'Freemasonry's use of hip hop to deceive and destroy souls'

I'm perplexed as to what the point is of this video (see below).

It seems to be something produced by your typical conspiratorial "Freemasons Rule the World" crowd, and accuses the Masonic/Illuminati cabal for creating urban hip-hop music to keep the black community in poverty.

I found the video linked on a website that proclaims itself "Your hip hop music culture and lifestyle portal." They're proud to say "We eat breathe & sleep hop hop."

The article containing the video is titled "Freemasonry's Use of Hip Hop to Deceive and Destroy Souls."

Frankly, the video is a nine-minute mishmash of interviews and music that isn't worth viewing, in my opinion. Don't bother watching it all unless you've got time to burn. It includes weird statements such as Bill Gates' father created Planned Parenthood to lead to the elimination of the black race. How'd that work out?

But...

The material between roughly 5:45 minutes and 7:00 minutes is kind of intriguing, but not necessarily from a conspiratorial point of view.

Apparently at least one hip-hopper, KRS-ONE, has taken his cue from the same idea that led to the book and movie The Secret. Here is a line from his rap:

When someone says the rich get richer
Visualize wealth and put yourself in the picture.

If you're not familiar with The Secret, it is simply this idea: "Your thoughts create your reality." It's a simple philosophy, and it's true, as I've found in my own life. When I focus on the negative, more negative comes along. When I focus on positive, happy things, then positive, happy things and events appear in my life.

It's a secret I personally too often forget, but thankfully, usually I catch myself before I've created too much negativity and can turn things around by changing my perspective and beliefs and thoughts.

The conspiracy-minded video producer doesn't see anything positive about thinking positive. KRS-ONE's rap is followed on their video by these words:

Here KRS is pushing the "New Age Agenda," that says you are poor because of your thoughts (Translation: BLAME THE VICTIM!)

It is a way of thinking that leads to a lack of care and/or empathy for others who are suffering, because you are rationalizing it as, "Oh... it's their fault they are poor, or starving, or homeless, or raped, etc... due to their thoughts...."

One the one hand, the video-maker is saying that there is poverty in society because the Grand Cabal keeps it that way, and on the other hand is saying that to encourage those in poverty to think their way out of that poverty creates a "lack of care and/or empathy."

Confused? Me too.

Which is solid proof the Discordians must be the real Men Behind the Curtain.



Masons | Hip Hop | Illuminati | Freemasonry | Conspiracy Theory | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Toward a stronger, more vibrant Freemasonry

This is the ninth in our series of essays from guest bloggers on the topic "Masonic harmony, unity and discord." This one is by Bro. Nick Johnson, publisher of the Masonic blog "Millennial Freemason." My thanks go out to Bro. Nick and to all who are participating in this project.

Toward a Stronger, More Vibrant Freemasonry
by Bro. Nick Johnson

All nature is but art unknown to thee;
All chance, direction, which thou canst not see;
All discord, harmony not understood;
All partial evil, universal good;
And spite of pride, in erring reason's spite,
One truth is clear, whatever is, is right.

— Alexander Pope

Before I begin with my analysis of the theme, Masonic harmony, unity and discord, I would like to thank the Widow's Son for giving me this opportunity to take part in this wonderful and insightful series of essays.

Let us begin: What's the problem with discord? It is my simple belief that although conflict may promote the problems of Freemasonry, it can also carry the hope of our Fraternity's future. In fact, through the promotion of both discord and harmony, in equal measures, we, as a Fraternity, can grow stronger and more vibrant. While studying conflict and human societies (particularly Freemasonry), it is essential that we look to history and the modern research in Conflict Studies to fully understand this subject.

The word "Discord" originates from the Roman goddess Discordia who had a counterpart in Greece named Eris. In Greek, the name Eris means "strife." Strife was commonly regarded in Greece to have two different personas. The first was equally abhorred and praised, as she caused harm but also strengthened the constitution of men. The second was feared and involved the murderous killings of war and was the sister of Ares. The most famous incident involving Eris was when she threw the Apple of Discord amongst the three major goddesses in the Pantheon, Aphrodite, Athena or Hera, when she was uninvited to a banquet for Peleus and Thetis’ wedding. Inscribed on the Apple was the phrase, "καλλιστι" or transliterated, "Kallisti" meaning "for the Fairest." As Zeus did not want to get involved, he gave the choice to Paris. As we all know, this choice eventually led to the Trojan War. This little trinket, a single apple, led many men to suffer and die.

As is always the case in the pantheon of Greek Gods, Eris had an opposite named Harmonia; in Rome, she was Concordia. As her name implied, she was the goddess of Harmony and represented a love for civic order and unity. And as always seems the case in Greek mythology, she was to be cursed. As a wedding gift, she was given a necklace, a necklace which brought misfortune to all who wore it.

We, as Freemasons, seek to receive the Golden Apple only to find it is out of our reach or in the hands of someone else. We become jealous with our neighbor, and find faults to take away from him what we believe rightfully belongs to us. Yet, this will to strive for what is better or what we deserve is not, in and of itself, an evil characteristic. Also, at times when we are given gifts, we become complacent which attracts misfortune. In fact, conflict occurs everyday and it is how it is dealt with which determines if it is constructive or destructive. Conflict is actively explored in academic circles to understand its origins and quell its harmful effects.

While attending law school, I participated in the Dispute Resolution Institute's certificate program. One of the required classes was Theories of Conflict. Theories of Conflict explores these themes of harmony and discord, separate struggles and unifying causes. The underlying theme in the course was not if conflict was inherently bad; it was the exploration of controlling conflict, especially when conflict becomes escalated.

According to Pruitt and Kim, authors of the book, Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement, conflict is a "perceived divergence of interest." Conflict is not merely a battle between parties, with winner takes all as the goal, but what we perceive as a divergence that leads to a zero sum game. This divergence gives parties the impression that there is only one solution, "mine not yours."

Sometimes conflict is very constructive. The best, current example is the presidential election. Both candidates disagree on certain issues and we, as citizens, must decide who we believe will do the best job as president. We may yell at the TV during the debates and chastise the attack ads, but we all agree that a President must be chosen and our emotions must be in check once the election is over.

Conflict involves both physical and psychological aspects. So if, as a Freemason, we find a policy unacceptable, for example, PHA recognition, we perceive a divergence of interest with the brother on the other side. We become physiologically shaken and psychological shocked by what our brothers say, but we may still live in relative peace. It is when a conflict is escalated, that it can become more destructive and lead to acrimony among the parties, and can quickly get out of control.

Escalation is the concept whereby one party begins to use stronger tactics to put increased tension on the other party. During a conflict, parties regularly use tactics to “win” a conflict. However, as these tactics become more and more contentious, the parties will increase the type of tactic used to match or beat the other's tactic. This trading of barbs slowly turns into a spiral of escalation until the conflict reaches violence or another factor has begun to slow the climb and halt its progress.

Escalation is incredibly common in Freemasonry. Every person, from regular Mason, irregular Mason, and anti-Mason, uses power and stronger tactics to attempt to win a Masonic argument. We may attempt to ingratiate a person to come to "our" side. We may attempt to belittle the other side. However, it is often the case that these arguments begin up the spiral of escalation. I, myself, have been wrapped up in these fiery debates throwing words as darts instead using them as tools. As the Masonic conflict continues, we become less concerned with the disagreement and more concerned with "winning." It is at this time, that we become entrenched and it is only by deescalating the situation that we can keep Masonic harmony. But how do we deescalate this contentious situation?

We can deescalate it by remembering the precepts of our Fraternity: Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. When we get into an aggressive argument, we lose our fraternal bond, we become less concerned about relieving his suffering and we lose sight of what the truth is. So, what can we, as Masons, do about all this discord? Here is my advice: to those that believe that discord only brings destruction and suffering, remember that it is only through chiseling into a block and destroying its original character that we create something beautiful. And to those that believe that harmony must always be continued, at all costs, why is your gavel and chisel laying on the ground? The work is not over and you are behind schedule. We may have a disagreement with how we are working but we all agree that we are building a better society. Only by understanding both discord and harmony can we appreciate the unity that Freemasonry gives to all of its members.

"Our life is full of discord; but by forbearance and virtue this same discord can be turned to harmony." — James Ellis

— Bro. Nick Johnson

Masons | Masonic Harmony | Freemasonry | Millennial Freemason | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

The Grand Unified Conspiracy Theory

Finally, a Grand Unified Conspiracy Theory.

Well, it ignores the JFK assassination, "all your base are belong to us," and AIDS, but other than that, it's all here, rolled into one conspiratorial disinformation campaign that would make Eris ("All Hail Discordia!") wet her pants with pride.

According to this video, the 9-11 tragedy was a "mega-ritual" involving the Twin Towers as the Masonic pillars Boaz and Jachin, coordinated by Aleister Crowley's grandson, George W. Bush, to open a stargate between the Abrahamic mega-cults and the god Pan.

Throw in some off-the-wall references to Adam Weishaupt and the Bavarian Illuminati, Egyptian pyramids, The Simpsons, Grey aliens, the Grand Mosque of Mecca, corporate sculpture, Kaballah, Isis, Atlantis, Masonic tracing boards and the Blazing Star, the film Fight Club, the "cuboid" Ark of the Covenant, and to not only the shape of the wizard's head in the original film The Wizard of Oz but to the set of 1978's The Wiz (starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross), and you have yourself a bizarrely entertaining 10-minute video that leaves you with the distinct feeling that there are some amazingly creative and insane people out there with basic cinematic editing skills.

Thanks to McBlogger for pointing out this video.



Masons | Conspiracy | Twin Towers | Freemasonry | Pan | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Paranoids unleashed: The sinister Masonic New World Order secret base at the Denver airport

I love a good conspiracy theory. I just don't believe them much anymore.

Denver, Colorado's airport, built in 1994, has inspired the more paranoid among us to declare it "Denver's Masonic Underground Airport." I've found three shorts on YouTube.com that explore this theme.

This one is rather long, with lots of overdubbed wide-eyed paranoia bemoaning "Multi-culturalism!" and the [non]fact that the airport is shaped like a swastika [it isn't]. It does the best job of explaining what the images are in the various murals, but then overanalyzes the bejeebers out of it. The movie gets rather worked up over the whole New World Order thing, so much so that it eventually becomes funny.

This one is my favorite. No talking, just images, with a few stupid captions, but it does have some enjoyable, uncredited rock music as accompaniment.

This one also has few captions, and a more sinister, spooky, almost pompous soundtrack.

Check 'em out. The artwork at the airport is stunning, obviously full of meaning, and even a bit creepy. I like it.

These paranoid videographers may well be right. Maybe Masons really do rule the world!

PS: I'm surprised no one has pointed out the date on the Masonic captone adds up to all sorts of spooky numbers!

1. March 19 = 3 + 1 + 9 = 13, the Witch's number ("Oh, my stars!" Samantha Stevens, everyone's favorite witch, would say sarcastically)
2. 1994 = 1 + 9 + 9 + 4 = 23 (See Jim Carrey's current film The Number 23 for more on this mystical number)
3. 19th + 1994 = 1 + 9 + 1 + 9 + 9 + 4 = 33 (The number of the degree of those "high level" Masons who really run the world)
4. And of course, you can surgically remove all three of the nines from the date, turn them upside down, and scare yourself silly when you realize it's 666, the Number of the Beast.
5. The remaining digits (1 + 1 + 4) add up to an additional 6.

And thusly, the Law of Fives is fulfilled.

Hail Eris! All Hail Discordia!

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