I also believe its theoretically illegal to stand for public office in some 7 states if you don't believe in any Gods (its OK if you are a Muslim or a Wiccan of course) - Mississippi isn't on the list though.
Of course these restrictions are purely symbolic since the 14th amendment to the Constitution in 1961 supersedes them all; perhaps this survey shows that some people would like to wind the clock back though.
I remember when my dad joined the Masons (when I was in grade school many moons ago), he told me they had to swear a belief in God to join, even if you believed God was a dill pickle. :) That really stuck with me!
I read that about Masons Drew. I had some uncles who were Masons- one was Worshipful Master and I had a great aunt who was Esther in the Eastern Star.
I think the Masons want to promote universality, hence their god Jabulon. Different religions all have their own Masonic temples; all the temples are Temples of the Saints John. Christians have a Bible on the podium, Jews have a Torah, and Muslims have a Koran, but any Mason can go to any temple. I've read they don't actually discuss religion, it's not allowed in the temples, it's just that the rituals are built around universal concepts of brotherhood and are designed to move men to reflect on those rough things in their character that can be chipped away to reveal the perfected man beneath.
As near as I can tell, this promotion of universal brotherhood is probably the primary reason conspiracy theorists link Masons to the New World Order plot. Of course, a new world order built on ideals of universal brotherhood wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
I never knew anything about Masons (still don't, really) and never thought about them---I guess I assumed it was just another guy-club like Rotary or Kiwanis or the Knights of Columbus, etc. But then I was reading one of my favorite authors, Nancy Mitford, and in *The Blessing* (no, atheists, it's not a religious book:):) the main character is OSTRACIZED for a while by her French in-lawswhen she casually mentions that her father, a very proper British MP in the House of Lords, was a Mason (shee said "Freemason" but I think it's the same?) "SACRE' BLEU! NOM DE NOM!" shrieked the French people in the room "Un FRANCMACON!TERRIBLE!"---it was never explained why the French (this was just post-WWII) loathed the idea of Freemasonry. Anyone here know?
While it is both simplistic and specious to lay the responsibility for the French Revolution at the door of Freemasonry, there is no question that freemasons, as individuals, were active in building, and rebuilding, a new society. Considering the large number of bodies claiming masonic authority, many men identified today as freemasons were probably unaware of each other’s masonic association and clearly cannot be seen as acting in concert. Yet they did share certain beliefs and ideals. In 1789 the established power in France was a kingdom of God’s grace — however Louis XVI was a weak sovereign. The columns of established power had been the nobility, many of whose members now embraced the philosophers and rationalists, such as Voltaire; the clergy, whose lower hierarchy understood the misery inflicted on the lower classes; the army, whose members were drawn from and often sympathetic to the lower classes; and the public service, whose members were drawn from an educated bourgeoisie who saw themselves locked out from much political and social advancement. Masonic lodges were first warranted in France in 1725. Two papal edicts, that of Pope Clemence XII on May 4, 1738 and that of Pope Benedict XIV on June 15, 1751, were never registered by the French Parliament and therefore never took effect. Prior to the revolutionary period there were 1,250 lodges in France with an estimated 40,000 members. French Freemasonry of the 18th century was an exclusive group, excluding Jews, actors, employees, workers and servants. The clergy were well represented, and the membership of some lodges, such as La Vertu in Clervaux, were composed entirely of Catholic clergymen. While the nobility were attracted to Freemasonry, the greater majority was made up of the bourgeoisie, to whom the masonic motto of equality appealed to their sense that they were the equal of the nobles. Many of the army were freemasons. Bernadotte, who lead the troops expelled from Grenoble, and later was a general for Napoleon and then King of Sweden, was a freemason. The cautious response of the army to the outbreak of rebellion in Britany has been ascribed to the number of officers who were freemasons.
11 comments:
I wonder what the criteria for judgement was? Was it fear of nuns, fear of being judged or being harassed at your front door, or just plain prejudice?
I'd be interested to know what religion the respondents were. It seens to me that the highest number of responses my have come from Methodists.
Yes, you're probably right. Methodists rate themselves highly. :)
The question was probably along the lines of "is your views of these groups pisitive, neutral or negative?"
In other words, measuring pure prejudice.
I also believe its theoretically illegal to stand for public office in some 7 states if you don't believe in any Gods (its OK if you are a Muslim or a Wiccan of course) - Mississippi isn't on the list though.
Of course these restrictions are purely symbolic since the 14th amendment to the Constitution in 1961 supersedes them all; perhaps this survey shows that some people would like to wind the clock back though.
Hmm, odd way of presentation. Did they factor in self-descriptions?
I remember when my dad joined the Masons (when I was in grade school many moons ago), he told me they had to swear a belief in God to join, even if you believed God was a dill pickle. :) That really stuck with me!
I read that about Masons Drew. I had some uncles who were Masons- one was Worshipful Master and I had a great aunt who was Esther in the Eastern Star.
I think the Masons want to promote universality, hence their god Jabulon. Different religions all have their own Masonic temples; all the temples are Temples of the Saints John. Christians have a Bible on the podium, Jews have a Torah, and Muslims have a Koran, but any Mason can go to any temple. I've read they don't actually discuss religion, it's not allowed in the temples, it's just that the rituals are built around universal concepts of brotherhood and are designed to move men to reflect on those rough things in their character that can be chipped away to reveal the perfected man beneath.
As near as I can tell, this promotion of universal brotherhood is probably the primary reason conspiracy theorists link Masons to the New World Order plot. Of course, a new world order built on ideals of universal brotherhood wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
I never knew anything about Masons (still don't, really) and never thought about them---I guess I assumed it was just another guy-club like Rotary or Kiwanis or the Knights of Columbus, etc. But then I was reading one of my favorite authors, Nancy Mitford, and in *The Blessing* (no, atheists, it's not a religious book:):) the main character is OSTRACIZED for a while by her French in-lawswhen she casually mentions that her father, a very proper British MP in the House of Lords, was a Mason (shee said "Freemason" but I think it's the same?) "SACRE' BLEU! NOM DE NOM!" shrieked the French people in the room "Un FRANCMACON!TERRIBLE!"---it was never explained why the French (this was just post-WWII) loathed the idea of Freemasonry. Anyone here know?
I didn't know that about Frenchies and free masons. will have to go look it up.
While it is both simplistic and specious to lay the responsibility for the French Revolution at the door of Freemasonry, there is no question that freemasons, as individuals, were active in building, and rebuilding, a new society. Considering the large number of bodies claiming masonic authority, many men identified today as freemasons were probably unaware of each other’s masonic association and clearly cannot be seen as acting in concert. Yet they did share certain beliefs and ideals.
In 1789 the established power in France was a kingdom of God’s grace — however Louis XVI was a weak sovereign. The columns of established power had been the nobility, many of whose members now embraced the philosophers and rationalists, such as Voltaire; the clergy, whose lower hierarchy understood the misery inflicted on the lower classes; the army, whose members were drawn from and often sympathetic to the lower classes; and the public service, whose members were drawn from an educated bourgeoisie who saw themselves locked out from much political and social advancement. Masonic lodges were first warranted in France in 1725. Two papal edicts, that of Pope Clemence XII on May 4, 1738 and that of Pope Benedict XIV on June 15, 1751, were never registered by the French Parliament and therefore never took effect. Prior to the revolutionary period there were 1,250 lodges in France with an estimated 40,000 members. French Freemasonry of the 18th century was an exclusive group, excluding Jews, actors, employees, workers and servants. The clergy were well represented, and the membership of some lodges, such as La Vertu in Clervaux, were composed entirely of Catholic clergymen. While the nobility were attracted to Freemasonry, the greater majority was made up of the bourgeoisie, to whom the masonic motto of equality appealed to their sense that they were the equal of the nobles.
Many of the army were freemasons. Bernadotte, who lead the troops expelled from Grenoble, and later was a general for Napoleon and then King of Sweden, was a freemason. The cautious response of the army to the outbreak of rebellion in Britany has been ascribed to the number of officers who were freemasons.
Merci beaucoup, "francais et les francmacons", pour l'essai qui explique bien le sujet...
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