A few more points:
32° Mason = NOT the highest degree, even within the AASR, which is the only modern organization to have said degree. The highest degree in the AASR is the 33°
Knight Templar = Not the highest degree either, except within a Commandery of the York Rite.
Other bodies have their own sets of degrees (for instance, the Shriners have but a single degree; whereas the defunct and non-recognized Rite of Memphis had 96 degrees!!).
When speaking of Freemasonry, the third degree, Master Mason, is the “highest” degree recognized.
What Happens at meetings:
a ritual is used to open the meeting; minutes are read, bills are paid, schedulaing of events, such as initiations, are discussed; practical business, such as building maintenance or ordering of furniture, is discussed and voted on, old business is discussed (ad nauseum), charity projects planned, and occasionally, a special presentation from one of the members; and when possible, the degree is performed on new candidates. After it is al done, a ritual is used to close the meeting, and everyone leaves to home or refreshment (usually in the form of sustenance that makes diabetics like me need an extra shot for the day
)
From what little I have been told by the “non-secret” KoCs here, it isn’t much different than what they do at their own meetings. The same reasons given for why one cannot attend a KoC meeting without membership were the same as those I got for why a non-mason cannot sit in on a meeting without being a member as well. Frankly, they are logical enough, I cannot see why anyone objects to either organization closing the doors to their meetings, which are just archaic ritualized Board meetings.
As to Morals and Dogma, one part of what the anit-masons always leaves out is the part where “lucifer” is explained as being that spirit that causes some masons to get distracted from the philosophical teachings of Masonry, and instead set their hearts on the honors and trapping of the degrees, the “false light of Lucifer” which blinds them to the true light of Masonry. If the entire passage is read in context, it should prove obvious that Pike was not “endorsing” this situation, merely reminding members of that degree that even at their “high” level of initiation, they were not immune to this error of vision, this adhereance to the false light of Lucifer which causes them to seek titles and medals in lieu of the light of God, and that for many masons, it is the only light they know.
Chaz: From what you have written regarding your Grandfather, he is very unlikely a Scottish Rite Mason, and therefore Pike’s writings will not likely generate any particular response. Keep in mind that Pike’s masonic “authority” to elaborate or define the intent of masonic ritual extends only to members of the Scottish Rite; non-SR masons could care less as to what he had to say about masonry; to them Pike is just like many other writers of masonic philosophy, like the ya-hoos who wrote The Hiram Key, perhaps a “fun” read, but nothing to bank on or take seriously.
For the record: I am not suggesting that anyone reading this should consider becoming a Mason, especially if you are Catholic. I am only trying to help clear up some mis-information so that, for those of you so inclined, can focus on the actual and very real differences and incompatibilities, not the regurgitatied and frankly untrue and mis-reported tripe that generally characterizes anti-anything.
One of the most refreshing things I love about Catholicism is that it generally tries to form rational and reasoned arguments against those things to which it is opposed (that, and that it actually has the guts to insist that there is an absolute Truth, which is a functional incompatability with the masonic philosophy btw).
Anybody can demonize an enemy. It takes Love to understand and heal the enemity and bring them Home.
Caritas numquam excidit
Bump!! to that post. Finally an anwser with some logic and thinking behinde it!!
