Secret Societies...

[Col. Crackpot]

Simon, the Freemasons are just a bunch of old men with white aprons and fancy handshakes that sit around and drink beer and scotch one wednesday a month. I am/was a Master Mason.

I thought that some masonic lodges were business organizations as well?

no, although the Masons were quite powerful in the 1700's - early 1800's. There were many cases of both British and American officers giving quater to enemies who flashed a masonic distress signal during the Revolutionary War. Many political postions were 'closed' to non masons. They fell out of favor in the mid 1800's after actually following through on prescribed punishment for breaking the masonic oath. A guy actualy had his 'throat cut from ear to ear and buried in the rough sands of the sea at low water mark where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty four hours'. The masonic leaders stacked the jury with masons and the killers got off. Anti-masonic groups were formed and the number of members shrunk. There wasa revival in the 1920's through the 1960's in the US....and the do a lot of charity work here. The Shriner's Hospitals give free medical treatment to children who suffer from burns of paralysis, and they give out a lot of money for scholarships. Thats it though.... no world domination, not anymore anyway.

[Shaidar Haran]

There are two annoying qualities that it has. Its operations are secret, and it's name references things generally regarded as not good. If it were either of these alone, it would be of no concern at all. I'm pretty sure that they aren't doing anything too screwed up, but I'm sufficiently paranoid that I don't completely trust them to run the planet.

You know what? Most fraternities keep their internal workings secret to one degree or another. That's not particularly unusual and it's even less so when you consider it was founded at a time when most respectable colleges didn't permit fraternities. As for the name, it's just a name. No doubt chosen because it sounds secrative and slightly scary.

And if you think they rule the world, well that's just ridiculous. Most of the 'secret society' network is nothing of the sort. It's the sons of privileged and wealthy men at the ultimate Old Boys Club College. There's no mystery in that.

[Gandalf]

Just remember, no matter who you vote for the Government wins.

And are we saying this over the CB radio in our little basement bunker?

We said something similar yesterday on the radio.

[Kamakazie Sith]

x_X

I only thought it was strange that someone who was a member of something that sounds rather evil-sounding would be the leader of the world. I never had any real belief that they're some planetary domination supervillan like thing, but I don't fully trust someone who's a member of something named like this to be the most powerful guy in the world.

Why? Would it make it any different if it were called Smiles and Hugs or Tappa Kegga Bru? It's a fraternity and there's been no substantial proof offered otherwise.

There are two annoying qualities that it has. Its operations are secret, and it's name references things generally regarded as not good. If it were either of these alone, it would be of no concern at all. I'm pretty sure that they aren't doing anything too screwed up, but I'm sufficiently paranoid that I don't completely trust them to run the planet.

hehe the extent of the name is that it "sounds cool" what else would you expect from a bunch of college students? The reason its operations are secret is anybody that matters doesn't give a damn.

[h0rus]

On CNN right now, they say that Kerry is a member of the 'Skull & Bones' organization. Shrubby's also a member of this. Hearing something like that makes me extremely paranoid.

First, based on their name alone, they sound like a pretty messed up group. Skeletal remains don't normally symbolize positive things. Then there are all of the unsubstantiated rumors about their procedures.

In any case, that many influential people are part of such a strange organization is very disconcerting to me. I don't want the supreme leader of the world to be part of a weird secret group. Any thoughts?

Congratulations to you; you've joined the ranks of the world's conspiracy theorists.

Congrats to you; you've made another substanceless post in your long history.

[Joe]

On CNN right now, they say that Kerry is a member of the 'Skull & Bones' organization. Shrubby's also a member of this. Hearing something like that makes me extremely paranoid.

First, based on their name alone, they sound like a pretty messed up group. Skeletal remains don't normally symbolize positive things. Then there are all of the unsubstantiated rumors about their procedures.

In any case, that many influential people are part of such a strange organization is very disconcerting to me. I don't want the supreme leader of the world to be part of a weird secret group. Any thoughts?

Congratulations to you; you've joined the ranks of the world's conspiracy theorists.

Congrats to you; you've made another substanceless post in your long history.

That's pretty ballsy coming from you.

[Stormbringer]

hOrus:

I'd seriously suggest you look up Marina's posting history unless you really like the taste of your own foot.


Joe:

No need to start anything.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Congrats to you; you've made another substanceless post in your long history.

http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html

There you go, those might protect you from the Trilateral Commission's mind-control satellites.

[Uraniun235]

Congrats to you; you've made another substanceless post in your long history.

Tinfoil-hat conspiracy bullshit deserves little of the defense and most of the sarcastic derision it recieves.

[The Dark]

In any case, here's an interesting fact: Masonic lodges once admitted Jews. What does this mean? If lodges were admitting persons generally reviled throughout Europe and thought to have agendas of their own by a rather uninformed society, one can basically squash the suppositio that there was any kind of very terrible conspiracy that had to be hidden from everybody else.

Erm...last I heard, Masonic lodges were open to any of the three main monotheisms: Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. It's simply that the numbers of Jews and Muslims living in areas where the Masons are tolerated are exceptionally small.

And of course, there's a difference between the Masons and the Scottish group that splintered off. Don't know that much about it, though (I'm an outsider).

[Peregrin Toker]

And of course, there's a difference between the Masons and the Scottish group that splintered off. Don't know that much about it, though (I'm an outsider).

I thought the Scottish Rite and the York Rite masons were part of the same organization despite slight ideological difference?

[Symmetry]

Thoery: Conspiracy theories have had a far greater impact on history than conspiracies have.