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Masonic rituals live on
Washington Times ^

Posted on 01/23/2009 9:26:51 AM PST by mnehring

...One-third of the signers of the Constitution, many of the Bill of Rights signers and America's first few presidents (except for Thomas Jefferson) were Freemasons, a fraternal organization that became public in early 18th-century England.

...Still, as the first president, George Washington had to come up with appropriate rituals for the new country. He borrowed many of them from Masonic rites he knew as "worshipful leader" of a lodge in Alexandria.

His Masonic gavel is on display at the Capitol Visitor Center. Until this inauguration, Washington's Masonic Bible - on which he swore his obligations as a Freemason - was used for the presidential oath of office. President-elect Barack Obama will use Abraham Lincoln's Bible.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: 2b1; freemason; inauguration
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Not really pro-Bama, simply a nice historical commentary.
1 posted on 01/23/2009 9:26:52 AM PST by mnehring
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To: uglybiker

ping


2 posted on 01/23/2009 9:27:15 AM PST by mnehring
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To: mnehrling
Doing my own family research I have found many ancestors who were members of Masonic Lodges in the 1700 and 1800’s. I've seen pictures of my own GG Grandfathers headstone with the masonic symbol on it. I would bet many of the people who hold wild conspiracy theories about them also could find members among their own ancestors. This is one reason I have a hard time buying in on to all these theories. Yes, I find their rituals bizarre,and something I would not do, but I can say the same about many of the churches that are not of my denomination or faith.
I am not going to belittle our founding fathers or my own ancestors, because they joined a masonic lodge. That's just stupid.
3 posted on 01/23/2009 9:59:15 AM PST by NavyCanDo
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To: mnehrling

Most people who write for the public about Free Masonry, are not really knowledgeable about the subject.

Most of what was written in this article is factually correct, but short in perspective.

Any attempts to associate Barrack Hussein Obama to Free Masonry are flawed.

Before the organization became public in 1717 it was Anti-Statist and committed to freedom of men.

Many Monarch’s and the Catholic Church at the time despised them because this threatened their power.

Things are different now. The Knights of Columbus in many towns associate with the Free Masons, and most have found a lot of common ground.

If you want to understand this subject converse with someone who is a Mason, not someone who wants to find hidden evil.

I have been a Freemason since I was 21.

Respectfully,

Texas Fossil


4 posted on 01/23/2009 10:00:49 AM PST by Texas Fossil
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To: Texas Fossil; NavyCanDo

You both hit the nail on the head, the conspiracies are simply literary archetypes. Just like with King Arthur legends for example, the little reality in most people’s minds have been replaced by literary fiction. Those stories build other stories, which build other stories. Pretty soon, when one thinks of said subject, they automatically assume the fiction, not the fact.

People drive by a lodge, in their minds they think of secret religious rituals with naked virgins dancing around a fire while we order politicians around... in reality, we are having a pig roast bbq out back while we raise money for Shriner’s hospitals.


5 posted on 01/23/2009 10:08:37 AM PST by mnehring
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To: mnehrling
To be quite honest, I found some of the rituals and formalities at my VFW Lodge meeting to be a little bizarre, but that does not make it a cult. The dollar a beer night on Tuesdays though was a ritual I am happy to perform.
6 posted on 01/23/2009 10:22:49 AM PST by NavyCanDo
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To: mnehrling

> People drive by a lodge, in their minds they think of secret religious rituals with naked virgins dancing around a fire while we order politicians around..

Sounds like my old frathouse. I would’ve joined up if it were.(j/k)


7 posted on 01/23/2009 10:28:31 AM PST by max americana
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To: mnehrling

Who keeps atlants off the map,
who keeps the metric system down
We do, We do


8 posted on 01/23/2009 10:33:29 AM PST by John Will
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To: Texas Fossil

Slainte Mhath!

Keith 187


9 posted on 01/23/2009 10:40:00 AM PST by Vendome
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To: Texas Fossil
Very nice post, Brother.

I have only been a Mason since 2001 and became a Shriner in 2002 but have found many people with strange ideas and beliefs about us.

Their ignorance is quite astounding.

10 posted on 01/23/2009 10:43:24 AM PST by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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To: Vendome

Slàinte Mhath to you also.

de Texas Fossil


11 posted on 01/23/2009 10:46:22 AM PST by Texas Fossil
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To: Chode; TheLion; AxelPaulsenJr; jimt; Eric in the Ozarks; oldtimer; pt17; MeanWestTexan; hershey; ...

MASONIC

LIST





Send uglybiker a FReepmail if you would like on/off The Masonic PING List
The List of Ping Lists

Texas Fossil: "If you want to understand this subject converse with someone who is a Mason, not someone who wants to find hidden evil."

They say 'The Devil's in the details', but then again, so is God.

So the question should be; who are you looking for?

12 posted on 01/23/2009 11:31:46 AM PST by uglybiker (1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d 2 g3t l41d)
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To: uglybiker

You never get Kraft noodles at our meals. I do all the baking myself and we have some really good cooks on board.

We are know to feed better than any lodge in the 91 st district.

Undisputed.

As for the other comments.

I read years ago about a man who’s family did business in the middle east and he stated that over time they had learned “to only associate with those who seek the truth, but run from those who say they have found it.”


13 posted on 01/23/2009 11:46:05 AM PST by Texas Fossil
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To: mnehrling
our Lodge still says Masonic TEMPLE on the front and that surly has thrown quite a few misconceptions into the mix here as i'm sure elsewhere.
14 posted on 01/23/2009 12:09:21 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist -)
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To: mnehrling
People drive by a lodge, in their minds they think of secret religious rituals with naked virgins dancing around a fire while we order politicians around... in reality, we are having a pig roast bbq out back while we raise money for Shriner’s hospitals...

(no offense) hanging out with old farts makes one yearn for more auspicious happenings.

And the only fires I've seen come from the kitchen. No virgin ritually dances around a kitchen fire let alone a married one.
15 posted on 01/23/2009 12:48:01 PM PST by egannacht
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To: Texas Fossil


16 posted on 01/23/2009 1:14:17 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist -)
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To: uglybiker


17 posted on 01/23/2009 1:20:24 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist -)
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To: Chode

Ya can’t link from Ted’s site directly. :-(


18 posted on 01/23/2009 1:48:18 PM PST by uglybiker (1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d 2 g3t l41d)
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To: mnehrling
I wonder if anyone can share any information or clarification on the Internet rumors that Obama is a member of a “Prince” Lodge?
19 posted on 01/23/2009 1:59:26 PM PST by Species8472 (The evil has landed)
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To: Species8472

Just rumors. If he was a member of a Prince Hall lodge, I imagine that lodge would be shouting it to the high heavens.


20 posted on 01/23/2009 2:18:53 PM PST by uglybiker (1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d 2 g3t l41d)
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