[Savage Beast]

Read Born in Blood by John J. Robinson. While researching the Peasants' Revolution in England, Robinson stumbled upon extensive evidence that the Knights Templar, under persecution by Clement V and Philip IV, went underground and remained so until the early 18th century, when they re-emerged as the Freemasons, that the Freemasons had no connection whatsoever with a Midieval trade guild or anything or the sort but used this as a cover for their true identity, viz. the Knights Templar, to avoid further persecution and annihilation.

If the Templars are in fact proven innocent and if the Freemasons can make a sufficiently sound case that they are in fact the Templars, Freemasons should consider appealing to the Vatican for the return of the property.

[mnehring]

The problem is the earliest Scottish Lodges were started in the early 15th century (the UGLE in early 18th century) while the Templars themselves where eliminated in the early 1307, a century earlier. One could say there was inspiration, just as there was inspiration from the Knights of Malta and the Knights of St. Andrew, but the direct connection would be hard to prove.

[Verginius Rufus]

It would be pretty hard to prove that a group “went underground” for 400 years and then re-emerged. (Where’s the documentation?) It’s much easier to believe that a group might claim a connection to an earlier group if they saw a chance of getting their assets (or for other reasons). But the European Union may have some kind of court that would find in favor of the Freemasons, just to inflict damages on the Vatican.

[uglybiker]

If the Templars are in fact proven innocent and if the Freemasons can make a sufficiently sound case that they are in fact the Templars, Freemasons should consider appealing to the Vatican for the return of the property.

No Mason in his right mind should claim a direct connection with the Templars. The York Rite/Templar degrees of Freemasonry only emulate the ideals of which the Knights Templar were famous for.

And this Freemason will reserve any judgement of the Processus contra Templarios until he has had a chance to actually read it.

[patton]

The first Grand Lodge was formed in London, in 1717.