right-hand corner of this page, to be informed of future
posts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I discuss the basics of Freemasonry in my book, <i>Freemasonry:
An Introduction</i>, published by Tarcher/Penguin. (Described <a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/writer/nonfiction/freemasonry/freemasony-an-introduction/" target="_blank">here</a>, available <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/marswri-20" target="_blank">here</a>.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MarkKoltkoRiver" target="_blank">Mark Koltko-Rivera on Twitter: @MarkKoltkoRiver</a> .</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Koltko-Rivera-Writer/134875848276" target="_blank">Visit the “Mark Koltko-Rivera, Writer” page on Facebook.</a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/" target="_blank">Visit MarkKoltko-Rivera’s website.</a> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(Copyright 2013 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-38547887713261358892012-12-27T12:23:00.002-05:002012-12-27T17:17:15.474-05:00The Shrine and the Blue Lodge Come to a Crossroads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g6nGVHUP9lo/UNx5fB8OjYI/AAAAAAAAAs8/4TGdbEK9pow/s1600/Shriners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g6nGVHUP9lo/UNx5fB8OjYI/AAAAAAAAAs8/4TGdbEK9pow/s320/Shriners.jpg" width="248" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wl9WSE3Lre8/UNx8UJ1zxOI/AAAAAAAAAtM/vKZ_HXZ6z1E/s1600/Shriners-pg+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wl9WSE3Lre8/UNx8UJ1zxOI/AAAAAAAAAtM/vKZ_HXZ6z1E/s320/Shriners-pg+2.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<br />
For some time now tension has been building between the Shrine and various Grand Lodges of Craft Masonry, around the issue of the Shrine permitting Masons expelled from their Blue Lodges to continue as Shriners. The basis of the problem, of course, is that, from the Grand Lodge point of view, the Shrine only has authority to initiate Master Masons as Shriners because the Grand Lodge permits this practice. It seems near-universal among Grand Lodges in the U.S. and elsewhere that Grand Lodges claim the privilege of permitting--or withholding permission from--any organization within their boundaries that restricts its membership to Master Masons. This privilege has been the unquestioned perquisite of a Grand Lodge within its own boundaries for well over a century. (I would welcome verifiable information regarding the history of this practice.) Because of this privilege, the Grand Lodge point of view--often codified in Masonic law within a Grand Lodge jurisdiction--is that expulsion from Freemasonry automatically results in expulsion from all other groups requiring Masonic membership, which are called typically "appendant" orders and organizations. It seems that, as of this month, the Shrine has taken a definitive stance against this long-held practice.<br />
<br />
I received today, courtesy of W.'. Brother Cliff Porter, a reproduction of a letter dated December 20, 2012, addressed to the MWGM of South Carolina from Alan W. Madsen, the Imperial Potentate of Shriners International. (The two-page letter is shown above; click on a page for a copy that can be adjusted by size. A .pdf of the letter is available <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/37352880/Test.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
In this letter, the Imperial Potentate of the Shrine indicates that he is limited in what he can do by Shrine Law. Among these limitations, he states, is that he can only expel a Freemason from the Shrine for violating Shrine Law, or conducting himself in a manner unbecoming a Noble of the Order. The Imperial Potentate explicitly states that "there is no authority for an Imperial Potentate to remove expelled Masons from the rolls of Shriners International." The clear implication is that the Shrine simply does not recognize the authority of the Grand Lodge to insist that expelled Masons are automatically expelled from all Mason-exclusive organizations.<br />
<br />
It gets better.<br />
<br />
The Imperial Potentate explicitly states on the second page of the letter that the Shrine <em><strong>is not an appendant body, but is sovereign and independent in its own right</strong></em>. The Imperial Potentate then writes that "Shriners International respectfully requests the Grand Lodge of South Carolina to discontinue ... the use of the words 'appendant' or 'appendant body' to describe the relationship it has with Shriners International."<br />
<br />
This letter was copied to all Grand Lodges, as well as all Shrine temples and all Imperial officers and trustees.<br />
<br />
Well, alrighty then. There seem to be only four possible solutions to this situation:<br />
<ol>
<li>Grand Lodges could drop their claim to final authority over any organization that requires being a Master Mason for membership. This would represent a change in the way that Grand Lodges have thought of themselves for, I would guess, the entire history of Grand Lodge Freemasonry. I think this solution to be about as likely to be implemented as we are likely to see a planet-busting shower of asteroids during the next fifteen minutes or so.</li>
<li>The Shrine International could change its bylaws, in such a way as to submit itself to the authority of a Grand Lodge within that Grand Lodge's jurisdiction. However, given this letter from the Imperial Potentate, I do not think the requisite change in the Shrine's attitude is at all likely to occur.</li>
<li>Neither side budging, the Grand Lodges could simply ban the Shrine from their jurisdictions, and expel Freemasons who continued as Shriners. This is the "everyone loses" scenario, as some Freemasons would resign from Masonry, while others would resign from the Shrine.</li>
<li>The Shrine could simply drop its century-long requirement that membership as a Freemason is a prerequisite to being a Shriner. </li>
</ol>
If anyone sees some resolution to this situation beyond these four choices, they are welcome to mention it in the Comments. For my part, I think that these choices are all we've got.<br />
<br />
My preference: Door Number Four. Yes, some people would leave the Shrine without its Masonic connection, but those individuals would leave under Choice #3 anyway, and Choices #1 and #2 are simply not going to be taken. Yes, some brethren would probably leave their Lodges to be free of the burden of their lodge dues while they continue in the Shrine, but these individuals are only making a token contribution to their lodges anyway. Masons would be free to be Shriners, the same way that they are free to also be members of the Lions Club or Rotary. And one more unproductive point of controversy within Freemasonry will have been resolved, once and for all.<br />
<br />
<em>Copyright 2012 Mark Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce and circulate this content, with full attribution of the author, in non-commercial contexts only.</em><br />
<br />Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-3634396469638245462012-12-21T19:27:00.000-05:002012-12-28T18:49:00.762-05:00Resolution to Revoke Florida's Ruling and Decision No. 3<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Popadia_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Popadia_02.jpg" width="427" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Landmarks are important.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I am very sorry that it has come to this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">In an earlier </span><a href="http://themasonicblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/minority-religions-and-craft-meditation.html"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">post</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">,
I described the Ruling and Decision No. 3 issued late in November by the MW GM of
Florida. This edict essentially bans members of certain minority religions (Pagans
generally; Wiccans and Odinists in particular; Gnostics) as well as Agnostics
from being Freemasonry. This is a problem for me and many other Florida Masons,
because it violates not only the letter of Florida Masonic law (Regulation 31.16,
to be precise), but also the longstanding Landmark of Craft Freemasonry under
which Masons simply do not inquire into the specifics of the particular
religion of a candidate or a brother Mason. What matters is whether or not he
believes in God; beyond that, we do not, as Masons, have requirements or
conduct inquiry. This practice is foundational for establishing the atmosphere
of religious toleration that is part and parcel of regular Freemasonry in North
America and Great Britain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Over the two weeks since I posted my detailed objections to
the Ruling and Decision No. 3 on December 7, I have received a great deal of
support for the idea of revoking R&D3—private comments by e-mail, largely—but
no word has emerged from the Grand Lodge of Florida regarding changing this
policy. Consequently, as a matter of conscience, I must take things to the next
level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Below, I give the text of a Resolution that I will present
to the Grand Lodge, for a vote of the Craft at the next meeting of Grand Lodge
(scheduled, I believe, in late May 2013).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Any Master Mason
with membership within the Grand Lodge of Florida, F&AM, may co-sign this
Resolution</u></b>. Eligible brethren who wish to do so should do the
following:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">On a piece of paper,
please write or type the words, “I co-sponsor this Resolution.”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Sign your full name in
ink. (Only statements with original signatures are acceptable to Grand
Lodge.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Print or type your name,
your Lodge’s name, and your Lodge’s number. (If you are a WM, PM, or hold
another Craft Masonry office, you may indicate that status after your name.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Send your signed statement
to the following address:</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><strike>Mark Koltko-Rivera</strike></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><strike>PO Box 20223</strike></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><strike>New York, NY 10023<o:p></o:p></strike></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><strike>I must <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>receive</u></b>
co-sponsor's original signed statements—which will be submitted to Grand Lodge with the
Resolution—<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>by Thursday, December 27,
2012.</u></b> (Grand Lodge must receive everything from me by Dec. 31<sup>st</sup>.) </strike></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><strike>If a signed statement is mailed to me <em><u>from a Florida Post Office </u></em>even as late as Monday December 24th by 12 noon, via regular mail, it is likely to reach me in time</strike>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><strong>UPDATE (Fri. 12/28/12):</strong> Florida Masons who wish to co-sign at this late date may do so by printing out the resolution itself (<u>only</u> the resolution itself!), signing it in ink, printing their names, lodges, and title (for example, "WM John Smith," or "William Jones, PDDGM"), and sending it <u><strong>on Saturday December 29th</strong></u> from a Florida Post Office to:</span><br />
<strong><span style="color: red; font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span></strong><br />
MW Richard E. Lynn, PGM<br />
Grand Secretary<br />
The MW Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons <br />
of the State of Florida<br />
PO Box 1020<br />
Jacksonville, FL 32201-1020<br />
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I hope to receive signed statements from many eligible co-signers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><strong>RESOLUTION FOR REVOCATION
OF RULING AND DECISION NO. 3<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, “The Grand Lodge … is … the supreme head and
authority of Ancient Craft Masonry in this jurisdiction” (Constitution, Article
V, Section 1), and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, “The Constitution and Regulations of the Most
Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida as set forth and
contained in this Digest [that is, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Digest
of Masonic Law of Florida F. & A. M.</i>] … with the amendments, changes,
alterations and additions thereto which may hereafter be made by jurisdiction
of Grand Lodge, are declared to be the supreme Masonic Law of this Grand Jurisdiction”
(Regulation 1.01), and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, the Most Worshipful Grand Master is delimited in
his power, in that he “may do, order and direct all matters and things which in
his wisdom and judgment may tend to the prosperity of the Craft, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>not
in violation of this Constitution and the Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry</u></i></b>”
(Constitution, Article VI, Section 6, emphasis added), and that fraternal
matters “shall be subject to supervision, direction, and control of the Grand
Master, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>subject to provisions of the Landmarks of Freemasonry and the
Constitutions and Regulations of the Grand Lodge</u></i></b>” (Constitution
Article I, Section 7, emphasis added), and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, the Most Worshipful Grand Master is delimited in
his power in relation to the issuance of Edicts, given that “issuance of
Edicts, Proclamations, Executive Orders, and Dispensations and all such
Fraternal matters … shall be under exclusive control and direction of the Grand
Master,” but said issuance is explicitly “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>subject to the provisions of the
Constitution and Regulations of the Grand Lodge</u></i></b>” (Constitution,
Article I, Section 8, emphasis added), and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Freemasons in
Florida, Jorge L. Aladro, did issue on or about November 28, 2012 the Ruling
and Decision No. 3, and,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, the Ruling and Decision No. 3 states that, in
relation to “Paganism, Wiccan <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">[sic]</i>
and Odinism, and … Agnosticism and Gnosticism,” that “none of the above
mentioned beliefs and practices are compatible with Freemasonry since they do
not believe or practice one or more of the prerequisites to be a candidate for
Masonry”; and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, the Ruling and Decision No. 3 stipulates that “any
member of the Craft that professes to be a member of one of the groups
mentioned above shall tender his resignation or suffer himself to a Trial
Commission whose final outcome will be expulsion”; and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, Florida Masonic Law clearly stipulates that “Belief
in God is the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>only</u></i></b> religious prerequisite of a candidate for
initiation into Masonry, but a Mason is bound by his tenure to obey the moral
law” (Regulation 31.16, emphasis added); and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS, Pagans, Wiccans, Odinists, Gnostics, and even many
so-called Agnostics in fact believe in God, and all of these groups recognize a
moral law; and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS the Ruling and Decision No. 3 violates Regulation
31.16 by making further religious prerequisites of a candidate beyond the
stipulations of Regulation 31.16, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">WHEREAS the Ruling and Decision No. 3 violates a Landmark of
Freemasonry by inquiring into the specifics of a candidate’s or a Mason’s
particular religion, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span>that Ruling and Decision No. 3 be, and be declared, hereby
revoked, rescinded, repealed, and of no force and effect; and, <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span>that all Masonic Trial Commissions currently in
progress pursuant to Ruling and Decision No. 3 be immediately and forthwith
dissolved; and, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span>that all those who were expelled from Freemasonry by
Masonic Trial Commissions pursuant to Ruling and Decision No. 3 are hereby and herewith
restored to the rights, benefits, and privileges of Freemasonry, subject to the
unanimous consent of each such individual’s respective Lodge, as in cases of a
ballot for membership, per our Constitution (Constitution Article V, Section 3),
but without need for the Lodge to convene an Investigation Committee, or
conduct a criminal background investigation, or require payment of any fees but
dues; and, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span>that all those who resigned from Freemasonry pursuant
to Ruling and Decision No. 3 be permitted without prejudice to petition for
readmission to their respective Lodges, subject to the unanimous consent of
each such individual’s respective Lodge, as in cases of a ballot for membership,
but without need for the Lodge to convene an Investigation Committee, or
conduct a criminal background investigation, or require payment of any fees but
dues; and, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span>that Florida Masonry hereby declares its eternal
devotion to the religious toleration that is one of the immoveable and Ancient
Landmarks of Freemasonry, never to be changed by any man or group of men.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Respectfully submitted,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(signature)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Bro. Mark E. Koltko-Rivera, M</span><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">\</span></span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">M</span><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">\</span></span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> — <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Winter Park Masonic Lodge No. 239 F. & A.
M.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">- - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I invite you to become a “follower” of this blog through the
box in the upper-right-hand corner of this page, to be informed of future
posts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I discuss the basics of Freemasonry in my book, <i>Freemasonry:
An Introduction</i>, published by Tarcher/Penguin. (Described </span><a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/writer/nonfiction/freemasonry/freemasony-an-introduction/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">,
available </span><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/marswri-20"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Mark Koltko-Rivera on Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MarkKoltkoRiver" target="_blank"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">@MarkKoltkoRiver</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">
.</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The “Mark Koltko-Rivera, Writer” page on Facebook: </span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Koltko-Rivera-Writer/134875848276"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Koltko-Rivera-Writer/13487584827</span></a></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Visit </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/editor/static_files/www.MarkKoltkoRivera.com"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">www.MarkKoltkoRivera.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">[The </span><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Popadia_02.jpg"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">image</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> shows a
landmark or boundary stone in Popadia, within Gorgany, on the pre-World War II
border between Poland and Czechoslovakia. It is a photo taken by Tomasz Kuran
(a.k.a. Meteor017) on August 16, 2006. It was obtained from Wikimedia Commons,
and appears here under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, and the
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(Copyright 2012 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-60915563585633785742012-12-07T04:54:00.001-05:002012-12-10T12:55:45.557-05:00Minority Religions and the Craft (Revised!):A Meditation Upon Ruling and Decision No. 3 (GM/GL/FL, 11/28/2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QRU2K2lFcvQ/UMG6EsmqjMI/AAAAAAAAAsA/WKI3giEhNWA/s1600/coexist+4+Eoghan+Ballard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QRU2K2lFcvQ/UMG6EsmqjMI/AAAAAAAAAsA/WKI3giEhNWA/s400/coexist+4+Eoghan+Ballard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">It is becoming widely known throughout the Masonic world
(courtesy of such diligent sources as Christopher Hodapp’s most excellent </span><a href="http://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2012/12/gm-of-florida-expels-wiccans-gnostics.html"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">)
that recently the Grand Master of Florida issued a </span><a href="http://www.glflamason.org/documents/Monthly%20Mail/11-Nov/2012/3%20Grand%20Master's%20Ruling%20and%20Decision%20No%20%203%20Religion.pdf"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Ruling
and Decision</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> that effectively expels followers of “Paganism, Wiccan (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sic</i>) and Odinism, and … Agnosticism and
Gnosticism” from Freemasonry, within his jurisdiction. In this blog post, I
analyze the logic of this Ruling and Decision, and render my own opinion on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Let’s get one thing right out in the open from the
beginning. Although I now reside in New York City, I am indeed a Freemason
under the jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most
Worshipful </span><a href="http://www.glflamason.org/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Grand Lodge of Free and
Accepted Masons of Florida</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">. I was raised a Master Mason in </span><a href="http://www.winterparklodge.org/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Winter Park Lodge #239</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">, F&AM, in
Florida. Thus, here I am taking issue, and publicly, with the logic of a
position taken by my own Grand Master. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">It is important to understand that I am <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>not</u></i> disputing the Grand Master’s authority. However, as a
Free and Accepted Mason, the ancient traditions of the Craft give me every
right to take issue with the logic of any man’s statements, including those of my
own Grand Master; any departure from this standard would make of Masonry a
religion, and an absolutist, authoritarian religion at that. If any person or
persons, especially under the Masonic jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of
Florida, wishes to dispute that, on the authority of written Masonic
regulation, they are welcome to bring that to my attention using the Comment
space below. (Anonymous authorship of detracting comments, of course, will be
interpreted as evidence of cowardice.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><strong>Revisions as of December 10, 2012</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Overall, I have been deeply gratified by the show of support for my ideas, both throughout the U.S. and abroad. During the last three days, I have communicated with many brethren who have brought several concerns to my attention. Some of these concerns require me to revise the post, as I note below, although not all revisions are specially marked.</span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Text of the Ruling and Decision<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The following was issued over the signature of the Most
Worshipful Jorge L. Aladro, Grand Master of Freemasons in the Grand Lodge of
Florida, as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ruling and Decision No. 3</i>,
dated November 28, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">[Beginning of quote:]</span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The question has arisen if certain religious practices are
compatible with Freemasonry, primarily Paganism, Wiccan and Odinism, and
secondarily Agnosticism and Gnosticism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Article XIII – LANDMARKS AND
CERTAIN LAWS OF FREEMASONRY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1in;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Section 2. The Most Worshipful Grand
Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida hereby recognizes, as being
Landmarks of Freemasonry, the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Palatino Linotype";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">a)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">A belief in the existence of one ever living and
true God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Palatino Linotype";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">b)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">A belief in the immortality of the human soul
and a resurrection thereof to a Future Life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Palatino Linotype";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">c)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Volume of the Sacred Law, open upon the
altar, is an indispensable furnishing of every regular Lodge while at labor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1in;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><b>Regulation 1.02 </b>Masonic Law is
a rule of fraternal conduct, and applies only to the moral and fraternal
rectitude of its members. It is based upon the law of Divine Revelation,
therefore, any<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1in;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">covenant, affirmation, declaration,
assumption, prescription, or requirement derogatory thereto, or in conflict therewith,
is void. Hence the precept, “a Mason is bound by his tenure to obey the </span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">moral law.”………….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Excerpt from THE CHARGES OF A FREEMASON<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">THE GENERAL HEADS, VIZ.: – I . OF GOD AND RELIGION.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I. CONCERNING GOD AND RELIGION<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1in;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">“A Mason is obliged, by his tenure, to
obey the moral law; and if he rightly understands the art, he will never be a
stupid Atheist, nor an irreligious libertine.”……….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Therefore, as Grand Master, it is my Ruling and Decision that
none of the above mentioned beliefs and/or practices are compatible with Freemasonry
since they do not believe or practice one or more of the prerequisites to be a
candidate for Masonry listed above. Further, any member of the Craft that
professes to be a member of one of the groups mentioned above shall tender his
resignation or suffer himself to a Trial Commission whose final outcome will be
expulsion since there is no provision to allow anything contrary to the Ancient
Landmarks. Furthermore, Freemasonry prohibits the change of any of the Ancient
Landmarks, and its members admit that it is not in power of any man, or body of
men, to make innovations in the body of Masonry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">[End of quote.]</span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Logic of the Ruling and Decision<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Both the unstated assumption that underlies the Ruling and
Decision, and the interpretations it seems to make of the Landmarks of the
Craft, present logical problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h2 style="margin: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.25in;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Underlying Assumption of the Ruling and Decision<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Underlying the entire Ruling and Decision is the unstated
assumption that the Grand Master can presume to rule on whether membership
within a given religious group is acceptable for the Freemasons in his
jurisdiction. This is a perilous and highly mistaken assumption. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">One of Freemasonry’s most distinctive
landmarks is its religious tolerance.</b> Without this, it can be argued, only
the outward form of Freemasonry exists, not its true spirit or morality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The month after I was raised a Master Mason, I and my fellow
newly made Masons met with a group of three Past Masters, who bestowed upon us
“the Master Mason briefing”: instruction in Masonic values and custom. To
expand on this oral instruction, the PMs gave us a series of booklets, approved
by the Grand Lodge for Masonic instruction. Here I quote from one of these—in particular,
the one given to men <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i> they are
even initiated:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Landmarks</span></b></div>
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">They signify that in Masonry which is essential to its identity.
To do away with them is to do away with Masonry. …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">… [E]ven a Grand Lodge of the Fraternity itself as a whole
cannot change these Landmarks! If a Grand Lodge were to change them, it would
destroy itself because there would no longer be any Masonry left and there
cannot be a Grand Lodge of Masonry if there be no Masonry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">… [N]o political discussion can be brought into our assemblies.
Were this abolished, our organization would be taken captive by some political
or social party and would perish at the first radical turnover of political
power; and while it lasted it would be the servant of some power outside itself
without the ability to regulate and control its own existence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">To the same effect is the ancient law <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>forbidding that a candidate or
Brother shall be questioned as to his particular mode of religious faith</u></i></b>
and also that no sectarian matters shall intrude within a Lodge. Just as it
would mean the ultimate destruction of Freemasonry if it were to make itself
over into the hands of a political party, so would it mean its death sooner or
later to surrender itself to one particular religious Faith or belief. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">[Source: pp. 4-6 (emphasis added) of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Booklet No. 1: The Lodge System of Masonic Education</i>, “Prepared by
the Grand Lodge of Florida through the Committee on Masonic Education for the
use of the Subordinate Lodges and their members per Regulation 37.18”; revised
1994, reprint 1994.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">One of the most important of all our Landmarks is that which
forbids us to participate, as Masons, in any form of religious or political
sectarianism. We cannot question a candidate as to his peculiar [that is,
particular] beliefs in religion or politics; we cannot discuss such matters in
any of our assemblies, and we cannot take any kind of public action with regard
to them in the name of the Craft. [Same source, p. 10.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Grand Lodge of Florida thus recognizes—or at least it
once did—that one of the ancient laws and landmarks of Freemasonry forbids a
Brother to be “questioned as to his particular mode of religious faith.” Thus,
putting a Brother’s Masonic membership in jeopardy if he is a member of a
Wiccan, Odinist, other Pagan, or Gnostic group—each one a “particular mode of
religious faith”—is not only forbidden by the ancient Landmarks, but, as the
instruction I received put it, such a practice would “mean the ultimate
destruction of Freemasonry.” (For Agnostics, see section below.)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I agree completely. Freemasonry was established in the
American British colonies by a collection of Deists, Anglicans, non-conforming
Christians (including Catholics, Methodists, Congregationalists, and Baptists),
Jews, and others, who put religious tolerance very high in the roster of
Masonic values. To lose that vision is to lose Freemasonry itself. Worse yet,
it diminishes Freemasonry’s vision of religious tolerance at precisely that
moment in human history when the world needs it the most. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h2 style="margin: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.25in;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Meaning of the Quoted Landmarks<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Ruling and Decision explicitly gives as a rationale some
excerpts from the Masonic Law of Florida. Looking at these excerpts in detail raises
serious questions about the logic of the Ruling and Decision (hereafter
R&D).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">One problem is that the landmarks quoted in the R&D are
a mixture of three very different types of landmarks. Item (a)—as noted
above, the belief in God—is a requirement of a <em>candidate for Freemasonry</em>, and in Florida is <em>the <u>only</u> actual religious requirement </em>of a candidate (see below). Item (b), the belief in the immortal soul and resurrection, is <u>not </u>actually a requirements of a candidate for
Freemasonry in Florida (see below). Item (c), regarding the Volume of the Sacred Law (VLS) open
upon the altar, is a requirement for the behavior of a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Masonic Particular Lodge</i>. We certainly do not require that
candidates have an altar in their homes with a copy of the VLS open upon it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Of course I fully accept these as Landmarks of the Craft.
However, their application in the R&D is very problematic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">A. Belief in the Supreme Being<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The quoted Landmark requires that the candidate hold “a
belief in the existence of one ever living and true God. This is not negotiable, nor should it be. Indeed, this is the <em>only</em> religious requirement for a candidate to be eligible for initiation, as stated in Regulation 31.16 (<em>Digest of Masonic Law in Florida</em>, page 257; see below). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Although the R&D
does not specify where this is a problem with regard to the belief systems
noted, I think I can see what the rationale was here. You see, most of these
belief systems (except Agnosticism) have forms that believe in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more</i> than one Supreme Being:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Some Wiccans believe in
one Goddess, others in a Goddess and a God or multiple Goddesses and Gods.
(Some dislike the term “goddess” for a female god; as a female Wiccan friend of mine once put it, “the
word ‘goddess’ brings out the terroristess in me.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pace ad omnes.</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Odinists tend to accept
the Gods of the ancient Norse mythos, which are several.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The term “Pagan” is quite
general, including followers of revived Egyptian, Greek, and Roman faiths,
as well as the lesser-known faiths of the Celts. All of these groups
believe in multiple gods, as do some groups with thoroughly modern roots,
such as those based on H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Gnosticism is an umbrella
term for a very wide range of beliefs. Most modern Gnostic groups are essentially
esoteric forms of Christianity that represent only one supreme God. Others
lean more towards a belief in more than one god.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The point at issue is, what is the spirit of the Landmark?
Do we require that candidates believe in one <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and only one</i> God? If so, that would exclude the world’s half-billion
male Hindus from becoming Freemasons, and the hundreds of regular Masonic
lodges within the </span><a href="http://www.masonindia.org/index.htm"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Grand Lodge of
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of India</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> might take some exception to
that. Hindu Freemasons have been initiated into regular Masonic lodges in India
</span><a href="http://www.masonindia.org/index10.html"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">since 1857</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">For that matter, adherents of the Shinto religion in Japan believe in very many gods; well do I remember seeing their many temples when I lived in south-central Japan some years ago. Banning adherents of Shinto from Freemasonry might raise concerns with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Most-Worshipful-Grand-Lodge-of-Japan/192499767459055" target="_blank">Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Japan</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Indeed, the
world of regular Freemasonry made peace with the issue of initiating Brethren
who believe in more than one God generations ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">B. Belief in the Immortal Soul and Resurrection<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(Note: This section heavily revised throughout.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Landmark quoted above in the R&D seems to imply that a
candidate must hold “a belief in the immortality of the human soul and a
resurrection thereof to a Future Life.” However, it is not explicitly stated in the Landmark that this is a belief required of the candidate. I find two things of interest in this regard:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">First, the actual regulations of the Florida Grand Lodge state the following (Regulation 31.16, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Digest</i>,
p. 257) :<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><div class="block" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">31.16</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Belief in God is the only religious prerequisite of a candidate for
initiation into Masonry, but a Mason is bound by his tenure to obey the moral
law.<u><o:p></o:p></u></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
This regulation is clear and unambiguous. The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>only</u></i></b>
religious prerequisite—and I stress that the legal meaning of “only” is
universally acknowledged in the civil law to be utterly exclusive in nature—is
belief in God (the earlier of the two phrases of Regulation 31.16). This could refer to belief in a
single Deity, multiple Deities, or Deity as conceived in either Theist or Deist
terms. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Second, it is important to note that the Florida Petition for the degrees of Freemasonry state only that the candidate must believe in a Supreme Being. No mention is made of a belief in immortality or a resurrection to a Future Life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The conclusion is inescapable: nothing prohibits from Freemasonry men who do not believe in the immortality of the soul or a future resurrection. There are a lot of people who believe in God, but also believe that "when you die, that's it." It's plain and simple, as far as the Florida Masonic Regulations are concerned: Such men can be Freemasons, as far as the religious qualifications are concerned.</div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
<h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">C. The Volume of the Sacred Law<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">As I pointed out above, the Landmark involving the VLS is a
requirement of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lodge</i> behavior and
ceremonial, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not individual conduct</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">One wonders if the real problem here is that the groups
under consideration here may use in their religious devotions a sacred book
that is not the Christian Bible. The Wiccans, for example, may use a version of
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book of Shadows</i> during their
ceremonial. (There are popular versions available from </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grimoire-Green-Witch-Complete-Shadows/dp/0738702870/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354863941&sr=1-2&keywords=book+of+shadows"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Ann
Moura</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> and </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Solitary-Witch-Ultimate-Shadows-Generation/dp/0738703192/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354863941&sr=1-4&keywords=book+of+shadows"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Silver
Ravenwolf</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">, among others.) Although there is no Odinist equivalent of the
Bible, in many such groups there is special attention given to the Elder and
Younger <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saemund-Sigfusson-Younger-Snorre-Sturleson/dp/1470056208/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354864087&sr=1-3&keywords=eddas"><span style="color: #004c99;">Eddas</span></a></i>.
Pagan groups from Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Celtic traditions vary widely in
what they conside sacred texts—but, for the most part, they have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">something</i>. Many Gnostic groups revere the
Christian Bible, as well as other ancient gnostic wisdom texts, such as those
found in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nag-Hammadi-Scriptures-Translation-Complete/dp/0061626007/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354863830&sr=1-1&keywords=gnostic+scriptures"><span style="color: #004c99;">The
Nag Hammadi Scriptures</span></a></i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gnostic-Scriptures-Translation-Annotations-Introductions/dp/0300140134/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354863830&sr=1-2&keywords=gnostic+scriptures"><span style="color: #004c99;">The
Gnostic Scriptures</span></a></i>. (Agnostics, of course, do not meet in an organized
group for religious worship, nor do they have sacred texts.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">So they may not use the Christian Bible. So what? All of
that is a matter of private religion, concerning which Freemasonry may not
inquire. I have been present at Masonic initiation in a time-venerated regular
Masonic lodge where the altar held, in addition to the open Christian Bible as
the VLS, open candidate copies of the Jewish Tanakh, the Muslim Koran, a
Buddhist sutra, and the Tao Te Ching—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">simultaneously</i>.
(This is quite the active and growing lodge, I might add.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The point is that the candidate should look to some
text <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that
he</i></b> holds sacred, something <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">outside</i>
of himself, for spiritual guidance. Members of all of the noted groups do that
(excepting the agnostics). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><end of="of" quotation="quotation"><o:p></o:p></end></span><br /></div>
<br />
<h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">D. Divine Revelation and the Moral Law<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The R&D goes on to quote Regulation 1.02 of the Florida
Masonic Law, to the effect that the Mason is bound to obey the moral law as
“based upon the law of Divine Revelation.” Clearly this must mean Divine
Revelation as recognized <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">by the candidate</i>,
and most of the groups above (again, except agnostics) accept <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">something</i> as communicated by God or Gods
to humankind, directly or indirectly, thus constituting some sort of Divine
Revelation. I have indicated above the sorts of writings that are considered
sacred texts in these traditions; these texts typically have explicit or
implicit statements of ethics and morality. In several of these traditions,
there are active discussions of ethics and morality. (See, for example,
Chapters 18 and 19 in Scott Cunningham’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Living-Wicca-Practitioner-Llewellyns-Practical/dp/0875421849/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354864385&sr=1-1&keywords=living+wicca#_"><span style="color: #004c99;">Living
Wicca</span></a></i>.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">One point subtly alluded to in the R&D involves the term
“moral law.” Some Masonic jurisdictions follow the principle laid down by
Brother Albert Mackey in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Principles
of Masonic Law</i>, that the phrase “moral law” simply means the Ten
Commandments. (See <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Principles of
Masonic Law</i>, Book Third, Chapter I, Section I, “Of the Moral Qualifications
of Candidates,” available </span><a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Principles_of_Masonic_Law/Chapter_XI"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">,
courtesy of Wikisource.) Although Gnostics typically revere the Christian Bible
and thus hold themselves accountable to the Ten Commandments, this would not
likely be the position of Wiccans, Odinists, or other Pagans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">However, this is an interpretive dead end. If we take the
position that all candidates must believe and follow the Ten Commandments, then
we must recognize that this explicitly excludes from Freemasonry anyone who is
not a Jew or a Christian. In the modern Jewish tradition, the First Commandment
is what is often treated as a prelude to the Ten Commandments by Christian
churches. It is the text of Exodus 20:2, and it states, in the King James
Version: “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” The word translated “LORD” by the King
James translators is the Hebrew word known as the Tetragrammaton, the
four-letter name of God, never to be pronounced. (The word is sometimes
translated as the name “Yahweh” in more recent Bible translations.) Of course,
people who follow Wicca, Odinism, or other Pagan groups—any non-Jewish and
non-Christian religion, really—do not worship Yahweh, and so cannot keep the
Ten Commandments in their fulness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">But this is not really a problem for regular Freemasonry,
either. Mackey’s writings about the moral law are entirely his own opinion, and
are not binding on Freemasonry or Freemasons. Regular Freemasonry has long had
no problem initiating Muslims and others who do not accept the Christian Bible
as their authoritative moral and religious guide. (Again, what matters is that
the candidates has <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some</i> authoritative
moral and religious guide.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">In sum, there is no reason to exclude followers of Wicca,
Odinism, most other Pagan groups, or Gnosticism from Freemasonry, on the basis
of the clauses of Florida Masonic Law dealing with Divine Revelation and the
moral law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">On Agnosticism</span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">[Note: This section heavily revised.]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Agnosticism needs to be treated separately, because it
covers so much ground. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The technical sense of being an “agnostic” means someone who does not take a position on whether God exists or not. Even in this technical sense, an “agnostic” may take a position anywhere along a wide
spectrum of opinion concerning the existence of God, ranging from “hey, who knows?”
all the way to the viewpoint that, <em>even in principle</em>, it is impossible to know
whether or not God exists. (For this latter position, see Leslie Stephens’ 1876 “An Agnostic’s Apology,”
available </span><a href="http://archive.org/details/agnosticsapology00step"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Being a Freemason requires an affirmative belief in a
Supreme Being—not a firm conviction, not a firm knowledge, not personal
revelation, but a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">belief</i>. A man must
take this much of a stand to fulfill the religious requirements of being a
Freemason. Regardless of the label placed on a man’s belief system, if he
cannot offer that affirmative belief, then he cannot be a candidate for
Freemasonry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">None of this is controversial; it has been the practice of
American Freemasonry for over two centuries. However, there is one important catch with which I was not familiar when I first wrote this piece:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><strong><u><em>Lots of “agnostic” men believe in God.</em></u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">It has been pointedly brought to my attention that, for a lot of men in the street (as opposed to folks in the social science lab), they call themselves “agnostic” for a number of reasons, even thought they actually believe in God. Some reasons:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">They don't think it's possible to <em>prove</em> logically that God exists, even though they <em>believe</em> God exists.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">They have a belief, but not a burning conviction or some kind of mental certainty.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">They feel that God is beyond any merely human attempt at description.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I could go on. This whole issue shows one reason why it is important for Masonry to stay away from judging potential candidates or brethren by religious labels in the first place: different people mean different things by these labels. Florida needs to return to the classic Masonic position: We inquire whether the candidate believes in God, <strong><em>and the religious questioning stops there</em></strong>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Another </span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">odd thing is that the R&D even refers to Agnosticism
as a “religious practice.” There is no Agnostic Church. (What would they
worship, you ask? Hey, I don't know ….) There are no agnostic religious rituals or
sacred texts. Overall, it’s just odd to see Agnosticism lumped in with other
groups that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> religious practices.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Here again, Agnostics should not be banned from Masonry just on the basis of that label. It's a matter of belief in God, not a religious label.</span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Summary<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">[Note: this section revised.] </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The logic
presented by the R&D with regards to followers of Wicca, Odinism, Paganism
generally, Gnosticism, and even Agnosticism, is deeply flawed. To summarize these flaws:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">All of
followers of Wicca, Odinism, Paganism generally, and Gnosticism--and even many of those who describe themselves as Agnostics--believe in God. They
may believe in the existence of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more</i>
than one—not always the case, especially with Gnostics or God-believing Agnostics—but the belief in a
plurality of gods was not a problem for regular Freemasonry when it came
to initiating Hindus or Shintoists, and so it should not be a problem when it comes to
other faiths.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">According to Florida Regulation 31.16, "<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Belief in God is the only religious prerequisite
of a candidate for initiation into Masonry.</span>"<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">“The Volume of the Sacred
Law, open upon the altar,” is a requirement for a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lodge</i>, not an individual.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">What’s the Real Problem?<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">In so many aspects of the social world, there is the surface
communication, and there is the deeper level of communication. The R&D is
no exception. So what is really at issue here? I have the sense, from reading
some of what others have written about this issue, and from my own experience
with Freemasonry and Freemasons, that there is a great deal of discomfort in
some quarters with the rise of belief systems in the United States that are
other than Protestant (and, to some extent, Catholic) Christianity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">And this is certainly the case with today’s America. The
National Council of Churches </span><a href="http://www.ncccusa.org/news/120209yearbook2012.html"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">reported</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> that “virtually
all mainline denominations” of Christianity—the Catholics, Baptists, Methodists,
Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians—declined in membership in 2010 (the
most recent year for which figures are available). With especially Asian immigration to America, non-Christian
religious groups are on the rise, and heaven knows that the subject of immigration
has a long history of bringing out the ugly in the American psyche. Although
quite tiny, groups in the Wiccan, Odinist, other Pagan, and Gnostic traditions
are also on the rise. All of this is discomfiting in the extreme to those who
wish to maintain the status quo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">What Is To Be Done?<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Thing is, we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can’t</i>
maintain the status quo. The religious composition of America is going to
change; it’s only a matter of how, and when (both subjects of lively debate in
religious studies circles). What regular Freemasonry in America can do is
either to stay true to its heritage of religious tolerance, or allow itself to
be co-opted by those who wish to use it for their own religious ends. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I say that we stay true to our heritage. In that spirit, I
call on the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Freemasons in Florida to rescind
his own Ruling and Decision No. 3. I invite all
Florida Masons to join with me in calling for the same. <span style="color: red;"><strong>(Those Florida Masons who wish to put this into the form of a Resolution should make themselves known through a message sent to </strong></span><a href="mailto:rescindrnd3@yahoo.com"><span style="color: red;"><strong>rescindrnd3@yahoo.com</strong></span></a><span style="color: red;"><strong> .)</strong></span> It is no shame to admit
error; there is terrible shame in considering oneself above error.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">What About Me?<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">So why am I getting so exercised about this? Frankly, that’s
no one’s business: My position should be judged on its merits, not on the
personal characteristics of its author. But because I don’t wish to be bothered
about this privately, and many times, I will open up here about my personal
stake in all of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I don’t have one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I don’t have a horse in this race. I am a Christian who
believes in the existence of the ever-living and true God. I believe in the
immortality of the human soul, and in the literal, physical resurrection of the
soul into a Future Life. I hold the Christian Bible to be sacred scripture. I
firmly believe in following the Ten Commandments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Specifically, I am a member of </span><a href="http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">. Yes, you may know us as the </span><a href="http://mormon.org/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Mormons</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">,
and we do have our distinctive beliefs about divinity and scripture. In
Florida, for years I taught the Bible in Sunday School at the LDS congregations
in </span><a href="https://secure.lds.org/units/home/1,9781,600-1-7-189995,00.html"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Winter
Park</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> and </span><a href="https://secure.lds.org/units/home/1,9781,600-1-7-189987,00.html"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Goldenrod</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">
near Orlando. These days I attend the </span><a href="https://secure.lds.org/units/home/1,9781,600-1-7-48313,00.html"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Manhattan
First Ward</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> (LDS congregation), where I help people with family history, and
occasionally substitute-teach in church classes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">In brief, I am not directly touched by the R&D. So why
is the R&D such an issue for me? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Because I am a Freemason. The core values of Freemasonry,
including religious toleration, are very important to me. The R&D as it is
written is a threat to the long history of Masonic religious toleration. It is
thus a threat to the integrity of the Fraternity, and might even invite unpleasant
discussions involving withdrawal of recognition (the atomic bomb of Masonic
polity) from other Masonic jurisdictions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">You might think that unlikely. Guess again. Something very
much like this happened with the Grand Lodge of Utah back in 1984. For many
years, the GL of Utah forbade Latter-day Saints from becoming Freemasons, and
forbade LDS Masons from other jurisdictions to visit Utah lodges. Some other
Grand Lodges took issue with this, not because they were loaded with Mormons—no
Grand Lodge is—but because this exclusionary stance was a fundamental breach of
Masonic values. The GL of Utah blinked and changed its policies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">It’s only a matter of time until a Wiccan, Odinist, other Pagan,
or Gnostic Freemason—they certainly exist—from some other jurisdiction winds up
getting banned from visiting a Florida lodge. They’ll complain to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their</i> Grand Lodge, and soon enough we
all go to Masonic DEFCON 1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I don’t want that to happen, either. Again, I appeal to MW
Grand Master Aladro to rescind Ruling and Decision No. 3. And I invite all
Florida Masons to join in that appeal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">- - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I invite you to become a “follower” of this blog through the
box in the upper-right-hand corner of this page, to be informed of future
posts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">I discuss the basics of Freemasonry in my book, <i>Freemasonry:
An Introduction</i>, published by Tarcher/Penguin. (Described </span><a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/writer/nonfiction/freemasonry/freemasony-an-introduction/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">,
available </span><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/marswri-20"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Palatino Linotype;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">, and Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Freemasonry-An-Introduction/113001548773428?ref=hl" target="_blank">here</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Mark Koltko-Rivera on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkKoltkoRiver" target="_blank">@MarkKoltkoRiver</a> .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The "Mark Koltko-Rivera, Writer" page on Facebook<span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Koltko-Rivera-Writer/134875848276"><span style="color: #004c99;">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Koltko-Rivera-Writer/13487584827</span></a></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Visit </span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.markkoltkorivera.com/" target="_blank">www.MarkKoltkoRivera.com</a> .</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">[The image that opens this post appears courtesy of Eoghan Ballard.]</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">(Copyright 2012 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights
Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> </span></o:p></div>
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-7043418196605811732012-02-03T01:37:00.002-05:002012-02-03T01:38:49.331-05:00Brother Mark the Featured Guest on 21st Century Radio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n27FG8l7Tgc/Tyt_1bCc90I/AAAAAAAAAl0/UzRfXQXH63o/s1600/ListenLiveNew.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n27FG8l7Tgc/Tyt_1bCc90I/AAAAAAAAAl0/UzRfXQXH63o/s400/ListenLiveNew.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I am the featured guest on Dr. Bob Hieronymous' <em>21st Century Radio</em> show this Sunday, February 5th, 8 pm-10 pm (Eastern). The show is broadcast live, and can be listened to over the Internet at <a href="http://21stcenturyradio.com/">http://21stcenturyradio.com/</a> . The topics for the evening; Freemasonry and the Statue of Liberty, and conspiracy theories concerning them. We'll also discuss those friendly folks at the New Apostolic Reformation, some of whom wish to demolish the Statue as a 'pagan idol.' (No, I'm not making this up.)</div>
<br />
Come tune in. Shows are archived, so you can also listen in later.Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-62736648199817845782011-12-07T16:46:00.000-05:002011-12-07T16:46:24.134-05:00Mysterious ancient markings in Jerusalem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VVxP7uTAsjQ/Tt_eI9Evi5I/AAAAAAAAAk8/yQVqWqm_lO0/s1600/Jerusalem+marks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VVxP7uTAsjQ/Tt_eI9Evi5I/AAAAAAAAAk8/yQVqWqm_lO0/s400/Jerusalem+marks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I'm just going to post this and let you draw your own conclusions: The Associated Press has posted a <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/experts-stumped-ancient-jerusalem-markings-071348189.html">story</a> titled, "Experts stumped by ancient Jerusalem markings."<br />
<br />
As the man said: "Those who speak, do not know; those who know, do not speak."Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-39326478475366278382011-09-11T02:27:00.001-04:002011-09-11T03:26:38.494-04:00A Talk on Freemasonry for a General Audience:Appearance at Masonic Hall NYC on Wednesday 9/14<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PsJ0uyR2dbA/TmxTG7Y4t-I/AAAAAAAAAj8/g5eqC-Vb2kc/s1600/Renaissance_Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" nba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PsJ0uyR2dbA/TmxTG7Y4t-I/AAAAAAAAAj8/g5eqC-Vb2kc/s640/Renaissance_Room.jpg" width="496" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Renaissance Room, Masonic Hall, New York City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I do not often get the opportunity to speak about Freemasonry before a general audience, but I have such an opportunity coming up this week. <br />
<br />
On Wednesday evening, September 14th, I will be speaking at Joseph Warren-Gothic Lodge No. 934 in New York City on the topic, “The Mysteries of Freemasonry (Some Assembly Required).” <strong>Masonic membership is not required to attend. This is an event for Masons and non-Masons, men and women. Admission is without charge; reservations are not required for the presentation itself.</strong> (Concerning after-presentation refreshment, see below.)<br />
<br />
<u>Topic</u>: For centuries, rumor has had it that the Freemasons are in possession of deep mysteries. <em><strong>This is entirely true.</strong></em> In this presentation, I explain just what the true Masonic mysteries are. But be advised: these mysteries “require some assembly by the user,” as it were!<br />
<br />
<u>Place and Dress</u>: The presentation will be held at Masonic Hall, 71 West 23rd Street, in Manhattan (very near to the corner of 6th Avenue). We shall meet in the magnificent Renaissance Room on the 6th Floor (shown above). Dress is either formal or business attire.<br />
<br />
<u>Time</u>: Master Masons are welcome to attend the opening of Lodge at 7 p.m. The general audience will be admitted at 8 p.m.<br />
<br />
<u>Book Signing Opportunity</u>: I will be signing my book, <em><strong>Freemasonry: An Introduction</strong></em> (Tarcher/Penguin, 2011) at this event. Should I run out of copies, I will take orders for signed copies that I shall mail to you.<br />
<br />
<u>Collation</u>: After the presentation, all and sundry adults are welcome to attend what Masons call “collation”—refreshment—which includes a catered meal and refreshment (including alcoholic beverages for those who imbibe). Collation will be held after the presentation at the dining room on the second floor of Masonic Hall. The cost is $25, all-inclusive. <strong>Attendance at collation requires reservations.</strong> Reservations may be made by e-mail sent to <a href="mailto:junior.warden@jwgl934.com">junior.warden@jwgl934.com</a> ; please be sure to mention the number of people in your party.<br />
<br />
I hope to see readers of this blog at the event. Be well.<br />
<br />
<em>Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.</em>Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-73937886970235747512011-08-21T22:28:00.000-04:002011-08-21T22:28:04.281-04:00Watch "Of Masons and Mormons: The Relationship Between Freemasonry's Rituals of Initiation and the Latter-Day Saint Temple Rituals"<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/27863838?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/27863838">Of Mormons and Masons</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/weofm">WEOFM</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-90344248321782655062011-08-18T03:36:00.003-04:002011-08-18T03:43:06.059-04:00"Of Masons and Mormons": This Week on the Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RPfdSYANiUM/Tky-qseysGI/AAAAAAAAAjk/VeYi38M6Wls/s1600/Title+Card.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qaa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RPfdSYANiUM/Tky-qseysGI/AAAAAAAAAjk/VeYi38M6Wls/s400/Title+Card.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
For over 150 years, there has been contention about whether the Mormon temple ceremonies were essentially stolen from the Craft degrees of Freemasonry. As it happens, I am a Latter-day Saint, or “Mormon”; of course, long-time readers of this blog are well-aware that I am a Mason, as well. Being intimately familiar both with the Craft degrees and the Mormon temple ceremonies, I have some thoughts on this matter. I shall be presenting those thoughts as a streaming video on the Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry website (<a href="http://www.weofm.org/">http://www.weofm.org/</a>) this Saturday, August 20, at 8 p.m. Eastern. Thereafter, the hourlong presentation will be available through the Video tab on the WEOFM website, at least through the end of 2015. <br />
<br />
I have wanted to address the controversy on this issue in a productive way for many years. I am very grateful to the Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry, and its current master, Brother Albert McClelland, for giving me this opportunity to present my thoughts. My presentation is respectful to both traditions; this is not an expose of either. This is not a “talking head” show, either; I have included hundreds of photos and illustrations. <br />
<br />
I am looking into publishing an expanded version of this presentation through an on-demand publisher. Watch this space for more details. In the meantime, enjoy the video presentation.<br />
<br />
Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-21810809342682321182011-05-09T04:20:00.001-04:002011-05-09T04:24:06.540-04:00Masons Spreading Light—Literally—in India<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TJuMmW8dH3Y/TcehIeKDXsI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/KEx9Bw2Go9U/s1600/Jyotirgamaya+project.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TJuMmW8dH3Y/TcehIeKDXsI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/KEx9Bw2Go9U/s320/Jyotirgamaya+project.bmp" width="313" /></a></div><br />
Light is a central symbol within Freemasonry. Metaphorically, the progress of a Mason through Masonry’s degrees of initiation is a journey to light. Masons also hold dear such values as relief, and service to the community. The Grand Lodge of India is combining these aspects of symbolic Masonry, by spending resources to bring electrification and light to villages throughout India. <br />
<br />
<br />
The online news service <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_freemasons-to-do-a-swades-will-bring-light-to-50-villages-in-india_1540807"><em>DNA: Daily News & Analysis</em> has reported</a> that the Grand Lodge of India is celebrating its Golden Jubilee by bringing solar-powered electricity projects to 50 villages throughout India. DNA reports that the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Capt. Dr. Balaram Biswakumar stated the following: “We have embarked on project Jyotirgamaya (Let there be light), under which we plan to light up 50 villages in the country using solar energy. Work for the project is in different stages of implementation in 26 villages. We plan to cover 50 villages by October 31.” <br />
<br />
You will find an English-language .pdf file describing the Jyotirgamaya project on the Grand Lodge of India website, <a href="http://www.masonindia.org/images/jyotirgamaya.pdf">here</a>. At least for the moment, the home page of the Grand Lodge of India features links to news reports and photographs of the project, available <a href="http://www.masonindia.org/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://m.timesofindia.com/PDATOI/articleshow/8191228.cms">An article on the mobile edition of <em>The Times of India</em> reports</a> how this project is taking shape in Ahmedabad, India, through the efforts of Fellowship Lodge. It looks like each one of these fifty electrification projects will change hundreds of lives.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.masonindia.org/index6.html">Freemasonry in India</a> dates back to 1730, less than a generation after the establishment of the first Grand Lodge in London (1717). In the 18th and early 19th centuries, lodges in India functioned under English, Dutch, French, Scottish, Danish, and Irish Constitutions. Although European Masons were the sole members of Indian lodges in early years, <a href="http://www.masonindia.org/index10.html">the initiation of ethnic Indians began in the early 18th Century</a>, with Muslim Indians initiated at least as early as 1812, Hindu Indians following in 1857, and Sikh Indians in 1861. Lodges under English, Irish, and Scottish constitutions combined to form the Grand Lodge of India on November 24, 1961 (hence the push to electrify fifty villages by the end of October, in celebration of the Golden Jubilee year).<br />
<br />
The Masonic brethren of India are to be commended for celebrating their Golden Jubilee with a massive act of service to their communities. This should be an example to all of us, wherever Masonry is found. Such an act of service, addressing a vital community need, is a good example of how Freemasonry is to exert its influence for the good of humankind. Each of us should ask himself, “What is <em>my</em> lodge/Grand Lodge doing?”<br />
<br />
[Readers are welcome to share their thoughts using the “comment” link below, and to become “followers” of this blog using the box in the upper-right-hand corner.]<br />
<br />
<em>Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.</em>Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-1380270244931268672011-04-04T15:57:00.000-04:002011-04-04T15:57:15.105-04:00Mark Koltko-Rivera Live on Freemasonry: Streaming Video Tonight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-scDuDxIRVgA/TZohdmjoPQI/AAAAAAAAAiA/HGSHOGF54EI/s1600/2007.12+MEKR+headshot%252C+WPL+Marshal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-scDuDxIRVgA/TZohdmjoPQI/AAAAAAAAAiA/HGSHOGF54EI/s320/2007.12+MEKR+headshot%252C+WPL+Marshal.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br />
Tonight, Ustreem Internet TV, in association with the Learning Annex, will present two brief streaming video lessons featuring me talking about Freemasonry:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>"Unlocking the Truth Behind Freemasonry": 6:20 p.m.--6:35 p.m. (Eastern)</li>
<li>"Debunking Conspiracy Theories and Myths About Freemasonry": 7:00 p.m.--7:15 p.m. (Eastern)</li>
</ul>The streaming video is available to view for $0.99 each; register <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/spiritualitylive">here</a>. (I don't make anything off this, but I do get to plug my book, <em>Freemasonry: An Introduction</em>.) After the original broadcast, the lessons will be archived and available for viewing.<br />
<br />
Enjoy.Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-13723492364616749662011-03-22T13:59:00.001-04:002011-03-22T17:39:54.831-04:00Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee to Host Show Investigating Freemasonry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Tommy_Lee_2005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" r6="true" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Tommy_Lee_2005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Here is an item from the You-Couldn't-Make-This-Stuff-Up Department: Today the showbiz newspaper <em><a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118034202?categoryid=14&cs=1&cmpid=RSS%7CNews%7CTVNews">Variety</a></em> reported that Tommy Lee (yes, that Tommy Lee, drummer of Mötley Crüe, shown in the photo above dressed up for Halloween) will be hosting a television series investigating secret societies—starting with Freemasonry:<br />
<blockquote>Syfy will develop “Culture Shock With Tommy Lee,” in which the former Motley Crue member seeks to uncover and expose secret societies. [Syfy channel president of original programming Mark] Stern said that any show involving a celebrity was a tough sell to him, but that he was won over by Lee's sincerity. “This comes from a very deep-seated, personal desire to uncover the truth behind these secret societies,” Stern said, “starting with his father's membership in the Freemasons.”</blockquote><em><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tommy-lee-developing-travel-series-169604?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thr%2Fnews+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Top+Stories%29">The Hollywood Reporter</a></em> adds that this will be an hourlong “investigative travel show,” in which “Lee will attempt to uncover rituals, symbols, and other mysteries of secret societies.” Lee Stubner and Carl Stubner will act as executive producers for ITV Studios America, which will produce the series.<br />
<br />
According to his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Lee">bio on Wikipedia</a>, Tommy Lee was born in Athens, Greece, his father being David Oliver Bass, then a U.S. Army serviceman, and his mother Vassiliki Papadimitriou, a former Miss Greece. I have no information at present about the Masonic background of Tommy Lee’s father.<br />
<br />
In our celebrity-obsessed culture, it is perhaps no surprise that someone with no background in investigation, history, or esoteric research would get a reality show where such credentials would seem to be crucial. (Of course, former professional wrestler and governor of Minnesota, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, has a similar show, “Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura,” on TruTV.) One hopes that someday some television network will produce a show with someone who has the real chops to do such an investigative show, not just name recognition and a colorful persona.<br />
<br />
I’m not holding my breath.<br />
<br />
(Although, my schedule does have some openings right now.)<br />
<br />
<em>Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.</em><br />
<br />
[The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tommy_Lee_2005.jpg">photo</a> of Tommy Lee at his Halloween Party at Club Medusa was taken on October 30, 2005 by Joel Telling. It was obtained from Wikimedia Commons and appears here under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.]Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-1420668882346752612011-02-26T02:00:00.002-05:002011-03-10T01:39:16.795-05:00Planner of DC Street Layout,Pierre L’Enfant,Really Was a Mason!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zcVOQewgkVU/TWihJM9SmcI/AAAAAAAAAf4/hv8dY_rxgng/s1600/Place--Wash+DC--L%2527Enfant_plan--small+00046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" l6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zcVOQewgkVU/TWihJM9SmcI/AAAAAAAAAf4/hv8dY_rxgng/s320/Place--Wash+DC--L%2527Enfant_plan--small+00046.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For a number of years, the more hysterical Masonic-related conspiracy theorists have made the claim that the layout of the streets of Washington, DC, reveals Masonic symbols, including symbols that supposedly indicate devil worship. Also for many years, Masonic historians and authors have indicated that there was no evidence that the designer of this layout, Pierre L’Enfant, was even a Freemason. (I have made this claim myself.)<br />
<br />
We were all wrong. L’Enfant was a Freemason, albeit in a very limited sense.<br />
<br />
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, publishes a bimonthly magazine, the <em>Scottish Rite Journal</em>. The March-April 2011 issue carries an article on pp. 10-12 by Right Worshipful Brother Pierre F. de Ravel d’Esclapon, who holds the 32° in the Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. (I know Sublime Prince de Ravel d’Esclapon as a Past Master of the <a href="http://www.americanlodgeofresearch.org/">American Lodge of Research</a>, the oldest currently functioning American research lodge, of which I have the honor to be a full member. Plug: corresponding members are always welcome.) This article is titled “The Masonic Career of Major Pierre Charles L’Enfant,” and it details the findings of the author while the author was researching the early history of New York City’s <a href="http://www.hollandlodgeno8.org/">Holland Lodge No. 8 F&AM</a>. (Holland Lodge, which was chartered in 1787, has had such distinguished members as General von Steuben and Commodore Perry; Franklin Delano Roosevelt was raised a Master Mason in Holland Lodge in 1911.)<br />
<br />
In Holland Lodge records, the article’s author discovered that Major Pierre L’Enfant was initiated an Entered Apprentice in Holland Lodge on April 17th, 1789, during the same month in which brother George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, in New York City. As noted in the article, L’Enfant had been in New York City since the preceding year, as he supervised renovations to Federal Hall, where the inauguration was to take place.<br />
<br />
There is much more fascinating information in this article, which I recommend for your perusal. Regretably, as of this writing, the <a href="http://scottishrite.org/srjournal/">website</a> of the <em>Scottish Rite Journal</em> has not been updated to display the March-April issue (only fair, since, after all, we <em>are</em> still in February). However, I would guess that in just a few days it will be possible to see this fascinating article online. (Incidentally, individual copies of this issue are available for US$3 each, and subscriptions within the US are US$15 annually, domestic checks only, sent to <em>Scottish Rite Journal</em>, 1733 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009-3103. And, no, I don’t make a dime off of that plug. It’s just a great magazine.) Brother de Ravel d’Esclapon is to be commended for his discovery, and his excellent report.<br />
<br />
So where does that leave us with regard to the idea that L’Enfant embedded Masonic symbols, supposedly including satanic symbols, in the street layout of Washington, DC? This notion is entirely rubbish, every bit as much as before. Consider:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Any unbiased observer of L’Enfant’s plan (shown in the illustration above) will see that L’Enfant planned his layout as a right-angled grid, overlaid by a pattern of plazas, from each of which avenues radiated like spokes from a wheel’s hub. With such a pattern, it is inevitable that diagonal angles will be formed. Masonic symbolism (such as the square and compasses) are composed of diagonal angles, so one can see Masonic symbolism like this in the street layout of DC if one really wants to. However, this is much like seeing menacing shapes in cloud formations or Rorschach inkblots. (And I speak as one who first administered the Rorschach in 1987. People see what they want to see in neutral stimuli, folks.)</li>
</ul><br />
<ul><li>Again, five-pointed stars will inevitably be formed by a hubs-and-spokes pattern. Some of these stars will point downward. However, the downward-directed five-pointed star only took on a sinister connotation in the 19th century, well after L’Enfant’s time, in the writings of the French esotericist Eliphas Levi. Even if L’Enfant had deliberately been trying to create the shape of a downward-directed five-pointed star, that shape had no connection to evil during his lifetime. </li>
</ul><br />
<ul><li>The article in the <em>Scottish Rite Journal</em> suggests that L’Enfant never received the second or third degrees of Freemasonry. Thus, he did not have exposure as an initiate even to the majority of the symbols of the basic Blue Lodge of Freemasonry. One would expect that symbols of satanic worship, if they existed within Blue Lodge Freemasonry at all, would be reserved for the famous “third degree.” However, apparently, L’Enfant never received that degree.</li>
</ul><br />
The Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon has some excellent on-line articles on these subjects. One is an <a href="http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/pentagram.html">article on the pentagram</a> as a symbol throughout history. Another is this <a href="http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/washington_dc/washington_dc.html">article</a> on the symbolism supposedly to be found in the street layouts of DC (an article which can only be faulted in its claim, now obsolete, that there was no evidence that L’Enfant was a Mason). <br />
<br />
Memo to Masonic-related conspiracy theorists: Please. Enough with the idea of Masonic symbolism in the streets of Washington, DC, already. Come up with something new and original.<br />
<em>Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.</em><br />
<br />
[The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:L%27Enfant_plan.jpg">image</a> of Pierre L’Enfant’s layout of Washington, DC, was obtained through Wikipedia, and is in the public domain.]<br />
<br />
{Technorati verification code: W6DT8VFSX9XS .}Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-72359632750434971292011-02-06T02:39:00.000-05:002011-02-06T02:39:41.090-05:00The New Philalethes Magazine<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TU5KfnWgc8I/AAAAAAAAAfY/a4e-V3-gqxY/s1600/phi_soc_cover_2011_01_med_300_390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TU5KfnWgc8I/AAAAAAAAAfY/a4e-V3-gqxY/s320/phi_soc_cover_2011_01_med_300_390.jpg" width="246" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TU5KmTJwFpI/AAAAAAAAAfc/oXE5B6eJ1J0/s1600/phi_soc_cover_2010_03_med_300_390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TU5KmTJwFpI/AAAAAAAAAfc/oXE5B6eJ1J0/s320/phi_soc_cover_2010_03_med_300_390.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I’ve got some bad news, and some good news. I have some unpleasant things to say about an American Masonic institution, and I have some high praise for that same institution. What I have to say here will doubtless step on some toes, and may bruise some egos. However, the current generation of Freemasons needs to know about a resource that it should embrace with all its heart.</div><br />
<br />
Even before I became a Freemason, I had heard of the <em>Philalethes</em> magazine. The Philalethes Society was established in 1928 by leading Masonic scholars “who felt that the great mass of Freemasons in the United States should have more information on the fundamentals of Freemasonry,” in the words of its founding president. In my studies on Freemasonry—something I began in earnest in the early 1980s—I often came upon references to articles published in the <em>Philalethes</em>. And no wonder: the Fellows of the Philalethes society have included such giants of Masonic scholarship as Allen E. Roberts, Harold Van Buren Voorhis, Arthur Edward Waite, and J. S. M. Ward. (In our day, these Fellows include such contemporary masters of Masonic scholarship as Robert G. Davis, John Mauk Hilliard, Jay M. Kinney, S. Brent Morris, and Leon Zeldis.) The Society published the first issue of the <em>Philalethes </em>magazine in 1946, and, as the Society’s website truly claims, the <em>Philalethes</em> magazine “has long served as the de facto magazine for North American Freemasonry.”<br />
<br />
Imagine my dismay, then, when I began to subscribe to the <em>Philalethes</em> some years ago, and found that it had fallen very far from the standard set in earlier days. I found many of the articles to be amateurishly written, the articles themselves to be uninspiring, the artwork largely mediocre. In particular, the greatest failing for me was that I did not feel that I was learning much about the inner meaning of Freemasonry through the magazine; there were interesting articles here and there about Masonic history, but my interest—much like the interest of many men entering the Fraternity in the last two decades—is in Freemasonry as a living initiatic tradition, and I found little in the magazine that fed this interest. In the words of a friend of mine, it became clear to me that “the <em>Philalethes</em> was no longer compelling reading” for someone with my interests. So, with regret, I let my subscription lapse. <br />
<br />
The editors of recent eras have my sympathies. As another friend of mine put it in relation to a non-Masonic magazine that he edited some years ago, “we can only publish what people submit.” Earlier editors of the <em>Philalethes</em> magazine are to be commended for running articles on national and international issues such as the recognition of Prince Hall Masonry. <br />
<br />
However, the fact of the matter is that the appetites of many Masonic readers has developed in certain directions over the last thirty years or so. Interest in what we might call the esoteric side of Freemasonry—the idea of Masonry as a truly initiatic experience that conveys timeless wisdom to today’s man—has become a very strong focus of interest for today’s Mason. Unless the mainstream Masonic press pays attention to this matter, unless knowledgeable Masonic writers help Masonic readers to take a more informed stance on these issues, then we abandon the field to the sensationalists, to poor historians, even to the paranoid fringe. Some years ago, I sorrowfully concluded that the magazine had indeed abandoned the field in just this way, and that, for Masonic light on the inner meanings of Masonry, I would need to search somewhere else.<br />
<br />
That was then. This is now—and now is a truly wonderful place to be.<br />
<br />
We have just seen the completion of the first six issues of the new <em>Philalethes</em> magazine under the editorship of brother and Editor Shawn Eyer, P.M., and I am extremely impressed with the results. <strong>I would now recommend the <em>Philalethes</em> magazine to any and every Freemason who is deeply interested in the inner meanings of our Masonic symbolism and initiatory experience.</strong><br />
<br />
First of all, the magazine itself is physically stunning: it has had a contemporary redesign that puts it on a par, visually, with the finest general interest magazines now being published. (And you are hearing this from a subscriber to <em>The Atlantic Monthly</em>, <em>Harper’s</em>, and a raft of literary magazines, including <em>Agni</em>, <em>Boulevard</em>, <em>n+1</em>, and <em>Tin House</em>.) The artwork is inspiring, and even thought-provoking, as a perusal of <a href="http://freemasonry.org/journal.php">the most recent six covers </a>would suggest, such as the covers reproduced above (from the Summer 2010 and Winter 2011 issues). I only wish I could show you some of the interior art. Heck, the cover paper itself is even of higher quality than the magazine used to have.<br />
<br />
But the real joy of the magazine is its content. I don’t know what the new editor is doing, but he has found a way to have people who have thought very deeply about Masonic symbolism and philosophy submit some great articles to him, specifically for the sections on Masonic education. For example, I am thinking of Ed Halpaus’s article, “Truth: A Masonic Meditation, and Erastus Allen’s piece, “Knowing, and Still More to Know,” both from the Fall 2009 issue. Beginning with the Winter 2010 issue a year ago, each issue typically has one article each on Masonic education specifically tailored for the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason. (What a godsend for Masonic education at one’s Stated Communications!) The new magazine features almost 20% more content, specifically to accommodate the need for better Masonic education.<br />
<br />
The feature articles are a special delight. Readers over the past six issues have enjoyed such treasures as “The Function of Secrecy in the Work of Freemasonry” by Michael Pearce (Chair of the Art Department at California Lutheran University); the man references Iamblichus, Mircea Eliade, and Georg Simmel, for heaven’s sake—I’m in scholar heaven—but makes it all understandable to the general Masonic reader. Robert G. Davis’s article on William Preston finally clarified in my mind what this “architect of the American Craft ritual” was all about.<br />
<br />
Editor Eyer himself has contributed some of the articles that I found most interesting. He treated with scholarship and clarity such subjects as the Mosaic pavement, the symbol of the Beehive, and the inner meaning of the symbols of the Fellow Craft’s wages (the latter article being available for free on the <a href="http://freemasonry.org/pdf/2010_02_sample_article.pdf">website</a>). <br />
<br />
Of especial interest to the budding Masonic scholar is a paper by Editor Eyer that is also made available for free on the Society’s website: <a href="http://freemasonry.org/pdf/2010_01_sample_article.pdf">“Writing a Masonic Paper.”</a> Every lodge that requires its initiates to deliver papers in lodge should make this paper available to its initiates. Every Masonic lodge of research should make reference to it in an editorial.<br />
<br />
I could go on. And on. I haven’t even touched upon most of the fascinating historical articles—the one on Thomas Paine, by Shai Afsai, was a favorite—nor the book reviews, alas. But my point should be clear: <strong>The new <em>Philalethes</em> is now as compelling a collection of Masonic reading as any I have ever seen.</strong> The magazine focuses on the deeper aspects of symbolism and history while avoiding both the Scylla of sensationalism and the Charybdis of superficiality. The articles are on-point, well-researched, well-written, accessible to the general Masonic reader, and serve as well-prepared food for the soul.<br />
<br />
Could I pick nits? Sure I could. Someone left off the page numbers in the Spring 2010 issue, for example. And Editor Eyer might reconsider some of his own article titles. For example, “The Transvaluation of Status in the First Degree” (Summer 2010) is technically correct as a title for what is actually a very clear and accessible article—one which I highly recommend—about how the First Degree encourages a change in a new Mason’s personal values, but putting “transvaluation” in the title makes it sound like a poster from the Modern Language Association convention, Incomprehensible Division. This is unfortunate, because the article itself is a model of clarity, and very valuable for Masonic education.<br />
<br />
But these are minor peccadillos. As far as I am concerned, the <em>Philalethes</em> is at the center of the target when it comes to reading intelligent, accessible literature about the real meaning and current relevance of our symbolism and tradition. <br />
<br />
Let me put it this way: I had the privilege of being in charge of Masonic education in my mother lodge for eight months, until I relocated from Winter Park, Florida to New York City. I would have agreed to do outdoor door-to-door sales for a day in the August Florida heat, if that was the ordeal required to have had six issues of the new <em>Philalethes</em> to base my Masonic education on. The magazine is simply that valuable. <br />
<br />
To the editor of this new <em>Philalethes</em>: <em>ad multos annos</em>, and long may you wield your editor’s pen.<br />
<br />
You can learn more about the Philalethes Society and the <em>Philalethes</em> magazine on their (similarly revamped) website, which has what must be the easiest-to-remember URL in all of Masonry: <a href="http://freemasonry.org/">http://freemasonry.org/</a> .<br />
<br />
[Disclosure: I have published in the <em>Philalethes</em> in its earlier incarnation, and I hope someday to publish there again. Take a look at the magazine yourself and see whether I am biased in my estimation of its current status and value.]<br />
<br />
<em>Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.</em><br />
<br />
[The <a href="http://freemasonry.org/journal.php">images</a> are of the covers of the Summer 2010 and Winter 2011 issues of the new <em>Philalethes</em> magazine; they were obtained from the Philalethes Society website.]Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-24544120395924215692011-01-20T14:42:00.006-05:002011-01-20T15:00:44.092-05:00Available Now: Freemasonry: An Introduction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TL4PPnElNfI/AAAAAAAAAeM/UEXCx5BogSM/s1600/Cover%252C+Freemasonry-An+Intro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TL4PPnElNfI/AAAAAAAAAeM/UEXCx5BogSM/s320/Cover%252C+Freemasonry-An+Intro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Today is the official publication date of my new book, <em><strong>Freemasonry: An Introduction</strong></em>, published by Jeremy P. Tarcher, an imprint of Penguin Books. The book is available at a substantial discount through clicking on the ad to the right. (Disclosure: ordering through the ad also nets me a little cash). You can read the publisher’s description in this <a href="http://themasonicblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/now-available-for-pre-order-from-amazon.html">earlier post</a>, but in today’s post I thought I would explain what I think is special about this book.<br />
<br />
Over the years, I have read a lot of books introducing Freemasonry. I have often come away from such books feeling that I really have not learned why someone would become a Freemason in the first place, what it brings to his life, what it does for him. I wanted people to know what Freemasonry could mean in the life of the individual Mason. So, for this book, I wrote a 15-page chapter, “Why Men Become Freemasons,” where I go into the meaning of initiation, and ways that Masonry is a vehicle for self-development, a fellowship, a place of ritual, and a set of opportunities for service. I also describe the outer and inner experiences of being a Freemason in a 20-page chapter, “How Freemasonry Works.”<br />
<br />
One of the most disappointing things for me about many introductions to the Fraternity is that they either downplay or wildly overplay the idea of both secrets and esoteric knowledge within Freemasonry. The fact is that Freemasonry has both, and I think that we as Masons should be very clear about that, and about how that is so, especially given that this is a major reason why many men these days are looking into the Fraternity.<br />
<br />
The secrets of Freemasonry come in two flavors. There are the signs of recognition, whereby Masons from different regions may know one another as Masons. The signs of recognition provide an important link to centuries of Masonic tradition and our mythic history. There is also the inner transformation of a Mason as he comes to contemplate the Fraternity’s symbolism; this is a secret because it can only be known through one’s personal experience. So, in this book, I write about the meaning of Masonic secrecy, and its meaning in the modern world.<br />
<br />
When I say that esoteric knowledge is available within Freemasonry, I am <em>not</em> referring to what Masons call “the esoteric work,” the precise and confidential wording of our ritual. Rather, I mean that Freemasonry does convey knowledge that is “esoteric” in the formal sense, in that it is of unusual interest but is conveyed only to a specially initiated group. So, in this book, without giving any confidential knowledge away, I write about Freemasonry in connection with a number of esoteric topics: the initiatic tradition in ancient times; the Temple built by Solomon, as a symbol; the interest of 17th and 18th century Freemasons in topics like alchemy. I do not give credence to the unsupportable assertions of some authors, but I do not ignore the interests of early Freemasons in esoteric knowledge.<br />
<br />
Another thing that bothered me about many introductions to Freemasonry is that they give a superficial gloss on areas of controversy concerning Freemasonry. Yet, it is such controversies that often appear in the newspapers, leaving potential candidates for Masonry confused regarding what to think about the Fraternity. So, for the book, I wrote a 29-page chapter, “Masonic Controversies,” where I give an up-front consideration of Masonry’s stance toward women and African Americans; allegations accusing Albert Pike of involvement with the Knights of the Golden Circle, the Ku Klux Klan, and Satanism; and efforts in Great Britain aimed at requiring public registration of Freemasons in law enforcement, the judiciary, and the armed forces. I also wrote a 21-page chapter, “Anti-Masonry: Accusations Versus Truth.” <br />
<br />
In short, I packed a lot of material into a pocket-sized, 196-page book, material that would be useful to the man interested in looking into Freemasonry, to family members who might continue our tradition, and to many a brother as well—all at a very affordable price. I deliberately wrote this in such a format that it would be both useful and economical for Particular and Grand Lodges to make copies available to prospective candidates and new initiates alike.<br />
<br />
This is what I think is special about this book. Below, I give an annotated table of chapter titles. (Each chapter also comes with a brief summary.)<br />
<br />
INTRODUCTION: Who this book is for • Why I wrote it • Acknowledgements.<br />
<br />
1. FREEMASONRY: WHAT IT IS: Different perspectives on Freemasonry (social fellowship; place of ritual and symbolism; vehicle for spiritual growth) • What Freemasonry is not (a religion; a path to power or status; a conspiracy) • “But what about the ‘mysteries’?” • Masonic secrecy.<br />
<br />
2. WHY MEN BECOME FREEMASONS: Freemasonry as an initiatic tradition (what initiation is; initiation throughout history; initiation in Freemasonry; symbols and teachings) • A vehicle for self-development • Fellowship • Ritual • Service.<br />
<br />
3. HOW FREEMASONRY WORKS: An evening at Solomon’s Lodge #987 • Affiliated groups (the Rites; groups for family members; “fun” groups) • Being a Freemason: The inner experience (lifelong journey to light; walking uprightly before God and man; treating each other as brothers; conducting oneself as a gentleman in society; service to the community and society; upholding religious tolerance).<br />
<br />
4. MASONIC SYMBOLISM: The Square • The Level • The Plumb • The Compasses • The Square and Compasses • The Altar, the Volume of Sacred Law, and the Temple built by Solomon • The Letter <em>G</em> • Other symbols.<br />
<br />
5. HOW FREEMASONRY BEGAN: The initiatic tradition in ancient times • The medieval Knights Templar • The medieval stonemasons of Europe • The late Renaissance and early Enlightenment • The founding of the first Grand Lodge • Freemasonry and the founding of the United States.<br />
<br />
6. MASONIC CONTROVERSIES: Women and Freemasonry (Freemasonry has a right to be a fraternity; Masonic-affiliated organizations that involve women; alternative forms of Freemasonry) • African Americans and Freemasonry (the reception of African Americans into the Lodge; recognition of Prince Hall lodges) • Albert Pike (rumors involving him in the Knights of the Golden Circle, the Ku Klux Klan, and Satanism) • Violating Masonic civil rights in England.<br />
<br />
7. ANTI-MASONRY: ACCUSATIONS VERSUS TRUTHS: Freemasonry and religion in general • Freemasonry and accusations of devil worship • Freemasonry and Christianity in general • Freemasonry and the occult • Freemasonry and international conspiracy • Freemasonry and Roman Catholicism • Some thoughts on anti-Masonry.<br />
<br />
8. FREEMASONRY IN FICTION: MYTH VERSUS REALITY: <em>From Hell</em> • <em>The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen</em> • <em>The Da Vinci Code</em> • <em>National Treasure</em> • <em>National Treasure: Book of Secrets</em> • <em>The Lost Symbol</em>.<br />
<br />
9. HOW TO BECOME A FREEMASON: Establish eligibility • Find the local lodge • Get to know some of the local lodge brothers • File a petition • Meet with the investigation committee • Undergoing the “trial of the ballot box” • Receive the degrees of Freemasonry • After receiving the three basic degrees of Freemasonry.<br />
<br />
10. LEARNING MORE ABOUT FREEMASONRY: Introductions to Freemasonry • Masonic symbolism • Masonic history • Responses to anti-Masonry.<br />
<br />
GLOSSARY: 24 entries regarding terms with meanings special to Freemasonry, such as “Initiate” and “Regular Freemasonry.”<br />
<br />
REFERENCES: Full source information for 130 works referenced in the book.<br />
<br />
ILLUSTRATION CREDITS: Full source information for 13 public domain illustrations, many available on the Internet.<br />
<br />
INDEX: 12 pages of index entries.<br />
<br />
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: My scholarly credentials and specific Masonic affiliations.<br />
<br />
<em>Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.</em>Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-62054279156797057922010-11-23T14:52:00.001-05:002010-11-23T23:55:55.684-05:00The Alleged Michael Brea Sword Murder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TOwUFA7DWKI/AAAAAAAAAes/WRkThNOI3Gs/s1600/Michael+Brea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TOwUFA7DWKI/AAAAAAAAAes/WRkThNOI3Gs/s320/Michael+Brea.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>Michael Brea (pictured) is a 31-year-old bit-part actor from New York City who has been seen on the television series <em>Ugly Betty</em>. Reports say that Mr. Brea early this morning murdered his mother, Ms. Yannick Brea, at her Brooklyn apartment with a sword. Mr. Brea lived with Ms. Brea, and has been apprehended and taken to Kings County Hospital for psychiatric evaluation.<br />
<br />
Reports differ on a couple of issues. Some reports, such as that of <a href="http://perezhilton.com/2010-11-23-michael-brea-stabs-mother-with-sword/?feat=yes">Perez Hilton</a>, state that Mr. Brea used a "Freemason ceremonial sword" to kill his mother, and that as he pursued her, he shouted out the names of religious figures, such as the "architect of the universe." Of course, Freemasons ceremonially refer to the Supreme Being as "the Grand Architect of the Universe."<br />
<br />
Other reports, such as that of the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/11/23/2010-11-23_brooklyn_mom_stabbed_to_death_with_sword_by_her_son_police_say.html">New York Daily News</a>, state that police found Mr. Brea wielding a samurai sword. The Daily News report quoted neighbors saying that Brea shouted "Repent, repent, sinner, sinner," and "You never accepted Jesus."<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/actor_fatally_stabs_mother_with_9vIHMHNhfIILwCHltCFXIL">New York Post</a> reports that a samurai sword was used in the attack, and quoted a neighbor stating that Mr. Brea shouted about the "architect of the universe." The Post also reported that Mr. Brea's twin brother Marcel, a martial arts instructor, also lived with Ms. Brea.<br />
<br />
I would point out a couple of things that might not be common knowledge among people who are not Freemasons:<br />
<ul><li>To the best of my knowledge, neither Michael Brea nor Marcel Brea has ever been a Freemason. However, there are many, many Freemasons in New York City, and I certainly do not know more than a fraction of them. If I obtain information to the contrary, I shall post it here.</li>
<li>It is very common for martial arts instructors in certain disciplines to possess swords of various types. My belief is that Michael Brea appropriated a samurai-style sword belonging to his twin brother, Marcel Brea, who is reportedly a martial arts instructor. Samurai swords (lightly curved and square-ended) are easily distinguished from either the European-style swords (straight and triangular-ended) used in most Masonic ceremonies, or the scimitars (heavily curved and pointy-ended) used in some Shriner activities.</li>
<li>Yes, swords are commonly used in Freemasonry. They play a minor role in regular, or Blue Lodge, Freemasonry, where every lodge has an officer, the Tyler, who guards the door of a lodge in session, with a sword. Swords are used by every participant in Knights Templar commanderies. Other branches of Freemasonry make occasional use of ceremonial swords in their ceremonial dramas, called degree work. However, these swords are used only for ceremonial purposes--processions, dramatic enactments, and the like. Swords are never used within Freemasonry as actual instruments of aggression.</li>
<li>Masonic swords are easy to obtain from fraternal supply houses and dealers in martial arts regalia. Such suppliers do not require Masonic membership to obtain such a sword. Thus, even if the sword used in the attack was a "Masonic" sword, that does not mean that a Mason ever owned it.</li>
<li>The phrase "Great Architect of the Universe" is easy to find in many books about Freemasonry, including many well-selling books available in large chain bookstores such as Barnes and Noble and Borders Books and Music. These books include Brother Christopher Hodapp's <em>Freemasons for Dummies</em> and Brother Brent Morris's <em>The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry</em>, each of which sells very well. It is my belief that Michael Brea learned the phrase from some popular press book such as these.</li>
<li>The psychology staff at Kings County Hospital, when I knew them as a prospective intern in the 1990s, were top notch. They shall give Mr. Brea a thorough examination, and I will not second-guess them here. Certainly a psychotic or drug-related incident is at least plausible. The age of 31 is a bit old for a first psychotic break, but not so old as to be all that unlikely. It is also certainly the case that psychotic individuals often have prominent religious delusions and fixations.</li>
</ul>In brief, this is not some kind of "Masonic murder." My sympathy, condolences, and prayers are with Marcel Brea and the other survivors of the late Ms. Yannick Brea.Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-49377301461801665222010-10-19T17:46:00.007-04:002011-01-20T14:31:39.498-05:00Now Available for Pre-order from Amazon: Freemasonry: An Introduction (Tarcher/Penguin Books edition)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TL4PPnElNfI/AAAAAAAAAeM/UEXCx5BogSM/s1600/Cover,+Freemasonry-An+Intro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/TL4PPnElNfI/AAAAAAAAAeM/UEXCx5BogSM/s400/Cover,+Freemasonry-An+Intro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Some readers of this blog may recall that I published a book, <strong><em>Freemasonry: An Introduction</em></strong>, three years ago through LVX Publications. Now, Tarcher, an imprint of Penguin Books, is releasing their edition, with about 75% more content, and updated. Although the book will be released on January 20, 2011, it is available now for pre-order through Amazon; <strong><u>just use the link in the sidebar to the right</u></strong>. The Amazon price is $8.60 for over 200 pages, which I think is a great deal. This is a very economical way to introduce someone to Freemasonry, authoritative yet accessible. (Update, Dec. 20, 2010: I received my author's copy today, and the book looks terrific.)<br />
<br />
The product description from Amazon follows:<br />
<br />
An experienced Freemason and award-winning psychologist provides a precise and engaging exploration of the core meaning and practices of Freemasonry for the new generation of people interested in joining the order, and those who are simply curious in the wake of recent media coverage. <br />
<br />
Entertaining books and movies often depict Freemasonry as a shadowy, mysterious, and possibly sinister organization, and the TV and magazine specials on Freemasonry that inevitably follow often leave us with more questions than answers. <br />
<br />
Mark E. Koltko-Rivera, a practicing thirty-second-degree Mason, has created a simple, authoritative, and easy-to-understand introduction to the history, rites, and meaning of Freemasonry. It may be the single most reliable short guide to Masonry, written by a widely recognized psychologist and scholar of esoteric history. <br />
<br />
Koltko-Rivera's trustworthy handbook explores all the basic issues around Masonry, like: <br />
<br />
*What is Freemasonry, and what is its history? <br />
*How does one become a Freemason?<br />
*What are some of the most important Masonic symbols? <br />
*What do Masons get from their involvement in Freemasonry? What changes does it make in their inner and outer lives? <br />
*What is it like to participate in the initiatory rituals of Freemasonry? <br />
*What are some of the great historical controversies and myths surrounding Freemasonry? <br />
*How is Masonry relevant today? <br />
<br />
<strong>About the Author</strong><br />
<br />
Mark E. Koltko-Rivera, Ph.D., is a thirty-second-degree Freemason as well as a doctor of psychology. He has written extensively on Freemasonry for publications that serve as Masonic audience, and has also written, and has also written award-winning scholarly works in the fields of clinical and counseling psychology. <br />
<br />
<end of="" quote=""><br />
<br />
If you plan to order this through your local bookstore, or if you ask them to stock the book, please note that the ISBN for this edition is ISBN-13: 978-1585428533. <br />
<br />
It is a great pleasure to see this book reach a large public through a major publisher. Enjoy.Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-89432989862885901082009-12-29T17:40:00.002-05:002009-12-29T17:42:59.398-05:00Happy 200th Birthday to Albert Pike!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/SzqFJOjE6KI/AAAAAAAAAbs/XJ9UsMc2CXE/s1600-h/Pike,+Albert--old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/SzqFJOjE6KI/AAAAAAAAAbs/XJ9UsMc2CXE/s320/Pike,+Albert--old.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/SzqE_UWkVhI/AAAAAAAAAbk/xo68O2U87uE/s1600-h/Pike,+Albert--Young.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/SzqE_UWkVhI/AAAAAAAAAbk/xo68O2U87uE/s640/Pike,+Albert--Young.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Just had to break out of my year-end rush to send out happy 200th birthday greetings for Albert Pike (1809-1891), formerly the seventh Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction. <br />
<br />
Yes, I know he looks a bit scary. The fellow had more than a slightly rough life, upon the details of which I shall not dwell here. However, looking beyond his stern appearance, I am in awe of his sheer scholarly output, a great deal of which is worth our while today. A few cases in point:<br />
<ul><li>His revision of the Scottish Rite rituals. Sure, the rituals have been revised a bit here and there since his time, but by far most of what one sees in the Scottish Rite rituals in the Southern Jurisdiction today is Pike's work--and it is magnificent. (For a taste of it in print, take a look at Rex R. Hutchens' <em>A Bridge to Light: The Revised Standard Pike Ritual</em> (3rd ed., 2006, ed. by Arturo de Hoyos). </li>
<li>His major commentary on that ritual, <em>Morals and Dogma</em>. Yes, the language is a bit outdated. However, if you take it in bite-sized chunks, you'll find that there are depths of interesting thinking here. I don't agree with everything Commander Pike had to say, but I'm grateful for him raising the issues he raised. (I look forward to the forthcoming new edition of <em>Morals and Dogma</em>, also edited by Arturo de Hoyos, which I hope will be out in the new year.)</li>
<li>His other commentary on that ritual, which can be found in the <em>Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide</em> (second edition, 2009, also edited by Arturo de Hoyos). Where else does a modern man make intelligent remarks on Pythagoras, the Kabbalah, and the meaning of Freemasonry?</li>
<li>His thoughts on the symbolism of the Blue Lodge, found in <em>Albert Pike's Esoterika</em> (2nd ed., 2008, edited by the indefatigable Arturo de Hoyos). When some leading intellectuals in the United Grand Lodge of England got a hold of a manuscript copy, they declared this the most profound work they'd seen on the Blue Lodge degrees.</li>
</ul>Beyond all of the scholarship, I have a great deal of respect for the values that Albert Pike espoused. Among those that he made a point of emphasizing in the Scottish Rite ritual:<br />
<ul><li>Tolerance of different religions, and championing of the cause of religious freedom, and respect for religious diversity.</li>
<li>Commitment to ongoing learning.</li>
<li>Championing the cause of those not in power. Commitment to fight political repression.</li>
<li>Commitment to seeing the truth and value that is there to be found in philosophies and religions from across the many cultures of humanity, throughout the ages.</li>
</ul>He was not a flawless man by any means, but I have a great deal of respect for much of his thought. I was pleased to discover his condemnation of slavery (not what one expects from a former Confederate general). I also am in awe of his efforts on behalf of Freemasonry--for the Scottish Rite, to be sure, but also for many other aspects of the Fraternity. In my opinion, American Masonry might not have emerged from the Anti-Masonic Period half so well without his efforts. <br />
<br />
So happy birthday to you, Commander Pike--with thanks for a job well done.Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500565510272388654.post-80402077328510637082009-12-13T05:04:00.000-05:002009-12-13T05:04:08.671-05:00Mark Koltko-Rivera on Masonic Central--Tonight!--Talking About His Dan Brown Book<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/SyS7b7WoDSI/AAAAAAAAAbM/qmKXwAsIfwk/s1600-h/Masonic+Central+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_h0BXkqRMWKI/SyS7b7WoDSI/AAAAAAAAAbM/qmKXwAsIfwk/s640/Masonic+Central+logo.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Mark Koltko-Rivera will be on the Masonic Central podcast this evening, Sunday, December 13, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. (You can link to the podcast <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/masonic-central">here</a>.) Mark will be discussing his book, <strong><em>Discovering The Lost Symbol: Freemasons, Magic, Mystery Religions, Noetic Science, and the Idea that We Can Become Gods</em></strong>.Mark Koltko-Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11173090767545559729noreply@blogger.com2