==============================================================================
                        MASONRY FAQ:  BLASTED TO BITS!
==============================================================================

This is a repost of my original expose of the Masonry FAQ.  I have had so
many requests via email to send it out, that I assume that this posting
will be well accepted.  I have added a few comments in [brackets] in response 
to a few criticisms.

I would like to restate that the purpose of this document is to demonstrate
the clear inconsistencies within the Masonry FAQ.  The FAQ suggests Pike as
reading for those who want to learn more of Masonry.  If one were to follow
these instructions, the contradictions would become strikingly obvious.

Also, as you non-Masons read the posts of Masons, remember that these in-
dividuals have sworn to uphold certain secrets under penalty of having their
gizzards ripped out and slung over their shoulder to be picked at by birds
of prey, etc.

I find it satistfying that in all the discussions of this post, the only
response that the Masons seem to agree upon is that Pike is by no means
widely respected, that 33rd degree doesn't mean as much as one would think,
and that his writings do indeed contradict the ideas of other Masons.  If
that is true, that I have done my job.

Enough preamble, here's the post:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASONRY FAQ:  BLASTED TO BITS                                   by Enchanter!

People, take warning!  Masonry is a two-faced preditor, just as the Masonic
icon of the two-headed eagle indicates.  The Masonry FAQ is a fine example of 
their conniving and deceiving nature.  Hear the truth!

[ It's been pointed out that this is a symbol of Scottish Rite, which is
related to, although not synonymous with, Freemasonry.  Excuse me.  Now if
you'd find a criticism with the body of my document, and not the introduction,
then maybe you could really refute what I'm saying. ]

Any god-fearing Christian and liberty-loving patriot should take arms 
against this evil force which is permeating every corner of our society.

I would now like to directly quote from the Mason FAQ, then demonstrate that
these are lies and half-truths.  The very words of the FAQ are contradicted 
by the writings held sacred within the Lodges!  My primary source is _Morals 
and Dogma,_ a Masonic book written in 1871 by 33rd degree Grand Commander 
Albert Pike.  References to the FAQ are indicated with [FAQ], references to 
Morals and Dogma are indicated with [MAD].  All quotations cited retain the
emphasis (all caps) from the original text.

[ It's been pointed out that Morals and Dogma is not held sacred within the
Lodges.  Or at least, they don't admit it.  Very well--nevertheless, it's
the writing of a Mason of the (allegedly) highest degree.  Is the author of
the FAQ a 33rd degree Mason?  If not, then it would seem to me that Pike
stands as a better authority on issues such as the Occult Sciences and
Lucifer. ]

From the alt.freemasonry FAQ:

   "(7) Are Masons really controlling the world/meeting with the Bavarian 
    Illuminati/members of the Trilateralist Commission/etc?

    Yes, not to mention the International Jewish Conspiracy, the Elders of
    Zion, Inver Brass, S.P.E.C.T.R.E., and the minions of Cthulhu." [FAQ]

Ah, how easily we can dismiss this as a joke--if only it was a laughing
matter!  This subject is beyond the scope of this post, but I can illustrate 
the underlying philosophy:  at the core of the Freemasonry is the dream to 
bind the world together in one giant government.

Consider the opening statements of Morals and Dogma:

   "Force, unregulated or ill-regulated, is not only wasted in the void, like
    that of gunpowder burned in open air, and steam unconfined by science; but,
    striking in the dark, and its blows meeting only the air, they recoil and
    bruise itself. ... The blind Force of the people is a Force that must be
    economized, and also managed, as the blind Force of steam, lifting the
    ponderous iron arms... When all these Forces are combined, and guided by
    the Intellect, and regulated by the RULE of Right, and Justice....the great
    revolution prepared for by the ages will begin to march.  It is because 
    Force is ill regulated that revolutions prove failures." [MAD, p. 1-2]

People are steam, to lift ponderous iron arms, guided by the Intellect.  Note
that Intellect is with a capital 'I,' as in 'Illuminati.'  And, good Lord, what
of this great revolution prepared for by the ages:  and what is this?  Who's
been preparing for it?  Is this another Masonic secret?  Is this the `Great
Work?'

   "... Masonry is the great Peace Society of the world.  Wherever it exists,
    it struggles to prevent international difficulties and disputes; and to
    bind Republics, Kingdoms, and Empires together in one great band of peace
    and amity."  [MAD, pp. 125]

Not only is Masonry political, but it's the sort of politics that makes many a
patriot stir.  For this reason, they must work towards these ends in secret,
right?  Right!

   "(5) Masonry is a secret society, right?

    Wrong.  Secret societies are generally defined as organizations which
    are unknown to the public and whose existence is denied." [FAQ]

Let's not split hairs; just call it a society with a helluva lot of secrets!
They have secret meetings, secret handshakes, secret symbols, secret lit-
erature, and--I am quite certain--a secret agenda.  The Preface of Morals and
Dogma reads:

    "The following work has been prepared by authority of the Supreme Council
    of the Thirty-third Degree ... by the Grand Commander.  It has been copy-
    righted, to prevent its republication elsewhere, ... It is not intended 
    for the world at large." [MAD, p. iii-iv]

Not intended for the world at large?  Clearly this book is or was some sort 
of a secret.  The content of the book further instills the importance of 
secrecy:

    "IV.  SECRET MASTER

    Secrecy is indispensable in a Mason of whatever Degree.  It is the first
    and almost the only lesson taught to the Entered Apprentice.  The ob-
    ligations which we have assumed toward every Mason that lives, requiring
    of us until they demand our aid, -- duties that must be performed, even
    at the risk of life, or our solemn oaths be broken and violated...

    The secrets of our brother, when communicated to us, must be sacred..."
    [MAD]

Sounds pretty secretive to me.  Earlier, in the FAQ, they write "Of course, 
neither newsgroup (or the mailing list) is considered Tiled and non-Masons
read both regularly, so Brothers should not post anything that they would not
normally discuss with non-Masons."

   "(4) Does Masonry teach magic(k)?

     No.  Nowhere in Masonic ritual does a Mason learn any form of Magic(k).
     There are no spells, occult teachings, invocations, evocations,
     conjurings, nor are related arts (such as alchemy) taught." [FAQ]

In Pike's chapter entitled 'Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret,' he begins:

   "The Occult Science of the Ancient Magi was concealed under the shadows
    of the Ancient Mysteries; it was imperfectly revealed or rather dis-
    figured by the Gnostics; it is guessed at under the obscurities that cover
    the pretended crimes of the Templays; and it is found enveloped in enigmas
    that seem impenetrable, in the Rites of the Highest Masons." [p. 839]

Foster Baily, a 33rd degree Mason who authored _The Spirit of Masonry_ (New
York: Lucis Publishing Co., 1957) is a firm believer of the Masonic occult
connection.  In his book, he explains that behind the cosmically advanced 
human beings who have organized themselves as the Masons, there exists an 
even greater group.  It is, he says, made up of those who are members of an 
occult Hierarchy.  Three years earlier, he revealed the inner workings of 
this powerful occult group at a lecture in London:

    "The occult Hierarchy of the planet functions in a way which is a bit 
    analogous to the way any great international, powerful corporation fun-
    ctions in the world today. ...They [the occult Hierarchy] are under the 
    necessity of adjusting their developments to the existing government
    whatever it may be, good or bad, and that part of the world in which
    they are proposing to operate.  They study the people and the language
    as well as sources of raw material, availability and quality of labor
    and transport problems.  They send out scouts and they test the reactions
    to their plans.  Finally, when they are ready, they move forward.  The
    Hierarchy functions like that." [Foster Baily, from a lecture entitled
    'Changing Esoteric Values,' London, England, 1954.]

With Masons of the highest degree proudly making claims like these, one would
have to have blinders on to think that Masonry is divorced from the occult.

   "(6) Masonry is a religion, right?

     Wrong.  Masonry is not a religion by the definitions most people use."
     [FAQ]

That's for damn sure.  I've never encountered a religion with claptrap like
this, until I discovered Masonry.  Here's a passage from Morals and Dogma.
If you read this through, I'm sure you will agree with me:  it's a perversion
of the Christian teachings, riddled with magic(k) and occultism.

  "Ialdabaoth, to become independent of his mother, and to pass for the 
   Supreme Being, made the world and man, in his own image; and his mother 
   caused the Spiritual principle to pass from him into man so made; and 
   henceforward the contest between the Demiourgos and his mother, between 
   light and darkness, good and evil, was concentrated in man; and the 
   image of Ialdabaoth, reflected upon matter, became the Serpent-Spirit,
   Satan, the Evil Intelligence.  Eve, created by Ialdabaoth, had by his 
   Sons children that were angels like themselves.  ...Ialdabaoth caused
   the man Jesus to be born of a Virgin, and the Celestial Savior, uniting
   with his Sister, Wisdom, descended through the regions of the seven an-
   gels... Ialdabaoth, finding that Jesus was destroying his empire and
   abolishing his worship, caused the Jews to hate and crucify Him; before
   which happened, Christos and Wisdom had ascended to the celestial
   regions.  They restored Jesus to life and gave Him an ethereal body, in
   which He remained eighteen months on earth, and receiving from Wisdom
   the perfect knowledge, Gnosis, communicated it to a small number of His
   apostles... [MAD, p. 563-564]

   Masonry is a search after Light.  That search leads us directly back, as
   you see, to the Kabalah.  In that ancient and little understood medley of
   absurdity and philosophy, the Initiate will find the source of many
   doctrines; and may in time come to understand the Hermetic philosophers,
   the Alchemists, all the Antipapal Thinkers of the Middle Ages..."
   [MAD, p. 741]

                           o  Kether: Crown
                          / \   Will
                        /     \
                Binah o---------o  Hakemah
              Passive   \     /    Active Potency    
             Capacity     \ /
                           o Daath: Intellection
                          / \   
                        /     \
              Geburah o---------o Khased: Mercy
             Severity   \     /
             or Rigid     \ /
              Justice      o Tephareth:  Beauty
                          / \   
                        /     \
                  Hod o---------o Netsach: Victory
                Glory   \     /
                          \ /
                           o Yesud: Foundation
                           | Stability and Permanency
                           | of things.
                           |
                           o 
                   Malakoth: Dominion

             Supremacy and Absolute Control
            of the Divine Will in All Things

    [MAD, diagram p. 770]

   "And Malakoth is a person, and is called the wife of Microprospos."  
    [MAD, p. 799]

   "Christianity should not have hated magic; but human ignorance always 
    fears the unknown.  Science was obliged to conceal itself, to avoid the 
    passioned aggressions of a blind love.  It enveloped itself in new 
    hieroglyphs, concealed its efforts, disguised its hopes.  Then was 
    created the jargon of alchemy, a continual deception for the vulgar 
    herd, greedy of gold, and living language for the true disciples of 
    Hermes alone.

    Among the sacred [Christian] books are two works which the infallible
    church does not pretend to understand, and never attempts to explain--the
    prophecy of Ezekiel and the Apocalypse; two cabalistic clavicules, 
    reserved ... in Heaven, for the exposition of the Magian kings; closed 
    with Seven seals for all faithful believers; and perfectly clear to the
    unbeliever initiated in the occult sciences."

Notice how Pike _sarcastically_ refers to the Christian church as infallable,
then immediately claims that they do not understand some of their own sacred
writings, due to their fear and ignorance of magic.

   "For Christians, and in their opinion, the scientific and magical clav-
    icules of Solomon are lost.

    The mysterious founder of the Christian Church was saluted in His cradle
    by the three Magi, that is to say by the kieratic ambassadors from the 
    three parts of the known world, and from the three analogical worlds of
    the occult philosophy." [MAD, pp. 730-731]

Notice how Pike avoids even writing the name of Christ, and would rather
substitute a cumbersome phrase in its place.  

   "Freemasonry has no dogma or theology.  It teaches that it is important 
    for every man to have a religion of his choice and to be faithful to it."
       (Rev. Norman Vincent Peale, who is also a Mason) [FAQ]

The book _Morals and Dogma_ is full of dogma.  (It's full of something else,
too.)  The index includes a listing, "Masonry, dogma of" which points to
this telling passage:

   "...[Masonry] has for the basis of its dogma a firm belief in the existence
    of God and his providence, and of the immortality of the soul; for its
    object, the dissemination of moral, political, philosophical, and religious
    truth, and the practice of all virtues.  In every age, its device has been
    'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,' with constitutional government, law, 
    order, and discipline, and subordination to legitimate authority--
    government, and not anarchy." [MAD, p. 220]

And as far as not having theology, consider this passage:

   "The human soul is itself a God within the mind, capable through its own
    power of rivalling the canonization of the Hero, of making itself 
    immortal..." [p. 393]

Is this not the very fabric of Lucifer's lie:  that man is a God?  While this
might appeal to a new-ager, the faithful Christian has already been warned
of such deceptions by scriptures.

   "(2) Do Masonic rituals have Satanic elements?

    No ... Some critics have charged that there are Satanic `elements' in 
    Masonic ritual. ... Again, no documentation has been provided to back up 
    the charge that Masonic rituals are Satanic in character, nor has any 
    part of any Masonic ritual been cited showing Satanic worship.  It simply 
    does not exist." [FAQ]

Notice how they slyly attach the word `ritual' with every denial of Satanism.
If the question was rephrased as simply `Does Masonry have Satanic elements?'
then the answer would have to unabashedly, `yes.'

In Masonic literature, Satan is a hot topic of discussion.  Let's take a
look at what Masons _really_ have to say about the Prince of Darkness:

   "The true name of Satan, the Kabalists say, is that of Yahweh reversed;
    for Satan is not a black god, but the negation of God.  The Devil is the 
    personification of Atheism.

    For the Initiates, this is not a Person, but a Force, created for good,
    but which may serve for evil...They represent this Force, which presides
    over the physical generation, under the mythological and horned form of 
    the God PAN; thence came the he-goat of the Sabbat, brother of the Ancient
    Serpent, and the Light-bearer or Phosphor, of which the poets have made 
    the false Lucifer of legend." [MAD, p. 102]

   "There are two Gods, one of Good and the other of Evil, each independent,
    eternal, chief of a distinct Empire; necessarily, and of their very
    natures, hostile toward one another.  ...Satan is the Genius of Matter."
    [MAD, p. 565]

These paragraphs, especially the first, strongly remind me of Anton LaVey's 
magnum opus, _The Satanic Bible_.  LaVey writes that "Satanic Ritual is a
blend of Gnostic, Cabbalistic, Hermetic, and Masonic elements."  

   "To prevent the light of escaping at once, the Demons forbade Adam to eat 
    the fruit of the 'knowledge of good and evil,' by which he would have 
    known the Empire of Light and that of Darkness.  He obeyed; but an Angel 
    of Light induced him to transgress, and gave him the means of victory; 
    but the Demons created Eve, who seduced him into an act of Sensualism that
    enfeebled him, and bound him anew in the bonds of matter. 

    ...Satan created and governs the visible world."  [MAD, pp. 566-567]

One of the most twisted variations of Genesis I have ever heard.  'The Demons'
have accomplished that which is usually credited to God Almighty.

   "The Apocalypse is ... the Apotheosis of that Sublime Faith which aspires 
    to God alone, and despises all of the pomps and works of Lucifer.
    LUCIFER, the Light-Bearer!  Strange and mysterious name to give to the 
    Spirit of Darkness!  Lucifer, the Son of the Morning!  Is it he who bears
    the Light, and with its splendors intolerable blinds feeble ... souls?
    Doubt it not!" [MAD, p. 321, emphasis from original]

In conclusion, we have read within Masonic writings:

    * the importance of secrecy
    * a drive to bind nations and unite the world (New World Order?)
    * an Occult Heirarchy, standing behind Masonry, that operates like a 
      giant international corporation 
    * the awesome blinding power of Lucifer, the light-bearer
    * magic in the Rites of Highest Masonry
    * Ialdabaoth, the Kabalah, and other arcane occultisms
    * the human soul is a God, capable of immortality
    * Satan, the genius of matter, created for good, ruling the world

These are not inflated claims by hysterical conspiracy theorists, these are 
the words of Masons of the highest degree.

Enchanter!
