Introduction
Freemasonry is a fraternal association which dates back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It has been defined as being “a society of gentlemen concerned with moral and spiritual values, and one of the world’s oldest and most popular fraternal organizations” (Hoddap, 2005 p.13). It has been widely misunderstood and therefore controversial since it is a secret society. Today, various masonry forms exist globally having a membership of approximately 6 million people particularly in the developed world.
Freemasonry is an enigmatic society and serves as a brotherhood where members often gather for intellectual as well as spiritual nourishment. However, they are often perceived as a secretive organization dominated by influential people.
The freemason fraternity is structured into various autonomous grand lodges governed by its own jurisdiction and is comprised of constituent lodges. The different Grand lodges should adhere to landmarks in order to be recognized by the rest appendant bodies, which are also included as associations linked to the chief freemasonry group although they are governed autonomously. The organization utilizes various metaphors.
Historical perspective
The widely embraced historical origin of Freemason dates to the stonemason guilds in Scotland during the middle ages in the 18th century. The organization of masons was under the French, Charles Martel but masons guild existed during A.D 926 in New York led by Athelston (Hodapp, 2005).
However, some claim that it dates all the way to the construction of King Solomon’s Temple in the Biblical Jerusalem during 967 B.C. The temple was magnificent where the core sanctuary or sanctum sanctorum was designed for the Ark of the Covenant with sacred directives from God (Hodapp, 2005). According to this claim, the constructors of the temple comprised the initial stonemasons and who founded the extensive organization of freemasons that is seen today.
Hiram Abiff was the master architect of the temple and was bestowed with hidden knowledge regarding the temple. Others were envious and some kidnapped him in order to reveal the secret knowledge and killed Abiff when he failed to disclose the knowledge (Karg & Young, 2009).
King Solomon as a result demanded other masons to look for his corpse in order to get the secret knowledge required in the temple construction. They searched to no avail and Solomon initiated a Masonic secret which lied under the concept “Mahabone,” referring to “the Grand Lodge door opened” (Karg & Young, 2009). This concept is applied as a password to access the 3rd masonry degree.
Membership, Rituals and Symbols
Manny nations in the world have Grand Lodge of Freemasons identified through various emblems such as rings, or clothes having a square & a compass as illustrated below:
There lies a mystery in the geometry in that the non-dogmatic supreme deity, whom they believe is the Great Architect of the Universe. The Supreme Being depends on each person’s conscience and the general sacred book used is the Volume of the Sacred Law (VSL), which they keep on an altar. They also use these symbols such as the All Seeing Eye to indicate the omnipresence of the Supreme Being (Anderson & Freemasons, 2007).
They have a distinct identity with vehicles having Masonic plates as well as bumper stickers bearing their symbols. The Masonic buildings bear the symbol and some of the grand lodges market themselves through the media. They are said to uphold moral virtues and event teaches them.
However, joining them involves ritual ceremonies ion accordance to ancient guilds and is guided by Masonic laws portrayed in the Ancient Charges. They believe in a deity although they are not a religious organization since they are based on no religious dogma (Hodapp, 2005). They hold annual meetings regularly to convey messages, pay bills, vote new members and an update presentation on rites, history, values and symbol is given.
Membership comprises just males and new members are absorbed through various ceremonies marked by wining and dining. To fulfill their aim of fraternalism, feasts known as Festive Boards are held. Ritual ceremonies undergone by a new member are known as degrees, which adds up to three and include “Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason” ( Hodapp, 2005 p. 14). They are based on medieval craft guilds and are successive, based on Solomon’s temple.
Each degree is marked by taking an oath in maintaining secrets and in aiding other masons to adhere to fraternity guidelines. To advance to the next degree, it calls for proficiency through familiarity with rituals and the fraternity requirements. Basic units of freemason are called lodges to represent grouping of members and the place of meeting (Crowe, 2003).
Freemasonry and Politics
Freemasons do not interfere with states’ politics and chooses to be peaceful citizens who follow the law to the latter without any disloyalty. To become a master mason, one has an obligation of staying truthful to civil magistrates. In 1799, the organization was almost wiped out as a result of Parliamentary proclamation, Unlawful Societies Act, 1799 during the French revolution, which outlawed gatherings, which called for oaths.
However, the Grand Masters addressed their petition to Prime Minister William Pitt by pointing out their legal obligations and their charitable role, which resulted to its exemption from the act (Mckey, 1867). In 1826 in the U.S, the masons were pressurized as a result of William Morgan’s vanishing in a scandal dubbed ‘the Morgan Affair’. This, combined with objection of popular mason, Andrew Jackson resulted to Anti-Masonic campaigns adding up to Anti-Masonic party formation used for political gains in 1828 & 1832.
In 1877, the Italy scandals such as Propaganda Due Lodge have been associated with free masons, which were funded through Grande Oriente d’talia used by members who could not access their lodges. This lodge had a monetary scandal being led by Licio Gelli in 1970s, which almost caused a bankruptcy to the Vatican Bank. The lodge was autonomous and irregular since Grand Orient withdrew its funding in 1976, which led to the publicizing of the scandal and led to the expulsion of Gelli from the organization (Tellet & Atkin, 1991).
Conspiracy theorists have attributed the organization with the New World Order as well as Illuminati. They maintain that the organization has evil connections or its being secret may be because they have power over global politics. The freemason conspiracy theories surround the politics (in UK & US), religion (satanic practices) and culture such as entertainment. They have been connected with Knights Templar, which is based on complete misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
The claims regarding politics is controversial with conspiracy theorists claiming that free masons are an occult, Scottish rites involve hidden secrets inform of honorary degrees and that they are under the control of a single Masonic Lodge , which unifies their practices (Karg & Young, 2006). They have been continuously criticized by political systems such as the Nazi regime where many were persecuted and killed in concentration camps and due to liberal democracy establishment in the U.S (Karg & Young, 2009).
It is reflected as a wired organization sometimes individuals demanded for disclosure if linked with freemasons e.g. in UK judicial system in 1999 -2009. The parliament inquired without any indication of illegal dealings but demanded public declaration of their practices. This requirement was terminated in 2009 due to lack of indication of malpractices in the judiciary.
Freemasonry is not apolitical club as evidenced by its lack of involvement in rebellious or illegal behavior for decades. It often declares that “irreligion, and unqualified liberty and equality, are the genuine secrets of Freemasonry” (Mackey, 1867 p. 36). Frederic Desmons is one politician.who was involved in both Masonics as well as political career (Tallett & Atkin, 1991).
Masonic rules are against political involvement and grand lodges hinder its members against using the Masonic symbols in advertising business or political motives. George Washington as the US president became public about his involvement in with freemasonry in a political event. In France, in 1912, 52.7% of House of Deputies and 60% of Senators were from the secret brotherhood. In the US, the Ku Klux Klan movement had been traced to be a freemasonry organization.
In 1923, 69% of U.S House of Representatives and 63% of the senate were freemasons while (Fisher, 2010). Their dominance in the political arena was so significant by then although their representation in politics dropped drastically with just a few representatives of the Craft. This could be due to the concealing of identity such as Congressman Jack F. Kemp, who could not disclose his affiliation with the Craft.
The control of freemasons in the Supreme Court as well as the chief executives cannot be ignored. Andrew Jackson & George Washington are some of the presidential figures associated with the secret brotherhood (Karg & Young, 2006).
Others involved in the craft include Franklin Delano Roosevelt ( a member of Grand Lodge of New York), Harry S. Truman (a devoted mason, a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri and the initial US president to become Inspector General Honorary of the Thirty-third Degree), Lyndon B. Johnson and Gerald R. Ford (Fisher, 2010).
During the Second World War in the readership of Roosevelt and Truman, General George C. who was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Ernest King who was the Commander of the U.S. Fleet and General Henry H. Arnold who was Chief of the U.S. Army Air Corps included among other members of the Craft (Fisher, 2010). However, Masonic members don’t disclose their affiliations with the organization to the non-Masons and they identify within themselves.
Mind Control through the Media: Movies
Masons have currently taken advantage of the adverting technology to transmit their beliefs to the world. One way that this has been done is through the media particularly the movies. Additionally, “Chalk drawings on tavern floors, gave way to floor cloths, tracing boards, magic lanterns, filmstrips, and slide projectors” (Hodapp, 2005 p. 273).
As a result, the Scottish Rite was popularized as a fraternal association during the previous century since they utilized the contemporary ‘theatrical scenery, lighting and special effects’ (Hodapp, 2005 p. 273). Masonic symbols have currently been popularized through PowerPoint presentation to transmit their values in the lodge. The now emerging trend in advertizing Masonic symbols is 3-D ‘texture mapping of Solomon’s temple and interactive Middle Chamber Lectures’ (Hodapp, 2005 p. 273).
The square & a compass symbolism are applied in teaching moral as well as ethical virtues. The square and compass symbols are important in transmitting crucial teachings related to conduct. For instance, freemasons are supposed to square their deeds over virtues square as well as be able to circumscribe their wishes and contain their passions inside appropriate limits for every human.
Freemasonry, being non-dogmatic, has no universal explanation on the Masonic emblem. The moral teachings are taught while conducting allegorical ritual as members speculate on symbols and motives of the organization as they progress through various degrees (Mackey & Haywood, 2003).
The media has supported in the negative publicity of freemasons especially in France. Free masons have been in the movies portraying their symbols on the scenery and their portrayal of rituals for the main actors. Masonic references in the movies do not necessarily have a major appearance in the mainstream films but they have been making appearances in the mainstream films since the last decade.
Rather than their normal investigative reports, it seems as Hollywood and other production houses target the many free masons market in the US and the other parts of the world as their audience. This has well been used to advertise the freemasonry values and symbols as well as using the film industry to control people’s mind.
For instance, The Da Vinci Code (2006) has introduced Masonic references where Tom Hanks position himself before a Masonic square and compass. He also mentions of freemasonry slightly. Here, free masonry reference is depicted as an advert or to add up to the speculative aspect that dominates the movie (Grand Lodge of the British Columbia and Yukon, 2011).
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) depicts the ‘phantom’ with a Masonic ring and instances of the symbol of the square and compass on doors. Additionally, The Ghost of Mississippi depicts Mr. Beck‘s (James Wood) car bearing a Shriners symbol in the rear view mirror. His victim in his coffin has Order of Elks around the chest. It is also depicted in several evidence photos and the murder is seen as having a Shrine Lapel pin during his trial.
Here the Masonic references could be meant to assert the Masonic involvement with the Southern Masons in the judicial system or it’s a way to facilitate speculations. James wood had become a master mason in Greenwood Lodge in 1954, but had an expulsion in 1978. Moreover, In the American Gangster (2007), Ted Lavine bears a Masonic lapel pin.
Other movies depicting Masonic references includes but not limited to The Affair of the Diamond Necklace (2001), Anatomie (2000), The Apocalypse Watch (1997), Bad Boys II (2003),and Brothers War (2009) (Grand Lodge of the British Columbia and Yukon, 2011).
When a person mentions of a Masonic symbol, people are struck with the idea of secrecy in communication for its members. They use universal handshakes, which they secretly identify with each other and therefore acquire favor in the business world and in political systems. These vary with the masonry degree that one is in, all with varying grip for identity. The media especially the film industry use prominent men in the political, business and entertainment arena to assert their membership in the secret brotherhood.
The High sign is well documented, which may be used to identify a member in distress e.g. when a mason is cornered during a trial and thus acquire help from other members. The Masonic references in movies are a way of transmitting their philosophies on the world. One freemason high rank associate was noted saying that “Any teaching which is completely antagonistic to all that we consider sacred, in religion, in morals and in government, is subversive of those fundamentals, and on them we depend for our very existence as a Craft.
Our first duty, therefore, becomes one of self preservation, which includes defense of those principles for which we stand and by which we live. This duty cannot be discharged by complete silence on the subject, and this view, it is encouraging to note, is today shared by most of those who speak Moronically in the United States” (Fisher, 2010).
Conclusion
Freemasons are allowed to be involved in any political arena of their choice although they are restricted from utilizing freemasonry as a political movement. However, critics have pointed out that their domination in the politics is a way of manipulating the global politics. However, free masons have been involved in charity for instance in the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.
The founders of the U.S constitution had a hand of freemasons, who gathered in lodges to advocate for democracy, which was an ideal place for liberation, equality and autonomy of conscience (Karg & Young, 2009). In the media, they have currently dominated the movie industry as a way of advertising themselves, teaching their philosophies to the world, and to manipulate audience’s mind.
People hence remain speculative about them but award them with the benefit of the doubt. This is because they can see their prominent figures as being part of Freemasonry take it as a common occurrence and therefore are persuaded to join and accept them.
References
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Crowe, F. J. (2003). Things a Freemason Should Know. New York: Kessinger Publishing.
Fisher, P. (2010). “Masonry and Politics.” Behind the Lodge Door. Web.
Grand Lodge of the British Columbia and Yukon (2011). Masonic References in Cinema. Web.
Hodapp, C. (2005). Freemasons for Dummies. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Karg, B. and Young, J. K. (2006). The Everything Freemasons Book: Unlock The Secrets of This Ancient And Mysterious Society. Avon, MA: F+W Media, Inc.
Karg, B. and Young, J. K. (2009). 101 Secrets of the Freemasons: The Truth Behind The World’s Most Mysterious Society. Avon, MA: Adams Media.
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Mackey, A. G. and Haywood, H. L. (2003). Encyclopedia of Freemasonry: Part 2. New York: Kessinger Publishing.
Tallett, F. and Atkin, N. (1991). Religion, Society and Politics in France since 1789. London: The Hambledon Press.