Hi (again) RUNNER...

I will always respect everyone's religion; save for Islam, purely for the hate and violence they purport to support against infidels. Surely you'd agree with me RUNNER?

Hi there BELLY...

They do give and host many fraternal activities out of their Sydney HQ. Your claim, that in order to get hired in a particular job you needed to be a Mason, I find suspect BELLY. I suggest you may well be mixed up somewhat. I'll admit there's much in the way of folklore emanating in and around Freemasonry, which is all a bit sad really.

Hi again o sung Wu. I think all people deserve respect because they are made in the image of God. Much racism and hate was directed at the aboriginals because some evolutionist thought they were the missing link. Also many Hindus have died of hunger due to believing cows are sacred. Yes all people deserve respect but I am not sure all belief systems do. Earth worshippers rename babies foetus in order to kill them without guilt. Jesus speaking of former and later prophets said all that went before thieves and robbers and all after Him were the same. Yeah all people deserve respect simply because they were made in God's image. All belief systems are not equal. Certainly a huge number in this country have no respect for Christ Jesus the Lord.

runner: I believe they are: 1. Man is sinful and needs a Saviour 2. Jesus Christ is that Saviour 3. Jesus Christ is the only way to God 4. Jesus Christ is divine and always existed with His Father 5. Jesus was crucified, resurrected and lives forever more 6. Jesus Christ will return next time as judge 7. All things were created through Jesus Christ. Big bang is nonsense. 8. All Scripture is inspired by God 9.In one sense Christianity is a relationship. With God rather than a religion.

As the Rockman said to little Oblio, "You sees what you wanta sees & you hears what you wanta hears." Then, with that, he went back to sleep.

OSW: Your claim, that in order to get hired in a particular job you needed to be a Mason.

It was well known in Ayr that you had to be a Mason to get a Job at, well, Kalamia Mill, anyway.

Grandads Apron was a silver colour with real silver accoutrement's & tassels. I remember a little silver dagger, two birds, Set Square, ruler, a plumb bob thingie & a little silver purse that could open. The Sash was covered in silver baubles & silver twisty things like the gold ones on a Mess Dress. It was covered in badges,with a silver ribbon down the centre of it. A big Freemason symbol thing hung off the bottom of it.

Dear runner,

All people deserve respect because all people are human beings. No belief system that rests on unprovable assumptions including yours deserves respect.

Diarmaid MacCulloch, a Christian theologian wrote "A History of Christianity".

Two quotations from his book:

For most of its existence, Christianity has been the most intolerant of world faiths, doing its best to eliminate all competitors, with Judaism a qualified exception, for which (thanks to some thoughts from Augustine of Hippo) it found space to serve its own theological and social purposes. P. 4

I still appreciate the seriousness which a religious mentality brings to the mystery and misery of human existence, and I appreciate the solemnity of religious liturgy as a way of confronting these problems. I live with the puzzle of wondering how something so apparently crazy can be so captivating to millions of other members of my species. P. 11

No JAYB...You're mistaken. You 'don't' need to be a Mason to obtain employment in a Freemason predominant environment. As I corrected when I posted to a our colleague BELLY. Believe it or not Freemasons don't have as much power as people think.

An illustration of the alleged power of Masons. In the mid 1930's in England, a man had just been convicted of a murder. And at that time capital punishment was still in vogue. Just at the point of sentencing this bloke, the Judge asked him if he had anything to say before he passed sentence? The offender was a Mason, and he communicated that fact to the judge, using secret words and symbolic (secret) gestures.

The Judge himself was a Mason. He was handed the black kerchief by his associate that all judges wear over their wigs, just prior to rendering a sentence of death. He looked sadly at the condemned man and said '...I understand what you were trying to communicate to me. But you know as well as I do, we all must follow the Law of the Land in which we live...'.

Placing the black kerchief over his wig, the Judge continued '...it saddens me greatly that I have to condemn, one of our brethren to be hanged until dead, but I first have a duty to the laws of this land and the community who entrusts me with those laws - may God have mercy on your soul, take the prisoner down...'. The individual was hanged in Pentonville Prison some 16 months or so, later.

Freemasons possess no more, nor any less power, than anyone else living in the community. They're required to observe the same laws, conventions, or civil mandates as everyone in society, as they should - I hope this helps dispel much of the nonsense and folklore that has surrounded Masonry for years.

Yes David f and human beings are not animals otherwise your assumption fails miserably. You are given a free will to disrespect your Creator but to do so certainly is foolish. The puny fist of the clay denying the Potter. Just don't be dishonest enough to call it rational.