Heres one for you
I was surfing the web the other day and i came upon this site http://www.freedomdomain.com/freemason.html
I found this very intresting
But whats your opinion on all this Freemason stuff. Its well known that many US leaders were of the Freemasons, and the US one dollar bill is covered in Freemason symbols and logos.
Any thoughts?

while i'm no expert on freemasonry, i've heard a lot of of stuff about them. It seems to me like there's a lot more to them than meets the eye. They have many obvious connections to people in power. For example, all but 1 of the signers of the constitution were masonic. My great great grandfather, who was for a brief time the president of bolivia, was a freemason. was this a coincidence?? It seems odd that so many known power figures are masonic. I've heard a lot of stuff from my brother's friend about how they have ties to the illuminati and stuff like that.
that's an interesting website, by the way.
-PT

I don't understand all the Freemason stuff. What are they? A cult? What do they do? What do they stand for? What ARE they? I don't get it. I do know (as said above) that a lot of important leaders counted themselves amongst their number and the US dollar has symbols on it. I just don't get anything about them...

Supposedly members of the Freemasons were also members of The Illuminati, which I for one, have trouble believing in their existence.

They rig every Oscar night. Oh, no, actually that was the "Stonecutters" from the Simpsons, not the "Freemasons". How could I have got them mixed up?

Everyone loves a secret society. I bet if you actually went in one, it would be really boring. Probably a bunch of rich old guys drinking tea.

Yes, I am with BA: what exactly are they? Can some one sum it up (that web page is long...). I know a freemason, but he won't tell me anything, because it is a secret. One of the things you have to do is to swear that you can't tell people too much about it.

All I really know is that the members are (or can be)of all different religions...

Originally, guilds were set up so that people who practiced a specific craft (e.g. stone masonry) could keep their skills secret and therefore scarce so they could continue to command high charge out rates (which they wouldn't be able to do if just any old fool knew how to stick bricks together).

Some of the old guilds became quite powerful and some have even managed to survive into the present day, but no longer for the purpose for which they were originally formed, but more for the purpose of just being secretive.

I guess in many ways, this makes the Freemason like simply a more self consciously mysterious version of the Association of Chartered Accountants.

Righty, that makes more sense. But why is there so much mystery around them? Do they do things that are not looked upon highly, or...?

Another long web page (http://www.crystalinks.com/freemasons.html)

It seems reasonable to suppose that, whatever its precise origins, Freemasonry provided a haven for the unorthodox and their sympathizers during a time when such activity could result in one's death, and that this has something to do with the tradition of secret meetings and handshakes Pretty much an 'old boys club' in my opinion.

Why must people make so many long webpages? Can't they make a nice summary paragraph in the beginning, so we can just use that, and if we need more details, then we go to the longer page?

*sigh* I guess I am just lazy...

Like HB not-quite-said, the Simpsons did a spoof of them, and the basic idea of the mystique is a local version of the Illuminati. Controlling events in the US, etc. It's bull, but whatever floats their embarrassingly small boat.

I don't think that many people really know what the Freemasons are. Their real influence in the world has deminished quite a bit. Heres an interesting bit on them though:

The Freemasons began as members of craft guilds who united into lodges in England in the early 1700's. They stressed religious tolerance, the equality of their male peers, and the themes of classic liberalism and the Enlightenment. Today they are a worldwide fraternal order that still educates its members about philosophical ideas, and engages in harmless rituals, but also offers networking for business and political leaders, and carries out charitable activities. And if you wondering about the Illuminati:

Weishaupt was appointed a professor at the University of Ingolstadt in Germany around 1772 and elevated to the post of professor of Canon Law in 1773 or 1775 (sources conflict), the first secularist to hold that position previously held by clergy. Weishaupt began planning a group to challenge authoritarian Catholic actions in 1775, the group (under a different name) was announced on May 1, 1776. This group evolved into the Illuminati. The Enlightenment rationalist ideas of the Illuminati were, in fact, brought into Masonic lodges where they played a role in a factional fight against occultist philosophy. The Illuminati was suppressed in a series of edicts between 1784 and 1787, and Weishaupt himself was banished in 1785.

Weishaupt, his Illuminati society, the Freemasons, and other secret societies are portrayed by Robison and Barruel as bent on despotic world domination through a secret conspiracy using front groups to spread their influence.

Barruel claimed the conspirators "had sworn hatred to the altar and the throne, had sworn to crush the God of the Christians, and utterly to extirpate the Kings of the Earth." For Barruel the grand plot hinges on how Illuminati "adepts of revolutionary Equality and Liberty had buried themselves in the Lodges of Masonry" where they caused the French revolution, and then ordered "all the adepts in their public prints to cry up the revolution and its principles." Soon, every nation had its "apostle of Equality, Liberty, and Sovereignty of the People."

Robison, a professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, argued that the Illuminati evolved out of Freemasonry, and called the Illuminati philosophy "Cosmo-politism."
Whoa :eek:

Uh huh. And where did this info come from?

Hey, I might have my info wrong, but I thought the illuminati were much older than the 1700s. I don't think that information is very accurate. From what I know and have heard: the illuminati have been around for a really long time and it basically involves keeping people of a certain bloodline in power no matter what.

I've also heard stuff about how the illuminate/freemasons are working together in an ultimate conspiracy of world domination.
Like HB not-quite-said, the Simpsons did a spoof of them, and the basic idea of the mystique is a local version of the Illuminati. Controlling events in the US, etc. It's bull, but whatever floats their embarrassingly small boat. While I don't know if these kinds of theories are 100% true, they certainly aren't outside of the realm of possibility. From what i've seen, there's many extremely intelligent people who advocate these kinds of theories. There are many rational arguements on both sides, so i don't think you can say it 'its bull' with that much certainty.

Hmm. This whole discussion is making me really nastolgic for some Deus Ex... :)

Not out of the realm of possibility, but not awfully likely either. I know some people who are very critical towards any "official" and widely accepted information, but swallow every conspiracy theory whole without a trace of criticism. They see what they want to see, and to tell the truth I find it rather amusing.

One thing about conspiracy theories is that they're really handy to believe in - if there are sigs, "proof", of a conspiracy, you can say: "See? Conspiracy." If there is no such proof, you can say: "See? It's a big cover-up. It's a conspiracy." You get to be right either way. You get to feel all smart and complacent no matter what.

Some morons in Poland (mostly from right wing) consider freemasons as source of all evil :lol: I guess they just need an enemy. And since most people (including me) don't know anything about this organization...

Ah, Freemasonry, something I've reading a bit about recently, considering I come from a place where Freemasons were common. I was born in Cuba, Placetas, from what I've been told there were many Freemasons and lodges in Cuba, and one Freemason I knew (Alas, he passed away) was my ex's grandfather. He has always been a kind and strong man, and all masons always have been (again, from what I've been told). Freemason lodges in Cuba are made so that it's members can converse secretly on topics the government normally wouldn't allow.

To be a freemason one needs to believe in 'a supreme being,' not mattering which religion your in, and follow their strict moral conducts. Freemasonry strives to make men better, teaching them tolerance of other people's views (especially when it comes to religion and politics), and to be good members of the community. Thus, Freemasons have been responsible for the building of schools, community buildings, and other events and projects that add to the good of the community.

Personally, I don't believe in the whole 'world domination and controlling the government' stuff, considering that Freemasons are good people who usually enjoy speaking on matters involving politics it does not surprise me that many good Americans and other men have served important roles in their country. Now don't get me wrong, I'm no Mason myself, nor would I ever be one, I have no reason to 'protect' their name. Nor am I a 'pro' at Freemasonry, I've read only a bit on them, the above might be all wrong. After all, it's a Secret Society, no? :D