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Post by offramp on Apr 13, 2019 6:26:19 GMT
Circumcision is a subject that for a while was very close to home for me.
My brother-in-law was insistent to my missus that my new-born son be circumcised. I was against it, but left it up to my wife: I was fairly certain what she would do.
Like most mums who have the choice, she decided not to. Relief!
I have heard that even Jewish mums are not having it done nowadays. Quite right, too! It's a bit Stone Age, isn't it?
That is why I was both surprised, and then relieved, by this article from the London Daily Telegraph.
'Circumcision is one of the oddities of the Royal Family'
It beginsBut it includes this update:It's like that phrase of L P Hartley:
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Post by peter2 on Apr 13, 2019 11:37:35 GMT
In the Sumerian writings, at one point the female gods complain that the male gods are attracted to human women because of their long labia. Likewise the human males have foreskins unlike the male gods.
If so, circumcision was originally designed to make human males more godlike and hence more suited to be rulers
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Post by boreades on Apr 15, 2019 21:46:17 GMT
In Westminster Abbey, the Stone of Scone became an essential part of the coronation of English Kings and Queens to this day; they have to be crowned while sitting above the Stone of Scone. The origin of this custom in Britain is said to be the “Stone of Israel”, and the “pillow of Jacob”. According to tradition, A fantastic fairy story? Perhaps, but our current Royal Family until very recently believed a Jewish tradition is an essential part of what gives them authority. Perhaps that's why Prince Charles (and a few generations that came before him) had been circumcised by a Jewish Mohel (the licensed remover of foreskins), but that might all be idle gossip: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244013508960You might wonder about the Stone of Scone. In Kings 18:30-35, we can read how the prophet Elijah repaired a stone circle: That sounds like a Henge to me. It’s another curious coincidence that this stone circle tradition in ancient Israel so closely matches the same tradition in north western Europe. Saul was crowned in a stone circle, because the Jewish traditional ritual of king-making included holy stones. As did the Druids, and as did the Welsh and Scots. That was, at least, until 1296 when Edward the First of England “acquired” the Stone of Scone from Moot Hill and took it to Westminster Abbey. In slightly dubious circumstances, and there seems to be a good chance the Scots had enough forewarning to fob Edward off with a substitute. Perhaps the GLoS knows where it is now? Oh, by the way, GLoS is now on the BBC. Article : www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43385303One hour documentary : www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09wfrjy
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Post by peter2 on Apr 16, 2019 21:12:32 GMT
>when the Israel nation fell, its guardians fled with it to Ireland. There is one account that the original Jerusalem is Edinburgh.
The current Jerusalem was at best a collection of huts at the conventional date for King Solomon's empire. Is the date wrong or the place wrong or both?
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Post by boreades on Apr 17, 2019 19:39:42 GMT
The current Jerusalem was at best a collection of huts at the conventional date for King Solomon's empire. Is the date wrong or the place wrong or both? Veering rapidly off Offramp's topic (sorry)... I will suggest something that may come as a surprise to many Masonic Brethren. It might also be perceived as a challenge to some of the most fundamental masonic legends, while I try to put the origins of masonic ritual on a foundation that is stronger, both figuratively and literally. Much of our masonic legend and ritual starts with King Solomon as the patron and founder of the Temple in Jerusalem. But what if this is an innocent mistake? What if the founder of the Temple was not King Solomon? I propose (a) that the Temple(s) in Jerusalem were real (so brethren can rest assured there is still substance to masonic legends and ritual) but (b) the founder of the Temple was the real Roman Emperor Hadrian, not a legendary King Solomon. I further propose this corrects a series of real historical misunderstandings, where Middle Eastern legends and propaganda have taken the place of known and documented Roman history. It does not require a great deal of foresight to anticipate that any meddling with Jewish history might be perceived by some as an anti-Semitic exercise. For that very reason, I have taken great care to base my opinions on the substantial and authoritative work produced by recent Israeli and Jewish archaeologists. This in no way diminishes masonic ritual. It actually allows us to put masonic origins on a stronger and more substantial basis. This replaces vague myths and legends with a much better-documented and accepted Roman history. It also allows a natural place for the Roman Mithraic traditions. These have for a long time been a masonic curiosity, because of the unexplained similarities to masonic ritual, without a satisfying explanation or a firm connection to our ritual. More?
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Post by peter2 on Apr 17, 2019 22:19:54 GMT
Following the legend might give an origin for Freemasonry, if the original brethren did not repurpose an existing legend. But that seems a bit hopeful to me. It might be better to trace the rituals. For example the EA and a Scottish form of the FC sign can be found in ancient Egyptian depictions. (The FC signs vary by lodge and over time near me.) Even tracking the ritual does not preclude it being repurposed from earlier groups. Eventually we may be left with the proposition that it is the presence of Masonic Science that is the test of Freemasonry. That of course is a problem as very few brethren have even the slightest interest in Masonic Science.
How then do we know a true brother/sister? Perhaps we might need to be true brethren first.
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Post by boreades on Apr 17, 2019 22:38:12 GMT
Eventually we may be left with the proposition that it is the presence of Masonic Science that is the test of Freemasonry. Agreed. Would it be valid to rearrange the proposition slightly? The presence of Masonic Science is a strong indicator of common roots of all branches of Gnosticism (that include Freemasonry).
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Post by peter2 on Apr 17, 2019 22:48:34 GMT
Masonic Science, being a science, is open to all those of goodwill that work hard, regardless of culture or religion or ritual initiation.
The development of goodwill (and harmlessness) is the work of the EA. Without that work being well progressed Nature will not admit him/her very far into the hidden mysteries of nature and science.
There are many entries to spiritual science including Feng Shui, dowsing, meditation, the liberal arts and sciences, alchemy and of course gardening. (Alchemists have been called "celestial gardeners" because the growth processes they use are strongly influenced by stellar and planetary cycles)
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Post by boreades on Apr 24, 2019 18:17:23 GMT
There are many entries to spiritual science including Feng Shui, dowsing, meditation, the liberal arts and sciences, alchemy and of course gardening. I'm glad you mentioned gardening. For the benefit of the garden, good gardeners also delve into the hidden mysteries of nature and science. A gardener has to regularly choose between good and not-so-good, choosing between the healthy and unhealthy plants, and discarding the latter. Good gardeners are as penitents to the glory of God. Often found on hands and knees, with dirt on their hands and faces, they humbly tend to the welbeing of what's in their care. Our daily behaviour towards our neighbours, pets, livestock and plants should echo the great words of a great man, Gandhi. (and plants) Good gardeners are truthful to their plants and cultivate good plants, to help them endure. In this way, we save our own souls. As we cultivate the good in our garden, we cultivate the good in our souls. It's said that we live in the best of all possible worlds. Cela est bien dit, mais il faut cultiver notre jardin.I have already given my children strict instructions on what to do with my body after I pop my gardening clogs. Don't waste good money on a miserable funeral. Take that money down the pub and buy a good few round of drinks in my memory. Just bury me in my garden, so that as I complete one life cycle, I start providing sustenance for more life cycles. In that way, part of me becomes immortal.
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