Freemasonary is not a secret society. I know many who are mambers. It may be a society with secrets though.

I'm a member too, member me?

Dont you mean 3.58

More daft conspiracy theories about poor old Rosslyn (Roslin?).
If you really want to know the truth go to http://www.lodge76.wanadoo.co.uk/bugsport.htm
or
http://www.tedsstudio.com/bugsport/page51.html

Rosslyn is really a beacon to guide our flying saucers to Bonnybridge via the nearby incorrectly spelled town of Rosewell.

What ya gonna do when we the masons takeover the earth?

re 9 I don't understand, did you get the crushed knuckles during some bizarre masonic initiation ceremony? or was it when you joined the ancient order of old fishwives

"You don't have to be a Christian to be a Freemason"? Freemasonry is in fact totally incompatible with Christianity. It worships a different god called Jabulon, who is a mixture of Jehovah, Baal and Osiris (from its Jewish, Persian and Egyptian roots respectively). This is definitely not Christian, as Jesus said that the only way to the Father (i.e. God) was though him.

re 13 you obviously do not have the royal arch degree

ie "we 3 do meet and........"

Thus is the same o', same o'. The author know little about Freemasonry. Far better to by the book: The Rosslyn Hoax? by the Masonic historian Robert Cooper who also happens to be the Curatot of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum.

hear hear #16

I would also recommend the new book by Bob Cooper titled "The Rosslyn Hoax". It is a far better read and far more historicaly correct than these so called modern day fairytails, oops sorry theories!!

Modern day freemasons have absolutely no idea of what they do and why. It is to all intents and purposes a social club. The need to cloak the "truths" in secret dissipated with the waning influence of the chruch.

There have been people throughout history who have been aware of the true spiritual teachings of early Christianity, the gnostics for example, who were massacred by the first multinational corporation, the Catholic Church. Such was the price to pay at that juncture in history for denying the Catholic Church complete control over one's existence.

In order to resist the lies peddled by such establishments a few "enlightened" souls sought to preserve the truths through clandestine means in art, literature, architecture, music etc, so that at some point in the future when the iron grip of the fascists weakened, the truths would stand tall for mankind to see.

Mankind has an individual relationship with God. He does not need a Church to get there. He does not need a priest or minister to get there. He does not need to dress up in his sunday best, put on his shiny shoes and throw coppers into the collection tin to get there.

Makind, has been conversing with the higher realms for millenia through meditation, yoga, shamanic ritual, consumption of psychotropic substances, rhythmic dance etc. This is man's literal god given right.

We do not need middlemen.

Quote
"Nothing is as it appears at Rosslyn. When investigations were carried out around the chapel in the 1980s, it was discovered that foundations for a much bigger building had been laid. Even today, Rosslyn looks curiously unfinished from the outside but, in the authors' view, this was done deliberately to keep the prying eyes of the bishops away from the interior of the church. "

WRONG - it was left unfinished to replicate the state of Solomans temple in Jerusalem when the secrets were found.

I object to the continued references made by the Scotsman, against the Freemasons, as a "Secret Society", your ingnorance is skewed & slanted. Masonic Halls, are mostly in downtown areas, and well identified, worldwide.
Yes, masons have means of identity, & you have to become a member to aquire them, but a Secret Society, give me a break!
Did you know that there is no Supreme Grand Master!, so don't bring up the "Take over the world" conspirancy.
Maybe you should examine the good things that this ancient order has done over the years

#21 Quote "Masonic Halls, are mostly in downtown areas, and well identified, worldwide.
Yes, masons have means of identity, & you have to become a member to aquire them, but a Secret Society, give me a break! "

Like i said @19 Kenneth - the Masons are nothing more than a social club in this day and age.

Freemason in ancient times, however, is a completely different story!

I think the real secret here is that it is just a World Wide Boy's Club!

And what is it with those black brief cases?

Is that their lunch or just an apron?

An excuse for men that need to boost their self importance.

Sarah -- Over 22 United States persidents or presidential candidates have been Freemasons. These include such luminaries as George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Gerald Ford - which ones required a briefcase to boost their self-importance.

Thankfully for Freemasonry the current 'moron in charge' is not one of us. Possibly because he couldnt keep a secret and thought the Masonic Temple contained weapons of Mass destruction.

It may be a Boys Club but it is a club that benefits society as a whole. Dont believe me - just go along to yuor locan Masonic or Shriners hospital and see the good that the Boys Club does.

As for Rosslyn - guess it time for the lads to sell another book.

Is Robert Cooper ( Rosslyn Hoax) an expert in Medieval Philosophy, I very much doubt it .
He like many others have been seduced by the nonsense freemasonry history written in the last 150 years. Since the book (according to the article) was only released on Friday 16,17,18 comments show how ignorant of the subject of Rosslyn you really are,how could you possibly be able to make such a judgement if you have not read the book.. They are typical of a small element of certain modern Freemasons, they like the catholic church of the 15th century are so brainwashed by their own dogma they cannot see the wood for the trees. Thank God they are in the minority of the Craft. Whereas the majority who believe in the real principles of Freemasonry and practice it,and do not see themselves as better than their fellow man.
Open your mind lads or remain Cowans...

Bram [sic] Seer. I came to this converstation by accident and I think that you are being more than a little unfair. How do you know that he is not an expert in medieval philosophy? - are you? He has written or edited 10 books on Freemasonry and is the Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland (as mention in earlier entries above) he has the gravitas of that position that you do not. What is your position regarding Freemasonry? Why would/do you question his ability? Insecurity is a word that springs to mind. Your comments imply that you are a Freemason - that true? Is that why you hide behind the name Bram [sic] Seer? Unlike you Robert Cooper does not hide behind a pseudonym. If you are serious in your criticism of the Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland I suggest that you call him at his office: 0131 225 5577. Are you willing to state your name and telephone number for people to call you?

Bram,
the book was officialy launched on the 9th of october and was on sale the previous week from various booksellers.

I just went to the site about the Rosslyn Hoax (www.rosslynhoax.com) and compared it to the stuff in the Scotsman and I can see that we, the public, are being conned - the main thrust of the book: The Rosslyn Hoax? confirms that. I am worried that I (we) are being mislead into buying books about Freemasonry which are not written by Freemasons. I would like to see lables on books 'written by a Freemason' or 'written by a non-Mason' - at least then I would know if the author was a Freemason and therefore had 'inside knowledge' on the subject.

Is the Bram Seer a Freemason? Please let me know.

I thought the big issue with Freemasons was the auld 'you scratch my back and I'l scratch yours' issue, ie nepatism......of course that could be good auld fashioned paranoi.

As far as the case is concerned I used to have a boyfriend who was in the masons and he sprung open the case one day. Inside was some kind of hammer and a funny wee fringed apron.....stupid bugger wanted me to prance aboot in the raw wearing it and wielding his wee hammer...I think my exact words were "I that will be shining bright away tae France ye daft bugger ye", .....very proud of it he was and loved the pomp and ceremony of being a mason, liked to create an air of mystery...tch tch.

That should be paranoia of course folks...bedtime!

No I am not a Freemason,I have no need to be.
I do not believe Butler or Ritchie are either and from what I hear they expected this kind of backlash.
Ignorance will struggle hard to give up what little knowledge it has,when it is faced with truthful education.
I have no opinions either way on Mr Cooper,I neither know the man nor his work,but I do believe in debate,especially when I see a closed mind opinions that were left in comment.
Scotia bairns have always believed in equality,education and justice.
It was the Hanoverians what stole it and ran away.
Bob #27 thats not correct according to Amazon.

I want to thank 'The Scotsman' for publishing this article. Resultant from reading same, I had a good laugh over the weekend. I trust the book will be placed in the fiction section at airports.
Is there to be a Part 3? I can't wait until Mr Spock makes an appearance as I am an avid fan.

#24 A tylery
Really?? so what was the significance of him insisting to use the masonic bible to be sworn into office with?
Strange behaviour for a non mason
Although admittedly he had to use a family bible as it turned out This was not his choosing ,rather he was told he couldnt use the masonic one after it had been transported.

One does not have to be a Christian to be a freemason. I'm not a Christian, but I am a freemason; there are millions like me. Freemasonry is not a religion but is a way of life -- for brotherhood, truth and relief. There is nothing secret in freemasonry except our signs of recognition and our rituals.

Archie #9: "This is the very reason that monetary denominations were based on collectives of 12. 12 will divide among 2,3,4,6. Better still is 60 which has 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 12 etc making the money easy to divide up equally."

It must be nice. All my life I've barely had enough to divide among 1, about as least a common denominator as one can reach. As for reaching, why not 420, from 3, 4, 5, 7? I'll not stretch to 11, or even triple 3 or double 4, as higher mathematics even for gain give me nose-bleed.

With regard to denomination rather than denominator, wasn't the Roman Catholic W. A. Mozart a Freemason?

Also, with regard to any Christian or Jewish flavourings, isn't there something about a Scottish Rite and a York Rite? I seem to recall that it has to do with Scottish using some "Christian" symbolology and York "Jewish." Strange though, that being world-wide or at least European in distribution of Freemasonry from origin with Jerusalem, that both of these pertain to Britain.

In response to A. Tyler # 24:

So you can name 3 important names in US history that were freemasons.

Now let us all hear how very long the list of names are of more important men that had nothing to do with being a Freemason!

You would have to remove your lunch from the case and get a smaller hammer and replace the apron with a bib and still not have enough room in the overstated lunch box to fit the list in there!