Brian Rokus on CNN.com has published an article on his news site that is spotlighting a part of an upcoming series entitled "God's Warriors". The expose will be hosted by Christiane Amanpour.
In this article (my apologies to CNN.com for linking their site), Mr. Rokus mentions Rehan Seyam, a Muslim who wore a traditional hijab (head scarf) to Wal-Mart while she did some badly needed shopping. It was the holiday season, and I'm guessing the store was quite crowded.
As stated by Mr. Rokus, Ms. Seyam reported that a man in the store singled her out and loudly sang the "12 days of Christmas" to her face, changing the lyrics to include taunts, insults, and references to Osama bin Laden.
According to Rokus, Ms. Seyam asked the gentleman "Do I look like a terrorist to you?" He is reported to have responded "What else does a terrorist look like?"
Excuse me, mr. wal-mart-shopper-who-knows-everything, but who is terrorizing whom here? Did Ms. Seyam come into the store and single you out and threaten you, or did you single her out and make her uncomfortable? Didn't you terrorize her? Was she a threat, or was this just an excuse for you to make a public display of your ignorance, prejudice, and hate?
What else does a terrorist look like? Oh, yes, that's right. Tim McVeigh and Terry Nichols put their turbans down, shaved their beards, and stayed away from the mosque, and that's why we missed them. Or has September 11, 2001 made you forget April 19th, 1995? Or is it because you are too uncomfortable to discuss the fact that homegrown terrorists are a threat to our way of life?
It is reported that there were 168 deaths and 800 injured on that day, including children. On September 11th, 2001, 19 terrorists, mostly Saudis, killed 2,794 people in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. 24 others were never located and are presumed dead today. It is estimated that there were 16,000 people around the base of the World Trade Center when it collapsed, and it is difficult to estimate how many were truly "injured".
But for Oklahoma city, two men killed 168 people. This may not seem like so much on the surface but realize that Tim McVeigh killed 168 people (Terry Nichols involvement with the attack is still, despite his conviction, in dispute--he did not "pull the lever" so to speak). Compare this to September 11th, where one terrorist killed 147 people (which I will admit is using simple math to compare number of terrorists and number of deaths and doesn't take into account locations and individual involvement) but I'm not saying Oklahoma was worse, just that it was as bad as what happened in 2001.
I remember the weeks following April 19th, 1995. I remember the concrete barriers that sprang up overnight. I remember the fears people had of going to work if they worked in a government facility. I remember the press conferences. I remember people being afraid. I remember the terrorism.
And I don't remember Islamic extremism being a part of it at all.
So the next time you ask an innocent Islamic woman in Wal-Mart, Mr. Rude Shopper, "what else does a terrorist look like?" You need to take a long hard look into a mirror.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Blood In The Mortar?
Ok I’ve hidden in the rocks long enough. As you know there comes a time when I just can’t keep my mouth shut for my own good. The pressure has been building and now I need to open the floodgates or face a critical situation.
Enjoy being in my reticule, conspiracy theorists. I’m not out to get you. I was just looking your way when I pulled the trigger.
A good conspiracy theory is great for entertaining reading, or a good movie, or something good to wipe your butt with. And yes, sometimes, when the planets align, or more to the point when we complete one galactic trip through the zodiac, a conspiracy theory is right on target. But not right now, in this entry. I’m not going to talk about Lee Harvey Oswald, Marilyn Monroe, Haliburton, Zionism, or Bush’s involvement in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
No, I’m gonna smack around those who believe Freemasons are out to rule the world.
I’m not going to explain what Freemasonry is, where it came from, who started it, or why. There are plenty of lodges around that would be more than willing to explain history to you.
What I’m going to do is knock down these stupid accusations against the Masons.
First of all let’s burn the trump card.
1) This quote is used as the conspiracy theorist’s (henceforth written as CT’s) “smoking gun” that Freemasonry lies to its initiates. This is a partial quote by General Albert Pike in his work Morals and Dogma in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, 1871:
“The Blue Degrees are but the outer court or portico of the Temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the Initiate, but he is intentionally misled by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them; but it is intended that he shall imagine he understands them. Their true explication is reserved for the Adepts, the Princes of Masonry.” (pp. 104, 105 & 819)
As with anything else a paranoid, ignorant, and most importantly JEALOUS person who is angry because he isn't a part of something greater than he would believe, this quote is taken widely out of context. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that when you have an organization that works for the betterment of humanity, especially on the frontlines against entire tyrannical governments, so decreed by the CT himself, that people who have a different opinion of these secret societies (i.e. patriots to a tyrant) would seek to compromise the integrity of the institution. Simply put, you don’t give the new bank teller the keys to the vault on his first day of work. That’s one reason.
Another would be to protect the secrets of the order against tyrants if the lower ranks are captured, tortured, or otherwise compromised. Again, it is the CTs themselves who state the Freemasons have worked for political change on a grand scale.
And yet another reason would be to protect the initiates themselves. With so many people waiting in the bushes to string up a Freemason, you might teach them things slightly apart from the truth until they can be taught to keep what they know secret. This is a no-brainer to me. People are less likely to terrorize an initiate if the initiate knows nothing or is known to know the wrong thing.
My final legitimate reason is simply that their existence tells a story. Not only is life a continuous learning experience, but also is one’s progression through an order. It takes time to “shape” a mind. Yes, I know this comment in itself is enough to drive a CT into adulterous heat, but it is what it is. You don’t benefit from AA overnight. You don’t get your PhD in one year. And you certainly don’t understand the intricacies of an order as an initiate.
Of course there could be another reason, since the order is secret and no one REALLY knows, just for fun. “Sure, Bob, let Sammy think the unfinished pyramid and All-Seeing Eye represent a New World Order. Perhaps when he gets to the 30th degree we’ll tell him that it really just means we think our leader is a big and fat eyeball cause he keeps staring at us and he weighs as much as a pyramid.”
Yes I’m being quite facetious on that last one, but I’m sure you get my point. No one who isn’t a part of the organization knows what the organization teaches. NO ONE.
2) There is an entire volume of misquotes related to the role of Lucifer in the teachings. When people don’t listen to the CT’s when the CT’s scream about the secrecy or the political meddling of the Masons, the CT’s throw out another card, trying to strike fear into the hearts of the ignorant common man. They pull the religion stringand ring a bell. MASONS WORSHIP THE DEVIL! They cry. They scream. They teach. LUCIFER IS SATAN!
Give me a break.
Lucifer is mentioned in writings, to be sure. And all this could be well fine and good if, in fact, Lucifer were Satan. But I hate to burst the bubble of the CT, as well as that of the common uneducated spiritual enthusiast, but Lucifer is not Satan. In today’s contemporary society, certainly, people view Lucifer to be Satan, but this is based in ignorance. Any true student of the Holy Bible will tell you Lucifer and Satan being one and the same is untrue.
Lucifer is “mentioned” in the Holy Bible in the book of Isaiah, chapter 14, verses 12 to 15. It states, as written in the King James Version:
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
This same passage, in the New International Version, reads:
12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
And the reader says, COME ON FATBODY. I KNOW THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE DEVIL. ISN’T IT?
Actually, no. If you read the entire book of Isaiah, and read the context of this passage, you will find it is NOT talking about Satan, but is in fact discussing the arrogance of the King of Babylon, and is delivering a prophecy against him and his people.
Here is chapter 14, in its entirety, in both the King James and the New International versions. Kudos go to the Bible Gateway, an online concordance.
Isaiah 14 (NIV)
1 The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Aliens will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.
2 Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maid servants in the LORD's land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors.
3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage,
4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!
5 The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers,
6 which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression.
7 All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing.
8 Even the pine trees and the cedars of Lebanon exult over you and say, "Now that you have been laid low, no woodsman comes to cut us down."
9 The grave below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you—all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones—all those who were kings over the nations.
10 They will all respond, they will say to you, "You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us."
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?"
18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb.
19 But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20 you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. The offspring of the wicked will never be mentioned again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the sins of their forefathers; they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities.
22 "I will rise up against them," declares the LORD Almighty. "I will cut off from Babylon her name and survivors, her offspring and descendants," declares the LORD.
23 "I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD Almighty.
A Prophecy Against Assyria
24 The LORD Almighty has sworn, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.
25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders."
26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations.
27 For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
28 This oracle came in the year King Ahaz died:
29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken; from the root of that snake will spring up a viper, its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety. But your root I will destroy by famine; it will slay your survivors.
31 Wail, O gate! Howl, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! A cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there is not a straggler in its ranks.
32 What answer shall be given to the envoys of that nation? "The LORD has established Zion, and in her his afflicted people will find refuge."
Isaiah 14 (King James)
1For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
2And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
3And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,
4That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
5The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
6He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
7The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
8Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.
9Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
10All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
11Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
16They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
18All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
19But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
20Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.
21Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
22For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
23I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.
24The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
25That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
26This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
27For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
28In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.
29Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.
30And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.
31Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.
32What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.
Babylon at this time was the most powerful and dominant sovereign nation in the area. Babylon was aggressive. Babylon had conquered land after land, and Babylon was the subject of many persons' ire. This passage equates to a curse against Babylon for its sins against the Jewish people. The Babylonians believed themselves superior to everyone, walked on everyone, conquered everyone, and believed themselves gods of men. They thought they knew what was best for the world. They thought their word was truth. And their truth, ironically, was “the Way.” The Babylonians were, in effect, Isaiah’s Roman Empire.
The word Lucifer itself may fall under scrutiny. Truly, the usage of Lucifer in this passage is purely metaphorical, a device, understandably so, misunderstood by most of the Human population. Lucifer, here, is a symbol, and the description thus used is what was best to describe, as a symbol, the King and people of Babylon.
In Latin, “Lucifer” comes directly from “lucifera, luciferum”, defined as light-bearing, or light bringing. It is attributed to the morning star, the first star, and/or the brightest star.
Of course light bringing or light bearing can mean whatever you want it to mean, but in this case, it is similar to knowledge, or bringing knowledge. For example, think of all those cartoons where a character got an idea and suddenly a light bulb appeared over her head. It’s the same premise here, and is the same premise in Masonic thought. Do you see the light?
Lucifer delivering the light simply means gaining knowledge. It does not mean meeting Satan for tea and devoting your life to his evilness.
COME ON FATBODY. Are you saying all those times that Lucifer is mentioned in Masonic, Biblical, and other pre-Christian mystery that it meant only somebody got a bright idea?
Yes, actually I am.
COME ON FATBODY. What about Aleister Crowley, Anton LaVey, The Church of Satan, The Satanic Bible, and its use of Lucifer as Satan? What of the old poets?
First of all, these men were charlatans. I’m not saying the power of the mind should be disrespected. I’m saying these men were not satisified with their religion-du-jour and looked for something else. LaVey, for example, wrote the Satanic Bible, pulled from historical and popular contemporary sources and made his own religion. His work did not exist in the days of Isaiah. They, like Marilyn Manson today, needed a gimmick, and they found a good one.
The old poets? Hogwash. I think the most popular secular work concerning the rivalry between God and Satan is John Milton’s Paradise Lost. In his work Milton mentions Lucifer three times but mentions Satan over ten times. When Milton names the nemesis of God, he uses the term “Satan.” When Milton describes Satan’s position, or his relationship with God, he uses the term “Lucifer.” Again, it is a metaphor used to relate Satan’s status with God, that, Satan was God’s “best and brightest” angel, and God’s “right hand.” You can visit OnlineLiterature.Com and read and search Milton’s work and form your own opinion, but it seems obvious to me.
OKAY, FATBODY, WE GET THE POINT.
Ok ok. So, we see that the Lucifer-Masonic link isn’t as strong as the CT would like you to believe. But what else do the CT’s claim?
3) Freemasons, namely Gerald B Gardner, C. W. Leadbeater, Wynn Westcott, et.al support black magic, voodoo, wicca, satanic sacrifice, hedonistic sex magic, etc.
All I can say is these men are dead, they can’t answer these accusations even if they had an inkling of desire to do so, and we should not judge the movement for what they what have believed in, may it have been bad, abnormal, or different. All I’m saying is, given the fact that these men did in fact practice disturbing evil rituals or other acts, and if these were contrary to popular substance and obscene in their own right, that we shouldn’t let a few “bad apples” or “kooks” smear an entire organization. I’m sure the Christian majority, after dealing with their own problems, for example Jim Jones, The People’s Temple, and Jonestown, will understand this.
4) Freemasons want to create a New World Order of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Separation of Church and State, and Religious Tolerance.
Ooooooook. Yeah, I guess those are bad. Guilty as charged. I guess I'm an idiot for wanting that too. Maybe I seek to destroy the world. This was from their description from Wikipedia and I absolutely could not resist quoting it. Click here to see the entire article.
5) The National Seals of the United States of America, the dollar bill, and the streetplan of Washington DC “prove” the Freemasons have “created” (and sometimes, in contradiction, “taken over”) the American government.
These are funny. Let’s sort them out. Fortunately for us both the obverse and the reverse of the great seal are on the reverse of the dollar bill.
THE GREAT SEAL AND THE DOLLAR BILL
On the reverse of the dollar bill you will find both sides of the Great Seal of the United States of America. First is the unfinished pyramid, the great All-Seeing Eye, and the words “annuit coeptis” and “novus ordo seclorum,” which mean “favoring” and “new world order” respectively. The other is the bald eagle bearing arrows and an olive branch.
REVERSE SEAL
I know the words “new world order” scare the hell out of fundamentalists, but let’s just explain this here. When the United States was created it was, for all purposes, A NEW WORLD ORDER. It was a new type of government, one which had been documented, perhaps tried, but never followed. The way Americans would do things would be truly new. No monarchs. No aristocracy. No oligarchy. Rule by the people and for the people. Too bad it didn’t stay that way. And if it still scares you, you know when Jesus brought the truth and the way to the masses, he brought a new world order. Think about that.
Back to the point, the words Annuit Coeptis are placed above the All-Seeing Eye, otherwise known as the “Eye of Providence”, for a reason. Novus Ordo Seclorum was beneath the pyramid as well. The pyramids of Egypt stood the test of time. So too would this new order that the founders had created, they hoped. And it was not finished. They had only begun to build this great order, thus, the pyramid is unfinished. This was their way of saying “fortune has favored the creation of the new world order, or our great nation of the United States of America.” These symbols were so popular at the time that you could almost view them as contemporary freeware clip-art. There are no hidden messages here.
Another pertaining to the seal is that if you draw a Star of David on the “Annuit Coeptis” seal, using the eye as the top of the star and the bottom of the pyramid as the star’s base, that where the star touches letters you will find the word MASON. I guess this links Masons to Jews.
I think the CT would be better off using a five-pointed star (pentagram) here. You can still get the letters that would spell MASON if you turn it just right, and the pentagram is generally viewed as an evil symbol by contemporary Christian society and would solidify the link to Masons being Satanic. Oh well. Can’t blame them for trying.
Personally I think the letters spell “MOANS,” because this is exactly what I do every time I hear that this is a hidden message or anagram in the Great Seal of the United States of America.
What I wish someone would explain is why the background of the dollar bill is spider webs, and why there is a tiny near-microscopic spider walking along the top-left side of the bracketed 1 on the top right side of the front of the dollar? Is it because the money was green, grass is green, and you find spiders in the grass? You got me.
OBVERSE SEAL
Here we have a bald eagle, wings outstretched. Over its chest is a shield with a blue field and thirteen stripes. Above the eagle’s head are thirteen stars in the shape of a six-pointed Star of David (which may be a key to use the same pattern to find the word MOANS on the reverse seal). The eagle holds in its talons arrows and an olive branch.
The eagle is the official symbol of the United States of America. There are thirteen stripes on the shield because there are thirteen colonies that formed the great nation. There are thirteen stars in the star above the eagle’s head, again, because there are thirteen colonies. The words E Pluribus Unum adorn the eagle on a ribbon. E Pluribus Unum means “out of many, one.” This is again a reference to the thirteen colonies.
Many CT’s say the number thirteen comes up again and again as a reference to Friday the 13th, the day the Knights Templar died. They say this because they link the Freemasons to the Knights Templar. I’m sorry, but this is just too far out there. THERE WERE 13 COLONIES YOU MORONS. Or did the masons orchestrate that too?
Truth be told the great seal is full of both Masonic and non-Masonic symbols. Like I said before, these symbols were their clip-art of the day. Benjamin Franklin was the only “proven” Mason to be on the Great Seal Committee, and all his recommendations were rejected. He even wanted the turkey instead of the eagle. That would have been attractive.
STREETPLAN OF DC
If you draw your lines just right, you can link major monuments in Washington DC with a large pentagram, and find the compass and square.
Okay. You can also link them with crosses, and I don’t think the CT’s would say this meant the designer was a Christian and prophesizing the coming of the New Jerusalem. But I guess this follows the rationale that if you believe it enough you’ll see it. Well of course you will.
All I can say is so what. If the symbolism is there, so freaking what. Pierre L’Enfant was a Freemason, it is believed. He would have put the symbols there subconsciously if not consciously. Just because they are there doesn’t mean DC is the seat of Freemasonry, or beyond that, even the site of evil. Look at all the Christian symbolism in Vatican City. Does God live there with the Pope? Aside from God being everywhere, I think not.
4) Depending on what math you use, how you do it, no matter how you do it, you get 13 this and 13 that.
This is the only way I could bring this one up. Idiots absolutely LOVE playing with mathematics. I think it’s like a baby holding a cell-phone, awestruck by the blinking lights and having no idea what it’s for or how it works. These people love trying to persuade using math. For example, they say there are X number of windows on Y sides of a building that is Z feet around the base. And if you bring in N number of buildings constructed by that architect and I where I is the number of potatoes he ate M days ago, and you divide by O his age, then take the standard derivative of the integral as it approaches how many times he farted on Tuesday, you get 13, the holy number of masons.
Math isn’t a toy. You shouldn’t play with it like that or you just might hurt yourself.
CONCLUSION
What this all boils down to is anytime you have a group of individuals who practice in secret, whether it’s Christians in the time of the Roman Empire, or Libertarians in the time of tyranny, people talk about them because they don’t understand them. Whenever a child went missing in the day of Nero Caesar everyone pointed first to the Christians because they were mysterious and didn’t practice their religion in public. Today, the World Trade Center collapses and we point fingers at Freemasons and Jews instead of where it truly belongs: at ourselves. I know that’s a pretty hefty statement and I don't expect everyone to agree with it, but I do ask you to spend a little while thinking about what it means. We don’t exist in a vacuum. There was a little trick we used in debate--if you can find three to five good examples that support my argument, even if you disagree with it, at least you understand it, and understand your own point even better. I challenge the reader to do that, if he/she disagrees. Conspiracy theorists never seem to do this.
The CT’s seem to punctuate their articles by talking about how they’ve been threatened by masons. Like I believe that. However, to further my constant quest of indulgence, let me give you a real threat, and I’m not even a Freemason:
To all the half-wit keyboard-jockey wanna-be-special investigators out there, what makes you think that an organization as secretive, as all-encompassing, as malicious, controlling, powerful, dominant, and sovereign as you would have the Freemasons believed to be, would bat an eye about making someone who clearly wouldn’t be missed disappear from the face of the Earth? Entire kingdoms have fallen at the whim of Masons, and you think they’d waste time “threatening” you? You need to think about that, as does everyone who reads your insane drivel.
Enjoy being in my reticule, conspiracy theorists. I’m not out to get you. I was just looking your way when I pulled the trigger.
A good conspiracy theory is great for entertaining reading, or a good movie, or something good to wipe your butt with. And yes, sometimes, when the planets align, or more to the point when we complete one galactic trip through the zodiac, a conspiracy theory is right on target. But not right now, in this entry. I’m not going to talk about Lee Harvey Oswald, Marilyn Monroe, Haliburton, Zionism, or Bush’s involvement in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
No, I’m gonna smack around those who believe Freemasons are out to rule the world.
I’m not going to explain what Freemasonry is, where it came from, who started it, or why. There are plenty of lodges around that would be more than willing to explain history to you.
What I’m going to do is knock down these stupid accusations against the Masons.
First of all let’s burn the trump card.
1) This quote is used as the conspiracy theorist’s (henceforth written as CT’s) “smoking gun” that Freemasonry lies to its initiates. This is a partial quote by General Albert Pike in his work Morals and Dogma in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, 1871:
“The Blue Degrees are but the outer court or portico of the Temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the Initiate, but he is intentionally misled by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them; but it is intended that he shall imagine he understands them. Their true explication is reserved for the Adepts, the Princes of Masonry.” (pp. 104, 105 & 819)
As with anything else a paranoid, ignorant, and most importantly JEALOUS person who is angry because he isn't a part of something greater than he would believe, this quote is taken widely out of context. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that when you have an organization that works for the betterment of humanity, especially on the frontlines against entire tyrannical governments, so decreed by the CT himself, that people who have a different opinion of these secret societies (i.e. patriots to a tyrant) would seek to compromise the integrity of the institution. Simply put, you don’t give the new bank teller the keys to the vault on his first day of work. That’s one reason.
Another would be to protect the secrets of the order against tyrants if the lower ranks are captured, tortured, or otherwise compromised. Again, it is the CTs themselves who state the Freemasons have worked for political change on a grand scale.
And yet another reason would be to protect the initiates themselves. With so many people waiting in the bushes to string up a Freemason, you might teach them things slightly apart from the truth until they can be taught to keep what they know secret. This is a no-brainer to me. People are less likely to terrorize an initiate if the initiate knows nothing or is known to know the wrong thing.
My final legitimate reason is simply that their existence tells a story. Not only is life a continuous learning experience, but also is one’s progression through an order. It takes time to “shape” a mind. Yes, I know this comment in itself is enough to drive a CT into adulterous heat, but it is what it is. You don’t benefit from AA overnight. You don’t get your PhD in one year. And you certainly don’t understand the intricacies of an order as an initiate.
Of course there could be another reason, since the order is secret and no one REALLY knows, just for fun. “Sure, Bob, let Sammy think the unfinished pyramid and All-Seeing Eye represent a New World Order. Perhaps when he gets to the 30th degree we’ll tell him that it really just means we think our leader is a big and fat eyeball cause he keeps staring at us and he weighs as much as a pyramid.”
Yes I’m being quite facetious on that last one, but I’m sure you get my point. No one who isn’t a part of the organization knows what the organization teaches. NO ONE.
2) There is an entire volume of misquotes related to the role of Lucifer in the teachings. When people don’t listen to the CT’s when the CT’s scream about the secrecy or the political meddling of the Masons, the CT’s throw out another card, trying to strike fear into the hearts of the ignorant common man. They pull the religion stringand ring a bell. MASONS WORSHIP THE DEVIL! They cry. They scream. They teach. LUCIFER IS SATAN!
Give me a break.
Lucifer is mentioned in writings, to be sure. And all this could be well fine and good if, in fact, Lucifer were Satan. But I hate to burst the bubble of the CT, as well as that of the common uneducated spiritual enthusiast, but Lucifer is not Satan. In today’s contemporary society, certainly, people view Lucifer to be Satan, but this is based in ignorance. Any true student of the Holy Bible will tell you Lucifer and Satan being one and the same is untrue.
Lucifer is “mentioned” in the Holy Bible in the book of Isaiah, chapter 14, verses 12 to 15. It states, as written in the King James Version:
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
This same passage, in the New International Version, reads:
12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
And the reader says, COME ON FATBODY. I KNOW THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE DEVIL. ISN’T IT?
Actually, no. If you read the entire book of Isaiah, and read the context of this passage, you will find it is NOT talking about Satan, but is in fact discussing the arrogance of the King of Babylon, and is delivering a prophecy against him and his people.
Here is chapter 14, in its entirety, in both the King James and the New International versions. Kudos go to the Bible Gateway, an online concordance.
Isaiah 14 (NIV)
1 The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Aliens will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.
2 Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maid servants in the LORD's land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors.
3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage,
4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!
5 The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers,
6 which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression.
7 All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing.
8 Even the pine trees and the cedars of Lebanon exult over you and say, "Now that you have been laid low, no woodsman comes to cut us down."
9 The grave below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you—all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones—all those who were kings over the nations.
10 They will all respond, they will say to you, "You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us."
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?"
18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb.
19 But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20 you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. The offspring of the wicked will never be mentioned again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the sins of their forefathers; they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities.
22 "I will rise up against them," declares the LORD Almighty. "I will cut off from Babylon her name and survivors, her offspring and descendants," declares the LORD.
23 "I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD Almighty.
A Prophecy Against Assyria
24 The LORD Almighty has sworn, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.
25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders."
26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations.
27 For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
28 This oracle came in the year King Ahaz died:
29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken; from the root of that snake will spring up a viper, its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety. But your root I will destroy by famine; it will slay your survivors.
31 Wail, O gate! Howl, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! A cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there is not a straggler in its ranks.
32 What answer shall be given to the envoys of that nation? "The LORD has established Zion, and in her his afflicted people will find refuge."
Isaiah 14 (King James)
1For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
2And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
3And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,
4That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
5The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
6He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
7The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
8Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.
9Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
10All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
11Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
16They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
18All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
19But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
20Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.
21Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
22For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
23I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.
24The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
25That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
26This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
27For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
28In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.
29Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.
30And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.
31Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.
32What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.
Babylon at this time was the most powerful and dominant sovereign nation in the area. Babylon was aggressive. Babylon had conquered land after land, and Babylon was the subject of many persons' ire. This passage equates to a curse against Babylon for its sins against the Jewish people. The Babylonians believed themselves superior to everyone, walked on everyone, conquered everyone, and believed themselves gods of men. They thought they knew what was best for the world. They thought their word was truth. And their truth, ironically, was “the Way.” The Babylonians were, in effect, Isaiah’s Roman Empire.
The word Lucifer itself may fall under scrutiny. Truly, the usage of Lucifer in this passage is purely metaphorical, a device, understandably so, misunderstood by most of the Human population. Lucifer, here, is a symbol, and the description thus used is what was best to describe, as a symbol, the King and people of Babylon.
In Latin, “Lucifer” comes directly from “lucifera, luciferum”, defined as light-bearing, or light bringing. It is attributed to the morning star, the first star, and/or the brightest star.
Of course light bringing or light bearing can mean whatever you want it to mean, but in this case, it is similar to knowledge, or bringing knowledge. For example, think of all those cartoons where a character got an idea and suddenly a light bulb appeared over her head. It’s the same premise here, and is the same premise in Masonic thought. Do you see the light?
Lucifer delivering the light simply means gaining knowledge. It does not mean meeting Satan for tea and devoting your life to his evilness.
COME ON FATBODY. Are you saying all those times that Lucifer is mentioned in Masonic, Biblical, and other pre-Christian mystery that it meant only somebody got a bright idea?
Yes, actually I am.
COME ON FATBODY. What about Aleister Crowley, Anton LaVey, The Church of Satan, The Satanic Bible, and its use of Lucifer as Satan? What of the old poets?
First of all, these men were charlatans. I’m not saying the power of the mind should be disrespected. I’m saying these men were not satisified with their religion-du-jour and looked for something else. LaVey, for example, wrote the Satanic Bible, pulled from historical and popular contemporary sources and made his own religion. His work did not exist in the days of Isaiah. They, like Marilyn Manson today, needed a gimmick, and they found a good one.
The old poets? Hogwash. I think the most popular secular work concerning the rivalry between God and Satan is John Milton’s Paradise Lost. In his work Milton mentions Lucifer three times but mentions Satan over ten times. When Milton names the nemesis of God, he uses the term “Satan.” When Milton describes Satan’s position, or his relationship with God, he uses the term “Lucifer.” Again, it is a metaphor used to relate Satan’s status with God, that, Satan was God’s “best and brightest” angel, and God’s “right hand.” You can visit OnlineLiterature.Com and read and search Milton’s work and form your own opinion, but it seems obvious to me.
OKAY, FATBODY, WE GET THE POINT.
Ok ok. So, we see that the Lucifer-Masonic link isn’t as strong as the CT would like you to believe. But what else do the CT’s claim?
3) Freemasons, namely Gerald B Gardner, C. W. Leadbeater, Wynn Westcott, et.al support black magic, voodoo, wicca, satanic sacrifice, hedonistic sex magic, etc.
All I can say is these men are dead, they can’t answer these accusations even if they had an inkling of desire to do so, and we should not judge the movement for what they what have believed in, may it have been bad, abnormal, or different. All I’m saying is, given the fact that these men did in fact practice disturbing evil rituals or other acts, and if these were contrary to popular substance and obscene in their own right, that we shouldn’t let a few “bad apples” or “kooks” smear an entire organization. I’m sure the Christian majority, after dealing with their own problems, for example Jim Jones, The People’s Temple, and Jonestown, will understand this.
4) Freemasons want to create a New World Order of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Separation of Church and State, and Religious Tolerance.
Ooooooook. Yeah, I guess those are bad. Guilty as charged. I guess I'm an idiot for wanting that too. Maybe I seek to destroy the world. This was from their description from Wikipedia and I absolutely could not resist quoting it. Click here to see the entire article.
5) The National Seals of the United States of America, the dollar bill, and the streetplan of Washington DC “prove” the Freemasons have “created” (and sometimes, in contradiction, “taken over”) the American government.
These are funny. Let’s sort them out. Fortunately for us both the obverse and the reverse of the great seal are on the reverse of the dollar bill.
THE GREAT SEAL AND THE DOLLAR BILL
On the reverse of the dollar bill you will find both sides of the Great Seal of the United States of America. First is the unfinished pyramid, the great All-Seeing Eye, and the words “annuit coeptis” and “novus ordo seclorum,” which mean “favoring” and “new world order” respectively. The other is the bald eagle bearing arrows and an olive branch.
REVERSE SEAL
I know the words “new world order” scare the hell out of fundamentalists, but let’s just explain this here. When the United States was created it was, for all purposes, A NEW WORLD ORDER. It was a new type of government, one which had been documented, perhaps tried, but never followed. The way Americans would do things would be truly new. No monarchs. No aristocracy. No oligarchy. Rule by the people and for the people. Too bad it didn’t stay that way. And if it still scares you, you know when Jesus brought the truth and the way to the masses, he brought a new world order. Think about that.
Back to the point, the words Annuit Coeptis are placed above the All-Seeing Eye, otherwise known as the “Eye of Providence”, for a reason. Novus Ordo Seclorum was beneath the pyramid as well. The pyramids of Egypt stood the test of time. So too would this new order that the founders had created, they hoped. And it was not finished. They had only begun to build this great order, thus, the pyramid is unfinished. This was their way of saying “fortune has favored the creation of the new world order, or our great nation of the United States of America.” These symbols were so popular at the time that you could almost view them as contemporary freeware clip-art. There are no hidden messages here.
Another pertaining to the seal is that if you draw a Star of David on the “Annuit Coeptis” seal, using the eye as the top of the star and the bottom of the pyramid as the star’s base, that where the star touches letters you will find the word MASON. I guess this links Masons to Jews.
I think the CT would be better off using a five-pointed star (pentagram) here. You can still get the letters that would spell MASON if you turn it just right, and the pentagram is generally viewed as an evil symbol by contemporary Christian society and would solidify the link to Masons being Satanic. Oh well. Can’t blame them for trying.
Personally I think the letters spell “MOANS,” because this is exactly what I do every time I hear that this is a hidden message or anagram in the Great Seal of the United States of America.
What I wish someone would explain is why the background of the dollar bill is spider webs, and why there is a tiny near-microscopic spider walking along the top-left side of the bracketed 1 on the top right side of the front of the dollar? Is it because the money was green, grass is green, and you find spiders in the grass? You got me.
OBVERSE SEAL
Here we have a bald eagle, wings outstretched. Over its chest is a shield with a blue field and thirteen stripes. Above the eagle’s head are thirteen stars in the shape of a six-pointed Star of David (which may be a key to use the same pattern to find the word MOANS on the reverse seal). The eagle holds in its talons arrows and an olive branch.
The eagle is the official symbol of the United States of America. There are thirteen stripes on the shield because there are thirteen colonies that formed the great nation. There are thirteen stars in the star above the eagle’s head, again, because there are thirteen colonies. The words E Pluribus Unum adorn the eagle on a ribbon. E Pluribus Unum means “out of many, one.” This is again a reference to the thirteen colonies.
Many CT’s say the number thirteen comes up again and again as a reference to Friday the 13th, the day the Knights Templar died. They say this because they link the Freemasons to the Knights Templar. I’m sorry, but this is just too far out there. THERE WERE 13 COLONIES YOU MORONS. Or did the masons orchestrate that too?
Truth be told the great seal is full of both Masonic and non-Masonic symbols. Like I said before, these symbols were their clip-art of the day. Benjamin Franklin was the only “proven” Mason to be on the Great Seal Committee, and all his recommendations were rejected. He even wanted the turkey instead of the eagle. That would have been attractive.
STREETPLAN OF DC
If you draw your lines just right, you can link major monuments in Washington DC with a large pentagram, and find the compass and square.
Okay. You can also link them with crosses, and I don’t think the CT’s would say this meant the designer was a Christian and prophesizing the coming of the New Jerusalem. But I guess this follows the rationale that if you believe it enough you’ll see it. Well of course you will.
All I can say is so what. If the symbolism is there, so freaking what. Pierre L’Enfant was a Freemason, it is believed. He would have put the symbols there subconsciously if not consciously. Just because they are there doesn’t mean DC is the seat of Freemasonry, or beyond that, even the site of evil. Look at all the Christian symbolism in Vatican City. Does God live there with the Pope? Aside from God being everywhere, I think not.
4) Depending on what math you use, how you do it, no matter how you do it, you get 13 this and 13 that.
This is the only way I could bring this one up. Idiots absolutely LOVE playing with mathematics. I think it’s like a baby holding a cell-phone, awestruck by the blinking lights and having no idea what it’s for or how it works. These people love trying to persuade using math. For example, they say there are X number of windows on Y sides of a building that is Z feet around the base. And if you bring in N number of buildings constructed by that architect and I where I is the number of potatoes he ate M days ago, and you divide by O his age, then take the standard derivative of the integral as it approaches how many times he farted on Tuesday, you get 13, the holy number of masons.
Math isn’t a toy. You shouldn’t play with it like that or you just might hurt yourself.
CONCLUSION
What this all boils down to is anytime you have a group of individuals who practice in secret, whether it’s Christians in the time of the Roman Empire, or Libertarians in the time of tyranny, people talk about them because they don’t understand them. Whenever a child went missing in the day of Nero Caesar everyone pointed first to the Christians because they were mysterious and didn’t practice their religion in public. Today, the World Trade Center collapses and we point fingers at Freemasons and Jews instead of where it truly belongs: at ourselves. I know that’s a pretty hefty statement and I don't expect everyone to agree with it, but I do ask you to spend a little while thinking about what it means. We don’t exist in a vacuum. There was a little trick we used in debate--if you can find three to five good examples that support my argument, even if you disagree with it, at least you understand it, and understand your own point even better. I challenge the reader to do that, if he/she disagrees. Conspiracy theorists never seem to do this.
The CT’s seem to punctuate their articles by talking about how they’ve been threatened by masons. Like I believe that. However, to further my constant quest of indulgence, let me give you a real threat, and I’m not even a Freemason:
To all the half-wit keyboard-jockey wanna-be-special investigators out there, what makes you think that an organization as secretive, as all-encompassing, as malicious, controlling, powerful, dominant, and sovereign as you would have the Freemasons believed to be, would bat an eye about making someone who clearly wouldn’t be missed disappear from the face of the Earth? Entire kingdoms have fallen at the whim of Masons, and you think they’d waste time “threatening” you? You need to think about that, as does everyone who reads your insane drivel.
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