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Post by rincewind on Jan 11, 2007 20:25:16 GMT -5
The best part about that site may be the quote "Muslims around the world are known for their sense of humor"
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Dmitri
Land Owner
D&D Geeks of the World Unite!
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Dmitri on Jan 11, 2007 20:44:02 GMT -5
Come on, Rince - Chick? Dark Dungeons is his claim to fame. Outside of RPG folks like us his name is unknown to the vast majority of Christendom . Robertson is a little more problematic. The problem is that 99% of the time what he says is not bad. He talks about giving to charity, practicing what you preach, repentance from sin, overcoming addiction, etc. But that's not what the media reports. All you hear about is the failed 88 election bid, the Katrina controversy, 9/11, Hugo Chavez, etc. The man has been preaching for decades, running a university (Regent in Virginia Beach), running the ACLJ (conservative version of ACLU), etc. Not that that excuses his stupidity on certain issues. But he is human, just like the rest of us, fallible and sometimes wrong. The problem is the stereotyping that goes on in the religious community. Not all Muslims are violent, not all Christians are hypocrites, not all pagans sacrifice animals, not all atheists are Madeleine Murray O'Hare. The sooner we all realize that, the better off we'll be.
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Post by pigdish on Jan 11, 2007 21:54:28 GMT -5
The young guy says that in the airport security office being totally factitious but the security guard doesn't get it and he makes the flying palm over the head motion to illustrate that the joke went over his [security guard's] head. The two security guards freak out at the hand motion and say, "Hey, what was that, some kind of terrorist signal?" ROFL
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Post by Antioch on Jan 12, 2007 0:08:25 GMT -5
I've heard of Chick many times. His piece on masonry is nothing short of amazing. It's amazing how uninformed he is about the fraternity. Such as, there is no national or internation leader of the Masons. Every state has it's own autonomis Grand Lodge which answers to no higher masonic powers.
I actually know quite a bit about Freemasonry, I am currently the Worshipful Master of Robert Burns Lodge #464 in Harrisburg. There are only 2 people set in authority over me in the whole state when it comes to running my lodge and one is a close friend of mine. The other is the Grand Master of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Very interesting history if anyone has questions.
Antioch
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Post by pigdish on Jan 12, 2007 0:28:51 GMT -5
Hey cool, you're a Mason Antioch. Can you come over and build some walls for me in the backyard? lol Just kidding. I tease my brother-in-law with that line since he joined the Masons.
A member from my old Lions club has been a Mason for 50 years. I don't remember what rank he was but I recall it was something pretty high up.
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Post by Antioch on Jan 12, 2007 8:30:47 GMT -5
LOL....actually, I could take a stab at the wall. I've watched a few operative masons at work and could fake my way through it. Though I am what is know as a speculative, or free, mason. That's pretty cool. Alot of times you don't realize who all belongs to the fraternity and are surprised when you find out that someone you've known for years is one as well. (actually happened to me several times)
I've been a Mason for 9 1/2 years now and am one of the youngest masters my lodge has had in 137 years. Most of the time people do not dedicate the time required to be a master until their mid 40s or later.
The neat thing about Freemasonry is that there is only one rank that truly matters and that is the 3rd degree that makes you a Master Mason. Nothing else is as high as that and every member goes through it for full initiation. Everything else is subordinate to that. That puts us all on an equal playing field. We do have to listen to officers put in authority over us, but this is the highest degree.
Antioch
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Dmitri
Land Owner
D&D Geeks of the World Unite!
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Dmitri on Jan 12, 2007 11:20:20 GMT -5
Masonry is an interesting topic - I remember the bru-hah-ha in the 80's in the religious circles I run in. Sadly, a lot of it was mis-informed and some just plain silly.
I generally keep my mouth closed on the subject due to lack of knowledge - only stuff I have read on the subject was biased heavily in either direction (both against and for).
I'd love to know a little more about the topic, specifically factual stuff - tenants of dogma, stance on morality and its origin, etc. If its not appropriate for this thread, you could start another one or PM me?
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Post by Antioch on Jan 12, 2007 23:48:50 GMT -5
I have a big meeting tomorrow, but I'll start a new thread. I can go over what is currently accepted. There is alot of gray area due to lack of records. Masonry is largely an oral tradition and it's true origins are had to narrow down. I'll start the thread on Sunday or Monday.
Antioch
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Post by pigdish on Jan 13, 2007 9:09:31 GMT -5
huh huh, he said oral huh huh <beavis/butthead voice> Anyway, I just noticed your avatar and it's quite fitting. Granted it may not have anything to do with Masonic ism.
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Post by Lady Winter Wolf on Jan 13, 2007 16:29:52 GMT -5
When you say Satanism, do you mean the sort that Benjamin Franklin supposedly practiced, or are you refering to "Devil Worship" or demonic cultism? From this article I found, www.infidels.org/library/historical/john_remsburg/six_historic_americans/chapter_4.html , I get the impression that Franklin was more an agnostic; believing in a divine power, and yet questioning it, and not truly aligning himself with any one particular Christian faith. Allow me to clarify my question a little. The bible has a lot to say (at least on the very small level on which I understand and know it) about the after life. It places much importance on living almost for the sake of the hereafter (heaven in this case). The satanic bible, I think, (mainly from somewhat reliable hearsay) has little or nothing to do with Satan, Beelzebub, or whatever you call the arch-demon of Christianity. It is a book that focusses spiritual life on persuing daily pleasures in life, rather than saving up for after death. (feel free to correct, I'm not 100% clear on any of this) No, you got the gist of it correct, and, thereby, answered your own question up above of what Satanism is. Basically Satan was a being made up by the Roman Catholic church to scare and dominate the people. In Satanism, the ideals attributed to Satan - pleasure, sexual freedom, the satisfaction of the self is what is ideally worshiped, not a deity called Satan. The last six people I heard claiming to be satanists meant that they try to pull some wicked ritual of sacrifice out of the Necronomicon (coolness[ not really] points to anyone who can tell me the true nature of that book) while burning their neighbor's cat at a bonfire. I've known several more of the latter and probably no intentional practitioners of the former. The Church of Satan - www.churchofsatan.com/ was founded by Anton La Vey, author of "The Satanic Bible". The Temple of Set - www.xeper.org/pub/xp_main.htm is one of the more popular offshoots of Satanism, but there are many other "temples and churches" linked to Satanism. Those who practice the type of Satanism portrayed by Hollywood hype are usually "attention hounds", who cannot be bothered to learn about a real religion, and just think that imitating what they see on tv or in the movies is more "fun". There are also those who say they practice Satanism, but to cover up abhorrent lifestyles - in other words, they use it as an excuse, but are clueless as to what the religion is truly about.
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Post by Antioch on Jan 14, 2007 1:50:26 GMT -5
That would be true of Franklin. Not many know this, but Ben Franklin was the first Right Worshipful Grand Master of the Commonwealth of PA as it currently exists. There were other grand lodges that eventually joined to form the current grand lodge. To become a mason, one had to be a man who believes in the fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man. Be free born, of mature age, and under the tongue of good masonic report ....aka good character.
Antioch
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Post by grond on Jan 14, 2007 11:34:19 GMT -5
Ok, like I said, the "satanic" worship I had attributed to Franklin had nothing to do with demons, but more with a free pleasurable life. And, as I said, this was more a floating piece of hearsay than researched fact. However, I really enjoy hearing more informed and knowledgable inputs such as all of yours (gestures to everyone posting this thread)
Attention hounds is an excellent descriptor.
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Post by Antioch on Jan 15, 2007 9:08:07 GMT -5
Yeah, I really like this avatar, though I'm not a member of the masonic knights templar. They are through a separate appendant body of Freemasonry that I have not explored yet. They are actually the only masonic body that requires you be a Christian rather than just a monotheist.
The supposed connection is that the Masons built King Solomons Temple and the Knights refound the spot where the temple was razed by the Babalonians and set up their base of operations in the holy land there. Legend says that they found the ark of the covenant and other relics while there, but nothing was ever substantiated. The Knights were a monastic order officiated by the pope from 1100-1300s.
Antioch
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wiccy
Braggart
"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity. -Edgar Allan Poe-"
Posts: 85
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Post by wiccy on Oct 6, 2007 16:19:44 GMT -5
Personally, I consider myself of all religions. As I believe all should, but I am not a preacher of it. I have practiced alot of religions in finding my inner enlightenment and found that spiritualist is what finds a home within me. I've been called a satanist, Chaos Mage, Warlock, etc. All I can say is I use what works for me and know that is what is meant to be.
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Post by grond on Oct 6, 2007 18:34:09 GMT -5
I think Satan is an awful lot older than the Roman Catholic Church. I understand that the name is derived from a n eastern language, perhaps Arabic, Shaitan meaning "the enemy" although my spelling may be horrific and my background information incomplete. I think the happiest people I've ever known with regards to religion have spent years searching through all manners of worship until they found the one that gave them what they knew they always wanted.
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