Florida Grand Master-Pagans Can’t Be Freemasons

[admin]

Pagan Blog
http://wildhunt.org/2012/12/florida-gra ... asons.html

Florida Grand Master Decides Pagans Can’t Be Freemasons

On November 28th Jorge L. Aladro, Grand Master of Florida’s Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, issued a ruling stating that Paganism, Wicca, Odinism, and Gnosticism were not compatible with Freemasonry. Further, any Freemason who “professes to be a member of one of the groups mentioned above shall tender his resignation or suffer himself to a Trial Commission whose final outcome will be expulsion since there is no provision to allow anything contrary to the Ancient Landmarks.”

{I have tried to confirm this and I am told that it is correct.

[russellholland]

.... Gnosticism .... suffer himself to a Trial Commission whose final outcome will be ....

The Roman church had a similar policy for some centuries.

The odd thing is that Gnostics go further than the Masonic requirement to believe in the Supreme Being. The Gnostics do not have to believe because they know. This is reflected in Holy Royal Arch where when we see God, Faith and Hope are no longer required and all that exists is Love.

Perhaps Gnostics could skip the craft degrees?

[admin]

I was just sent this link

http://www.glflamason.org/documents/Mon ... ligion.pdf

[russellholland]

Each Grand Lodge is entitled have its own set of Ancient Landmarks that according one of the more usual landmarks may not ever be changed. (As a bureaucrat I can cope with such ambiguity)

In this case I note the expression "belief in the existence of one ever living and true God". In my view that is not quite the same as belief in the existence of "the Supreme Being'. That might be an issue for some Gnostics but I would be inclined to ask them first.

I would be interested in seeing some rationale for how the Florida decision is derived from the quoted head of power: that a Mason will never be a "stupid atheist" as Gnostics by definition are knowers of Reality and traditionally regarded as anything but stupid. Perhaps the issue is the early gnostic teaching that this planet was created by a demiurge that put himself before the Supreme Being.

I have some sympathy for the position taken by some French orders that the term "God" is cultural and thereby not universal.

[admin]

An Open Letter to the Grand Master of Florida

December 3, 2012


Jorge L. Aladro
Grand Master
Grand Lodge of Florida
283 Deer Run Road
Palm Bay, FL 32909-1182

Dear Most Worshipful Brother Jorge L. Aladro, Grand Master of Masons of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Florida and To All My Brethren in Freemasonry,

I provide this as both an open letter to all Freemasons and a plea to Most Worshipful Brother Jorge L. Aladro, the Grand Master of Masons in Florida.

On November 28, 2012, Brother Aladro took the step of banning Paganism, Wiccan and Odinism, Agnosticism and Gnosticism.

He provided in a written decision, “...any member of the Craft that professes to be a member of one of the groups mentioned above shall tender his resignation or suffer himself to a Trial Commission whose final outcome will be expulsion…” .................................................. -->

http://therelevantmason.blogspot.co.uk/ ... er-of.html

[McClef]

Having read Cliff Porter's open letter it make me even more surprised that the GM of Florida should have made such a ruling.

And as to the idea of a "trial" where the outcome is already indicated - that is a kangaroo court.

I wonder what the reaction of other GMs and GLs might be to this diktat.

[MrBenn]

A well written and measured response to an extremly unusual dictat

[McClef]

This page has been brought to my attention that may be of interest regarding the background.

http://www.freemasoninformation.com/201 ... tells-all/

[MrBenn]

Blimey - there is sually more to these things than we see on the surface, makes me very sad to see these issues in freemasonry - it should be the one place that is a refuge from religious intolerance

[Peter Taylor]

This page has been brought to my attention that may be of interest regarding the background.

http://www.freemasoninformation.com/201 ... tells-all/

I wouldn't be too sure if all the quotes in this article are entirely accurate!

[sc]

In the Comments section for the Open Letter page, someone who appears to be the Odinist in question gives his side of part of the story. It makes very sad reading. It appears to be genuine.

I'd never heard of Odinism as a currently-practiced religion until now. Very interesting!