Archive from December, 2014
Dec 27, 2014 - Masonic Education    No Comments

Masonic Years – A.D., the other A.D., A.I., A.L., A.M., and A.O.

calendarNothing is ever simple, and calendar year designations can be downright confusing when it comes to Freemasonry. While most can agree that the widely used Gregorian calendar is the best way to go (especially when writing checks!), different bodies will reference different calendars.

Anno Depositionis (AD or A.D. … but not that AD) Latin for “the year of deposit.” is a reference to the completion of the King Solomon’s Temple, which is based on calculations of when the First Temple was finally completed in 1000 BC.

Anno Domini (AD or A.D.) Medieval Latin for “In the Year of the Lord” and “In the Year of Our Lord.” This calendar is based on the traditionally recognized year of the conception and birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The full specification is “Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi,” but that’s just too many letters, so it became “AD.” Traditionally, the “AD” comes before the year – AD 2014 for the current epoch (“BC” or “B.C.” is placed after the year for the previous epoch). As a minor side note: AD 1 immediately follows 1 BC; there is no year zero. Read more »

Dec 25, 2014 - Questions and Answers    No Comments

Masonic Q&A: Why does the music industry use Masonic symbols?

sheetmusicQuestion:

I know that goal of Freemasonry is to make world a little bit better and that their main values are liberty, equality and fraternity. But why does the music industry use their symbols accompanied by naked girls and slogans like “let’s die young”? I’d like to ask real freemasons.

Answer:

The goal of Freemasonry is to make good men better men.

The core values of Freemasonry are four of the cardinal virtues: prudence (to help each man to make good decisions), temperance (to help a man practice self restraint), fortitude (to give a man confidence through tough times) and justice (every man needs a moral compass).

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Dec 15, 2014 - Masonic Education    No Comments

Addressing Random Statements: The Square and the Compasses

SquareAndCompassStatement:

THE SQUARE
One of my brothers said that the “square” reminds the masons to always treat the people in the square fairly. That popped up the following questions in my mind, if you could please answer:
1) Who are the people in the square?
A_ the holy
B_ the profane
C_ the unholy God believers
D_ the profane and the unholy God believers
E_ all of the above
F_ other (please specify)
2) “Square” means “boundary” to me. So do you have to treat the people of (1) within the boundaries of A_law or B_Morality or C_other (please specify)?
Also, could you please explain if I am right to think the “compass” means to direct the FORCE of people to the RIGHT direction? If so, could you please explain the FORCE as well? Read more »

Dec 12, 2014 - Masonry in the News    No Comments

St. Louis Masonic Temple to go on the market

stlouismasonictempleSay, Brother, could you spare $6,000,000?

From the St. Louis Post Dispatch:

For sale: Massive, 185-foot-tall limestone and granite landmark that opened in 1926. Bronze front doors. Marble lobby. Unfinished 2,200-seat theater. Lightly used. Price: $6 million or best offer.

Such could be a classified ad for the Masonic Temple at 3681 Lindell Boulevard. Masons, who meet at the huge edifice only about 10 times per month, plan to move to a smaller building.

Officially, the temple hits the market Monday.

Eames and Young, a famed St. Louis firm, designed the temple with architect Albert Groves. The building’s exterior is Greek Ionic style. The structure’s architectural setbacks symbolize Masonry’s three basic steps: Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason. Read more »

Addressing Random Statements: Lurianic Kabbalah

tree_of_lifeRandom Statement:

“Unfortunately, after lengthy study I can conclude that we are not the same, if we apply Lurianic Kabbalistic teachings about reincarnation and reintegration(Shaar HaGilgulim).”

and

First we need to understand the origin of evil, but in a reasonable way. In Freemasonry predominates Lurianic Kabbalistic and Christian-Gnostic theosophical teachings about it. 
In the beginning in Eden people has everything, but Adam gambled between 
two choices with a chance of 50%: 50%. Eve were punished more than Adam because she lied. 
Then people were expelled from Eden ;It was the first man’s fall. Second man’s fall occurred before the flood.
The third man’s fall has occurred during construction Babylon tower, which was supposed to symbolize man’s ambitions and abilities. 
Then our ancestors Master Masons built a tower badly using bitumen instead of mortar, and the tower crushed at the ground and this angered Almighty .This was the third man’s fall which is resulting in confusion of tongues, and dispersion of mankind. 
What is the ultimate goal of Freemasonry so called Grand Work? 
Happiness of the human race and the return of mankind in the state before the first fall.
Today almost the whole world spoke one language (English), which is a good start for reintegration, and now again we can do everything what we want but gradually .”

Response:

While there are many who understand what Freemasonry is, there are a few who don’t understand the fraternity, and insist on applying completely incompatible concepts to it.

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