The Burning Taper

Don't miss the Rapture

2008-06-22T14:57:00.003-04:00

I recently watched a 1991 movie called The Rapture, which is currently in rotation on the Independent Film Channel (IFC). It stars Mimi Rogers and then-bit actor David Duchovny, both of whom later starred in The X-Files.

Rogers' character is a bored telephone information operator who at night is an equally bored sexual swinger. When bicycle-riding, suit-wearing young men knock on her door one day, she is led into a "born again" life as a zombified Christian who worries about the eternal salvation of her friends, the 411-callers she talks to every day, and her "friend with benefits" Duchovny, only to lose her faith just before the Rapture occurs. On one level, the film is deep and dark; on another level, it's strikingly ridiculous. It's worth a look, even if it's just to laugh at Duchovny with a mullet haircut.

Rapture | Christianity | Mimi Rogers | David Duchovny | Movies | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

A good guide to shadowy organizations that rule the world

2008-06-22T14:12:00.007-04:00

Next time those pesky conspiracy theorists start ranting in your face about Freemasons, Bilderbergers, Trilataterists and Skull and Bonesmen, send 'em packing with some words of wisdom from the Good Guide to the Shadowy Organizations that Rule the World.

In the guide, for example, you'll learn (not that you didn't already know) that while Freemasons are perceived by the masses as the wizards behind the curtain, our real power is next to zero. In fact, it's right next to zero — a one. On the Guide's scale of power, Freemasonry has a Mythical Power of Nine, but an Actual Power level of One.

Check out the hype and the hooey about not only the Masons, but all those other spooky secret cabals.

Masons | Trilateral Commission | Bilderbergers | Freemasonry | Bohemian Grove | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

'Masonic Central' podcast to feature Bro. Tim Bryce

2008-06-13T13:15:00.007-04:00

Brothers Greg Stewart of the blog Masonic Traveler and Dean Kennedy of the blog Freemason's Corner have been busy behind the scenes putting together a new Masonic podcast program and accompanying website called Masonic Central.

I was privileged to sit in and listen to their inaugural first official podcast presentation a couple of weeks ago. In that podcast, Bros. Greg and Dean interviewed Bro. Fred Milliken, also known as Squire Bentley.

This Sunday's podcast (Father's Day, June 15) will feature an interview with Bro. Tim Bryce, a well-known online Masonic writer and fellow pot-stirrer. Bro. Bryce's column From the Edge appears regularly on Bro. Stewart's FreemasonInformation site.

For more information on how tune into the 9 p.m. (ET) podcast every other Sunday, or to listen to the recording afterwards, check out the official Masonic Central website.

Masons | Masonic Podcast | Online Freemasonry | Freemasonry | Tim Bryce | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

'That's hot!': NASA probe to explore the Sun

2008-06-11T15:06:00.007-04:00

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to launch the mundanely-named "Solar Probe+" (pronounced "Solar Probe Plus") in 2015 on a seven-year mission to explore the Sun.

The solar-powered probe will come within 7 million km (4.35 million miles) of the Sun, and is being designed to withstand temperatures exceeding 1400 degrees Celsius (2550 degrees Fahrenheit). That's hot.

Scientists hope to answer two solar mysteries: Why the temperature in the Sun's outer atmosphere, the corona, is millions of times hotter than the surface of the Sun, and why the velocity of the Sun's "wind" increases the further it gets out into the solar system.

According to NASA, "Solar Probe+'s repeated plunges into the corona will be accomplished by means of Venus flybys. The spacecraft will swing by Venus seven times in six years to bend the probe's trajectory deeper and deeper into the sun's atmosphere."

Isn't that the technique both Captain Kirk and Superman used to travel back in time?

Space Exploration | Solar Probe Plus | Time Travel | Solar Wind | NASA | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

We all shine on: Bro. Mike Moore

2008-06-10T14:28:00.007-04:00

This is our 20th installment of "This Is Who I Am," our never-ending series of essays by and about readers of "The Burning Taper."

"Who am I?"

I am Mike Moore. Besides being a Mason, I am a staff writer for the history magazine On The Trail, have for the last eleven years written four non fiction books on the early American West, have been on the History Channel, am a father, husband and an elder in the Presbyterian Church. I am presently a Junior Deacon in Englewood Lodge 166 (in Colorado) and a 32nd degree Scottish Rite 2008 Fellow.

It was my interest in history that started my search for answers on what goes on at a Masonic lodge and who are the people in it. I kept seeing prominent historical figures who were Masons, and always having to crop pictures I took for my articles and books to keep out Masonic markers or symbols. Plus having to pass over mentions of the group when writing about these men.

Then I found out my father in law and many of his family were are Masons and I asked him a few questions. Travis Irby answered each question as best he could (remember I wasn't a Mason at the time), gave me his feelings on the Masonic world in general (great group, only wished he had joined earlier in life) and encouraged to always ask questions and seek knowledge of the group.

That was my start in this organization. I must say, it was at the time and still is a pleasant shock to see how great a group of men I have been associated with by joining. Good men, who for the most part have only one thing on their mind — to help you be better in all aspects of your life. The levels of insight and thought that are found in the ritual, writings and conversations I have with various brothers keep me humble, always seeking for more and looking for opportunities to promote our group to others.

Our lodge is bucking the trend of the day and slowly growing, bringing in new members from all ages, races and backgrounds. The officers in charge have embraced the challenges the younger members have put to them.

We now have power points as part of the educational times, used the computer to reduced time taken for reading of minutes and budgets, developed a decent web site that draws visitors from different states and around the metro Denver area to us and have tried to inspire the members to be involved and have pride in what we do. We showed a positive increase in members, found a new vision of what Masonry can and are have fun doing it.

The other members of the church I attend, don't seem to find it odd that I wear different Masonic pins, serve lunches in a Masonic cooking apron or when helping with various aspects of worship (including communion) that I am unreservedly a Mason. I did not know until I started asking around that my pastor, various older gentlemen and many of the women's husbands, uncles and dads were Masons too.

I have not hidden from my girls that I am Mason and have openly discussed what where I go and what I do on nights I am at lodge. They smile and nod, their husbands seem to place that in the section of the mind that that say, if I ever need to find out more, I know who to talk to. But that is fine. This year I was able to attend lodge meetings from El Paso to Seattle, see the differences and similarities and note the same Masonic spirit I see in the men around me in some of them.

So who am I? A <50 year old man, who recycles, thinks and votes independently, listens to NPR, does lectures on history, am active in my church, flies flags on holidays (writing this on Memorial Day weekend, I have six flags out representing vets from five different wars — so many only think the present and recent conflicts on these days), actually reads the books I have on my shelves and a Mason.

As a historian, I see most of the better historic figures to be multi layered and complex in their thoughts and actions. They are not simple in who they are and why they did things. And today, it is easy to see their counterparts in our present day world. They stand out. In a one dimensional world, so easily labeled, and pigeon holed; complex individuals brake the mold. Something we need to remember today. Don't be afraid to stand out.

— Bro. Mike Moore

To submit your own "This is Who I Am" essay, read this. You do not have to be a Mason to participate.

Masons | This Is Who I Am | We All Shine On | Freemasonry | Mike Moore | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Dirty laundry: Freemasonry's 'Orwellian, repressive, regressive and unconstitutional practices'

2008-06-09T08:44:00.011-04:00

At this moment, Frank Haas' lawsuit against Charlie Montgomery, Charles Coleman and the Grand Lodge of West Virginia is the top story on the Charleston (WV) Gazette website and probably its front page story in newsprint. The story is also prominent in the Charleston Daily Mail.

The news of this sorry state of affairs is no longer confined to the relatively small number of West Virginia Masons, or to the Net-savvy denizens of Masonic blogs and forums.

Freemasonry's dirty laundry is officially hung out on the Clothesline of the World, right up there with McClellan's book, Clinton's failed presidential bid, and Lindsay Lohan's missing underwear.

Whether the World cares is anyone's guess.

I'm sure the anti-Masonic paranoid conspiracy crowd will find in the lawsuit more reasons to assume Masonry is ruled by Satan or the Illuminati, and perhaps a few more people will keep their kids from picking up tossed candy at the their local Fourth of July parades if the Shriners are there driving their little cars.

But will it make any difference within Freemasonry? Will men of good character finally speak up for M. W. Bro. Frank Haas, or will they support the West Virginia grand lodge and M.W. Bros. Charlie Montgomery and Charles Coleman? Will other U.S. grand lodges speak up against WV's tyranny, or will they instruct the rest of us to cease and desist our public commentary? Will it be a wake-up call to southern grand lodges who still actively promote racial segregation? Will other grand masters think twice before issuing "edicts" that attempt to unfairly suppress free speech?

To paraphrase Bob the Indian in the mystical masonic movie The Big Empty, "Will it make a difference?"

Image: By the most excellent Virginia photographer Sarah Huntington

Masons | Masonic Trial | Masonic Lawsuit | Freemasonry | Grand Lodge of West Virginia | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Sandy Frost wins 'Excellence in Journalism' award for Shriners investigation

2008-06-09T06:52:00.004-04:00

For the second year in a row, investigative reporter Sandy Frost and Newsvine.com have been honored by the Society of Professional Journalists, this year being awarded second place in the Online Media, Special Report/Enterprise (Original) category for "Shriners Investigation."

Congratulations, Sandy!

Masons | Masonic Investigation | Sandy Frost | Freemasonry | Shriners | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

SC approves Christian license tag

2008-06-07T15:02:00.007-04:00

In April, The Burning Taper reported on an attempt in Florida to introduce state license plates with a Christian cross and the words "I Believe."

The measure failed in the legislature.

But like "Whack-A-Mole," the idea popped up somewhere else. Flying below the radar until Thursday, the idea became law in South Carolina as Republican Gov. Mark Sanford let it take effect without his signature. The S.C. tag uses the exact same design as the proposed Florida tag did, with a Christian cross superimposed onto a stained glass window, proving (not that it was any secret) there is a particular organization behind the movement, namely, a fundamentalist Christian group known as "Faith in Teaching" based in Miami, Fla.

Prior to the Christian-themed license tag's approval, South Carolina politicians apparently learned a lesson from the tag's failure in Florida, and hatched an idea to create a tag for "atheists" so they could say, "See? We let everyone have a voice."

The "tag for atheists" consists of a white tag sporting an American flag, with the motto "In Reason We Trust." While it might make a great tag for Freemasons and fans of The Enlightenment, I'd hardly say that the state should be speaking for atheists as if they all "believed" or "trusted" in Reason. Being an atheist means not believing in a god, not that you believe in something other than a god. Even the name of photo of the S.C. "atheist" tag — "humanist.jpg" — shows its very existence is just sleight of hand and has nothing to do with atheism, as "[humanism] is generally compatible with atheism and agnosticism but doesn't require either of these," according to Wikipedia.

Just as Freemasonry has devolved into a "my version is better than your version" argument, so has our entire nation. Once a melting pot with the motto "E Pluribus Unum," which means "Out of Many, One," the United States of America has become divided and subdivided into cliques, sects, denominations, political parties, teams (and fans of teams) and gangs, all loudly, shrilly shouting "My way is the right way, and yours isn't!"

Out of One, we have again become Many.

Masons | E Pluribus Unum | Florida Politics | Freemasonry | South Carolina Politics | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Brothers

2008-06-06T09:57:00.011-04:00

Men sworn to treat each other as brothers are now embroiled in lawsuits over Freemasonry. Brothers from one state are telling a brother in a foreign country who he can and cannot consider a brother. Organizations dedicated to brotherly love deny their members the right to share brotherly love with brothers of a different race. Brothers in lodges are angry at each other over trite and meaningless quarrels that happened years ago. In my own lodge there are brothers who won't speak to each other, and there are those who only begrudgingly accept my hand when I offer them the Masonic grip of brotherhood. Brothers online regularly toss virtual grenades at each other.

Clearly, the organization dedicated to brotherly love has some difficulties in making brotherly love anything more than just idle words.

In stark counterpoint comes this story from CNN.

David Kaczynski, the brother of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, has formed a powerful friendship with Gary Wright, one of his brother's victims. Wright was severely wounded in 1987 when he picked up a board in his company's parking lot. The board was rigged to a bomb set by the Unabomber, who was on a crusade against technology. Wright owned a computer company in Utah.

In 1996, a year after David turned in his murderous older brother Ted, he called Gary to apologize for his brother's actions. David, who at the time felt guilty for his brother's insane actions, was overwhelmed by Gary's warmth and compassion towards him.

The two soon met. Wright traveled to the Kaczynksi home in New York and met David and his (and Ted's) mother.

David and Gary have become fast friends. They use the word "brother" to describe each other.

Surely there's a lesson to be learned here. I leave it to you to find it.

— W.S.

Image: Gary Wright (left) and David Kaczynski

Brotherhood | Brotherly Love | Kaczynski | Freemasonry | Unabomber | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Haas sues Montgomery, Coleman, and Grand Lodge of West Virginia for fraud, defamation, invasion of privacy, outrageous conduct, conspiracy & much more

2008-06-05T22:09:00.022-04:00

Unless you've been living in a cave, you've probably heard about the Grand Master of West Virginia, Charlie Montgomery, expelling without benefit of trial Past Grand Master Frank Haas in late 2007.

M.W. Haas is now suing M.W. Montgomery, along with M.W. Charles Coleman, PGM, and the Grand Lodge of West Virginia, a corporation, as well as unnamed John Does.

When you serve me
And I serve you
Swing your partners, all get screwed
Bring your lawyer
And I'll bring mine
Get together, and we could have
a bad time.

We're gonna play
the sue me,
sue you blues.

— "The Sue Me Sue You Blues," by George Harrison

The text of Haas' lawsuit follows.

In the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia

Case 08-C-1035
Judge James Stucky

PLAINTIFFS: FRANK JOSEPH HAAS

DEFENDANTS: CHARLIE L. MONTGOMERY, Individually, and as the Grand Master of Masons of the State of West Virginia, and as member and agent of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of the State of West Virginia, Inc.; CHARLES F. COLEMAN, Individually, and as member and agent of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of the State of West Virginia, Inc.; MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC., a West Virginia corporation; and unknown JOHN DOES, individually, and as members and agents of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of the State of West Virginia, Inc.; the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons ofthe State of West Virginia, Inc. (hereinafter "Defendant Grand Lodge"); and unknown John Does, individually, and as members and agents of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of the State of West Virginia, Inc. (hereinafter "John Doe Defendants"), and alleges as follows:

The Parties

1. Plaintiff, Frank Joseph Haas, is a citizen and resident of Wellsburg, West Virginia, and was, until November 21,2007, a distinguished, highly regarded and respected Mason throughout the State of West Virginia and North America and had been a member of Wellsburg Lodge #2 since 1986. During 2006 Plaintiff Haas was Grand Master of Defendant Grand Lodge, a fraternal organization.

2. Defendant Montgomery is a citizen and resident of Williamstown, Wood County, West Virginia, and was, at all times material hereto, the Grand Master of Defendant Grand Lodge, and is a member and agent of Defendant Grand Lodge.

3. Defendant Coleman is a citizen and resident of Hurricane, Putnam County, West Virginia, and was, at all times material hereto, a member of Dunbar Lodge #159 and was a member and agent of Defendant Grand Lodge. From October 2006 to October 2007, Defendant Coleman was the Grand Master of Defendant Grand Lodge, a fraternal organization.

4. Defendant Grand Lodge, a West Virginia corporation, whose principal office is located at 107 Hale Street, Charleston, West Virginia 25301, at all times material hereto, controlled and had jurisdiction over all of the Masonic lodges throughout West Virginia and had the power to make and amend the general laws and regulations, including the Code of Trials, to be used by lodges under the jurisdiction of the Defendant Grand Lodge.

5. The John Doe Defendants are, or were, agents, officers and representatives of Defendant Grand Lodge who were, at all times material hereto, acting in their individual and official capacities but whose identity, at this time, remains unknown.

JURISDICTION AND VENUE

6. Jurisdiction and venue are proper in this Court because Defendant Grand Lodge's principal place of business is located in Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia, and all of the individual defendants are members and agents of Defendant Grand Lodge.

FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS

7. Plaintiff Haas resides in Wellsburg, West Virginia, where he graduated from high school in 1975. In 1979 he graduated magna cum laude from Bethany College with a double major in Economics and Business and History and Political Science. In 1982 Plaintiff Haas received his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the College of Law at West Virginia University.

8. In 1986 Plaintiff Haas became a member of Wellsburg Lodge #2, a Masonic fraternal organization, located in Wellsburg, West Virginia.

9. In or about 2004, Plaintiff Haas endowed a perpetual membership in Wellsburg Lodge #2, which funds are currently held by Defendant Grand Lodge.

10. As a Mason, Plaintiff Haas had the right to retire to the Masonic Home maintained by Defendant Grand Lodge.

11. Since 1986 Plaintiff Haas immersed himself in Masonic undertakings and was actively involved in the day-to-day workings of Wellsburg Lodge #2 as well as 19 other related Masonic organizations. In or about 1991 he became a member of Defendant Grand Lodge.

12. Since becoming a member of Defendant Grand Lodge, Plaintiff Haas served with distinction, was an outstanding ritualist, a representative to the Grand Lodge of Delaware, and on October 11, 2005, was elected and installed as Grand Master of Defendant Grand Lodge, the highest office a Mason can achieve.

13. Throughout his Masonic career, Plaintiff Haas devoted substantial amounts of his time, effort and financial resources to Masonic matters throughout West Virginia and other jurisdictions. His father is a member of Wellsburg Lodge #2 and his paternal great-grandfather was a member of the Masonic lodge in Ayrshire, Scotland. Plaintiff Haas is justifiably proud of his Masonic memberships, heritage and accomplishments.

14. As a result of and in recognition of Plaintiff Haas' membership and dedicated and outstanding service in the concordant Scottish Rite Body, Plaintiff Haas was coronated a 33rd degree Mason in October 2005, which honor is given only to a limited number of Masons with outstanding service and accomplishments.

15. During his Masonic career and as Grand Master, Plaintiff Haas supported various progressive reforms in Masonry reflecting the will of the majority of the members of Defendant Grand Lodge which reforms were consistent with and promoted rules and regulations designed to respect and protect the constitutional and other rights of all Masons and prospective Masons. The proposed changes and reforms were not only morally right but were consistent with and designed to bring Masonic laws and attitudes into conformity with the substantial public policy of the State of West Virginia and the United States of America.

16. Plaintiff Haas' goal was to make Masonry more tolerant, friendly, decent and accepting of everyone regardless of nationality, race, religion or disability.

17. Plaintiff Haas shared his beliefs and proposals with the members of Defendant Grand Lodge during his service as Grand Master and prior to the October 2006 meeting of Defendant Grand Lodge when these proposals were presented to and voted on by the membership.

18. During the 2006 Annual Meeting, the members of Defendant Grand Lodge voted approval of various reforms proposed by Plaintiff Haas that were in his opinion designed to make Masonry more tolerant, friendly, decent and accepting of all Masons and prospective Masons. These reforms and proposals were intended to rid Masonry in West Virginia of the Orwellian, repressive, regressive and unconstitutional practices that were and are clearly unconstitutional and against the substantial public policy of this State.

19. The proposed reforms and changes were designed to: a. Encourage all Masons to do what is morally and legally right and wipe away lingering racism that is tolerated and enforced by telling the Masters of all local lodges that they must maintain the peace and harmony of their lodges; b. Eliminate discriminatory practices against the handicapped; c. Eliminate discriminatory practices against youth organizations and young adults participating in related Masonic organizations and those young adults desiring to become a Mason; d. Allow debate and free speech regarding Masonic issues and possible reforms without fear of reprisal; and e. Support other substantial public policy issues that are morally right and would promote genuine equality throughout Masonry.

20. Plaintiff Haas' progressive proposals to eliminate various Masonic practices that are discriminatory and against the substantial public policy of this State were voted on and approved by Defendant Grand Lodge during the 2006 Annual Meeting. Unfortunately, Plaintiff Haas ' laudatory efforts were met with resistance by a few Masons determined to undermine any proposed reforms regardless of how outdated, discriminatory or offensive the policies were to individual constitutional rights and the substantial public policy of this State.

21. During the 2006 Annual Meeting, Defendants Montgomery and Coleman and the John Doe Defendants individually and collectively tried to undermine and defeat the efforts of Plaintiff Haas and to render the actions of a majority ofthe members of the Defendant Grand Lodge null and void.

22. At the conclusion of the October 2006 Annual Meeting, Defendant Coleman succeeded Plaintiff Haas as Grand Master of Defendant Grand Lodge. Rather than accepting the majority vote ofthe membership of Defendant Grand Lodge and doing what was ethically, morally and legally right, Defendant Coleman almost immediately unilaterally entered various Edicts rendering the progressive proposals voted on and adopted by a majority of Defendant Grand Lodge null and void. As a result, Defendant Coleman reinstated the unconstitutional and discriminatory practices that are without question against the substantial public policy of this State.

23. Defendant Coleman went to great length to try and justify why the vote of the Defendant Grand Lodge should and would be set aside citing various procedural errors all of which were a subterfuge. No one has been sanctioned for those alleged procedural errors that Coleman claimed were dishonest and in violation of the Masonic laws. The fact that the alleged procedural errors were a pretext is further evidenced by the fact that Defendants have never allowed the members of Defendant Grand Lodge to vote on any of the proposals since they were set aside by Edict.

24. During the remainder of2006 and continuing through the 2007 Annual Meeting, at which time Defendant Montgomery became Grand Master of Defendant Grand Lodge, Plaintiff Haas continued to speak out about the ethical, moral and legal obligation of Masons to promote changes that would eliminate those discriminatory practices set forth herein that are unconstitutional and against the substantial public policy of West Virginia, most of which a majority of Defend ant Grand Lodge had previously voted to change.

25. Plaintiff Haas' continued efforts angered Defendants Montgomery and Coleman and the John Doe Defendants, and they collectively conspired and colluded to punish Plaintiff Haas and others for exercising their constitutional right to debate these issues and their right of free speech.

26. Defendants' efforts to punish Plaintiff Haas and others who disagreed with their Orwellian attitudes culminated on November 19, 2007, when Defendant Montgomery, through misrepresentation, deceit and bad faith induced Plaintiff Haas to attend a meeting at Wellsburg Lodge #2 by telling him the meeting was for the purpose of discussing the visit of the Grand Master of Ohio at a previous meeting. Defendant Coleman and John Doe members of Defendant Grand

27. Having lured Plaintiff Haas to the meeting under false pretenses, Defendant Montgomery directed the Master of Wellsburg Lodge #2 to step aside, took

charge of the meeting and summarily, arbitrarily and unlawfully expelled Plaintiff Haas and another individual from Masonry after lecturing, berating and belittling them in front of family and numerous members of Plaintiff Haas' home lodge. Defendant Montgomery's rantings and outlandish attack on Plaintiff Haas were based on trumped up allegations that were false and untrue and were fully protected by Plaintiff Haas' constitutional rights.

28. As part ofthe Edict expelling Plaintiff Haas from Masonry, Defendant Montgomery directed the Edict be read in all lodges throughout West Virginia and directed all Masons to refrain from communicating with Plaintiff Haas about Masonic matters.

29. In summarily expelling Plaintiff Haas from Masonry, Defendant Montgomery denied Plaintiff Haas a fair hearing by failing to comply with The Masonic Code of Trials and the fundamental fairness afforded all individuals who are members of fraternal organizations.

30. Plaintiff Haas was given absolutely no notice of Defendants' true intentions at the November 19,2007, meeting, was not provided with a statement of charges nor given any of the other procedural safeguards set forth in the Code of Trials thereby effectively denying Plaintiff Haas his right to resist expulsion. Further, Plaintiff Haas was offered no opportunity to appeal from Defendants' illegal and wrongful conduct.

31. Defendants deliberately and intentionally refused to follow the internal procedures of Defend ant Grand Lodge designed to provide all Masons the fundamental fairness they are entitled to when confronted with allegations that could lead to discipline or expulsion.

32. The record of the November 19, 2007, meeting wherein Plaintiff Haas was summarily, oppressively and without notice given the Masonic death sentence will clearly show that Plaintiff Haas was ambushed by Defendants.

33. Defendants' plan, conceived and put together in secrecy, to deliberately and intentionally berate and degrade Plaintiff Haas in front of his father and other members of his lodge and then summarily expel him from Masonry, was demeaning, repulsive and outrageous — an act of bad faith by these officers.

Defendants' true character and unsavory intentions and conduct regarding Plaintiff Haas were obvious due to the fact Defendants had the edict expelling Plaintiff Haas prepared in advance and invited various members of Defendant Grand Lodge to witness this unlawful, illegal and outrageous conduct.

34. Defendants' deceitful conduct in secretly scheming, planning, preparing for and carrying out Plaintiff Haas' wrongful expulsion from Masonry was nothing more than an underhanded and blindsided attack on Plaintiff Haas' reputation and good character which denied Plaintiff Haas the fundamental fairness to which he was entitled.

35. Defendants' underhanded and deceitful conduct and their true reason for getting Plaintiff Haas to attend the November 19,2007, meeting became painfully obvious to Plaintiff Haas and the members of his lodge when Defendant Montgomery pulled out a previously prepared Edict which was read aloud, expelling Plaintiff Haas.

36. Even though there are no Masonic laws, rules and regulations, or procedural guidelines regarding an appeal from being summarily expelled from Masonry by a Grand Master, Plaintiff Haas complied with the Code of Trials as ifhe had been given a fair hearing and timely filed a written appeal to Defendant Grand Lodge. Plaintiff Haas' appeal has been totally ignored by Defendants making his request for relief on appeal futile and leaving Plaintiff Haas no recourse for this denial of justice other than filing this civil action to vindicate his reputation and good name and to protect his constitutional and other rights.

37. There can be no dispute that Plaintiff Haas was denied a fair and regular hearing in accordance with designated procedures and that Defendants' conduct is tainted by fraud, bad faith and arbitrary conduct.

38. Fundamental fairness dictates that even a member of a voluntary fraternal organization charged with such an apparently serious offense as to warrant his expulsion from Masonry should be given notice ofthe charges and a reasonable opportunity to defend himself before a tribunal appointed to try him.

39. As a result of Plaintiff Haas' unlawful expulsion from Masonry, he has been, and continues to be, denied his property, contract and other rights and privileges to which he was entitled due to his Masonic membership as well as his valuable personal relationship with his Masonic Lodge, the Grand Lodge and all other Masons and Masonic lodges throughout West Virginia and in other jurisdictions.

40· The loss of status resulting from the destruction of Plaintiff Haas' relationship with the Masons in West Virginia and other Masonic organizations includes, but is not limited to: a. the loss of esteem that Plaintiff Haas enjoyed and was entitled to due to his having served as Grand Master of all Masons throughout West Virginia; b. the loss of esteem Plaintiff Haas enjoyed with other Masonic organizations throughout West Virginia and North America due to his accomplishments as a Mason; c. the embarrassment and humiliation Plaintiff Haas has been subjected to in his position as an Administrative Law Judge in West Virginia; d. the embarrassment and humiliation before his family and friends which was inflicted upon Plaintiff Haas by Defendants' actions; e. the degrading job of having to explain to family, friends and other Masons as to why he is no longer a Mason; f. the loss of credibility and integrity Plaintiff Haas feels as a judicial officer due to Defendants' unwarranted and unjustified attack on his credibility, integrity and honesty; g. Loss of his prepaid dues for lifetime membership; h. Loss of his right as a Mason to retire to the West Virginia Masonic Home.

41. Defendants' intentional willful, arbitrary and outrageous conduct was and is illegal and unlawful in that it is designed to suppress and prohibit the free discussion of important public issues such as racial equality, age discrimination, discrimination against the handicapped, and open and free speech in a widespread and socially significant fraternal organization.

42. Defendant Grand Lodge is incorporated under the laws of the State of West Virginia and is exempt from certain state regulatory statutes in the operation of the West Virginia Masonic Home and enjoys other tax benefits as a nonprofit fraternal organization. Accordingly, since Defendant Grand Lodge takes advantage of these privileges, it should be required to fulfill its duties and obligations and comply with the substantial public policy of this State.

43. The Defendants' conduct is ultra vires, fraudulent and contrary to the duty of good faith and warrants judicial intervention out of necessity.

Count I: Violation of Internal Rules Adopted to Govern Members

44. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraphs 1 through 43 of the Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

45. In summarily expelling Plaintiff Haas from Masonry and denying him of his benefits as a Mason, Defendants had a duty to comply with its internal procedures and Defendant's Code of Trials and to provide adequate notice, a statement of charges and a fair hearing.

46. Plaintiff Haas has no adequate remedy for review or appeal of his summary expulsion and his written application for an appeal has been totally ignored.

47. Defendants' conduct was tainted by fraud, bad faith, and arbitrary conduct.

48. Defendants' actions detrimentally affected, and continue to detrimentally affect, Plaintiff Haas' personal and professional reputation, not only as a Mason but his standing as an attorney and administrative law judge in the community in which he resides and works, and impugns him as being untruthful and of his having done something improper or failing to stay within or conform to reasonable rules and regulations.

49. Defendants' unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious and/or discriminatory adverse actions required Plaintiff Haas to initiate this legal proceeding in order to protect his right to continue his Masonic relationships and to protect his other rights.

50. Due to Defendants' conduct, Plaintiff Haas must spend time and energy prosecuting his claim and vindicating his good name for which Plaintiff Haas had proximately suffered, and will continue to suffer, pecuniary and emotional damages, and is entitled to recover for those damages.

Count II: Defamation

51. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraphs 1 through 50 of the Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

52. Defendants' communications with all Masons throughout West Virginia and others both in and outside of Masonry were intended to and did injure Plaintiff Haas in his personal, professional and community standing.

53. In communicating with others regarding Plaintiff Haas, Defendants and their agents owed a duty to Plaintiff Haas to communicate responsibly so as not to defame Plaintiff Haas.

54. Defendants have negligently breached their duty to Plaintiff Haas and defamed him by communicating information and falsely inferring, implicating, implying, or insinuating that Plaintiff Haas had lied and was not a truthful person, had failed to comply with his Masonic obligations and therefore should be summarily expelled from Masonry. Furthermore, the Edict expelling Plaintiff Haas made it appear that he was unable to function within the law and/or was unable to conform to reasonable rules and regulations as a Mason.

55. Defendants' defamation of Plaintiff Haas was done deliberately and with knowledge of the falsity of the allegations and inferences or was done in reckless disregard of the truth or falsehood of the allegations.

56. By allowing Defendants Montgomery, Coleman and the John Doe defendants to act unreasonably, capriciously, arbitrarily and summarily, without just cause, Defendant Grand Lodge has breached its duty to Plaintiff Haas.

57. Plaintiff Haas has suffered, and will continue to suffer, both personally and professionally, damages as a proximate result of Defendants' conduct, and he is entitled to recover for those damages.

58. Furthermore, the seriousness of the injury to Plaintiff Haas outweighs Defendant Grand Lodge's interest in autonomy and freedom from judicial oversight.

Count III: Invasion of Privacy - False Light

59. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraph 1 through 58 of the Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

60. Plaintiff Haas, as a West Virginia citizen, has a recognized and protected right of privacy, including the right to his good name.

61. Defendants owed a duty to Plaintiff Haas not to invade his privacy in their widespread communications about him as aforesaid to all Masons in West Virginia and others.

62. Defendants breached their duty to Plaintiff Haas and unlawfully invaded his privacy by unreasonably placing him in a false light before the public by communicating that Plaintiff Haas was not a truthful person, that he failed to comply with his Masonic obligations, that Plaintiff Haas' privileges as a Mason had been revoked, that Plaintiff Haas was expelled from Masonry and was blackballed and forbidden from having any contact with other Masons.

63. The false depiction of Plaintiff Haas as being insubordinate and disrespectful with no evidence on which to base such allegations was, and is, highly offensive to Plaintiff Haas as a Mason and prior Grand Master and would be highly offensive to a reasonable person.

64. As a proximate result of Defendants' invasion of Plaintiff Haas' privacy and false depiction of him, Plaintiff Haas has suffered, and will continue to suffer, damage for which he is entitled to recover.

Count IV: Outrageous Conduct

65. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraph 1 through 64 of the Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

66. The acts ofthe Defendants in wrongly expelling Plaintiff Haas from Masonry and its attendant privileges, communicating false and misleading information to third parties, retaliating against Plaintiff Haas for seeking to have Defendant Grand Lodge respect the constitutional and civil rights of all Masons and prospective Masons, retaliating against Plaintiff Haas for exercising his constitutional right to have Defendant Grand Lodge modify its actions to conform with the substantial public policy of this State, disrupting Plaintiff Haas' Masonic status, and otherwise maligning Plaintiff Haas, amount to intentional infliction of emotional distress.

67. The acts and/or failures to act ofthe Defendants as aforesaid have been outrageous, atrocious, intolerable, and so extreme as to exceed the bounds of decency.

68. The extreme and outrageous acts and/or failures to act ofthe Defendants have been intentional, reckless, fraudulent and in bad faith because they were certain or substantially certain to result in emotional distress and cause injury to Plaintiff Haas.

69. The acts and/or failures to act ofthe Defendants have proximately caused, and will continue to cause, Plaintiff Haas to suffer injuries to his psyche and well-being as set forth herein as well as the fact that Plaintiff Haas will forever have to explain why he was falsely labeled a liar and arbitrarily and maliciously expelled from Masonry.

70. The emotional distress suffered by Plaintiff Haas was, and is, reasonably expected to be so severe that no reasonable person should have been or could be expected to endure it.

71. As a direct and proximate result ofthe Defendants' intentional infliction of emotional distress upon Plaintiff Haas, he has suffered, and will continue to suffer, damages for which he is entitled to recover.

Count V: Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress

72. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraph 1 through 71 of the Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

73. The Defendants knew, or should have known, that their acts and/or failures to act as set forth herein in wrongfully expelling Plaintiff Haas from Masonry, communicating false and misleading information to other Masons about Plaintiff Haas, retaliating against Plaintiff Haas for encouraging Defendant Grand Lodge to pass laws that were morally and ethically right and designed to respect the rights of all Masons and prospective Masons, retaliating against Plaintiff Haas for exercising his right of free speech to bring about reform and change and require Defendant Grand Lodge to comply with the substantial public policies ofthis State, disrupting Plaintiff Haas' Masonic career, denying Plaintiff Haas his property and contractual rights as a Mason, and otherwise maligning Plaintiff would proximately cause Plaintiff to suffer the injuries set forth herein.

74. The Defendants' negligent acts have proximately caused, and will continue to cause, Plaintiff Haas to suffer injury to his psyche and well-being as set forth within.

75. As a direct and proximate result of Defendants' negligent infliction of emotional distress upon Plaintiff Haas, he has suffered, and will continue to suffer, damages for which he is entitled to recover.

COUNT VI: Adverse Retaliatory Conduct in Contravention of Substantial Public Policy Principles

76. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraph 1 through 75 ofthe Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereunder.

77. Members in fraternal organizations in West Virginia and elsewhere are entitled to be treated with fundamental fairness free from discriminatory practices in violation of an individual's rights and contrary to the substantial public policies of West Virginia regarding racial discrimination, age discrimination, discrimination against the handicapped, religious freedom and summarily punishing people for expressing their right of free speech and debate regarding such matters.

78. Defendants' unlawful expulsion of Plaintiff Haas from Masonry in contravention of the substantial public policies of West Virginia and in retaliation for Plaintiff Haas' exercise of his rights as set forth herein have subjected Plaintiff Haas to ridicule and public humiliation both individually and professionally.

79. Plaintiff Haas has suffered, and will continue to suffer, damages as a proximate result of Defendants' adverse, retaliatory conduct.

COUNT VII: Contract

80. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraph 1 through 79 of the Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

81. At the time Plaintiff Haas became a Mason, he undertook certain obligations and agreed to pay dues and abide by the lawful rules and regulations of Masonry based on various representations and promises of Defendant Grand Lodge, which representations and promises constitute a legally binding and enforceable contract between Plaintiff Haas and Defendant Grand Lodge.

82. Defendants' conduct is in clear violation of the contractual duties and obligations owed Plaintiff Haas as a result of his membership in Defendant Grand Lodge.

83. Plaintiff Haas complied with and fulfilled his contractual duties and obligations to Defendant Grand Lodge, and Defendant Grand Lodge had the duty to comply with its contractual obligations to Plaintiff Haas.

84. As a result of Defendants' breach of their contractual duty, Plaintiff Haas has suffered and will continue to suffer financial and other damages to which he is entitled to recover from Defendants.

COUNT VIII: Property Claim

85. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraph 1 through 84 of the Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

86. Defendants' conduct violated Plaintiff Haas ' property rights including, but not limited to, depriving him of the rights and benefits of the perpetual membership he endowed which funds are held by Defendant Grand Lodge, his right to admission in the Masonic home maintained by Defendant Grand Lodge which provides residences, services and medical care, a Masonic funeral and pallbearers, and similar property rights in other Masonic related organizations where Masonic membership is a prerequisite.

87. As a result of Defendants' illegal taking of Plaintiff Haas' property rights as set forth herein, he has suffered and will continue to suffer both economic and other consequential damages.

COUNT IX: Conspiracy

88. Plaintiff Haas incorporates each and every allegation set forth in Paragraph 1 through 87 ofthe Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

89. Defendants Montgomery and Coleman have had the advice, support, encouragement and assistance of the John Doe Defendants in planning, implementing and carrying out the illegal and wrongful expulsion of Plaintiff Haas; and each of the overt acts set forth herein was in furtherance of the illegal conspiracy of the individual defendants.

90. Defendants Montgomery, Coleman and the John Doe Defendants' conduct in secretly scheming, planning and carrying out the illegal and wrongful expulsion of Plaintiff Haas from Masonry constitutes an illegal conspiracy which has caused Plaintiff Haas to be damaged both individually and professionally for which he is entitled to be fully compensated and defendants punished by an award of punitive damages.

Count X: Punitive Damages

91. Plaintiff Haas incorporates eachand every allegation set forth in Paragraph 1 through 90 of the Complaint by reference hereto as if set forth verbatim hereinafter.

92. The acts and/or failures to act of the Defendants as set forth herein constitute malice, oppression, wanton, willful, or reckless conduct, or criminal indifference to civil obligations affecting the rights of others such that the jury may assess punitive damages.

WHEREFORE, Plaintiff Haas respectfully prays that:

1. Plaintiff Haas be reinstated as a member of Defendant Grand Lodge and Wellsburg Lodge #2 with all of the attendant rights and privileges;

2. This Court issue a cease and desist order temporarily and permanently enjoining Defendants from any further acts of harassment and retaliation against Plaintiff Haas and from enforcing the illegal expulsion edict;

3. This Court grant Plaintiff Haas a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting Defendants from interfering with Plaintiff Haas' Masonic membership for reasons that are unconstitutional and against the substantial public policy of this State;

4. Plaintiff Haas' Masonic record be expunged of any and all references to his illegal and wrongful expulsion;

5. Plaintiff Haas recover compensatory damages from Defendants in such amounts as shall be determined in accordance with the law;

6. Plaintiff Haas be awarded punitive damages against Defendants in such amounts as shall be determined under the circumstances herein;

7. Plaintiff Haas recover his attorneys fees, costs and expenses incurred in this action;

8. This court grand Plaintfill Haas such other and further relief as the nature of his cause may merit.

PLAINTIFF DEMANDS A TRIAL BY JURY ON ALL COUNTS.

Frank Joseph Haas, Plaintiff

A .pdf file of this document is available.

Masons | Masonic Trial | Masonic Lawsuits | Freemasonry | Grand Lodge of West Virginia | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Prince Hall Masons intervisit with mainstream Maryland brothers

2008-06-04T14:15:00.010-04:00

A Masonic event of historic importance occurred recently in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Friendship Lodge No. 84 recently hosted a visit from members of Oak Springs Lodge No. 41, Prince Hall Freemasonry. This was the first time members of the two local lodges met together. More than 70 Master Masons from three states attended.

They met together in tyled lodge to witness the Master Mason degree conferred, the Herald-Mail reported.

Masons in attendance included M.W. Bro. John Biggs, the Grand Master of Masons in Maryland and R.W. Bro. Melvin Thorpe, senior grand warden of The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Maryland.

Prince Hall Masonry is primarily made of black men. Mainstream Freemasonry in the United States is predominantly made up of white men, and the two Masonic streams have been segregated since Prince Hall's inception in the late 1700s. In 1989, the Grand Lodge of Connecticut became the first mainstream grand lodge to recognize Prince Hall Masonry. Since that time, all the mainstream grand lodges outside the Old South have recognized Prince Hall. The Grand Lodge of Texas was the most recent holdout to finally recognize Prince Hall members as Masons, in 2007. Delaware finally recognized Prince Hall Masonry a year before that, in 2006.

The remaining states that do not recognize Prince Hall are Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida.

A Mason from the non-recognition states — from either mainstream or Prince Hall Masonry — is subject to suspension or expulsion from the fraternity for sitting in a tyled lodge of the other group, or for allowing a member of the opposite group to sit in his lodge.

Recently, it has been reported that mainstream Bro. Charles Martin, who held/holds dual membership in Kentucky and New York, has been expelled from Masonry by the Grand Lodge of Kentucky for sitting in a Prince Hall lodge while serving in the American military in Iraq. At present, this report is unconfirmed, though it is known that the Grand Secretary of the Kentucky Grand Lodge wrote Bro. Martin to inform him that charges of unmasonic conduct had been filed against him. The outcome of those charges is unknown to me at this time. It was stated on some blogs that he had been expelled; on other blogs it was said his trial had been postponed.

I was made a Mason in Georgia, and as long as I hold membership in a lodge working under the Grand Lodge of Georgia, I too would be subject to charges of unmasonic conduct should I attend a tyled Prince Hall lodge in Georgia. I find this racist policy abhorrent; refusal to recognize legitimate Masons as Masons should be considered unmasonic conduct, not the welcoming of each other as true brothers. The situation here in Georgia is so bad that I would bet dollars to donuts that were I to invite an African-American brother, even though he be a member of a recognized, mainstream Masonic lodge in, say New York, he would not be allowed to be my guest in my lodge. Such is the state of Freemasonry in Dixie.

My hat's off to the brothers in Maryland, for finally getting together with each other. The article says this was the first time these two lodges had gotten together; I don't know if other Maryland lodges have intervisited like this before. The Maryland grand lodges only recognized each other in 2003, and a joint proclamation of mutual recognition was only made in 2005, according to Bro. Paul Bessel's website.

Image: The cover of the recording "Rain Down Love" by the British musical duo Freemasons

Masons | Masonic Recognition | Prince HallFreemasonry | Freemasonry | Grand Lodge of Maryland | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Summer music festivals: Rockin' & rollin' in the Southeast

2008-06-01T12:33:00.020-04:00

Yesterday's article about the "world's strangest festivals" inspired me to write about festivals and concerts within a tankful's driving distance that I might visit this summer.

If rock and roll is in your blood, and Tennessee and north Georgia are on your mind, you might want to check out these coming events.

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Manchester, Tennessee, June 12-15 — This music, comedy, cinema and art festival is known for music and mud. Rolling Stone magazine called the first Bonnaroo in 2002 "one of the 50 moments that changed the history of rock and roll."

This year's four-day event features dozens and dozens of musical acts including Pearl Jam, Widespread Panic, B.B. King, Phil Lesh & Friends, Death Cab for Cutie, Metallica, Jack Johnson, Robert Plant & Alison Kraus, Willie Nelson, Derek Trucks, Kanye West, Little Feat, Back Door Slam, Aimee Mann, Drive-by Truckers, Jakob Dylan and others. Comedy acts include Chris Rock, Janeane Garafalo, Louis C.K., Zach Galifianakis, Jim Norton, Brian Posehn, Mike Birbiglia, Reggie Watts, John Mulaney, Michelle Buteau, Joe DeRosa and Leo Allen.

Unless you're actually going to this event, forget traveling between Chattanooga and Nashville before, during and after Bonnaroo. Interstate 24 is pretty much a parking lot in the Manchester area most of the week.

Closer to (my) home is Chattanooga, which hosts the Riverbend Festival from June 6-14. Expect more polo shirts than t-shirts, less (visible) drug use, and certainly less mud than at Bonnaroo. This two-week festival is sponsored by major beer and soft drink companies, with Moon Pie® and Little Debbie® frankenfoods kicking in extra cash to support the Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation's "Faith & Family Night" on Tuesday, June 10.

Musical acts include The Black Crowes, Angel, Jack Aikens, Rob Aldredge, Bachman-Cummings, Rodney Atkins, Black Diamond Heavies, Blues Nation, Joe Bonamassa, Boom, Corinne Chapman, Alex Chilton and the Box Tops, Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk Railroad), The Dismembered Tennesseans, A Fall from Grace, The Derailers, Futureman and the Black Mozart Ensemble, Galactic, Little Big Town, Live Oak, and more.

For $28 (through June 5) you can buy a Riverbend Festival Pin that will get you into the Riverbend Festival every day, or after the 5th you can buy single day passes. The pin is definitely more economical overall, if you plan on attending more than one day. Kids 10 and under are admitted free.

If you like music events that are less crowded and less expensive (free!), then check out the 20th year of Chattanooga's Nightfall Series. Each Friday night from May 23rd through September 26 (except during the Riverbend Festival), free 2-act concerts take place in Miller Park in downtown Chattanooga. Bring your chairs, or just sit on the wall, or stand up, and groove to the tunes. Wine and beer are sold, but you can't bring your own drinks.

Apparently the Nightfall concerts is a popular destination for weekend motorcyclists. Each time I've attended there have been hundreds of motorcycles neatly parked along Market Street near Miller Park.

This year's headliners include the Mike Farris Band, Soulive, Karla Bonoff, Michelle Shocked & the Lee Boys, The Whigs, Back Door Slam, Robben Ford, Groundation, Hal Ketchum, Asylum Street Spankers, Blue Mountain, Bonerama, Basia Bulat, Ruthie Foster, The Belleville Outfit, Claire Lynch Band, and Big Al Anderson & The Balls.

Map to Chattanooga, Tenn.
Map to Manchester, Tenn.

10 more reasons to party

2008-05-31T21:47:00.006-04:00

What do Freemasonic "amateur theater," gavel raps, circumambulations of the lodge, and maybe even fish frys have in common with monkey feasts, beer drinking, betting on when the ice will crack, food fights and looking for a naked man have in common?

Ritual! Tradition! Celebration! Solstices!

Travel + Leisure magazine's site gives us a look at what it calls the world's strangest festivals in a new article accompanied by a photo slideshow.

The article tells us:

The famed French sociologist Émile Durkheim wrote that social life is made of "high peaks" (ceremonies, festivals, and holidays) and "low peaks" (ordinary life and routine). "High peaks can't last — they’re exhausting," says Sarah Daynes, an assistant professor of sociology at the New School in New York City. "Individuals come together, celebrate, and social life is extreme."

In Japan, on the coldest day of the year men strip down to a loincloth and run around cities, looking for a naked man. Whoever finds him first earns 12 months of good luck, or so they believe.

At the Tomatina Festival in Buñol, Spain, each year they have the world's biggest food fight, and no one remembers why.

In Lopburi, Thailand, a feast and tea party is held for the indigenous macaque monkeys who have overrun the town.

In Cuzco, Peru, each June 24 (near the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere) the Incan sun ceremony is re-enacted, with a man representing the Sun God being carried about on a golden throne.

On December 23 (near the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, farmers in Oaxaca, Mexico carve their radishes into figures associated with Jesus.

In Iceland on March 1 of each year, the entire country does a pub crawl, drinking lots of beer, to celebrate the end of Beer Prohibition there in 1989. All other alcohol was only prohibited from 1915 to 1922.

Check out the slideshow for more freaky, funky festivals.

Pick a reason, name the season, and party hardy.

Masons | Masonic Trial | Small Town Freemasonry | Freemasonry | Grand Lodge of Georgia | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Freemasonry as 'Fight Club'

2008-05-28T12:44:00.010-04:00

An excellent new Masonic-themed blog called 3 Ruffians, operated by the Illustrious Order of the Three Ruffians, attracted my attention today.

Its most recent article compares Freemasonry to Fight Club.

Here's an excerpt from the article. Hope you check out the entire article and the blog.

If you're a typical guy, then watching Fight Club gets you stirred up. As revolting as the senseless violence of it is, it makes you wonder what would, or could happen, if people really did do something to shake up their ordinary lives.

Maybe that's one more reason why men all across the country are still becoming Freemasons. It is a secret society. And it does promise real personal change to the individual. Why is that appealing? Sure we want change... each of us wants to better ourselves. That's a no-brainer.

What we also want as Freemasons... is to be a Part of something bigger than ourselves that can make some real changes in the world. We all read Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P Hall. And each of us has spent countless hours reading books and blogs and pouring over information about Masonry on YouTube and Google. We know that Freemasonry, at least from our Lodges, isn't really controlling the world. It's under fire out there and taking hits from religious groups and those who are either uneducated about the Craft, ignorant of its actualities... or just uninitiated. Still, as Masons ourselves, we want to stand for something, take part in something. We want to matter.

Freemasons today are looking for their Boston Tea Party. At least many of the new Brothers are. We're not Ruffians in the dark sense of the word. We're Ruffians in the sense that we know we have a lot to learn. We know we arent always patient enough. We do know the difference between right and wrong. We just want to DO something, stand FOR something and WITH others like ourselves.

Today, men across the country, as evinced by the May 18th article in the L.A. Times, are becoming Freemasons, becoming Brothers, because they Believe in something Higher and Greater than themselves. The new Brothers face the East and each look upon the same letter of God. This is their distinction. It lies within the simplicity of the only real prerequisite to join the Order... Belief in a Supreme Being. This is the belief in something greater.

Much like the protagonist in Fight Club, these men yearn to take action in their lives and in the lives around them. They want the Mysteries to be special... to make them special. They want the secrets to be answers to their personal questions. They want the men they find in their secret brotherhood to stand beside them in times of crisis and to accept them as they are. And so, they have faced the Three Ruffians and have been duly tried and prepared for new lives as Free and Accepted Masons.

Teacher fired for 'wizardry'

2008-05-26T17:44:00.008-04:00

There are religious nuts everywhere, but I think Florida may have the nuttiest.

Some paranoid little tattletale complained to the head of substitute teachers at Rushe Middle School in Land O' Lakes, Fla. after substitute teacher Jim Piculas performed a "magic trick" with a toothpick in front of his class earlier this month, Orlando's channel 6 reported.

Saying it was a "huge issue," the supervisor told Piculas he stood accused of "wizardry," and fired him. I suppose if we lived in even darker times, he'd have been burned at the stake.

Come to think of it, that's the original meaning of the word "fired."

Now how would students even know what wizardry was, if they hadn't been indoctrinated by those damnable Harry Potter books?

Burn the books! Burn the witches!

Thanks to Jennifer Emick at altreligion.about.com for digging up this nutty nugget.

Florida | Wizardry | Substitute Teachers | Witch Hunts | Magic | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Witness ID's Jester sex-tourists as 'Masons'

2008-05-26T09:26:00.020-04:00

In her recent article about the ongoing case involving underage sex-for-hire "fishing" trips by members of the Masonic-related Royal Order of Jesters, investigative reporter Sandy Frost included an excerpt from a deposition by a witness, Brazilian fishing guide Adilson Garcia da Silva.

In his 61-page deposition, Adilson described how certain American men he identified as being "Masons" returned year after year to Brazil for fishing expeditions that involved having sex with minor Brazilian girls. The females, some as young as 13, were hired, Adilson said, to provide "programs" that consisted of "oral sex, strip and dance contests."

In other Jesters news, The Buffalo News reported Saturday at least two Erie County, New York deputies have been caught up in the federal prostitution investigation which has already led former Niagara County police captain John Trowbridge to plead guilty to violation of the Mann Act. Also under investigation for "spreading the gospel of mirth and merriment" by spreading a prostitute's legs are former New York Supreme Court judge Ronald H. Tills and attorney and court clerk Michael Stebick.

The two unnamed deputies were implicated last week as being part of the Jesters group that transported prostitutes across state lines in violation of the Mann Act. Trowbridge was the owner of a recreational vehicle (RV) that was used to drive at least one prostitute to a Jesters function in another state.

The Royal Order of Jesters is a group made up of approximately 23,000 Shriners. The Shrine accepts into their membership only men who are Masons in good standing.

The Jesters try to take the "highest caliber Shriners we can get" who distinguish themselves in the community, Alex Rogers, business manager at the Jesters' Indianapolis headquarters, told reporters in March when this story first broke.

"We try to keep the cream of the crop," he said.

Another recent article by Sandy Frost ties the "whole thing" together, from her initial investigation into former Shriner Vernon Hill's allegations through the financial records and Shriner hospital records through the allegations of sexual impropriety by Jesters in Brazil and Buffalo.

Image: Royal Order of Jesters member and federal court witness Bro. Don Anderson showing off his peacock bass, taken sometime between Aug. 31 and Sept. 9, 2005, during a Brazilian fishing expedition. See the Wet-A-Line website for more photos.

Masons | Shriners | Royal Order of Jesters | Freemasonry | Prostitution | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Cheney: 'How many dead Americans is Iraq worth?'

2008-05-26T07:45:00.008-04:00

President George W. "Captain America" Bush is probably out riding a motorcycle today. Vice President Cheney is probably going hunting (with) his friends. And I plan to drink wine and fire up my new grill.

But at least 4081 American families will "celebrate" this Memorial Day with sadness. Their sons and daughters won't be joining them at family parties. They're dead, you see. Killed in Cheney's Quagmire.

Bring 'em home. Now.

Memorial Day 2008 | Dick Cheney | George W. Bush | Iraq War | Cheney's Quagmire | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Hip L.A. Masons trashed in anti-Masonic video

2008-05-21T12:46:00.008-04:00

By now, you've probably seen the Los Angeles Times article about the "hip" Freemasons from North Hollywood Lodge No. 542, Elysian Lodge No. 418, and Santa Monica-Palisades No. 307, all regular lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of California.

Some of the brothers from North Hollywood Lodge No. 542 were featured in previous Burning Taper articles. See "The Mason's Nightmare" and "Award-winning 'Who's on First: The Movie' co-stars, co-directed and co-produced by sitting Worshipful Master."

Along with other Masonic bloggers, Bro. Chris at Freemasons for Dummies and Bro. Greg at Masonic Traveler picked up on this article the day it ran. The Chicago Tribune also ran the L.A. Times story.

An anonymous poster on one of my favorite blogs, author Christopher Loring Knowles' inspired-by-Jung The Secret Sun added his uninspiring take on the article by pointing readers to his cheesy, negative patchwork video [see below].

The video offers a great glimpse into the mind of an anti-Masonic conspiracy-monger with basic videography skills. You'll see what I mean when you watch the video. Apparently, the first rule of making an anti-Masonic video is to assume that the viewers share your fear of Freemasonry and that they already "understand" why they should be afraid of us. Attacking symbols without giving any thought to what the symbols might actually mean seems to be a favorite propaganda technique.

In this case, it's a fear of skulls and tattoos, neither of which are exclusive to Freemasons, along with a misunderstanding of the meaning of the Three Pillars.

In this video, after bashing the use of these symbols by Freemasonry, the creator goes on to try to define, or re-define, what "hip" and "trendy" actually mean. Like it or not, hip and trendy are defined primarily by what people in three cities say is hip and trendy. Those three places are Paris, New York, and the home of these "hip" new Freemasons, Los Angeles.

The opinion of an anonymous video-guy from Peoria on what is hip may be "valid," but it's hardly meaningful.

Neither is his video, actually, but I thought you might find it "interesting."

Note: Unless you're a fan of gangsta-hiphop liberally peppered with the word "niggah," you might want to turn down the volume before you press "play."

Hip Masons | Masonic News | Anti-Masonic Videos | Freemasonry | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com