Who are free masons in simple words. Freemason

22.04.2019 - 11:38

The Masonic fraternity has existed for several centuries. Some secrets of free masons have become common property, but something is still hidden from prying eyes...

Workshop of Masons

It is strange to imagine that the Masonic lodge, to which so many rich and influential aristocrats belonged, owes its origin to people of manual labor. IN medieval Europe artisans united in guilds and brotherhoods - in the workshops of bakers, millers, butchers, and masons. Every year the workshops played an increasingly greater role in the life of the countries and had more and more weight. Some workshops became truly huge entities, possessing authority, their own cash, and real estate. And the most respected representatives of one or another workshop also had real political power - they participated in parliamentary elections and sat on city councils.

The masons' workshop was not one of the most influential, but it had a number of privileges characteristic of people of this profession - in particular, free movement around the country. Not only real masons, but also people of other professions could join the workshops. And many preferred the masonry workshop because of the freedom of movement. For example, this allowed notaries to increase their clientele throughout the country.

Freemasonry arose precisely in the lodge of masons - as a special education that was not engaged in professional activities, but in helping members of the workshop who were in trouble, preserving traditions and passing them on. Members of the brotherhood called themselves free masons - both because of their freedom of movement and because many people of free professions - artists, sculptors, poets - joined the society...

Passwords and principles

In any secret society, it is customary to immediately create a conventional language, a system of passwords and symbols inaccessible to the uninitiated. The Masons were no exception. Only during the initiation ceremony as a member of the fraternity did the newcomer learn all the secret signs and tasks of the society. This is how the Masonic initiation ceremony is described in the novel War and Peace. “The first most important goal and overall foundation of our order, on which it is established, and which no human power can overthrow, is the preservation and transmission to posterity of a certain important sacrament... From the most ancient centuries and even from the first man who came down to us, from whom sacraments, perhaps the fate of the human race depends”...

Principles that Masons should preach and practice: “Beware of making any distinction that may interfere with equality. Fly to the aid of your brother, no matter who he is, guide the erring one, lift up the falling one, and never harbor anger or enmity towards your brother. Be kind and friendly. Stir up the fire of virtue in all hearts. Share your happiness with your neighbor, and may envy never disturb this pure pleasure. Forgive your enemy, do not take revenge on him, except by doing him good.”

In addition, a Mason had to maintain seven virtues in himself: modesty and observance of the secrets of the order, obedience to the highest ranks of the order, good morals, love of humanity, courage, generosity and love of death.

The material symbols of the free masons were: compasses, swords, white leather aprons - symbols of strength and purity, shovels, reminiscent of the need to work and cleanse one’s heart from vices, as well as a carpet with the image of the sun, moon, hammer and plumb line on it...

And the spirit of Freemasonry was defined by the Russian writer Mikhail Osorgin: “Freemasonry is not at all a system of moral principles, and not a method of knowledge, and not a science of life, and even, in fact, not a doctrine. There is ideal masonry state of mind a person actively striving for the truth and knowing that the truth is unattainable... The Brotherhood of Freemasons is an organization of people who sincerely believe in the coming of a more perfect humanity. The path to the improvement of the human race lies through self-improvement with the help of fraternal communication with the chosen ones and bound by the promise of the same work on themselves. This means - know yourself, work on yourself, help others work on themselves, use their help, multiply the ranks of supporters of this lofty goal. Otherwise, it’s a union of moral mutual assistance.”

Famous names

Although the society of Freemasons became more and more mysterious over the centuries, many considered it their duty to join the brotherhood of free masons. Because the Freemasons were gaining more and more influence, and many rich and noble people became members of the fraternity. For example, in England, sixteen princes were members of the lodge, four of whom later became kings. But mostly representatives of the intelligentsia, philosophers, and poets belonged to the Freemasons. They all firmly believed that it was possible to build a just society on the basis of the achievements of science and reason.

The number of people who wanted to make the world just was so great that in 1717, four Masonic lodges united, and a Grand Lodge appeared, designed to coordinate and direct the work of all Freemasonry.
Over the years, Freemasonry became even more organized. In 1723, the Book of Statutes, written by the Scottish priest James Anderson, was published in England.

At the end of the 30s of the 18th century, lodges existed throughout Europe - in Belgium, Russia, Italy, Germany, Switzerland. In 1735, there were 5 lodges in Paris, by 1742 their number increased to twenty-two, and forty-five years later, on the eve of the French Revolution, the number of Masons reached 100 thousand.

The names of famous Masons evoke respect. The brotherhood of free masons included: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Liszt, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Niccolo Paganini, Jacob Sibelius, writers Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Rabindranath Tagore, Walter Scott, Oscar Wilde, poets Alexander Pop, Robert Burns, Rudyard Kipling.

Theodore Roosevelt, and... were Freemasons. Members of the brotherhood included Charles Lindenberg, who made the first solo flight across the Atlantic, polar explorers Robert Peary, Matthew Henson, and Admiral Richard Byrd. American astronaut Edwin Aldrin, who set foot on the moon on July 21, 1969, carried a banner with Masonic emblems in his pocket.

In our time, Freemasonry is also flourishing, but because of the veil of secrecy, we cannot know which of the greats of the world belongs to this brotherhood...

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The Freemasons are a secret movement that arose in the 18th century. Masons have their own symbols and rituals. The literal translation of this name is “free mason.” Freemasonry exists in the form of lodges - groups of up to 50 people, united territorially. The very topic of “free masons” is still of interest to philosophers, historians, cultural experts, and even ordinary people. Some are interested in the symbolism of the Freemasons, others are interested in the degree of their influence, others are trying to understand which of the great people were members of the lodges and how religious this association is. Masonic lodges have traditionally included the most influential people, and the aura of mystery around the association gave rich soil to myths, some of which will be discussed in detail below.

The whole world is controlled by a secret Masonic organization. This myth is already several centuries old; soon after the appearance of the Freemasons, rumors began to circulate that they were the true rulers of states. However, here is what Mr. Beletsky wrote to the Minister of Internal Affairs in March 1916: “In Russia, Freemasonry is mainly carried out by figures of extreme right-wing organizations. I read their works and did not know what to be more amazed at, whether their absolute unfamiliarity with the subject, or the ease with which they present to the Russian public fabrications drawn from the most absurd works of French blackmail writers... Now the Freemasons are not at all concerned about war, but about protecting the rights of free trade in alcoholic beverages and protecting the interests of taverns from the arbitrariness of the military authorities...” For them, this is a matter of life or death...” at that time, Russian masons had nothing to do with power; in fact, they were pseudo-philosophers and chatterboxes, concerned about their material gain. Everyone will be interested to know the name of the main Mason, who, logically, rules the whole world. In 2004, the Frenchman Alain Duman became Emperor of the Order, previously it was Claude Tripe, and before that Gerard Claude Wilden. Perhaps you know Robert Ambellen or Theodore Royce? The last known leader of Freemasonry was Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1881. And these are the secret rulers of the planet? It is interesting that within Freemasonry itself there are several branches that simply do not obey the Emperor, and are also constantly fighting among themselves for influence and finances! At the same time, within the branch itself there can be a complex management system; for example, in the USA there are two Supreme Councils. Regular Freemasonry, which is an association of other lodges, is indeed headed by representatives of the English nobility, but in fact the affairs are carried out by an inconspicuous “acting official”, who, moreover, changes every 2 years, which in no way correlates with the governance of the world. Yes, and there is no single structure in Freemasonry, like a pyramid. There are too many ordinary lodge members to form any kind of government - there are more than 4 million of them in the USA alone. Modern Freemasonry is more of a social club in which people communicate, discuss problems, and make appointments. Modern society quite a complex structure to manage with medieval systems.

Freemasonry is the same religion. Often in the mind Freemasonry appears as a specific type of religion; even a certain Masonic church is mentioned. Although for some it is not a church, but a sect; by the way, Pope Clement XII also believed the same. Religion requires belief in God, and Freemasonry requires candidates to believe in the Great Architect of the Universe, without specifying this concept. The “free masons” themselves interpret their organization as a secret union that is above parties, religions, nationalities, etc. Freemasonry, unlike religion, does not imply leading any particular way of life outside the lodge. Reading their prayers is not an attempt to interact with God, there is no concept of cult and sacrifice. Religion is based on mystical experience, but Freemasonry says nothing about this and does not promise improvements in life for observing rituals. Masons believe that a person must certainly develop spiritually, but everyone chooses the place and methods of searching for hidden answers for himself. Most Masons do not accept atheism. It is interesting that it is impossible to combine two religions, but it is quite possible to be a Mason and a Christian. Most American Masons are Christians. The number of Masons, by the way, includes leaders of Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists and other churches. The Masonic bishops themselves say that their activities in the lodges do not in the least interfere with the church. An important difference from the church is that there is no spiritual hierarchy in Freemasonry. There is a ladder of steps, but the holder of the 33rd step is no higher than an ordinary member. There is a reporting line associated with system positions, but it is constantly changing. So a holder of a lower degree, being the head of a lodge, may well lead a master of a higher degree. Thus, Freemasonry includes certain parts of religion and sects, without actually being them - spiritual life, partial belief in the afterlife, mystical values. This is due to the fact that mason lodges do not separate themselves from generally accepted religions.

Masons worship the devil. This myth is constantly fed by anti-Masonic sources. IN lately Satanist sects are increasingly visible, usually consisting of teenagers who are not so much looking for secret knowledge as showing themselves in a state of alcohol or drug intoxication. So is there anything in common between them and respectable people? According to semi-legendary history, Freemasonry traces its history back to the Knights Templar, who were originally military monks who protected pilgrims. Over time, the order grew, becoming an order of large landowners, bankers, diplomats and scientists. Over time, by the way, the order began to carry out its secret diplomatic activities, even having connections with the assassins, colleagues from the East. Under their patronage in construction, the guild of free masons was born. However, in 1307, the order was defeated by King Philip IV, who did not want to share his power. At the courts of the Inquisition, under torture, evidence appeared of the secret worship of the knights to the idol Baphomet. But it is still unclear what this word itself means; no object of worship of the Templars has been found. Freemasonry in a form close to the modern one appeared at the beginning of the 18th century, but there was no mention of its connection with the devil, and this is not surprising, because the lodge included representatives of the English nobility. But stories about Masons worshiping Satan arose in the 19th century in France, and this was due to the decline of interest in the Catholic Church due to the development of science. That’s why a real enemy was needed, and everyone has long been tired of talk about a Jewish conspiracy. The Masons themselves, as already mentioned, believed in the Great Architect, without specifying him in any way. It is difficult to believe that major political and public figures saw him exclusively as Satan. It is interesting that initially the word Lucifer was actually present in Masonic rites, but it only meant the deity who gives light. This concept appeared in defiance of the church, rumors about it quickly multiplied by the church, which is why a new concept was introduced instead - Prometheus. The essence has not changed, but there is no longer any connection with Satan. Today, in general, in rituals they use the wording “giver of light” in order to avoid interpretations. By the way, it is worth noting that the origins of Masonic rituals largely lie in the Old and New Testaments and other holy books, so that accusing Masons of Satanism can equally well accuse all believers of this sin.

Masons help each other, like mafia clans. Opponents argue that when joining a lodge, a person takes an oath to obey only his brothers in the order, who may well use the person at their discretion. After all, for a Mason there is no fatherland, his homeland is the whole world. By the way, is it surprising that people generally help each other? You can’t blame people just for the opportunity and desire to help? It is interesting how these assistance mechanisms are implemented. If in the Middle Ages secret signs and entire rituals were developed for their exchange, then in our time a Freemason travels abroad, being provided with a special passport or certificate. But a similar system exists in other international organizations. If Freemasonry is perceived as a corrupting element for the life of a country, then it is strange that the states where Freemasons are most influential are quite rich. If we assume that some kind of struggle is being waged, including against Russia, then why have there been no successes from the activities of this “powerful” organization for so many centuries? It must be said that in the West with early XIX centuries, lodges arose that aimed precisely at helping their members. Within the organization, exclusively everyday matters were discussed; the brotherhood itself had distinctive signs and solemn rituals. Subsequently, largely thanks to their activities, modern trade unions emerged. For example, the Order of the Knights of the Maccabees included up to 200,000 members, its members wore magnificent uniforms reminiscent of the outfits of the Masons and Templars. Over time, the order turned into an ordinary insurance company. One can recall the Knights of Pytheas, the Order of Labor and many others. So how were the Masons different from them? Only by the presence of a semi-mystical component? Already since the 18th century, mutual aid structures have been formed in the West; it is not surprising that such a phenomenon has appeared in Masonic lodges. Perhaps the success of Western civilization is due to the fact that a person in trouble was given a second chance.

It is the Freemasons who spark revolutions. First of all, the role of the Freemasons in sparking the French Revolution is mentioned. The emergence of this myth is associated with the place of imprisonment of Louis XVI - the Temple Temple, where the leadership of the ancient Order of the Templars was once located. From there the king was taken to execution, just as Jacques de Molay, the last grandmaster of the order, was taken to execution five centuries earlier. It was as if the circle had closed. There are rumors that during the execution, someone sprinkled his hands with the king’s blood and exclaimed: “Jacques de Molay, you are avenged!” It’s just not clear, if the revolutions were carried out by the Masons, being descendants of the Templars, then why did they themselves suffer because of the events? If before the revolution there were 67 lodges in Paris, then during it there were only 3. The fact is that in French Freemasonry most of them were aristocrats who did not need social upheaval. Of course, some of them followed new ideas, but many paid with their lives. It is interesting that Freemasonry traditionally shuns politics; conversations on this topic are prohibited in lodges. A prominent Russian Freemason, Baron Reichel wrote: “Any Freemasonry that has political aspects is false; and if you notice even the shadow of political types, connections and expansion of the words equality and liberty, then consider it false.” Consider the events of the Russian revolutions of 1917. It is alleged that almost the entire composition of the Provisional Government consisted of Freemasons. However, in fact, only Kerensky, Nekrasov and Konovalov in the first composition were members of the masons' lodge. Nekrasov himself later wrote about the role of Freemasonry in the February events: “... I’ll say right away that hopes for it turned out to be extremely premature; such powerful mass forces came into play, especially mobilized by the Bolsheviks, that a handful of intellectuals could not play a big role and themselves crumbled under the influence of the collision classes". The October Revolution was organized by the Bolsheviks, who themselves, being representatives of the intelligentsia, expressed the interests of the poorest strata. So, the absolute majority of Bolshevik leaders had no connections with the Freemasons. Trotsky's interest in Freemasonry is mentioned, but the revolutionary's works on this topic are irretrievably lost. Freemasons participated in both the American revolutions and the Decembrist uprising, but it is impossible to confirm that it is they who incite revolutions.

Freemasonry appeared in Russia with Peter I. First of all, Freemasonry is a secret order, so it is impossible to find out the whole truth about it, especially since it is hidden in the depths of centuries. If we talk about operational Freemasonry, which included directly builders and architects, then it appeared in our country back in 1040 along with Anthony the Roman, who, according to legend, curiously, sailed on a stone. When it means the penetration of Freemasonry into Russia, they mean operational Freemasonry, which is not directly related to construction. Allegedly, after visiting London in 1698, Peter I was accepted into the lodge by the Englishman Christopher Wren. The president of the lodge was Jacob Bruce, and Peter himself was the Second Officer. According to another version, Lefort was the president.
However, according to official sources, the history of Freemasonry in Russia dates back to 1731, when Captain John Phillips was confirmed as the Provincial Grand Master of Russia. And already in 1740, the Englishman Keith became Master, but he was completely Russified by that time. The first Russian lodge, called “Silence,” was formed in St. Petersburg in 1750; the development of Freemasonry was spurred by Catherine the Great’s interest in it, however, it was short-lived. However, there are ambiguities here too. The fact is that the establishment of the Grand Lodge in 1731 implied the presence by that time of at least three provincial ones, otherwise what was united? In addition, it is logical to assume, knowing the structure of the lodge, that the number of masters at that time should have been at least 100. So, is the countdown from Peter? Scientists tried to find some documents about how Peter joined the order, but found nothing. Of course, perhaps the papers were simply destroyed by the Nazis, who were known as ardent fighters against the Freemasons, and the archives themselves are rather closed and confusing. However, Peter often traveled incognito and could well have joined the lodge under a fictitious name, for example, Alekseev. The following reasoning speaks in favor of the version of Peter the Mason. The Tsar sought technical advances in an attempt to attract scientists and engineers to Russia. And, being a Freemason, and not just a rich savage, he could use connections among the brothers to achieve his goal. As you can see, Peter achieved what he wanted. The position of Second Officer is also important - it was just suitable for a royal person who did not want to burden herself with managing a lodge. In this same place, Peter could well play a significant role, without descending into the routine hassle of organizational work. So the version about the Second Officer gives strange credibility to the myth. The history of the creation of the monument to Peter is also interesting in this regard." Bronze Horseman"The fact is that the sculptor Falcone insisted that the horse stand on a stone, citing the fact that Peter means “stone.” The huge stone was transported from afar, and on the way of sculptures he unexpectedly decided to finish the stone. It is curious that the stone is and one of the symbols of Freemasonry, it would be symbolic to place the first Russian Freemason on a stone. But the finishing of the stone indicates that the soul of the person who has joined the lodge has already been processed, but a rough stone would indicate that the person is just preparing to join the ranks. Masons, his soul is still unbridled. Many would like to see more obvious symbols of Freemasonry on the monument. For example, George Washington stands with a trowel and in an apron near the Masonic altar. But it would be naive to dress the king on a horse in an apron. his right hand clearly speaks of the sign with which the box is opened. And the original monument to Peter was very similar to the monument to Washington.

Mozart was a member of the Masonic lodge, he was killed by his own brothers. The composer's last completed work was a cantata dedicated to the consecration of the new Masonic temple. Mozart himself was a member of the Crowned Hope lodge, and an active one. At a time when the composer lacked money, it was his brothers who helped him, giving him the opportunity to work as an accompanist of boxes. There are also many versions of the composer’s death, including the Freemasons. According to one version, Mozart, after composing the opera “The Magic Flute,” which tells the story of the struggle between Christianity and Freemasonry, thought about real values ​​and decided to organize his own lodge, “The Cave.” The Masons did not like the idea of ​​​​creating a rival organization and, with the help of Mozart's friend, Stadler, they poisoned the composer. It can be argued against this version that Stadler was quite close to Mozart, who even composed a concerto for clarinet and orchestra for him, postponing the Requiem, which was important to him. According to another version, the composer was sacrificed by the Freemasons, since in The Magic Flute he revealed the secrets of their rituals. The Requiem was commissioned from Mozart by the Freemasons, as if it was news that he had been chosen as a victim. However, common sense suggests that Mozart wrote only the music, and the libretto, that is, the text itself, was written by another freemason - Schikaneder, who in turn borrowed the plot from the German Wieland. It is interesting that neither one nor the other suffered from the Freemasons, although it was they who were involved in revealing the secrets of society. And the reasons for the composer’s death are unclear. On November 8, 1791, Mozart conducted at the opening of the temple, and after 2 days he became ill, as a result of which he died on December 5. There are more than a dozen assumptions about the causes of death, poisoning at the hands of Salieri is only the most famous of them. The circumstances of Mozart's death suggest that he was poisoned with mercury, but by whom? An interesting version is that the composer could have been killed with the tacit consent of the authorities for his connection with Freemasonry, which, with its free ideas, and even against the backdrop of the French Revolution, undermined the foundations of the state. In general, we can definitely say that the Freemasons played a significant role in the life of Wolfgang Amadeus, and he actively communicated with them, but historians still cannot establish the exact reasons for Mozart’s death, the motives for his poisoning (and was it even poisoning?).

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion expose the Freemasons. Freemasonry itself appeared relatively recently; for the first time a person not associated with construction was admitted to the lodge in 1600, but talk of a Masonic conspiracy appeared only 200 years later. It turns out that for two whole centuries no one had any idea about the conspiracy? The French Revolution is believed to have been the result of a Freemason plot to take revenge French kings for dispersing the Templars. It turns out that the place took 475 years to prepare? The first Jews appeared in Masonic lodges only in the middle of the 18th century, and during the 19th century, the theory of the Judeo-Masonic conspiracy began to take shape in the public consciousness. At the end of the same century, this story, having fully formed, came to Russia due to rumors and relevant literary books on this topic. The theory says that even under Solomon, Jewish sages formed a secret conspiracy against all humanity, but the protocols were naturally stolen, falling into the hands of the world community. However, the very origin of the texts is very strange. Firstly, they are written in French, and secondly, Solomon allegedly plans to destroy Christianity, seize industry and mine cities. The author did not bother to compare the texts with the vocabulary and worldview of the Jews of that time. But in style, the Protocols are very reminiscent of Gedsche’s novel “Biarritz”. The terminology of Freemasonry used in the documents immediately alerted the authorities, who decided that there was a close connection between Jews and Freemasons. The Freemasons really relied on the Old Testament, but in their modern form they were a completely Christian institution, so talk about Jewish Freemasons can only be explained by the paranoia of those who look for conspiracies everywhere. It is interesting that when in 1903 the writer Nilus presented the Protocols to Nicholas II as evidence of a conspiracy, the tsar declared that it was a fake, destroyed the document, and drove out the scoundrel. However, over time, the government had to return to the documents, exploring the possibility of using them against Jewish revolutionaries. The conclusion of the commission led by Stolypin was unequivocal - fake! Subsequently, despite the decision of the Berne court on the forgery of the document, the Protocols were used by the Nazis in their propaganda.

There is a Masonic order, Skull and Bones, which includes American presidents. At the end of the 20th century, a loud scandal erupted when it became known that George H. W. Bush, and other US presidents before him, were members of the Skull and Bones secret society. Immediately I was attracted by the frivolous name, more suitable for a children's circle, and not for a community of influential people. It turned out that Skull and Bones was just one of the many fraternities at Yale University. The university itself appeared in 1801, and the fraternity arose in 1832 in the likeness of German student associations. The name of the order, as well as its emblem, appeared much later; by the way, “Skull and Bones” is a completely official organization that even has a bank account. In total, there were no more than 800 people in the order for more than a century and a half. The first Jew appeared there only in 1968. Quite little is known about the rituals of the order, due to the closed nature of the organization. Among the club's alumni there are indeed three presidents, bankers, cultural figures, and lawyers. But this can be explained simply - the children of the elite traditionally study at Yale, and it is not surprising that they subsequently make a good career. Skull and Bones can hardly be considered to rule the United States, since the student society is mainly engaged in entertaining the members themselves, sometimes dabbling in digging up bones. Of course, brothers in society help each other, but this custom is also typical in other student societies. Typically, the university management is usually neutral towards such associations, although many are unfriendly - after all, instead of studying, students are engaged in extraneous matters. Having studied the rituals of the fraternities, it can be assumed that the “Skull and Bones” setting was largely borrowed from the German Masonic order “Black Brothers”. But in no case should one consider “Skull and Bones” a Masonic organization. The American fraternity only copied the German one, which, in turn, copied the Masonic orders. If we talk about the secret societies that rule the country, then why not remember the “Bohemian Grove”, which includes the richest people in the United States, and membership costs $12,000 a year. Although conversations about business in the club are prohibited, and rituals, including those based on Masonic ones, are increasingly parody and comic. By the way, in former USSR Student associations existed quite successfully, many of which successfully realized themselves in KVN.

The policies of Israel and the United States are determined by the Freemasons. It is believed that the United States was created by Freemasons on Masonic principles. Allegedly, everywhere in the symbolism there is the number 13, which is a symbol of Satan. However, the concept of the “13th tribe of Israel,” which the Masons are considered to be, simply does not exist. And the number 13 itself is considered favorable in Kabbalah. They say that the width of US bills is 66.6 millimeters, but in fact it is 0.4 mm narrower. But let's figure out how much Freemasonry influences US politics. One of the fathers of the American state is Benjamin Franklin, who was indeed a Freemason. George Washington was also a member of the same organization. All 15 great generals of the War of Independence were also Freemasons; it is no wonder that the first presidents were members of lodges. The most Masonic president was Harry Truman, who passed all the degrees of several charters and was the leader of the Red Cross of Constantine, one of the intra-Masonic orders. Bush Sr. was also a Mason, but his son did not join the lodge, saying that he did not understand the need for such an act. Clinton also did not become a full-fledged Freemason. Consider the structure of Freemasonry in the USA. Each state has its own Grand Lodge, but they are not subordinate to each other. Sometimes boards are convened to resolve general disagreements. So it is impossible for any state lodge to influence the general American government, much less world politics. Typically, the instruments of Freemasonry's influence on world politics are the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission and the Bildelberg Club. The Council on Foreign Relations was founded in 1921 and is now funded by large corporations. It has about 4,200 members who develop the concept behind closed doors. foreign policy states. There is nothing Masonic in it; moreover, it became known that Madeleine Albright is a member of the Council, and a woman cannot be present in Masonic structures at all! The Trilateral Commission brings together representatives of the United States, Europe and Asia (represented by Japan and South Korea). The organization includes major bankers and industrialists, its purpose is to discuss world problems. But what kind of masons can there be in Japan? The Bilderberg Club arose in 1954, uniting the European and American political and economic elite. Although the meetings are held in secrecy, it is impossible to completely hide the concentration of so many big shots in one place, so the world community always follows the club with interest. In fact, this organization is not an executive council; every decision later still goes through the G8 meetings, through the IMF or the World Bank. To claim that the Bilderberg Club is built like a lodge is ridiculous, since its structure absolutely does not coincide with the Masonic one. Regarding Israel, we can say that Freemasonry in this country arose only at the end of the 19th century; today it is recognized only in the English Lodge. Today in Israel there are no more than three thousand Masons, and only half of them are active, and besides, none of the prominent politicians have been noted in the lodges. Local “masons” do not participate in politics and do not have any influence on either the external or internal course of the state. It is interesting that in Latin American countries, as in the United States, many politicians are members of Masonic lodges, but even there secret organizations do not play any role in political life countries.

Philosophy of masons

Most historical sources that have survived to this day testify to the emergence of the Masonic Order as the successor to the famous Order of the Templars, tragically defeated by Phillip IV the Fair in 1312. They say that part of the surviving “poor knights” organized a new ideological corporation under the banner of the Frank Masons, which translated from French means “free masons”. But if the task of the Templars was initially to protect Christian pilgrims from the attacks of Muslims, then the goal of the Masons can be characterized not as the implantation of one religion by another, but world peace, the highest humanism through the knowledge of great wisdom and self-improvement. At the same time, the philosophy of the masons is similar to that of the Templars. Although the first, for the same reasons historical notes, and were “in the service of the Jews, and professed not the Christian God, but the Jewish God” - in fact, the undertakings of both orders were imbued with light and greatness, the desire to live in peace, love and harmony. The path leading to the development of true humanity and world morality, freedom of conscience and the principle of solidarity is equally applicable to most religious and philosophical movements.

So why freemen and why masons? In the Middle Ages, meanwhile, Gothic flourished - it began the construction of majestic, at the same time gloomy and soaring buildings. Architects and builders promoted the idea of ​​a better future that awaits all of humanity, conveying their confident thoughts on this matter in their creativity. The Masonic Order began with the organization of its builders, who had considerable experience and were initiated into the secrets of the art of construction. Later, those who wanted to join the Order, but did not have any special skills and did not belong to the class of masons, became continuers of God's work on earth, since they were the builders of true forms of life. A Mason of high dedication, Dr. Papus, in a few words almost completely revealed the meaning of early Freemasonry: “Regardless of the visible light, they (the brothers) learned about the existence of the invisible light, which is the source of unknown forces and energy - this secret light that illuminates every person coming into this world is depicted as a pentagonal star" (V.F. Ivanov, "Secrets of Freemasonry"). It was the pentagonal “flaming star” as a symbol of a person emitting mysterious light from himself that became the emblem of world Freemasonry.

The Masonic organization, despite its strength and number of adherents, remained a secret for almost the entire time of its existence, and only a select few could join it. “The Order of Free Masons,” says Tira Sokolovskaya, “is a worldwide secret society that has set as its goal to lead humanity to the achievement of earthly Eden, the Golden Age, the kingdom of love and truth, the kingdom of Astraea.” (According to the definition of Freemasonry’s own statutes (§1 of the constitution of the Grand Orient of France, 1884).

Being scattered throughout the world, the Freemasons constituted one Freemasonic Lodge without any definite difference between the Freemasons different countries, because the ideas and goals of the organization are united and could not be separated geographically.

From Sokolovskaya’s memoirs: “Dreaming of worldwide brotherhood, they want to see the Order spread throughout the entire earth. Lodges are the world” (V.F. Ivanov “Secrets of Freemasonry”). It is characteristic that the lodges - the rooms in which the "brothers-masons" gathered - were designated by an oblong rectangle - a sign that used to designate the Universe before Ptolemy. The lodges themselves served as temples for the Masons, and even more than that - they called the Lodge Solomon's Temple, which in their understanding meant an ideal temple, because Solomon intended it not only for followers of the law of Moses, but also for people of every religion - everyone who would like to visit temple for serving God. People who felt a “spiritual hunger” behind them, seeking truth and light, came to Solomon’s Temple to “cleanse their souls.”

Answering the question about the professed religion, it can be noted that the symbols and Masonic rituals are of Jewish origin. Initially, the hammer, square, compass and other tools of masons became symbols for them, each of which served as a reminder to the Mason of his duties, or symbolized some positive quality which needs to be achieved. Basically, these were deeply religious people who looked at their construction activities as an imitation of the Great Architect, the Builder of Worlds, from which God received from them the name of the Great Architect and the Great Builder.

Much later, Lun Blanc, describing the work of the Freemasons during the Revolution of 1789, mentioned the following: “All above the throne where the chairman of each lodge sat, or master of the chair, was represented a shining delta, in the middle of which was written in Hebrew letters the name of Jehovah” ( V.F. Ivanov “Secrets of Freemasonry”). The original Jewish origin of the Order is also confirmed by the anti-Masonic writer A.D. Filosofov. “The first thing that strikes everyone entering a Masonic lodge is the name of Jehovah, surrounded by rays and written in Hebrew above the altar or throne, which must not be approached before passing through two steps, meaning exoteric (external) and esoteric (internal) ) Freemasonry” (V.F. Ivanov “Secrets of Freemasonry”).

Free masons called work in the Order the performance of various rituals, for example, the admission of laymen into the Order and further initiation to higher degrees, as well as the tireless pursuit of their own enlightenment and self-improvement.

Structure of the Order

The highest administration of the Order was called the East, for “The East is the land of election,” the shrine and ancestor of the highest human wisdom. The Supreme Government, or the East, as in our days, issued a Constitution, which was a special charter of founding. The Constitution was issued to all Lodges, headed by the governing Masters, Venerables (aka Prefects, Superiors, Chairmen). The Deputy Master was the assistant (assistant, deputy) of the Manager. Other officers in the lodges are the 1st and 2nd Wardens, the Secretary or Keeper of the Seal, the Vitia or Rhetoric, the Master of Ritual, the Preparer, the Guide or Brother of the Terror, the Treasurer or Keeper of the Exchequer, the Trustee for the Poor, the Almoner or Stuart and his assistants - deacons.

Considering that Freemasonry is divided into several degrees - student, comrade and workshop - for the formation of a lodge, three people are required for each degree, although in practice there were much more of them. A “proper lodge,” according to the Constitution, must consist of three masters and two journeymen, or three masters, two journeymen and two apprentices - respectively, a master of the lodge (or “master of the chair”), two wardens, a master of ceremonies, and an internal and external guard. The Great Master - the one who was lucky enough to become the manager of an entire union of lodges - was called a grandmaster. The union of lodges, deprived of a grandmaster and located in a different locality from the Supreme Order, was considered a provincial or regional union.

For greater unity and order, many lodges located close to each other merged into a single Grand Lodge or High Authority, which subsequently entered into concordats (terms of relationship or agreement) with each other. One such concordat was even printed in 1817 under Alexander I two grand lodges of Russia.

The Secret Element of Freemasonry

Creating such an organization in the Middle Ages, promoting the ideas of inner freedom and faith in a better future, was considered, at the very least, a dangerous undertaking. Among the noble brothers themselves, such punishment as the death penalty was extended if the secrets of the Order were revealed to a pen, brush, chisel or other understandable instrument. All secret knowledge was transmitted exclusively orally, and then after an oath of silence. However, with the growth of the organization, it became impossible to hide the work of the Freemasons from prying eyes, and modern Freemasonry, having the support of famous influential people, considers itself so strong that it speaks openly and does not hide its work. In fairness, I would like to add that despite all the general appearances, there are distinctions between external and hidden Freemasonry, the depths of which not every mortal can penetrate.

As for the teaching itself, all degrees of Freemasonry are closely connected with one another by orders from above from the authorities, and those at the bottom unquestioningly obey the will invisible to them from above. The student does not know what the comrade is doing, and the comrade does not know about the goals and work of the master. L. de Poncins writes about it this way: “A high-ranking student knows only a few comrades and the master of his lodge, the rest are in obscurity. A comrade may be everywhere among students, but for them he is only a student. The master can be everywhere among his comrades and students; but sometimes he is incognito: for his comrades he is a comrade, for his students he is a student. And such a system of conspiracy is carried out at all further stages - that is why an order issued from above, no matter what its content, is automatically carried out below by irresponsible instruments. Only within the confines of his lodge does the student know several Masons of the highest initiations of his “seven”, that is, “according to the class of the position held,” everything else is hidden from him by a thick veil of mystery” (V.F. Ivanov “Secrets of Freemasonry”).

A Mason is initiated to the highest degree once and for all, for life. He is not chosen by democratic vote, but by the Higher Group - the leadership, which has been observing him for a long time and secretly in order to understand whether he is worthy of such an honor. And even here the former comrades of the Mason do not know about the “promotion” of their colleague, because he officially continues to visit the lodge under the old conditions.

When admitted to Freemasonry, a new entrant must have recommenders from members of the lodge, as well as those who can vouch for him. After this came an equally complex ceremony of initiation into the first Masonic degree of the student. On the appointed day and hour, the guarantor, blindfolding the layman, took him to the lodge premises, where specially invited masons were already waiting for them. The initiate stepped on the signs inscribed on the carpet, not yet understanding the Masonic meaning of these symbolic figures. The initiate sealed his decision to join the brotherhood not only with an oath on the Bible, but also on a drawn sword, betraying his soul to eternal damnation in case of betrayal, and his body to death from the judgment of his brothers. Next, the initiate read out the oath: “I swear, in the name of the Supreme Builder of all worlds, never to reveal to anyone without orders from the Order the secrets of the signs, touches, words of the doctrine and customs of Freemasonry and to maintain eternal silence about them. I promise and swear not to betray him in anything, neither by pen, nor sign, nor word, nor body movement, and also not to tell anyone about him, neither for a story, nor for writing, nor for printing or any other image, and never to disclose that, what I now already know and what can be entrusted to me later. If I do not keep this oath, then I undertake to undergo the following punishment: may my mouth be burned and incinerated with a hot iron, may my hand be cut off, may my tongue be torn out of my mouth, may my throat be cut, may my corpse be hanged in the middle of the box at the dedication of the new brother, as an object of curse and horror, may they burn him later and may the ashes be scattered through the air, so that not a trace or memory of the traitor remains on earth.”

A sign that the initiate was accepted into the Order was a leather cuff (apron) and a silver unpolished spatula, for “its use will polish while protecting hearts from attack from the splitting force,” as well as a pair of white men’s mittens as a symbol of pure thoughts and parting words to lead an immaculate life, which is the only chance to build the Temple of Wisdom. All rituals and symbols were of great importance to the Masons. The ruler and plumb line symbolized the equality of classes. The goniometer is a symbol of justice. The compass served as a symbol of the public, and the square, according to other explanations, meant conscience. A wild stone is rough morality, chaos, a cubic stone is “processed” morality. The hammer was used to process wild stone. The hammer also served as a symbol of silence and obedience, faith, as well as a symbol of power, because it belonged to the Master. Spatula - condescension towards universal human weakness and severity towards oneself. Acacia branch - immortality; coffin, skull and bones - contempt for death and sadness about the disappearance of truth. Freemasons' robes depicted virtue. The round hat symbolized in a certain sense liberty, and the naked sword - the punishing law, the fight for an idea, the execution of villains, the protection of innocence. The dagger is also a symbol of choosing death over defeat, the struggle for life and death. The dagger was worn on a black ribbon, on which was embroidered in silver the motto: “Conquer or die!”

The superstate is the ultimate ideal of Freemasonry

No matter how fair and prudent the “brothers-masons” were, on the way to establishing the Masonic Eden on earth stood religion, nation and monarchical states, which prevented the unification of all nations into a single union. Cautiously and tactfully, decisively and faithfully, the Freemasons over the centuries prepared medieval society for actions to destroy the church and authoritarian power.

Historians write that “The Brotherhood everywhere rebelled against the corruption of the clergy and in many cases diverged even from Catholic teaching. In the Church of St. Sebald in Nuremberg, a monk and a nun were depicted in an indecent pose. In Strasbourg, in the upper gallery, opposite the pulpit, there were depicted a pig and a goat, which carried a sleeping fox as a shrine: a bitch walked behind the pig, and in front of the procession was a bear with a cross and a wolf with a burning candle, the donkey stood at the throne and celebrated mass. In the Brandenburg Church, a fox in priestly vestments preaches to a flock of geese. Another Gothic church ironically depicts the descent of the Holy Spirit. In the Berne Cathedral, the Pope is also depicted in the image of the Last Judgment, etc.” (V.F. Ivanov “Secrets of Freemasonry”). All this almost pagan symbolism was based on the fact that the Freemasons themselves were free-thinking people and, accordingly, persecuted by church fanaticism, which they had to fight throughout the existence of the Order.

Almost without exception, the philosophers of the last two centuries, among them Locke, Voltaire, Diderot, who emerged from the hiding places of internal Freemasonry, wrote with indescribable bitterness against the Christian religion. “For two centuries,” Nees writes, “in all parts of the globe, members of lodges were at the head of fighters for the triumph of the ideas of political freedom, religious tolerance, agreement between peoples; more than once the lodges themselves were drawn into the struggle; finally, and according to its basic principles, Freemasonry is the enemy of error, abuse, prejudice” (V.F. Ivanov “Secrets of Freemasonry”).

The Freemasons approached the issue of destroying the Christian religion as a dogma strategically - they created and supported various sects in the enemy clan itself. Under the guise of religious tolerance, they introduced heresies and schisms into the Christian Church. By the way, the Reformation in the West and Protestantism are closely related to Freemasonry and have their roots in Freemasonry. The Masons were convinced that the struggle against the church would end when it finally separated from the state, becoming a private and community organization. The monarchical form of government, just like the dominant church, was an inevitable evil in the eyes of the Freemasons, and the form of government itself was tolerable only until a more perfect, republican system was established. The new church must first of all work on philosophical education, and not primarily political. Religion, according to the deep conviction of Freemasons, should preach humanity, freedom and equality, and not blind submission to prejudice. Masons could no longer recognize God as the purpose of life; they have created an ideal which is not God, but humanity.

Thus, it was the Freemasons who were the first to develop the worldwide concept of democracy. This idea in 1789 found its expression in the teachings of the English freemason Locke and was further developed by the French “enlighteners” - the ideologists of the revolution of 1789, who, as is known, belonged to the Freemasons. Freemasons Voltaire, Diderot, Montesquieu and, finally, J. J. Rousseau affirmed the democratic concept through experience and through their work created a democratic movement throughout the world. It is characteristic that the “Declaration of the Rights of Man” was drawn up by Freemason Thomas Jefferson with the participation of Freemason Franklin and announced at the Colonial Congress in Philadelphia in 1776.

Destroying all the old foundations, it was thanks to the Freemasons that the idea of ​​democracy and the rule of the people, as well as the theory of separation of powers - all this arose in Masonic heads and from Masonic lodges spread widely throughout the world. Humanity is higher than the fatherland - this is the entire innermost meaning of Masonic wisdom.

In 1884, the "Almanac of the Freemasons" talks about the happy time when "a republic will be proclaimed in Europe under the name of the United States of Europe."

In June 1917, Freemasonry of the allied and neutral countries organized a congress in Paris, one of the main tasks of which, according to its chairman Carnot, was: “To prepare the United States of Europe, to create a supernational power, the task of which is to resolve conflicts between nations. The agent of propagation of this concept of peace and general well-being will be Freemasonry.”

The idea of ​​the League of Nations, which also originated in the depths of Masonry, is only a stage towards achieving the final ideal of world Freemasonry - the creation of a superstate and the liberation of humanity from any moral, religious, political and economic enslavement.

Famous Masons on the list of Grand Masters and Grand Masters who led the Priory of Sion: Sandro Botticelli; Leonardo da Vinci; Isaac Newton; Victor Hugo; Claude Debussy; Jean Cocteau. The great writers Dante, Shakespeare and Goethe belonged to Masonic lodges. Composers - J. Haydn, F. Liszt, W. Mozart, Jean Sibelius and others. Encyclopedists - Diderot, d'Alembert, Voltaire; Simon Bolivar; leader of the Latin American struggle for independence; Giuseppe Garibaldi, leader of the Italian Carbonari; Atatürk, founder of the current Turkish Republic; Henry Ford, "America's automobile king"; Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister; Eduard Benesh, former president Czechoslovakia; Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton - former American presidents; Allen Dulles, founder of the CIA; American astronaut E. Aldrin and Soviet - A. Leonov, political figures - Francois Mitterrand, Helmut Kohl and Willy Brandt, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Al Gore, current US Vice President, Joseph Rettinger, general secretary Bilderberg Club, David Rockefeller, head of the Trilateral Commission and many others.

Research by conspiracy theorists also shows that all armed conflicts of recent centuries from the military campaigns of Napoleon, and all revolutions, starting with the French, were financed by the banking houses of the Rockefellers, Rothschilds, Morgans, and Wartburgs associated with the Masonic lodges.

From the Middle Ages to the present day

Although the official date of the appearance of the legal, and not secret, Masonic movement is considered to be the beginning of the 8th century, many sources indicate that it was born much earlier. The philosophy that has been propagated all this time is so universal that it could not end in anything. By the beginning of the 20th century, contradictions between French and Anglo-American Freemasons had intensified and this was connected, first of all, with the evolution of Masonic teaching - along with the conservative, new, modern forms of Freemasonry began to appear. French Freemasons at that time devoted all their strength to an active struggle against clericalism and the church, which entailed the entry into the organization of socialists, and with them new horizons of teaching appeared. By the 30s of the 20th century, very little remained of Freemasonry in its pure form. Once a secret place of education, the moral Masonic school acquired an increasingly political character. Lodges began to serve as a place where they meet, get to know each other, strengthen connections, and build a political career. The main Masonic rituals were also abolished, strictness and secrecy disappeared, and joining the lodge became an open and publicly accessible event.

Perhaps only Germany has preserved the traditions of the old masters, strictly following the precepts of humanity and tolerance, devoting all efforts to moral improvement. German Freemasonry is more aimed at smoothing out any social antagonisms - racial, class, class, economic, etc. English lodges also adhered to the same position on the development of Freemasonry, condemning the practice of French and American Freemasons, who translated the old ideology into a political channel. However, American Freemasonry is more likely to have a religious and charitable character than a political one.

Russian Freemasonry has always developed as part of a single whole - the World Brotherhood of Freemasons, so to this day the ties of Russian Freemasons with the brothers of Great Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the USA are traditionally strong and fruitful. Russian Freemasons, while abroad, attend meetings of foreign lodges, as well as foreign - while staying in Russia - meetings of Russian lodges. And on June 24, 1995, under the auspices of the Grand National Lodge of France, the Grand Lodge of Russia was consecrated, under whose jurisdiction 12 workshops (symbolic lodges) were founded and are now operating, constantly accepting new members. The Grand Lodge of Russia is recognized as regular, and fraternal relations have been established with it by the United Grand Lodge of England, the Mother Grand Lodge of Scotland, the Grand Lodge of Ireland, the National Grand Lodge of France, the United Grand Lodge of Germany, the Grand Lodge of Austria, the Grand Lodge of Turkey, the Grand Lodge of New York and many other Great Jurisdictions around the world.

Thus, the mentalities of different countries marked the beginning of the end of old Freemasonry in distorting the true meaning and form of the world ideal of all Freemasons. Although throughout its history many attempts were made to bring together the various Masonic movements and form a single organization under the banner of the Order, this never happened.

Secrets of Power or History of Freemasonry.

"Each lodge is a symbol of the Jewish temple, just as
every master of the chair is a representative of the king of the Jews, and
Every Freemason personifies a Jewish worker."
Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, 1906 edition

History of Freemasonry - the brotherhood of "free masons", from the very moment of its inception, was covered with a thick layer of legends.

According to the most common of these, the emergence Freemasonry dates back to the time of King Solomon, who commissioned the coppersmith (architect) from Tire Hiram Abiff (sometimes he is identified with the main tax collector of Solomon - Adononiram) management and direction of the construction of the temple in Jerusalem. This architect divided the workers into three classes, a kind of corporation; and in order that they might recognize each other, words, signs and touches were established. From here, according to the Freemasons, comes the establishment of the degrees of Freemasonry and the special symbolic language of the Freemason brothers.

It is worth adding: the legend of Hiram Abiff (Adononiram), which is often used by Freemasons, is not in the Bible. It is taken from Jewish tradition and reveals one of the main sources of the mythology of the “free masons”.

Echoes the first and version that the ancestors of the Lodges of Freemasons ( initially the box is just a place to store working tools and rest) the Roman College of Craftsmen or Comatii appeared. These were groups of artisans attached to the legions of the Roman Empire, who, together with the soldiers, came to the conquered lands. Members of such associations, or guilds, built churches, cathedrals, temples and other magnificent buildings. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, comania did not disappear. They were highly valued in the Middle Ages, recognized by the Popes, who provided them with special privileges and protection until the first half of the 14th century, when Pope Benedict XII came to power. Soon the guilds of comatian craftsmen lost the protection of the papal throne and began to be persecuted as suspected of creating a secret society.

Next Legend indicates that Freemasonry comes from Order of the Templars (Templars), which was defeated by the French king Philip IV and Pope Clement V for “Satanism, defamation of Christianity and money-grubbing.”

The Order went underground and continued its activities secretly. Jacques (Jacob) de Molay (leader of the order) and his comrades died at the stake, but before the execution, the heads of the doomed order organized and established what later began to be called occult, hidden or Scottish Freemasonry.”

In general, the truth is probably, as always, somewhere in the middle.

For a better understanding of the subject with It is worth dividing operational Freemasonry- existed until the 18th century and was a professional association - where the word “Freemason” meant a builder and was initially associated only with architectural work, then only with work on stone, brick and tiles. ( Later, designers, assistants, auxiliary workers and other people engaged in similar crafts also began to be called) And speculative Freemasonry

Speculative Masons were not masons by profession, but rather “honorary members” of various kinds of organizations accepted into operational lodges. The earliest record of a non-mason being present at an operational lodge meeting dates back to June 8, 1600, when the Edinburgh Lodge hosted John Boswell, a landowner of Auchinleck from Scotland.

Apparently it was the organizations of operational Masons, organized along professional and not national lines and possessing the freedom of movement necessary for the construction of medieval cathedrals, that were chosen by the former Templars for infiltration.

However, let's go back a little...

On March 18, 1314, the Grand Master of the dispersed Templar Order, Jacques de Molay, ended his life at the stake (). Pope Clement V and the French King Philip the Fair achieved their goal. One of the greatest military-financial empires - the Order of the Templars - has sunk into oblivion. But part of the Order’s treasures, including those of a mystical nature (the Holy Grail, etc.), may have been saved and the surviving Templars began work by creating secret societies. The goal of their life was revenge.

Less than a year had passed before the curse of Jacques de Molay began to come true - Clement V and Philip the Handsome passed into another world. But the basis that gave birth to them - the power of the Church and the King - remained

Interesting:
1. The slogan “Nekam,” that is, vengeance, is heard in the highest chapters of Freemasonry very often, but it is supposedly attributed to vengeance against the murderers of Hiram, the builder of the Temple of Solomon. In the degree of kadosh, the president clearly explains what the essence of the matter is: “The degrees (of Freemasonry) which you have previously passed through, do not teach you to apply the death of Hiram to the tragic and ominous end of Jacob Mole... Is your heart not prepared for vengeance, and Do you feel an implacable hatred for the three traitors whom you swore to hate and on whom you must avenge the death of Jacob Mole? This, my brother, is true Freemasonry as it was handed down to us.”
2. The Templar Charter served as the basis for the creation of a supernational community. Perhaps this was the first project of the United Europe.

Even if you do not believe in God, Lucifer or Satan, you must understand that there are a huge number of people who do and their faith and actions based on this faith affect everyone. Therefore, religion has always played an important role in guiding the actions of secret societies.

Gradually, many mystical societies became closely intertwined with Freemasonry. And the Rosicrucian Order played a huge role in this, claiming that they know secret ancient knowledge. Thus was born the legend that Freemasonry is the heir to the Secret Mysteries of the East and Ancient Egypt. (According to legend, Freemasonry was brought to the great forefather Mizriam, grandson of Noah)

The most important symbol for the Freemasons is the apron, which was initially extremely simple and devoid of any decoration. Later it was replaced by white sheepskin, and in this form it is used to this day.

FREEMASONRY, HEIRS OF THE TEMPLARS AND ILLUMINATI.

The first occurrence of the term Freemasonry (freemasons) is in the poem “The Halliwell Manuscript,” named after James Halliwell, who discovered it in the British Museum and published it in 1840, and then in 1844. It is also known as the Regius manuscript. Experts attribute it to 1390

In the fourteenth century we meet for the first time the highest initiation.” BROTHERHOOD OF THE SNAKE” (or dragon). Under the Latin name "ILLUMINATI" These people, who dedicated their activities to preserving the “secrets of generations” and recognizing Lucifer as the one and only God, became famous throughout the world. ( The ancient biblical word for serpent, nehesh, comes from the root NHSH, which means “to decipher, to open”; Latin “illuminare” means “to enlighten, to recognize, to know”).

Here is the program of one of the branches of the Illuminati - Afghan Society of Illuminati Roshaniya;

- abolition of private property
- elimination of religion
- abolition of states
- the belief that enlightenment comes from a Supreme Being who elects a class of perfect people to organize and govern the world
- belief in a plan to transform the social system of the world by controlling states one by one
- the belief that upon reaching the fourth degree, the initiate can contact unknown observers endowed with the knowledge of centuries.

DOESN'T REMIND ANYTHING?...

Members of Roshaniya also call themselves members of the Order. The Order is the Order of the Quest. The cult preached that there was no heaven or hell, only a spiritual state completely different from life as we know it. A spirit could continue to be strong on earth through a member of the Order, but only if the spirit was a member of the Order before death. Consequently, members of the Order strengthen their power by receiving it from the spirits of deceased members. Initiates take an oath that frees them from any obligations other than loyalty to the Order, and goes like this: "I give myself to eternal science and unwavering loyalty and obedience to the Order... People who do not fall under our secret sign are our lawful prey."
Secret sign - run your hand over your forehead, palm inward;
Reverse sign- grab your ear with your fingers, supporting your elbow with your free hand.

Researcher of the history of the “free masons” G. Vernadsky wrote that among the manuscripts of the freemason Lansky there is a piece of gray paper on which it is written: “Emperor Peter I and Lefort were accepted into the Templars in Holland.” According to another version, Peter was dedicated by the Grand Master of British Freemasonry, Christopher Wren. This took place two decades before the date officially considered the date of the creation of English lodges. In 1717, Freemasonry was just coming to the surface.

This conclusion is indirectly confirmed by the following fact. The Masonic collection "Symbols and Emblems", compiled by the Frenchman de la Fey at the end of the 17th century, was published in Russian in Amsterdam in 1707!

1705 Versailles. Duke Philippe d'Orléans gathers the descendants of the Templar families. The "Little Resurrection of the Templars" society is created. Created on the day of the burning of Jacques de Male. Soon lists of Grand Masters of the order appear from de Male to the Duke of Orleans. The continuity of the Templar traditions, carried in secrecy and throughout the centuries, is emphasized.

1743. Count Saint-Germain makes his first public appearance in Lyon before the local Masonic lodge. The degree of Knight Kadosh is confirmed, who must avenge the Templars. At the same time, the Masonic medal was minted. It depicts a bush of lilies (a symbol of royal power) slain by a sword, and the inscription: “Revenge will yield its harvest” is engraved.

THE BEGINNING OF THE OFFICIAL ACTIVITIES OF THE MASONS.

FREE MASONS worked in absolute secrecy in England, Scotland and Ireland, paying the most serious attention to human rights and Protestantism.

June 24, 1717 London Grand Lodge of Freemasons started open activities. This is precisely the date that many historical studies name as the time of the founding of the freemasons movement. Officially, this is completely true, but their secret activities began long before, and, as already mentioned, all their secrecy would make absolutely no sense if today everyone could find out when, where and what the free masons did.

The new system of initiations had three degrees: student, journeyman and master, which constituted the so-called “BLUE” degrees (in Germany, John’s degrees).

The English Grand Lodge was established primarily to support the ruling Hanoverian dynasty. In 1737, Frederick, Prince of Wales, received both first degrees. Over the course of subsequent generations, the Hanoverian royal family also held the position of Grand Master (August Frederick, King George IV, King Edward VII and King George VI).

However, it had not yet been forgotten that in 1688 the House of Hanover overthrew the Stuart dynasty (James II) and the warlike Jacobins still dreamed of restoring his son, JAMES III, to the throne. And in 1725, Michael Ramsey founded “SCOTTISH TEMPLE LODGE” supporting the Jacobins.

The principle of supporting both warring parties, in order not to end up at a loss, will be used more than once in the future. But who could turn out to be that unknown third interested party who was interested in confronting the LODGES OF THE FREE MASONS?

SECRET ORDER OF THE BAVARIAN ILLUMINATI.

In the 18th century, Germany became the center of the European TEMPLE MOVEMENT OF FREE MASONS (their ideology had nothing or very little in common with the original ideology of the Knights Templar). Knighthoods were bound up in the freemason's system of "strict supervision", which meant that initiates were required to swear strict obedience to those of higher rank. The leader, who was called the “Unknown Supreme” and bore the title of “Knight of the Red Pen” was loyal to the “SCOTTISH DEGREES”, and accordingly, to the Stuarts.

And in 1770, the Jesuit canon Adam Weishaupt founded the “SECRET ORDER OF THE BAVARIAN ILLUMINATI” in Ingolstadt, however, they should not be confused with the ILLUMINATI mentioned earlier. Interestingly, Weishaupt's creditor was the banker Rothschild. We will remember this fact later.

The “Bavarian Illuminati” were structured as circles within circles (onion principle). If members' activities were to remain top secret, they were limited to working within their own circles, allowing for high degrees of secrecy. Only those who fell into the innermost circle were aware of the true goals of the “Bavarian Illuminati.” Members with lower degrees were informed that there were no higher degrees at all, and at the same time the name of the grandmaster was withheld, just as in accordance with the rules of “strict observation”. The “Bavarian Illuminati” were divided into 13 degrees, which represented the 13 steps of the Illuminati pyramid on the “one dollar bill.”

If we talk about where Weishaupt's Illuminati ideology was actually revealed, we need to consider the document that became known as “THE NEW TESTAMENT OF SATAN”, which was kept top secret by the Bavarian Illuminati. This document became available to the general public only in 1875, when a Bavarian Illuminati courier on his way from Frankfurt to Frankfurt was killed by lightning, and part of this information about a worldwide conspiracy became available.

The conspirators had knowledge of the already existing lodges of free masons and began to systematically penetrate them, seizing control (clause 11 of the Protocols). Lodges that were already a “passed stage” were designated by the term “LODGES OF THE GREAT EAST”.

When the American Declaration of Independence was signed on May 1, 1776, Adam Weishaupt completed his elaborate plan and the Bavarian Illuminati began its official activities. This date is today the official date of establishment of the "Bavarian Illuminati". But the most important years for the order, however, there were six years preceding its official appearance on the scene.

On July 16, 1782, an alliance was concluded in Wilhelmsbad between the FREE MASONS and the BAVARIAN ILLUMINATI. The result of the congress in Wilhelmsbad was the admission of Jews to the lodges, who at that time were almost completely powerless. (Now let us remember that it was the Jew, Rothschild, who financed Weishaupt. Now he could have direct influence on the secret lodges). Almost nothing that was decided at this meeting was open to the public, since everyone present was sworn to absolute secrecy

But secrets began to leak out drop by drop and on October 11, 1785, the Bavarian Elector conducted a search in the house of Mr. von Zwack, Weishaupt's chief assistant. At the same time, many documents were discovered detailing the plans of the Bavarian Illuminati, the “NEW WORLD ORDER” (Novus Ordo Seclorum).

The Bavarian Elector immediately decided to publish these papers as “Authentic Manuscripts of the Order and Sect of the Illuminati.” After this publication, they tried to distribute it as widely as possible - to warn European monarchies. Weishaupt's professorship was taken away and he went into hiding.

As the belief spread freely that the Illuminati order had been destroyed, it became possible for them to continue their activities in secrecy and later adopt a new name. Thus, a few years later the public learned about the emergence of the “GERMAN UNITY” society, which was engaged in disseminating Illuminati propaganda among the emerging reading societies. It was then that the famous slogan appeared:

“Liberty, equality, fraternity.”

Picked up by the French Revolution, which led to the fact that in 1793 the head Louis XVI slipped into the Guillotine basket.

The United States of America did not stand aside either.

After the end of the Revolutionary War, the American Freemasons Lodges broke away from the English Mother Lodge and formed their own GRAND LODGE OF AMERICAN. It consisted of the “CIRCLE OF YORK”, containing ten degrees (the tenth is the Templar degree) and the “SCOTTISH CIRCLE”, divided into 33 degrees (degrees).

All European lodges of the “Grand Orient” were already completely controlled by the Bavarian Illuminati, however, the American Freemasons, by this time, were not yet imbued with the spirit of “Weishaupt’s Illuminism,” but time passed and the infiltration of the “Bavarian Illuminati” into the American lodges continued.

Here is an excerpt from the speech of the founder of the Ku Klux Klan, Sovereign Grand Master of the SENIOR AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH CIRCLE OF FREE MASONS Albert PIKE, delivered on April 7, 1889, before the 32nd degree of the Scottish Circle:

“We honor God, but it is a God who is worshiped without prejudice. The religion of the Freemasons is called upon, first of all, to bring to us all initiates of the highest degrees in the purity of the Luciferian teaching. If Lucifer were not a god, would he have been Adonai (Christ), whose actions were marked by cruelty, misanthropy... and rejection of science; more slander against him (Lucifer)?

Yes, Lucifer is a god, and, unfortunately, Adonai is also a god. As the old law says: there is no light without shadow, there is no beauty without ugliness and there is no white without black; that is why the Absolute can exist only in two gods... That is why the teaching of Satanism is a heresy. And a truly pure, truly philosophical religion is faith in Lucifer, the god of light, equal to Adonai. But Lucifer, the god of light and goodness, fights for humanity against Adonai, the god of darkness and cruelty.”

Anyone can find this quote for themselves in Pike's main papers in the Scottish Circle Library in Washington. To what extent does it resemble the ideology of the Cathars, taken up Templars .

XXth CENTURY.

At first glance, the world was at peace at the beginning of the twentieth century. But only at first glance. By the beginning of the century, the merger of Freemasonry with big capital was basically completed, primarily thanks to the efforts of the Rothschild family, the infiltration of Freemasons into power was successful and the Illuminati came to the conclusion that in order to consistently and fully implement their plans aimed at achieving “ New World Order,” they need to cause a state of complete ruin that no state could overcome.

Most historians agree that the war began, in fact, with a trivial conflict between Austria and Serbia. The murder of the Austrian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia in Sarajevo by Serbian assassins from the occult secret society “BLACK HAND” was the beginning of the First World War. The war is very profitable for bankers. So Bernard Baruch, who rose to the post of Chairman of the US War Industry Committee, increased his initial capital from one million to 200 million US dollars.

What Treaty of Versailles were concluded in accordance with plans Rothschilds, of course it goes without saying:
From the American side involved Woodrow Wilson, a ROTHSCHILD puppet, along with his ROTHSCHILD advisors and agents, COLONEL HOUSE and BERNARD BARUCH.
From the English side, more precisely, on the side of the “Crown” was Lloyd George, a member of the “300 Committee” with his adviser SIR PHILIP SASSOON, a faithful follower of Amschel ROTHSCHILD and a member of the English “Secret Council of State”.
French delegation consisted of Prime Minister Clemenceau and GEORGE MANDELE. Mandel, born JERO-BEAM ROTHSCHILD, was often called the French Disraeli, and he played his part beautifully.

The Treaty of Versailles was described by Philip Snowden in the following terms: “This treaty could pacify all bandits, imperialists and militarists. It was a fatal blow to all those who had hoped that the end of the war would bring peace. This is not a peace treaty, but a declaration of the next war. This is a betrayal of democracy and all those who fell in this war. The treaty brings to light the true goals of all allies.” (Empire City, p. 42).

Lloyd George said: “We have in our hands a written document guaranteeing us war in twenty years... If you offer the people (Germany) conditions that they cannot fulfill under any circumstances, then they will either certainly break the treaty or start a war "

There is a lot of reliable historical evidence about the role of Freemasonry, financially controlled by Rothschild (Zionists) in the development of the revolution in Russia. I will not dwell on them in detail, but will only quote from the book “Memoirs” by Aron Simanovich (personal secretary of G. Rasputin): “Leiba Davidovich Trotsky (formerly Bronstein) sought the collapse of the greatest power in the world - Russia - on this occasion he said: “ We must turn it into a desert inhabited by white Negroes, to whom we will give such Tyranny, which the most terrible despots of the East have never dreamed of. The only difference is that this tyranny will not be on the right, but on the left, and not white, but red. In the literal sense of the word, red, for we will shed such streams of blood, before which all the human losses of capitalist wars will shudder and turn pale. The largest bankers from overseas will work in close contact with us...

If we win the revolution, crush Russia, then on its funeral ruins we will strengthen the power of Zionism and become a force before which the whole world will kneel. We will show you what real power is. Through terror and bloodbaths we will reduce the Russian intelligentsia to complete stupefaction, to idiocy, to an animal state."

The Zionist conspiracy is easy to believe, since Jews did play a prominent role in the revolution. Officers of the White armies often did not want to understand that the participation of Jews in the revolution was explained by the discrimination to which they were subjected under the tsarist regime, and that tsars had been killed before, and by purebred Russians. This prejudice can be explained simply: people were constantly told that the Jew is the source of all evil. They were taught that the Russian people love the Tsar and are devoted to the autocracy, and they got used to hiding even from themselves that this has long been no longer the case. They were looking for a simple explanation for the catastrophe that broke out and swept away their world.

Until very recent times, being a Jew meant only one thing: to profess the Jewish religion. For Jewish believers, the “Bolshevik revolution” did not mean the fulfillment of their aspirations, but new threat. At that time, Jewish believers were subjected to the same persecution in the Soviet Union as Christians. The Soviet government closed synagogues, turning them into clubs, dissolved Jewish religious, cultural and philanthropic institutions, and banned all Jewish books, regardless of their content. Bolshevik Jews did not at all feel a sense of solidarity with believing Jews. When a delegation of Jews visited Trotsky and asked him not to provoke the “white soldiers” to organize pogroms, he replied: “Go back to your Jews and tell them that I am not a Jew and I don’t care what happens to you.”[ See: N. Valentin, Antisemitens Spiegel. Vienna, 1937, S. 179-180.]. Here we can see an insurmountable gulf, which propagandists of anti-Semitism are trying at all costs to disguise.

There was another reason why the wider Jewish masses did not support new government: They were mostly small shopkeepers and individual private artisans. Despite their extreme poverty, they were not considered by the ideologists of the revolution to be allies of the Bolsheviks. And although the Jews were opposed to the tsarist regime, which discriminated against them, they became anything but communists. During the brief interval when political views could be freely expressed, Jews sided with the bourgeois party of the Constitutional Democrats (the Cadets). In the 1920s, more than a third of the Jewish population was disenfranchised, compared with five to six percent of the non-Jewish population.

Undoubtedly, Jews, that is, people of Jewish origin, made up a disproportionately large part of the leadership (although not of the total composition) of the Bolshevik and Menshevik parties. The reason is not difficult to understand. These were people, as a rule, who broke with the traditional Jewish community and the Jewish religion, which did not save them from discrimination and persecution under tsarism. This is precisely what explains their entry into the ranks of left-wing parties. Mostly students went into politics, and a Jew had to have truly outstanding abilities to get into university, since in those days there was an official percentage rate (5%) for Jews to enter higher education institutions. Upon joining the ranks of the party, they turned out to be much better prepared than others and therefore occupied leadership positions. This situation was repeated many times in other countries, where Jewish intellectuals successfully fought anti-Semitism without seeking support or consolation in religion.

Jewish politicians are usually idealists, inspired by the idea of ​​​​building a society where all types of discrimination will be eliminated. These are usually bad politicians, and they are usually removed immediately after a victorious revolution has taken place. In Russia there were significantly more Jews in the Menshevik than in the Bolshevik leadership. All Menshevik Jews were subsequently exiled or exterminated. The same fate befell the Jews among the Bolshevik leaders; almost all of them were shot in the 30s.

These are the facts. But faith is not based on facts, and the myth of the Jewish-Communist conspiracy turned out to be more tenacious than the myth of the Jewish-Masonic conspiracy. Civil war in Russia, intertwined with the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, demonstrated for the first time its power and vitality

However... After the Bolshevik revolution, Standard Oil (Rockefeller) bought 50% of the richest Caucasian oil fields from the Russians, despite the fact that they were officially subject to nationalization. In 1927, Standard Oil built the first oil refinery in Russia, also entering into an agreement with the Russians that the oil would be sold in Europe, and thus ensured that the Bolsheviks received $75 million.

Of course, one can still speculate about Masonic symbolism in “social reality”, pentagram, the name of the Red Army, pioneer ties and the uniform of "Budenovka" - but in my opinion all this is nonsense, upon careful examination it is clear that the coincidences are far-fetched. However, economic and political experts say unequivocally - a fall Russian Empire was initiated by external capital and, perhaps, the Romanovs were another victim in the anti-monarchist policy of the Freemasons. ( By the way “Be ready” also a Masonic motto.)

In the 20s and 30s we again see Freemasonry supporting two opposing forces - communism in Russia and fascism in Germany. I have already written about the role of mystical Freemasonry in the formation of German National Socialism, but I would like to emphasize the huge role of Rothschild money (closely associated with the Freemasons) in the formation of the Third Reich and the outbreak of World War II.

War is primarily about money.

Created after the First World War to pay reparations, the Swiss “BANK OF INTERNATIONAL MONETARY EQUALIZATION” brought the ROTHSCHILDs significant profits from commissions on currency conversion, but the most pronounced financial interest was manifested in one of the pillars of the German economy, the international cartel I.G. FARBEN, controlled by the Rothschilds. The leadership of I.G. Farben, among others, also included MAX and PAUL WARBURG (US Federal Reserve Bank). K. E. MITCHELL, who was also on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve and National City Bank, and besides him, G. A. METZ from the Bank of Manhattan.

In addition, subsidiaries of ITT and General Electric directly supported SS. Until 1936, more than 100 American firms took part in the restoration of the German military machine. Among them were General Motors, Ford, International Harvesters and Du Pont. The motives of these investors were, in any case, not short-term ventures, since the agreement between these corporations and the German government prohibited them from withdrawing even one pfennig from Germany.

Revenues began to flow only five years later, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and thus dragged the United States into World War II. As you can see, by that time everything was already planned in detail. Just now no one knew about this except the initiates.

At the same time that I.G. Farben supported Hitler, his cartel partner, Standard Oil (Rockefeller) fought the Nazis. Or, for example, the Ford Motor Company built military vehicles for the American army, but at the same time produced military vehicles for the Nazis in Germany. Ford and Opel (a subsidiary of General Motors, controlled by J.P. Morgan) were both the largest tank manufacturers in Hitler's Germany.

Regardless of what the war would have looked like, all these multimillionaires had already won it in advance. In accordance with this principle, many activities were carried out during the Second World War.

Why is it impossible to read any of this in a school textbook or encyclopedia? It's simple - in 1946, the Rockefeller Foundation allocated $139,000 in order to present to the public a certain official version of the Second World War, which completely hid both the occult and mystical background of Nazism and the actual establishment of the Nazi regime by American bankers. Among the main organizations that provided money for this was the Standard Oil Rockefeller Corporation

IT'S TIME TO MOVE TO A ONE WORLD...

Have you ever wondered why Freemasons call themselves “masons” and use hammer, square, compass, apron, etc. as symbols of construction tools?

Masons are essentially artisans, the working class, that is, completely disrespected people in the Middle Ages. From the point of view of the people of that time, in order to make oneself cool, one should have come up with predecessors from among the kings and legendary heroes, which is what all sorts of families of “anointed ones” actually did, inventing their origins from the Roman Caesars, from the ancient Jewish kings and even from “Jesus Christ” as This is shown in the famous movie "The Da Vinci Code"
And then all of a sudden there are hard working stonemasons....
The Masons trace their origins to the legendary mason Adoniram (Hiram), the master who built the first Temple of Jerusalem, and by the way, he himself was not a Jew.
So what's the matter? Why did the masons receive such an honor? Let's try to figure it out.
An analysis of a sufficient number of artifacts from the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Central America suggests that in their creation some high technologies were used that were inaccessible even with the modern level of technological development, not to mention the ancient Egyptians who did not know iron, and especially the Indians. We are talking primarily about the ability to drill and cut hard rocks like butter - granite and basalt, as well as the ability to transport huge blocks of stone.
For example, here is a fact -

""""""Regarding the traces of a tool that left a spiral groove on one of these cylindrical cores removed from a hole drilled in granite, Petrie wrote:
"The drill plunges 0.1 inch (2.5 mm) per revolution of 6 inches (15.2 cm), or 1 in 60, - the rate of penetration of quartz and feldspar is amazing."
After reading this, I had to agree with Petrie. This was an incredible feed rate (distance traveled per revolution of the drill bit) for drilling in any material, let alone granite. I was stumped by the question - how could the drill achieve such a feed rate? Petrie himself was so amazed by these artifacts that he tried to explain them, returning to this issue in three different places one chapter. For an 1880s engineer like Petrie, everything observed was an anomaly. The parameters of the holes, their cores and tool marks indicated the impossibility of the “event”. Three specific characteristics of the holes and cylinders, as shown in the illustration to the right, actually give away the characteristic manufacturing technology of these artifacts. This:

1. Tapering at the end - both holes and cores;
2. Consecutive helical (spiral) channels, demonstrating that the drill entered the granite at a feed rate of 0.1 inch (2.5 mm) per revolution of the drill.
3. It is a striking fact that the spiral groove in the drill channel is deeper in quartz than in the softer feldspar.

Such an inversion would occur with standard machine processing. In 1983, Donald Rahn (Rahn Granite Surfase Plate Co., Dayton, Ohio) told me that diamond drill bits rotating at 900 rpm penetrate granite at a rate of 1 inch (2.54 cm) in 5 minutes. Eric Leiter (Trustone Corp.) told me in 1996 that these parameters have not changed since then. The feed rate of modern drills is thus 0.0002 inches (0.005 mm) per revolution, demonstrating that the ancient Egyptians were capable of drilling granite at a feed rate that was 500 times faster (or deeper per revolution of the drill) than modern ones drills. Other characteristics also pose a problem for modern drills. Ancient drills created tapering holes with spiral indentations cut deeper into the harder granite features. If conventional machining methods cannot answer any of these questions, how do we answer all three? """""""""
http://www.goldentime.ru/hrs_machinegypt_1.htm
Or here’s another article describing the subject of conversation -
http://naturesecret.ru/2011/04/24/piramidi-dlya-egiptyan/
And to clearly imagine what technologies we are talking about, it’s worth watching this film, the most interesting moment is somewhere from 9 minutes.

As a hypothesis, we can assume that this same Adoniram had knowledge of technology or owned tools inherited from representatives of a so-called antediluvian civilization.
Thus, the possession of technology and possibly tools made these “masons” as if they were representatives of some mysterious super-civilization, superior in authority even to kings and legendary heroes, which prompted the Masons to consider the “masons” their real or imaginary predecessors.
But here it can also be assumed that at present there is a carefully conspiratorial community that rules the world. From time to time, this community gives out some mechanisms of power and knowledge to the “right people”. Some fragmentary and confusing descriptions of these technologies are contained in the so-called. alchemy.