I want to believe

It's Conspiracy Day at The Burning Taper. Worry and paranoia over everything is just a click away these days. Cult propaganda, government cover-ups, the secret agenda of tour guides — it's all waiting for you online.

Here are few articles that recently caught my eye.

The Wiccans are taking over the minds of youthful members of America's evangelical churches, thanks to Harry Potter, according to a shill for Tim and Beverly LaHaye. Tim, of course, has made a fortune selling his Left Behind series of Christian mythology about what happens on Earth after Jesus returns.

A columnist for Collegiate Times has debunked all conspiracy theories as "laughable myths." Obviously, he's an apologist for the Illuminati.

Philadelphia tour guides have been belled and collared with "registration," and are programmed to tell "hilarious lies" about the history of the City of Brotherly Love.

Here's a link to brief histories of a devil's dozen secret societies, sponsored by the International Institute of Social History. Now does that sound like an Illuminati front group, or what? You'll be an expert in disinformation once you've read these "Cliff Notes" of The Conspiracy.

And get ready to enjoy the new exploits of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. The as-yet-unnamed The X-Files movie sequel hits the big screen on July 25.

Masons | Masonic Conspiracies | Left Behind | Freemasonry | Wicca | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

The Invisibily Visible: New World Disorder

Here's just what the world needs: Yet another anti-Masonic video.

This one, called The Invisibly Visible, is narrated by Washington, D.C., homeboy Abdul Shareef who walks the capital's Masonic-laid-out streets (13 blocks between The White House and the Scottish Rite's House of the Temple!) and interviews a Catholic priest and a Black Muslim cleric about Lucifer and the anti-Christ, and a Jewish rabbi about mysticism, Cabala, Israel's Supreme Court building and the six-pointed star. There are lots of quotes from Albert Pike, Albert Mackey and Manly P. Hall that prove Freemasonry's an occult cult, oddly mixed with sound bites and short clips from a Church of Satan video.

Then there is the obligatory montage of famous politicians making the sign of the Texas Longhorns, this one set to hardcore rock music. And of course, we hear about Adam Weishaupt, the 13's on the Great Seal of the United States, and the eye-in-the-triangle icons on corporate logos.

The video also includes the now classic folding of a $20 bill to show the burning twin towers of the World Trade Center.

What makes this one different? It's long — it's 25 minutes of your life you'll never get back — and it has an interesting soundtrack, with hip-hop, rock, and, near the end of the movie, a song that sounds to me like Cat Stevens singing new words to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.

"I give it an 86, Dick. It's got a funky beat I can dance to."

You know — if I keep watching this kind of stuff I may just come to believe it. Trite as it is, it's infinitely more interesting than your average blue lodge stated communication.



Masons | Masonic Secrets | Conspiracy Theory | Freemasonry | Albert Pike | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Top ten secret sinister societies

Forbes.com weighs in this week with a pictorial essay on the top ten "Sinister Secret Societies."

After nods to Skull and Bones, the Trilateral Commission, Knights Templar, Opus Dei, and of course, the Freemasons, the article gets down to business.

Here is their top ten list:

1. The Know Nothings (formerly the Order of the Star Spangled Banner)
2. The Fenians
3. The Ku Klux Klan
4. The Katipunin
5. The Boxers
6. The Black Hand
7. The Galleanists
8. The Cherry Blossom Society
9. The Weathermen
10. Al-Qaida

Watch the slideshow for details on these sinister secret societies.

Image: The Black Hand

Masons | Secret Sinister Societies | Freemasonry | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Smithsonian Magazine gives us same ol' same ol' in article on Scottish Rite's House of the Temple

The Smithsonian Magazine has published a piece on the Scottish Rite's House of the Temple in Washington, D.C.

As you might guess, they played up the conspiracy angle, saying things like "the number 33 proliferates in Masonic ritual" without giving any examples. And of course, there is a quote from a Mason denying that Freemasonry is a secret society.

Or maybe they got it right this time, quoting a history professor and author of a book on Freemasonry as saying, "Today it's all pomp and circumstance."

The fact that the building is the headquarters of the Scottish Rite and not all of Freemasonry is downplayed. The distinction, as usual, is blurred.

It mentions several famous Freemasons, pokes at Pike's proclivities, uses the buzz-phrases "National Treasure" and "The Da Vinci Code," and ultimately hints that secret treasure may be found in the walls of the building.

Still, it's a better article than most in the mass media, describing a few of the things the public can see when touring the House of the Temple.

Masons | Masonic Buildings | Scottish Rite | Freemasonry | House of the Temple | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Masonic lecture open to the public; Bro. Jeff Peace to speak on the history of secret societies

Halcyon Charities presents:

Brother Jeff Peace, renowned Masonic historian, will be giving a lecture on Freemasonry and the history of secret societies.

Bro. Peace is a fourth generation Freemason from Atlanta, Georgia who has written many papers and essays dealing with the past, present and future of Freemasonry. Bro. Peace has relationships with many Freemasons throughout the world, and has accumulated a wealth of Masonic literature dealing with topics and information that many Freemasons have never been privy to.

The lecture will be open to the public and all Freemasons, whether recognized or not by any mainstream grand lodge system. Hopefully Bro. Peace's talk will dispel any myths about secret societies inspired by The Da Vinci Code book or movie, or by the History Channel, and will bring Freemasons of all systems together in understanding.

Some topics to be discussed include:

• Freemasonry is a peculiar (unique) system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols
• It is a Natural Philosophy (as opposed to occult)
• It is based on a Progressive Science (specifically mechanics and physics)
• It is dedicated to the purpose of creating a universal brotherhood of all mankind under the All-Seeing Eye of Deity
• Freemasonry is not a religion but a science

The lecture will be held on Saturday, April 21, in the West Side Masonic Temple at 2831 Franklin Blvd, Ohio City, Ohio, beginning at 5 p.m. A $5.00 donation at the door is appreciated.

West Side Masonic Temple, located near Lake Erie, is an old, historic Masonic building dedicated, as is the lecture, to Enlightenment. Future lectures on Freemasonry and other subjects are planned.

Image: Bro. Jeff Peace giving a lecture on Masonic history

Masons | Masonic Education | History of Freemasonry | Jeff Peace | Masonic Lectures | History of Freemasonry | Freemasonry | Halcyon Charities | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com