# More Masonic Purging Florida Style



## Squire Bentley (Dec 4, 2012)

http://www.freemasoninformation.com...-master-of-florida-expels-wiccans-and-others/


http://www.freemasoninformation.com/2012/12/more-masonic-purging-florida-style/


http://phoenixmasonry.org/more_masonic_purging_florida_style.htm


Frederic L. Milliken
MWPHGLTX


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## chrmc (Dec 4, 2012)

One technical question though. Isn't what he's issued just an edict? And aren't they only valid when the present Grand Master holds office? I.e. could this decision be null and void as soon as he's out?

Still agree that it's a terrible move, but it may be less permanent than initially thought.


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## CajunTinMan (Dec 5, 2012)

I know this is not "politically correct" but is this a bad thing or is he is he puging beliefs that are not in line with Masonic tenets? I didn't read in this edict that it was against non-Christian religons or beliefs. I didn't see anything about Jewish or Islamic religions being mentioned as needing to be banned as an example.

*Odinism

*Odinism is a _polytheistic_ religion. We believe in and honour the life-giving and bountiful gods and goddesses of the Odinic pantheon, whom we refer to collectively as the High Gods of Asgarth, or as the Ã†sir and Vanir. Our gods are true gods, divine, living, spiritual entities, endowed with power and intelligence, able and willing to intervene in the course of Nature and of human lives. It behoves us to seek their goodwill and succour through prayer and sacrifice. But the gods do not require us to abase and humble ourselves; they do not seek to make of us craven slaves. Odinists therefore do not bow or kneel or kow-tow to the gods, but address them proudly like free, upstanding men and women. Odinists regard our gods, not as our masters, but as firm friends and powerful allies.
*ODINIST FELLOWSHIP,
**B.M. EDDA,
LONDON WC1N 3XX.*

*General principles of Wiccan beliefs:*

Wicca is an almost completely decentralized religion. George Knowles, a Wiccan author, has said: "“Wicca has no high authority, no single leader, no prophet and no Bible to dictate its laws and beliefs”. [SUB]*1*[/SUB] Many, perhaps most, Wiccans are solitary practitioners. Others form small local groups called covens, groves, etc. Thus, there probably are almost as many sets of Wiccan beliefs as there are Wiccans.
*Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance*
*Author: B.A. Robinson*


*Gnosticism: Ancient and modern

Deity*: The _Supreme Father God_ or _Supreme God of Truth_ is remote from human affairs; he is unknowable and undetectable by human senses. She/he created a series of supernatural but finite beings called _Aeons_. One of these was Sophia, a virgin, who in turn gave birth to an defective, inferior Creator-God, also known as _the Demiurge_. (Demiurge means "_public craftsman_" in Greek.) This lower God is sometimes called Yaldabaoth or Ialdabaoth Jaldabaoth -- from Aramaic words meaning "_begetter of the Heavens._" This is Jehovah, the God of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). He is portrayed as the creator of the earth and its life forms. He is viewed by Gnostics as fundamentally evil, jealous, rigid, lacking in compassion, and prone to genocide. The Demiurge _"thinks that he is supreme. His pride and incompetence have resulted in the sorry state of the world as we know it, and in the blind and ignorant condition of most of mankind."
_*Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Author: B.A. Robinson*


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## dhouseholder (Dec 5, 2012)

CajunTinMan said:


> I know this is not "politically correct" but is this a bad thing or is he is he purging beliefs that are not in line with Masonic tenets? I didn't read in this edict that it was against non-Christian religions or beliefs. I didn't see anything about Jewish or Islamic religions being mentioned as needing to be banned as an example.


 I can only think of one belief system that is incompatible with Freemasonry. Atheism. 

Are there others? How would we identify them? 

The goal of Freemasonry is to make good men better. As long as we allow good men into the fraternity, we shall not fail.


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## Squire Bentley (Dec 14, 2012)

CajunTinMan said:


> I know this is not "politically correct" but is this a bad thing or is he is he puging beliefs that are not in line with Masonic tenets? I didn't read in this edict that it was against non-Christian religons or beliefs. I didn't see anything about Jewish or Islamic religions being mentioned as needing to be banned as an example.
> .[/I]" This[/SIZE][/B]



It was an edict against non Abrahamic religions.

The edict specifically mentioned certain religions as incompatible with Freemasonry. Where you reading something else?


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## Godfrey Daniel (Dec 14, 2012)

"Gangnam Style"


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## crono782 (Dec 14, 2012)

"♫ Heeyyyyyyy, Wiccan Broth-a. Op, op, op, op, Oppa Florida Style! ♫"......
...
Such a distrubing visual :1:


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## Godfrey Daniel (Dec 14, 2012)

Enough said


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## widows son (Dec 14, 2012)

Does this GM realize that abrahamic religions are directly influenced from the said religions? Not specifically Odinism or Wicca, but the pagan religions of the middle east helped shape the abrahamic religions. The Greeks, Egyptians, Assyrian/ Babylonian, and Persian faiths all influenced the rise of the abrahamic faiths. All were pantheistic but still had a supreme deity over all other deities, who is the father of creation.


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## BryanMaloney (Dec 15, 2012)

CajunTinMan said:


> I know this is not "politically correct" but is this a bad thing or is he is he puging beliefs that are not in line with Masonic tenets? I didn't read in this edict that it was against non-Christian religons or beliefs. I didn't see anything about Jewish or Islamic religions being mentioned as needing to be banned as an example.
> 
> *Odinism
> 
> *Odinism is a _polytheistic_ religion. We believe in and honour the life-giving and bountiful gods and goddesses of the Odinic pantheon, whom we refer to collectively as the High Gods of Asgarth, or as the Ã†sir and Vanir. Our gods are true gods, divine, living, spiritual entities, endowed with power and intelligence, able and willing to intervene in the course of Nature and of human lives. It behoves us to seek their goodwill and succour through prayer and sacrifice. But the gods do not require us to abase and humble ourselves; they do not seek to make of us craven slaves. Odinists therefore do not bow or kneel or kow-tow to the gods, but address them proudly like free, upstanding men and women. Odinists regard our gods, not as our masters, but as firm friends and powerful allies.



Where does this state that an Odinist cannot regard Odin as supreme among these gods or that Odin did not function as a "Great Architect" when he directed his brothers in building Midgard (the mortal world)?



> Wicca is an almost completely decentralized religion. George Knowles, a Wiccan author, has said: "“Wicca has no high authority, no single leader, no prophet and no Bible to dictate its laws and beliefs”. [SUB]*1*[/SUB] Many, perhaps most, Wiccans are solitary practitioners. Others form small local groups called covens, groves, etc. Thus, there probably are almost as many sets of Wiccan beliefs as there are Wiccans.




Please explain exactly how this means that a Wiccan CANNOT, therefore, believe in a supreme being or Great Architect of the Universe. Looks to me like it says that such beliefs can easily fall within Wicca.


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## CajunTinMan (Dec 18, 2012)

A Mason is oblig’d, 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. But though in ancient Times Masons were charg’d in every Country to be of the Religion of that Country or Nation, whatever it was, yet ‘tis now thought more expedient only to oblige them to the Religion in which all Men agree

Ok then what is the religion in which all men agree?


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## widows son (Dec 18, 2012)

At the time, Christianity, or the abrahamic faiths. But our society is different than it was in the 1700s. There are many revivals of old faiths that acknowledge the belief in a singularity. I feel as long as one is acknowledging a belief in a supreme being, then they can be a mason in my books. Fact is all these faiths that have a supreme being, and are acknowledging the same supreme being.


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## Brother JC (Dec 18, 2012)

Is this _Groundhog Day_? I keep coming back and finding the same question?

"[FONT=Palatino, Times, Serif][FONT=Palatino, Times, Serif, Serif]that is, to be _good_ Men _and true,_ or Men of Honour and Honesty, by whatever Denominations or Persuasions they may be distinguish'd; whereby Masonry becomes the _Center_ of _Union,_ and the Means of conciliating true Friendship among Persons that must have remain'd at a perpetual Distance.[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Palatino, Times, Serif][FONT=Palatino, Times, Serif, Serif]" [/FONT][/FONT]


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## BryanMaloney (Dec 18, 2012)

widows son said:


> At the time, Christianity, or the abrahamic faiths. But our society is different than it was in the 1700s. There are many revivals of old faiths that acknowledge the belief in a singularity.



Why limit it to the modern soi-disant "revivals"? Hindus have been admitted to Freemasonry before these "revivals" existed (since 1872).


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## widows son (Dec 18, 2012)

True, but freemasonry in those days was Christian, and the Christian overtones were removed to allow men from other faiths to enter. Some of the revivals led to the creation of bogus rites. But in the end the revivals never really were revivals. They never left, just went into obscurity.


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## CajunTinMan (Dec 18, 2012)

trysquare said:


> Is this _Groundhog Day_? I keep coming back and finding the same question?
> 
> Good question.  You keep coming back to the same question because it has not been answered, at least not to my satisfaction.  I support the actions of the GM in florida. Why?  Because if you interpret that phrase literally then it would read that if all men agreed that Christianity was the one religion then the a man would have to be a Christian to join.  So if he is the leader of that states masonry and that's what they agree on then so be it. But wait. Masonry is not supposed to be a religion is it?  Then if its not it wouldn't matter what religion a person was would it?  Maybe then it's an organization of religious people. I think others might argue against this too.  I hear people say that we all worship one god under many different names and that that answers the question. But I find this insulting and would whole heartily argue against that one. I think so would some of different beliefs. My God is the God of Abraham.  That might not be a pagans god. Ok should it be then that its not the God in which ALL men agree but the god in which each man believes?  Or should it be that if a lodge is made up of Christian masons then that would be the religion agreed on? And if its a lodge of Muslims then the same? Or maybe it should be all men of religions that worship the God of Abraham?  Or maybe a deceleration of faith should not be involved?  I don't know.  Each jurisdiction can make their on rulings. Just about everything in masonry is open to individual interpolation which can get pretty sticky.  So do I really agree with him?  Yes and a big no. But am I right or wrong either way?


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## David Hill (Dec 18, 2012)

Please take a moment to read The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley. It explains the religion in which all men agree.


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## CajunTinMan (Dec 18, 2012)

Sorry Brother but I would have to say that that man was an atheist philosopher. How could god being created by men be the religion agreed upon by anyone of belief?


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## CajunTinMan (Dec 18, 2012)

widows son said:


> True, but freemasonry in those days was Christian, and the Christian overtones were removed to allow men from other faiths to enter. Some of the revivals led to the creation of bogus rites. But in the end the revivals never really were revivals. They never left, just went into obscurity.



This is correct.


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## CajunTinMan (Dec 18, 2012)

A good Brother asked me earlier "Where do we draw the line?" In reference to what beliefs to allow in masonry. That's a good question.  We have to draw a line somewhere because of mandates of the first tenets. We can't just ignore it. We need to define the line, pick a place to draw the line, or completely redefine the tenet.


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## JJones (Dec 18, 2012)

We have a line that's been drawn, we don't allow athiests to join.  Beyond that, a man's faith is his own business and I think this is one of the main reasons we don't discuss religion in lodge.


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## Brother JC (Dec 19, 2012)

CTM,
You quote half a Charge, then ask for the meaning. I quote the other half, which explains what Anderson meant. You have to read the Charge in it's entirety to understand what he was trying to say. You keep missing the point about keeping your particular opinion to yourself.


If a petitioner says he believes in a Supreme Being (and in some jurisdictions, the eternal soul), that's all you need to know.


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## timgould (Dec 19, 2012)

Be diligent, prudent, temperate, dicreet. Remember that around this altar you have promised to befriend every brother..... Do good unto all.... Finally brethren, be ye all of one mind; live in peace, and may the God of love and peace delight to dwell with and bless you. Amen.

the master masons charge....

let's not forget this.


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