# Freemasonry



## Illuminated (Jul 26, 2013)

I do not know much about Freemasonry, but what type of rituals are there? Blood? And why are 31 degree Masons so secretive of what they know? I have come to believe it is Satanism... Every 4th degree mason gets a book, I do not know which one. But in one page it says something about bowing down to lucifer the light bearer...


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## newkid18 (Jul 26, 2013)

I can nor even began to explain how wrong you are my friend and as far as rituals go no one on here will discuss so rituals occur in the lodge or if they do or do not receive a book and the 33rd is the highest degree from the past few threads I've seen you in I am wondering why you keep bringing up Satanism we as a whole do not practice any set religion but what you be live and can keep you true to your paths in my personal lodge we have a buddaist and a hindu as well as a hebrew 

If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." â€”Benjamin Franklin, American writer, humorist, ambassador, inventor and Freemason


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## crono782 (Jul 26, 2013)

Yah man, pretty much everything you've written so far on multiple threads is either stretching the truth or downright wrong. It's ok to be highly mis informed, but not someone who stirs up a beehive for kicks based on stuff they've read on the net. 


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## Bro Darren (Jul 27, 2013)

Firstly, the Internet is 99% false when it comes to freemasonry. Every post, video, document all contradict each other and none of it is true. People love a good conspiracy and you are creating your own based solely on the hundreds of things you have read that are also someone else's theory based on stuff they read from people who read others. 

Chinese whispers eat your heart out.


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## BryanMaloney (Jul 27, 2013)

Illuminated said:


> I do not know much about Freemasonry, but what type of rituals are there? Blood? And why are 31 degree Masons so secretive of what they know? I have come to believe it is Satanism... Every 4th degree mason gets a book, I do not know which one. But in one page it says something about bowing down to lucifer the light bearer...
> 
> 
> Freemason Connect Mobile



Gracious, so many lies you have been told.

1. The rituals are rather boring. Sorry. No blood. Instead, men doing things that their wives would probably laugh at if they saw it.
2. There is no such thing as a "31 degree Mason". There is a 31st degree in the Scottish Rite, but the Scottish Rite is an appendant body. The highest degree of Freemasonry is the 3rd degre-Master Mason, none are higher. One way to look at it is that Entered Apprentice is a Bachelors, Fellowcraft is a Masters, and Master Mason is a PhD. Nothing is above the PhD in terms of actual academic degrees, but after a PhD, someone can specialize further and study more in depth within the specialty, but that doesn't make that scholar a "higher-ranK" scholar than someone with "just" a PhD. Both have their PhDs.
3. Thus, there is no such thing as a "4th degree mason".
4: The term "lucifer" does not always mean "Satan". Indeed, since it is likely that you are of the "Sola Scriptura" crowd, please show me a specific quote from the Bible wherein it states "Lucifer is Satan". ("How, O Lucifer, art thou fallen" is addressed to a MORTAL king, not to Satan. His court called him "Light bringer" to flatter him, so a prophet took him down a peg--reminded him he was a mortal.


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## Lowcarbjc (Jul 27, 2013)

Bryan great answers, I'm actually making a screenshot of it to keep for future reference thank you! 


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## Illuminated (Jul 27, 2013)

crono782 said:


> Yah man, pretty much everything you've written so far on multiple threads is either stretching the truth or downright wrong. It's ok to be highly mis informed, but not someone who stirs up a beehive for kicks based on stuff they've read on the net.
> 
> 
> Freemason Connect Mobile



Sorry, but I am eager to learn, yet all I can do is research on the Internet, but I will try to find a book! I want to learn, but I just don't know where or how!


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## Illuminated (Jul 27, 2013)

BryanMaloney said:


> Gracious, so many lies you have been told.
> 
> 1. The rituals are rather boring. Sorry. No blood. Instead, men doing things that their wives would probably laugh at if they saw it.
> 2. There is no such thing as a "31 degree Mason". There is a 31st degree in the Scottish Rite, but the Scottish Rite is an appendant body. The highest degree of Freemasonry is the 3rd degre-Master Mason, none are higher. One way to look at it is that Entered Apprentice is a Bachelors, Fellowcraft is a Masters, and Master Mason is a PhD. Nothing is above the PhD in terms of actual academic degrees, but after a PhD, someone can specialize further and study more in depth within the specialty, but that doesn't make that scholar a "higher-ranK" scholar than someone with "just" a PhD. Both have their PhDs.
> ...



So Lucifer can mean light bearer, as a compliment?


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## JJones (Jul 27, 2013)

Illuminated said:


> So Lucifer can mean light bearer, as a compliment?



Lucifer is actually a Latin word, which means 'light bearer' or 'bringer of light'.  If I'm not mistaken it was the name given  by the ancients to Venus because it could be seen in the sky just before the sun came up each morning.

Is Satan Lucifer?   I don't believe so.


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## widows son (Jul 27, 2013)

Lucifer is also an archetype. The state in which his fell from was lucifer, and became satan.


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## Zaden (Jul 27, 2013)

Illuminated said:


> Sorry, but I am eager to learn, yet all I can do is research on the Internet, but I will try to find a book! I want to learn, but I just don't know where or how!
> 
> 
> Freemason Connect Mobile



Go to your public library, local bookstore or any online book store and get the Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry or Freemasonry for Dummies.


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## Vikti (Jul 27, 2013)

Also, in order to understand what you read better, read and learn about what was going on with the political/social world at the time period being talked about.  Most words don't mean the same thing today as they did even 75 years ago much less 150+years ago.  For instance, Saint Basil's cathedral in Moscow was completed in 1561 and was once said to be awful and humorous (both can be considered a negative description today) but it was called awful because it was awe inspiring and humorous because it was pleasing to the eyes.  You can't always use today's morals and definitions what dealing old writings.

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## MarkR (Jul 28, 2013)

Also look into the book Is it True What They Say about Freemasonry by Arturo DeHoyos and S. Brent Morris.  It will clear up A LOT of the misconceptions you're bringing up.


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## Bro Darren (Jul 28, 2013)

Here is a nice piece written about the single reference to "Lucifer" in the entire bible Bible (Isaiah 14:12)
The word Satan on the other hand, is mentioned 56 times (55 as Satan and once as Satan's)
The Bible also refers to Satan/Devil/Enemy a total of 143 times and in the 143 times, he is never called "Lucifer", "Son of the Dawn", "The morning Star" or the "Light Bearer".


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## BryanMaloney (Jul 28, 2013)

D4rr3n said:


> Here is a nice piece written about the single reference to "Lucifer" in the entire bible Bible (Isaiah 14:12)
> The word Satan on the other hand, is mentioned 56 times (55 as Satan and once as Satan's)
> The Bible also refers to Satan/Devil/Enemy a total of 143 times and in the 143 times, he is never called "Lucifer", "Son of the Dawn", "The morning Star" or the "Light Bearer".



However, as I pointed out elsewhere, Christ is explicitly called the "Day Star" and the "Morning Star" within the Bible.


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## BryanMaloney (Jul 28, 2013)

widows son said:


> Lucifer is also an archetype. The state in which his fell from was lucifer, and became satan.



We forget that, like "God", "Lord", or "Christ", neither "Lucifer" nor "Satan" are actually names. They are titles. The name of my God is not "El" ("God"--that is, the word "god"), it is also not "Adonai" (which merely means "Master"). It is not "El Shaddai" ("God all-mighty"), "Avinu" (our Father), or so many other titles. Likewise "Lucifer" ("light bearer" or "morning star") is not a name. "Satan" is just a title meaning "adversary" or "enemy". The actual name of the entity called "Satan" is, as far as I know, not agreed upon, although some scholars think it might be the Semyaza/Shemyazaz mentioned in the Book of Enoch.


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## widows son (Jul 28, 2013)

"We forget that, like "God", "Lord", or "Christ", neither "Lucifer" nor "Satan" are actually names. They are titles. The name of my God is not "El" ("God"--that is, the word "god"), it is also not "Adonai" (which merely means "Master"). It is not "El Shaddai" ("God all-mighty"), "Avinu" (our Father), or so many other titles. Likewise "Lucifer" ("light bearer" or "morning star") is not a name. "Satan" is just a title meaning "adversary" or "enemy". The actual name of the entity called "Satan" is, as far as I know, not agreed upon, although some scholars think it might be the Semyaza/Shemyazaz mentioned in the Book of Enoch."

• isn't Shemyazaz the word for Satan in Hebrew?


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## BryanMaloney (Jul 30, 2013)

The word for "Satan" in Hebrew is "ha-Satan" ("the adversary"). The "ha-" particle makes it plain that it's a title, not a name. Shemyazaz (and variants) is a name meaning "fame" + "arrogance", and it is not universally agreed within any religious group that this is the name of the Adversary. However, since the function really matters more than the identity, calling whatever it actually is by "Satan" ("Enemy") is quite appropriate.


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## crono782 (Jul 30, 2013)

D4rr3n said:


> Firstly, the Internet is 99% false when it comes to freemasonry. Every post, video, document all contradict each other and none of it is true. People love a good conspiracy and you are creating your own based solely on the hundreds of things you have read that are also someone else's theory based on stuff they read from people who read others.



[video=youtube;rmx4twCK3_I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmx4twCK3_I[/video]

Sorry, I couldn't resist :laugh:


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## brother josh (Jul 30, 2013)

Awesome 


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## Bro Darren (Jul 31, 2013)

crono782 said:


> [video=youtube;rmx4twCK3_I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmx4twCK3_I[/video]
> 
> Sorry, I couldn't resist :laugh:



Loved it


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## Silje-Madeleine (Jul 31, 2013)

Hahaha


Sent from my GT-I9300 using Freemason Connect HD mobile app


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## Brother JC (Aug 2, 2013)

Illuminated said:


> Sorry, but I am eager to learn, yet all I can do is research on the Internet, but I will try to find a book! I want to learn, but I just don't know where or how!



Step away from the internet, and the books, and find a Lodge. Speak to Freemasons, learn from them.


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## Companion Joe (Jun 25, 2014)

To be honest, I can't entirely understand what you are asking. Whatever it is, keying off your use of the word "global," the answer is no. Freemasonry has no global goal because there is no central global authority, despite what the tin foil hat crowd will have you think.


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## BryanMaloney (Jun 25, 2014)

AmigoKZ said:


> Thank you for your answer!
> Yeah, I think that my question is strange. Sorry.
> Mm, I'll try to ask different.
> For example, if we take all Freemasons with MM degree, what do they think about "the future of the World".
> ...



Ask 10 Master Masons that, get 15 distinct and contradictory reponses. Does that answer your question?


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## Companion Joe (Jun 25, 2014)

I am not able to answer what all MMs think about anything. There a several million worldwide, so that means you probably have about as many opinions on any given subject. I think it is safe to say we all have a positive outlook for the future of the world, and the vast majority of us are willing to do our part to make the world a better place. I feel certain that all Masons, as well as non Masons, understand that we are going to die. All living things die at some point. I am unaware of any doctrine about a cataclysmic event that will take us all out at once. Freemasonry doesn't work that way.

Freemasonry is a fraternal organization dedicated to making good men, as well as our communities, better. There is no global cabal of Masons running anything. Heck, most of us don't even run our own households. We answer to our wives!


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## Brother JC (Jun 25, 2014)

As mentioned, we're a group of individuals, so our responses will all differ.
For myself, I know that I can truly change just one man, and I can only hope that it will help in changing the world.


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## phulseapple (Jun 25, 2014)

AmigoKZ said:


> No.
> I just wanted to know percentage, that's all.
> If 80-85% of MM are lookin' optimistically to the destiny of the world, it's good, I think.
> I just wanted to know their point of view.


That is a personal opinion, we as an institution would not have an accounting of such things.


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## Mike Martin (Jun 25, 2014)

AmigoKZ said:


> No.
> I just wanted to know percentage, that's all.
> If 80-85% of MM are lookin' optimistically to the destiny of the world, it's good, I think.
> I just wanted to know their point of view.


There is absolutely no way to find out the answer to such a question. Being master masons does not mean that we have a "hive mind" approach to life,love and the universe, as mentioned before eaxgh of us is an individual.

There are soem questions that you could get an answer to for example: Do all all Freemasons believe that there is a Creator responsible for the Universe? Now here's a question which can be answered as we must all believ in this precept.

That, however, is about the only question that can be asked and answered of all Master Masons.


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## Warrior1256 (Aug 19, 2014)

Zaden said:


> Go to your public library, local bookstore or any online book store and get the Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry or Freemasonry for Dummies.


I read both of these when starting out in the degrees and learned a lot.


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