Mysterious ancient markings in Jerusalem

I'm just going to post this and let you draw your own conclusions: The Associated Press has posted a story titled, "Experts stumped by ancient Jerusalem markings."

As the man said: "Those who speak, do not know; those who know, do not speak."

A Talk on Freemasonry for a General Audience:Appearance at Masonic Hall NYC on Wednesday 9/14

The Renaissance Room, Masonic Hall, New York City

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.

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).” 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. (Concerning after-presentation refreshment, see below.)

Topic: For centuries, rumor has had it that the Freemasons are in possession of deep mysteries. This is entirely true. 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!

Place and Dress: 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.

Time: Master Masons are welcome to attend the opening of Lodge at 7 p.m. The general audience will be admitted at 8 p.m.

Book Signing Opportunity: I will be signing my book, Freemasonry: An Introduction (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.

Collation: 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. Attendance at collation requires reservations. Reservations may be made by e-mail sent to junior.warden@jwgl934.com ; please be sure to mention the number of people in your party.

I hope to see readers of this blog at the event. Be well.

Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.

Watch "Of Masons and Mormons: The Relationship Between Freemasonry's Rituals of Initiation and the Latter-Day Saint Temple Rituals"

Of Mormons and Masons from WEOFM on Vimeo.

"Of Masons and Mormons": This Week on the Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry

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 (http://www.weofm.org/) 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.

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.

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.

Masons Spreading Light—Literally—in India

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.


The online news service DNA: Daily News & Analysis has reported 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.”

You will find an English-language .pdf file describing the Jyotirgamaya project on the Grand Lodge of India website, here. 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 here.

An article on the mobile edition of The Times of India reports 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.

Freemasonry in India 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, the initiation of ethnic Indians began in the early 18th Century, 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).

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 my lodge/Grand Lodge doing?”

[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.]

Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.

Mark Koltko-Rivera Live on Freemasonry: Streaming Video Tonight

Tonight, Ustreem Internet TV, in association with the Learning Annex, will present two brief streaming video lessons featuring me talking about Freemasonry:

• "Unlocking the Truth Behind Freemasonry": 6:20 p.m.--6:35 p.m. (Eastern)
• "Debunking Conspiracy Theories and Myths About Freemasonry": 7:00 p.m.--7:15 p.m. (Eastern)

The streaming video is available to view for $0.99 each; register here. (I don't make anything off this, but I do get to plug my book, Freemasonry: An Introduction.) After the original broadcast, the lessons will be archived and available for viewing.

Enjoy.

Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee to Host Show Investigating Freemasonry

Here is an item from the You-Couldn't-Make-This-Stuff-Up Department: Today the showbiz newspaper Variety 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:

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.”

The Hollywood Reporter 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.

According to his bio on Wikipedia, 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.

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.

I’m not holding my breath.

(Although, my schedule does have some openings right now.)

Copyright 2011 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.

[The photo 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.]