From: ptrei@bistromath.mitre.org (Peter Trei)
Subject: Re: More questions...
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 03:42:18 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.222850.24206@news.weeg.uiowa.edu> muskudar@news.weeg.uiowa.edu (Michael Uskudarli) writes:

>      Hello again,
>Anyway, my next question is about freemasonry. I can almost hear some of
>you say "here we go!"  

      "Here we go!" :-)

      First off, soc.culture.jewish is probably not the best place for
this topic, but there is no really appropriate newsgroup for
discussing Freemasonry. The best place I know of is the Masonic Digest
mailing list (which I run).

>                         A magazine published in Istanbul (later was made
>a book) claimed that freemasonry is a tool used by Israel to eventually
>dominate the world. 

     Can you give me a reference for this book? Is it in English? (I
collect anti-Masonic material). This argument is basically that of
"The Protocols of the Elders of Zion", a notorious anti-Semitic and
anti-Masonic forgery from the turn of the century. Other scj readers
have posted extensive descriptions of it's origin (it was distantly
based on a novel), and internal inconsistancies.

>                  Proof is that despite being in separate countries many
>leaders are or were once masons such as

> 1)Washington 2) Lenin 3) Goethe 4) Ataturk (founder of turkey)
>5) Founder of czechoslovakia.    etc.....

     ... and many more. However, Lenin was definitely NOT a Mason (he
banned Masonry in Soviet Russia). Ataturk I've heard claimed before,
but not from a reliable source. Coil's Masonic Encyclopaedia article
on Turkey does not mention him. Who was the "founder of
Czechoslovakia"?

     Masonry teaches toleration, friendship, morality, and brotherly
love. If national leaders are attracted to that, I am well pleased.

>Word has it that the ceremonial rituals are all jewish customs i.e. eating
>salt and bread, having two columns representing Jakin and boaz 
>having the seven armed candle holder etc....

     Hmm... there are some things that are said to be derived from
ancient Hebrew custom, but that's more to do with our allegorical use
of Solomon's Temple than anything to do with the Jewish faith.

>Finally, they also claim that there are 33 steps to the top of the
>hierarchy and when you reach # 18 you automatically become a jew-like
>person only to be used further.

     You are repeating a common error here - assuming that there is a
simple sequence of 33 degrees. Regular Craft Masonry has only three.
There is a separate organization, the "Scottish Rite",open only to
third degree Masons, which confers degrees it numbers from 4 to 33.
The 18th is "Knight Rose Croix" ("Knight of the Rosy Cross") which
does not sound very Jewish. (I have not yet entered the Scottish
Rite).

     I would be happy to continue discussion on this topic, but in
email, rather than in scj. I run the Masonic Digest mailing list
(which is open to everyone), and can add you to the list if you
desire.

    BTW, there is an active Grand Lodge in Turkey, with about 7400
Masons.

					Peter Trei
					Master, Wilder Lodge,
					Ancient Free and Accepted Masons
					Leominster, MA

					ptrei@mitre.org	
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