Freemasonry's Influence in Europe

Zenit.org ^ | January 30, 2005 | Zenit

[AncientAirs]

Incompatible With Christian Religion, Says Historian

MADRID, Spain, JAN. 30, 2005 (Zenit.org).- To understand what is happening in Europe, the phenomenon of Masonry must be taken into account, says Protestant historian César Vidal.

The director of the program "La Linterna" of the Spanish bishops' COPE radio network, Vidal has just written a book, "Los Masones: La Historia de la Sociedad Secreta Más Poderosa" (The Freemasons: History of the Most Powerful Secret Society), published by Planeta.

Among other things, the book addresses the Masonic influence in the most important events of recent Spanish history, especially since the election last March of the Spanish Socialist Labor Party (PSOE).

Vidal says that "the secularist current promoted by the government headed by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero shares more than enough Masonry's rank anti-clericalism."

The author explains that the Freemasons have an enormous role in the European Union and, by way of example, says that "the project of the European Constitution has been driven by a Freemason," Valéry Giscard D'Estaing, "who has excluded mention of the continent's Christian roots and, in addition, has insisted on the inclusion of an article that subjects the churches of the different nations but frees 'philosophical organizations' from that obligation."

Vidal has doctorates in history, philosophy and theology, and a law degree.

Q: Which outstanding personalities in Spain were and are Masons, a fact known by very few people?

Vidal: The list would be too long and some, only some, are mentioned in my book "The Freemasons." Suffice it to say by way of illustration that the Grand Master of the great Spanish east is Dr. Josep Corominas, PSOE deputy; that the special five-member commission that established Felipe González as the PSOE's secretary-general has three Masons among its members -- one of them the future president of the Senate -- and that Rodríguez Zapatero's grandfather was a Freemason.

Q: Can it be said that Masonry is behind the secularist current that is being witnessed in Spain?

Vidal: What can be said without danger of exaggeration is that the secularist current promoted by the government that José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero heads shares, more than enough, Masonry's rank anti-clericalism.

Q: What role does it have and might have in the European Union?

Vidal: Enormous if one takes into account that the project of the European Constitution has been promoted by a Freemason who has excluded mention of the continent's Christian roots and, in addition, has insisted on the inclusion of an article that subjects the Churches to the different nations but frees "philosophical organizations" from that obligation.

Q: In what way, over the last century, has Masonry been present in the history of Spain?

Vidal: Repeatedly and lamentably. A very important role must be attributed to Masonry in the pro-independence movements of Cuba and the Philippines, in anti-clerical and secularist campaigns, in the erosion of the parliamentary monarchy of the Restoration, going so far as to take recourse to terrorism, in the proclamation of the Second Republic and, very especially, in the redaction of a Republican Constitution which created a social break that led to the Civil War.

Q: Can you tell us about concrete events that prove its struggle against Catholicism?

Vidal: That is the history of Masonry since the 18th century, but suffice it to recall, by way of example, that Rodolfo Llopis, Freemason and Socialist, became secretary-general of the PSOE [and] promoted the anti-Christian educational legislation of the Second Republic; or scandals such as that of the Banca Ambrosiana which were linked directly to the Masons' action.

Q: What were Masonry's origins?

Vidal: The real origins of Masonry date back to the end of the 17th and early 18th centuries, when groups of individuals attracted by occult gnosis founded meeting places in which, supposedly, it was transmitted.

Of course, they talk about origins that refer to pagan religions, to gnosis, to a nonexistent personality of Solomon's time and also to the druids.

Q: What are its most characteristic features, objectives and present structure? Is it a religion?

Vidal: Though Freemasons deny it, the truth is that the Masonic cosmo-vision is not one proper to a philanthropic society as they often say, but that of a religion. That circumstance explains, precisely, the repeated condemnations of the Holy See and of the other Christian confessions, which consider membership in Masonry incompatible with Christianity.

Masonry might be described as a secret society, with an initiative structure, a gnostic cosmo-vision, and an existential manifestation which makes it easy for its members to help one another when it comes to occupying important posts in society.

Q: What percentage of Freemasons are there at present?

Vidal: Without a doubt, very small. In France it is said that they are not more than 0.6% of the population. However, that has not prevented their controlling the Socialist International or their spreading in the Right itself, through personalities such as Giscard D'Estaing.

Q: In what vital points of our society -- especially in economic, political and intellectual circles and the media -- are Freemasons present?

Vidal: There are sectors that have always been of interest to Freemasons. Needless to say, politics where they control the Socialist International and have entered powerfully in parties of the Right. No less is their weight in the world of communications and, very especially, their interest in education, justice and the armed forces.

In France, for example, the "affaire des fiches" revealed to what extent Masonic officers were promoted and Catholics, on the contrary, blocked from promotion. ZE05013020

[nopardons]

He sent me an egocentric and crazed,not to mention an unasked for FREEPmail. He;s going to be more than sorry he did that!

I'm not a Mason,but I know what you were asking.LOL

Yes,please DO make a Masonic ping list and start it off with my nic! :-)

[Iwo Jima]

So, what is the "secret" handshake?

Actually, I'm not so much interested in the handshake as other physical signs that are given, such as would be observable by a crowd or via television.

People tell me that these signs are given all the times. What are they?

[nopardons]

Nobody can believe a word you post,so please don't embarrass yourself any more than you already have done,by posting such disingenuous platitudes,that you imagine sound "nice".

And if,(big IF!),you really were sending a private message,but instead it was posted to the thread (that happens,but I don't believe you),then it is simple enough to ask the Moderator to remove the offending post.You did no such thing and you've been here long enough to know how to do this.

And,oh,BTW,never ever write FREEPmail to people you don't know,in order to continue a "fight" in private;especially after having chastised and threatened them,on the thread,about stalking,which in my case,I would never do and had NO thought of doing to you!

[nopardons]

Women can NOT be Masons nor Shriners,so that lets Hillary off the Masonic hook. Bill has NEVER been a Mason nor a Shriner,and his "honorary" induction to the DeMolay was a sham! So,dear,whoever told you that the CLintons are " very high up in the Mason (sic) organization" is up to their eyeballs in bovine excrement.

[Trinity_Tx]

What a silly question, IJ. LOL

If they tell you what the secret handshake is, then if you go around saying you were a mason, they couldn't tell you weren't just saying that to discredit them!

Besides, in the information age, it wouldn't help ya. It's digitized now and they get new ones by e-mail every new moon - they have a secret PGP key to decode now.

; )

[Iwo Jima]

I'll give your comments the weight which I believe they deserve, which is to say, next to none.

[nopardons]

I presented you with FACTS!

Women are NOT allowed to be Masons nor Shriners. That puts the lie to the Clinton's being very high up in Masonic Circles and no,she isn't a member of the Eastern Star.

Clinton has NEVER been a Mason nor a Shriner;not ever!

Your pathetic reply to me and all that says about you,is more than enough for others reading this thread and your post to know about you.

Being a member of the Masons,is NOT an embarrassment and FYI,politicians,who were/are Masons,have NEVER hidden the fact;from George Washington on down. You want a list of Masons,who were presidents,governors,mayors,etc.? I'll be more than happy to list some.And BTW,it's all public info,that even YOU can find. :-)

[Trinity_Tx]

The Clintons are not in the Masons - much less high up. When he was a kid, he was in one of their local community service groups for kids type thing.

Seriously - do you worry about Bush being part of Skull and Bones with Kerry?

Please don't fall into and propagate that stuff. It comes from pathetic minds, and the smart ones who know better get a thrill when people like you buy into it and spread their propaganda for them. It's really ugly.

[Iwo Jima]

Your posts have never impressed me, and your latest attempt is no different.

[nopardons]

Since I am not here to "impress you",there is no sting in your reply. :-)

But since you aren't interested in FACTS,that says a very great deal about you! LOL

Just out of morbid curiosity,were you even ever on the Black Pearl of the Pacific?

[Iwo Jima]

I don't worry about George W. Bush being a member of Skull & Bones,but I do have a problem with Skull & Bones. From what I can tell, GWB joined S & B as a concession to his father and never bought into its core features. GW is a Texan, and we Texans don't hold with this secret society stuff.

I don't think that George W. has ever been approached to perpetuate the secret society thing for the simple reason that he would laugh them out of his office. I trust George W. and his Christian principles which are in stark contrast to the Skull & Bones mentality (and the Masonic One Worlders).

You may have known some very fine men who were Masons. I don't doubt for a minute that that is so. But every secret organization with nefarious designs has to have a good many upstanding prominent citizens as cover for their foul deeds. Their camouflage is the good men whose names are given to deflect what they are really about.

[nopardons]

Davy Crockett and Sam Huston were,gasp, Masons.

So was John Wayne and Gene Autry BTW.

And the Masons aren't "One Worlders"...whatever you imagine THAT piffle to be.

[Iwo Jima]

When I wish to discourse with you, I will let you know.

[nopardons]

That's a mighty high horse you're on kid.And FWIW,I am allowed to reply to any thread and any post on a thread and to any poster who posts a reply on a thread,I choose to. LOL

If you don't like the rules here,take them up with Jim.

[Trinity_Tx]

Well, if you put it that way, you do realize it's a lot like the Salem Witch trials...

I mean, you are disregarding proof of innocence as being just another part of the plot. With that being the case, you leave no way for them to prove their innocence.

If you are that convinced that they are part of, as you put it, a "diabolical plot" to lead us into one world government, there is really no fact to the contrary that will convince you otherwise.

So, I wont try. I will tell you that ... well, it's obvious that you have two things wrong - the involvement of the Clintons, and the whole "here's a visual secret code to let people know I'm one of Us" thing. So that should tell you that wherever you have gotten your information is not credible.

I'll also agree with you that we Texans don't go for that one world nonsense. That being the case, I can assure you that my family would not have maintained the height of involvement over the last hundred years in Masonry and Shriners without blowing the lid off such a conspiracy - or, at the very least, not continued bringing in their sons to perpetuate it.

I need to go to bed now. I hope you'll keep an open mind and think about just how difficult it would be to achieve the type of conspiracy you've been told exists. By the time they filtered out every person who couldn't be trusted to follow along without ever telling, there would be too few to be effective anyway.

Take care. : )

[Iwo Jima]

Good night to you. It was a pleasure discussing these ideas with you. See you again soon.

[Colosis]

You wouldn't be tryin' to put words in somebody's mouth, are ya?

Previous post. Use a search function.

[Major_Risktaker]

If you have ever seen the emblem on a Shriners car, it is the Muslim Sword called a SCIMITAR and a star above it.

OK, all involved with this subject. I have an open mind at this time about the Sudan Shriners of North Carolina and this subject.

I found their when I looked up SCIMITAR with Google's engine and found this quotes and pictures. Please fill in the blanks to what they mean.

_____________________

The city of Fez was founded by an invader, Sultan Idris I. Idris, who won a war against resident pagans at the very end of the eighth century.

All of the conquered were converted to Islam and if there were any Christians, history does not record this.

Dear Mr. PresbyRev are the Shinners a split or a schism type religion from Islam?

_____________________

Sudan Shriners

Q. Who owns the Shrine Hospitals?

A. These hospitals for children are owned and operated by the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, under the corporate name of "Shriners Hospitals for Children"

"The Ancient Arabic Order" What is the real history?

_____________________

Any special meaning here?

Who is in the graphic?

_____________________

<

Who's face is this? What does the star and sword represent?

Thanks for your help.

[JFK_Lib]

Look, alot of this symbology was chosen in the early 1700s and at that time, the Ottoman Empire was the largest in the world and ruled the heart of the oldest civilized areas of the world. It was common for people in the West to think of themselves as living in sort of young nations, while the Turks ruled the oldest nations in their empire.

So using muslim symbols etc was not necesarily some embracement of Islam, but just a way to communicate in a largely illiterate world that your organization is somehow linked or studies ancient wisdom and lore.

Thats all it isnt some grand conspiracy, if we are talking about Anglo Freemasonry.

I cant/wont defend the Oriental Lodge, as I dont really know much about them but do know that they are the cause of the Vaticans ban on Catholic membership.

I really dont know much about Anglo Freemasonry either, to be honest, but I do know that Washington, Monroe, Ben Franklin, FDR, LBJ, Truman, Sam Houston and many other men I respect were members of that organization and all of them loved liberty and sought to enoble the common man.

Dont by into this grand conspiracy stuff, or soon you'll be talking about Masonic secret bases on the far side of the moon and ancestral spaceships from Antares! LOL!

[pt17]

Okay,FRiends,the screaming anti-Masons are at it again.

Not knowing whether they are agitators, simply ignorant, extremists or susceptible to conspiracy theories; I'd simply say, "If you're ignorant, don't wear a sign advertising it, but if you're stupid, there's no sense talking to you."