Antimasonic Harrassment

Antimasonry is an interesting subset of the conspiracy kook... by and large, the anti mason claims to be Christian, usually of the fundamentalist (think Jim Jones and David Koresh) subset. While claiming Christ's mantle, they are hateful, spiteful, mean, nasty, and generally folks you would not tip your hat to on the street, no less speak to at any length.

Many, like the man who claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus, none other than the lizard shape shifting tin foil hat brigade general himself, David Icke (we think its pronounced: ickie) try to make a living at defaming good and honorable men. It has been ickie's life's mission, ever since he realized he was really g-d, and not really a third rate soccer color announcer, to slam Freemasonry with every silly, half baked slander that popped into his fevered brain. Of course, it sells books, tapes and DVD's, which seems to make him a pretty lucrative living among the brain cell challenged segment of the population.

Among the "Christian" antimasons, some aren't satisfied with defaming and lying about Freemasonry with every breath, they also advocate ambush "proselytizing", and taking superior numbers, as if to browbeat someone, before speaking to a mason. They advocate isolating the mason, almost as if they are holding an intervention rather than a spiritual discussion. See the Ephesians 5:11 website if you want to see but one version of this nonsense... and no, I won't provide the URL to that hate site. Do a Google search if you really want to waste brain cells on their claptrap.

Some even claim to be Catholics, with the goal of Stopping Freemasonry. As if. Many Popes have tried, half heartedly, to stop Freemasonry and all they have done is increase its numbers. The problem, you see, is that Freemasonry speaks to freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom to chose your leaders by election, freedom to to speak, freedom to assemble, freedom to, well chose in all things.

Its a strange situation we have here. Freemasonry does not care about Catholicism, any more than any other religion. We leave that to the brother. As far as Freemasonry is concerned, a Catholic can be a Freemason just like any other intelligent, honorable, upright and moral man. It is Catholicism that has the problem with Freemasonry, and the rhetoric employed seems to be one more of philosophical opposition rather than religiosity.

The Roman Catholic Church objects to our stand on freedoms, not for our stand on religious issues. We stand for freedom, the church stands for repression and parking your brains and will at the door. Of course they would object to us... and not all Catholics do object. Many are members of lodges around the world. Its the leadership, and not all of them that oject.
Can't have that in a fundy world... freedom is anathema to them, because, well, you might not chose what they want you to chose, and can't have that. As for that free thinking thing, well, these fundys want you to think what they want you to think, and no other thoughts... they are dangerous, those free, unguided thoughts.

This came up because of the last post, Membership "Decline" where I noted that Freemasonry's numbers are no longer declining, but are, in fact, turning around... especially in California. This forum received a number of... hateful, spiteful comments from someone claiming to be a Catholic Christian, claiming that Freemasonry, and this blog, had it in for Catholics, and among other things, that we were damned... by him, in particular. Several times, in fact. Good thing g-d is more open minded and loving than his self appointed ground crew!

The author of this blog, in fact, was stalked by a certain ex con (who was sent to prison for stealing from his clients at a jewelry store he owned) for almost two years. This from a "man" who claimed to be a Roman Catholic fundamentalist (he thought Ratzinger was too liberal), and seemed to feel that stalking someone was a Christly type behavior... go figure.

This raised an interesting point... several in fact. We know the fundy's hate Freemasons. So much so that it is rare we have not been exposed to one (or more) or these pinheads at one time or another. Its almost a rite of passage as a Mason to have some pinhead walk up to us and tell us we are damned, or devil worshipers or some such nonsense.

The good news is that the antimasonic hysteria is actually dying down! Six years ago, if you looked on the internet to find out about Freemasonry, you found pretty much nothing but hate sites. Today, searching on Freemasonry a man can find THOUSANDS of masonic sites, and a smattering of antimasonic sites. Our message is getting out, and the public, g-d bless them, are hearing the truth as opposed to the twisted lies and deceits of the nutters.

The REALLY good news for Modern Man is that the public, thanks to movies, books, magazines, newspapers, radio and a Masonic Presence in the community, has come to a better opinion of the craft. Our members are recognized these days as the good and honorable men they are, and of course, this translates to more men petitioning the lodges for membership.

Looking at one of the worst antimasonic hate sites, FW, using their chat/discussion area as a measure, we can see that there have been less than 4 posts in the last 4 months! This used to be a hotbed of antimasonic plotting and conspiracies, stalking and attacks. Today, it is a hulk of its former self, and the hit generator they are using develop the only hits they are getting. G-d IS great and merciful! (As if there were any doubt)

We have turned a corner, metaphorically speaking, and its about time. A tip of the hat to all the brothers that have worked so hard to speak out about Freemasonry.

May the blessing of heaven rest upon us and all regular masons. May brotherly love prevail, and every moral and social virtue, cement us.