Re: A curious question

[CookSLC@aol.com]

labehotierre@wanadoo.fr writes:


> Freemasonry is a secret society.  It's inner mysteries are open only to
> members. A members only society does not imply anything evil or occult.

Simply repeating that it is a secret society does not make it so.  It's 
"inner mysteries", if there are any, are open to all who wish to read.  All 
of the English and US material is in the public domain.  

> 
> Earl William was not a Freemason.  William was the patron of a guild of
> masons. He not only built but endowed Rosslyn.  After his death a heir
> looted the endowment.

Or so some of us have opined.  Opinion is not fact.  He may have been a 
Freemason.  I've just not seen persuasive evidence of it.  

> Freemasonry grew from the early guilds. The dating of when these trade
> organisation became Freemasons is indeterminable and unimportant.  Scottish
> and York rite are different from each other but both are Freemasons.

That is one popular opinion, but that is not clear either.  There certainly 
is more evidence to support this.  

> 
> William left his message in stone, what the message was is determined by 
> how
> you read the stone. Rosslyn is considered by Freemasons to be special.
> Rosslyn is also considered by others to be special.  There is a strange and
> wondrous ambiance at Rosslyn.

Well, maybe he left a message.  I've still not seen the evidence that William 
designed the structure.  Additionally, I'd note that Rosslyn is considered 
special by SOME Freemasons.  

> 
> A curious question; is Freemasonry only for Christians?   York rite calls 
> on
> of it's stages Knight's Templar. What if any stand has the society on
> Muslims?
> 
Freemasonry is open to all who believe in Deity and the immortality of the 
soul.  Having said that, the Knight Templar degree (which claims no 
historical descent from the same, but only emulates the lessons learned from 
that order), requires an obligation to defend the Christian faith.

Glen Cook