What is Freemasonry? According to Freemasonry.org:

“Freemasonry is the oldest and largest world wide fraternity dedicated to the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of a Supreme Being. Although of a religious nature, Freemasonry is not a religion. It urges its members, however, to be faithful and devoted to their own religious beliefs.”

“The true Mason is not creed-bound. He realizes with the divine illumination of his lodge that as a Mason his religion must be universal: Christ, Buddha, or Mohamed, the name means little, for he recognizes only the light and not the bearer. He worships at every shrine, bows before every altar, whether in temple, mosque or cathedral, realizing with his truer understanding the oneness of all spiritual truth.” (“The Lost Keys of Freemasonry”, Manly P. Hall, 33o, p.65, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Co., Richmond, VA., 1976.)

Freemasonry then, to an outside observer, appears to be an ambiguous umbrella religion. With the basics established, lets look at how the organization works.

You can click the above picture for a much larger size.

The Freemasons use a series of steps or “degrees” toward reaching the highest level, or title. The first three steps are:

1. Entered Apprentice
2. Fellow Craft
3. Master Mason

Most Freemasons choose to stay at the 3rd degree. However, if one wishes to progress further there are two options. A red lodge (pill) and blue lodge (pill). Yes, I am refering to the Matrix. The blue lodge is the Scottish Rite, and the Red Lodge is the York Rite. Both paths lead to the same point at the top of Freemasonry.

The Scottish Rite Degrees:

• 4° – Secret Master
• 5° – Perfect Master
• 6° – Intimate Secretary
• 7° – Provost and Judge
• 8° – Intendant of the Building
• 9° – Master Elect of Nine (Elu of the Nine)
• 10° – Elect of Fifteen (Elu of the Fifteen)
• 11° – Sublime Master Architect (Elu of the Twelve)
• 12° – Grand Master Architect (Master Architect)
• 13° – Master of the Ninth Arch (Royal Arch of Solomon)
• 14° – Grand Elect Mason (Perfect Elu)
• 15° – Knight of the East or Sword (Knight of the East)
• 16° – Prince of Jerusalem
• 17° – Knight of the East and West
• 18° – Knight of the Rose Croix of H.R.D.M. (Knight Rose Croix) – It is unknown what HRDM means
• 19° – Grand Pontiff (Pontiff)
• 20° – Master Ad Vitam (Master of the Symbolic Lodge)
• 21° – Patriarch Noachite (Noachite or Prussian Knight)
• 22° – Prince of Libanus (Knight of the Royal Axe)
• 23° – Chief of the Tabernacle
• 24° – Prince of the Tabernacle
• 25° – Knight of the Brazen Serpent
• 26° – Prince of Mercy
• 27° – Commander of the Temple (Knight Commander of the Temple)
• 28° – Knight of the Sun (Knight of the Sun or Prince Adept)
• 29° – Knight of St. Andrew (Scottish Knight of St. Andrew)
• 30° – Grand Elect Knight K H (Knight Karlosh)
• 31° – Grand Inspector Inquisitor (Commander Inspector Inquisitor)
• 32° – Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret (Master of the Royal Secret)
• 33° – Sovereign Grand Inspector General – It is said that this degree is strictly an honorary degree

The York Rite Levels:

• Mark Master
• Past Master (Virtual)
• Most Excellent Master
• Royal Arch Mason
• Royal Master / Select Master / Super Excellent Master
• Order of the Red Cross
• Order of Knights of Malta
• Order of Knights Templar

So what is a lodge? It is a facility that Freemasons use:

Notice the Illuminated Triangle in both pictures similar to the seal on the reverse side of the U.S. Dollar Bill:

Also take notice to the checkerboarded floor. You will find the checker-boarded floor (commonly called Masonic Floor) throughout movies and entertainment.

According to Bibliotecapleyades,

“Hanging over the fireplace in the famous Green Room at the White House in Washington, D.C. is an acclaimed oil portrait of Benjamin Franklin, one of our country’s most celebrated “founding fathers.” It depicts the famed statesman sitting studiously, poring over an ancient document which he is holding with his right hand. His left hand, meanwhile, is at his throat, set with the finger in a V-design, the thumb pushing upward to his chin. Franklin’s neck is a prominent focus of the painting. Obviously, this is a sign Franklin is communicating.”

Freemasonry is an institution in which an initiate is climbing a ladder or stairs to reach the Light symbolized by an illuminated eye sometimes shown inside an equidistant triangle. The ultimate understanding is of the alchemical and cyclical nature of the solar system. The rituals for advancement involve taking blood oaths of silence or things such as being threatened with a dagger or sword.

Freemasonry and Witchcraft

Freemasonry is strikingly similar to Witchcraft. It can be assumed that Witchcraft was one of the cults of alchemical knowledge. Here is a list of the common similarities:

• They both have a foundational system of three degrees, with some forms of Wicca offering higher degrees after achieving the third degree.
• Both are secret societies because they both keep their membership rolls secret, and secrets are kept from the general public by both “religions.”
• Both usually meet in secret, with the exceptions for the purpose of rare openly public events.
• Both have ceremonial initiations to pass a candidate from one degree to another, of which include sworn oaths.
• Both have ceremonial form of purgings & purifications of the ritual area before commencing any ritual work.
• They both have the candidates remove all secular clothing, remove all metal (i.e. jewelry, etc.), and hoodwinked (i.e. blindfolded, etc.) with ropes ceremonially tied around them (the form of the tying varies).
• Both groups have the candidate stand in the Northeast corner of the “temple” in the first degree.
• Both groups challenge the candidate by piercing their naked chest with a sharp impliment (witches utilize the sword, while Masons use the point of a compass).
• They both challenge the candidate by asking for secret passwords.
• Both have the candidate lead in a circular walk (or “walking around”) of the temple while hoodwinked.
• Both have the candidate(while hoodwinked) endure being picked up, carried around, spun around, being pushed or struck from one person to another. It is supposed to create an “altered state of consciousness in the candidate.”
• Both have the ceremonial un-hoodwinking of the candidate, after he/she has taken the oath, before lighted candles which are supposed to bring “illumination.”
• Both explain to the new initiate the “working tools” pertaining to that degree & each tool’s use is taught to the initiate.
• Both groups, in the higher degrees, bring the candidate through a “from-death-to-rebirth” ritual in which he/she acts the part of a hero/heroine of the craft.