Charles Taze Russell ni fue Masón ni fundó Los Testigos de Jehová

De Charles Taze Russell se dicen dos cosas totalmente erroneas, hay quienes alegan que fue masón y que fundó la congregación de los Testigos de Jehová; ambas aseveraciones son totalmente falsas.

Ni fue Masón ni fundó a Los Testigos de Jehová, eso es solo otra de las tantas teorías de la conspiración.

Charles Taze Russell fue un pastor cristiano que fundó un movimiento de estudios bíblicos, la fundación de los Testigos de Jehová vino después de su muerte por parte de uno de sus alumnos.

Es falso que haya sido enterrado debajo de una pirámide, una pirámide se construyó en medio del cementerio despúes. Aquí la referencia.

No hay ninguna evidencia oregistro de que haya sido masón, todo lo contrario, él mismo dijo que no lo era. La misma gran logia de la Columbia Británica ha confirmado esto.

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Referencias:

Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon, about Charles Taze Russell.

Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon, about Anti-Masonry.

Charles Taze Russell, Wikipedia (English version).

Charles Taze Russell, Wikipedia (Versión Español).

Defend Jehovah's Witnesses Blog; Charles Taze Russell not buried under a pyramid.

Nota relacionada: Masonería vs Mormonismo.

Video Anti-Putin del grupo musical "Pussy Riot"

Las "Pussy Riot" es un grupo musical de mujeres rusas que han protestado contra el gobierno de Putin, han sido hasta encarceladas por ello, no hay libertad de expresión en Rusia, los que protestan contra el gobierno aunque lo hagan pacificamente son reprimidos con violencia por el estado dictatorial. Todo esto es información comprobable, no son noticias falsas. En occidente los que apoyan a Putin o son muy ignorantes o no les importa nada la lucha por las libertades y los derechos humanos.

Transcripción del video al español: 

Hemos estado luchando por el derecho a cantar, a pensar, a criticar; a ser músicos y artistas. Dispuestos a hacer todo para cambiar nuestro país sin importar los riesgos. Continuamos con nuestra lucha musical en Rusia y nuestro país está dominado por un hombre malvado. Este hombre cree que es ilegal llamarse feminista y cantar música punk.

Este hombre cree que es ilegal defender los derechos de la comunidad gay y lesbiana. Este hombre piensa que ella no puede criticar a su gobierno.

Este hombre piensa que si cantas y bailas de manera inapropiada te mereces dos años de prisión.

Gracias Madonna, gracias Red Hot Chili Peppers, gracias Björk, gracias Green Day. Y gigantescas gracias de feministas punk a todos los músicos, activistas, a todos los que se unen en todo el mundo para luchar por nuestro derecho a ser libres. Inicia la revolución "pu-ssy riot" y nunca te detengas. La lucha por la libertad es una batalla interminable que es más grande que la vida misma.

Versión original en inglés:

We've been fighting for the right to sing, to think, to criticize, to be musicians and artists. Ready to do  everything to change our country no matter of the risks. We go on with our musical fight in Russia and our country is dominated by an evil man. This man thinks  is illegal to call yourself a feminist and to sing punk music. 

This man thinks it's illegal to stand up for the rights of the gay and lesbian community. This man  thinks that she can't criticize your  government. 

This man thinks that if you sing and dance in an inappropriate way you get two years in prison.  

Thank you Madonna, thank you Red Hot Chili Peppers, thank you Björk, thank you Green Day, and a gigantic punk feminists thank you to all musicians, activists, to everyone around the world who stands up together for fight to our right to be free, start the pussy riot and never stop. The fight for freedom is an endless battle that is bigger than life.

Pussy Riot - Anti-Putin Video

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Notas relacionadas:

Las "Pussy Riot" Sentenciadas a 2 Años de Cárcel por Protestar Contra Putin (Enlace a post).

El tribunal condena a Pussy Riot a dos años de prisión. (Amnistía Internacional).

Pussy Riot, condenadas a dos años de prisión. (Enlace a nota en DW).

Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova: ‘You cannot play nice with Putin. He is insane. He might open fire on his own people’. (The Guardian).

Masonic Lodges (Freemasonry) per Country

Click in the image to make it bigger

A Masonic “Grand Lodge” (also “Grand Orient”) is the governing body that supervises and governs the individual “Lodges” of Freemasons in any particular geographical area or “jurisdiction”, (usually corresponding to a national boundary or other major political unit). Some are large, with thousands of members divided into hundreds of subordinate Lodges. Others are tiny, with only a few members in one or two subordinate Lodges.

Data from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Masonic_Grand_Lodges All figures should be accurate, however the USA is a close estimate (far too many figures to add up).

5000 - 15000

United States: 15000 UK: 8802

1000 - 4999

France: 4060 Italy: 1541 Canada: 1271 Australia: 1185 Mexico: 1029

500 - 999

Ireland: 696 Brazil: 611 Germany: 539

250 - 499

India: 378 Romania: 361 Philippines: 349 Cuba: 317 Belgium: 306 Turkey: 279 New Zealand: 253

100 - 249

Chile: 232 Spain: 219 Argentina: 208 Peru: 196 The Netherlands: 173 Finland: 172 Greece: 161 Venezuela: 131 Switzerland: 125 Portugal: 121 Colombia: 116 Bulgaria: 115 Denmark: 104

50 - 99

Uruguay: 98 Bolivia: 87 Austria: 81 Puerto Rico: 68 South Africa: 68 Norway: 63 Paraguay: 61 Israel: 57

25 - 49

Serbia: 49 Haiti: 48 Togo: 48 Sweden: 46 Russia: 38 Ecuador: 36 Nigeria: 35 Morocco: 31 Guatemala: 29 Bahamas: 28 Ivory Coast: 27 Panama: 25 Czech Republic: 25 Senegal: 25

10 - 24

Hungary: 23 Lebanon: 19 Moldova: 18 Gabon: 18 El Salvador: 17 Japan: 17 Benin: 17 Mauritius: 16 Iceland: 16 Madagascar: 15 Luxembourg: 15 Dominican Republic: 15 Taiwan: 13 Honduras: 12 Croatia: 12 Cyprus: 12 Estonia: 12 Poland: 11

< 10

Costa Rica: 10 Burkina Faso: 10 Andorra: 10 Democratic Republic of Congo: 10 Malta: 9 Ukraine: 8 Nicaragua: 7 Macedonia: 7 Armenia: 7 Latvia: 6 Lithuania: 6 Albania: 5 Cameroon: 5 Tahiti: 5 San Marino: 4 Georgia: 4 Montenegro: 4 Slovak Republic: 3 Hong Kong: 3 Mali: 2 Guinea: 1 Republic of Congo: 1 Liberia: 1 Slovenia: 1 Monaco: 1

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Note: The map is considering only the total number of lodges per country and not the population. Analyzing by density of population the colors would be different.

Sources: 
Maps on the web.
reddit.com

La Tentación del Fascismo

Por qué el fascismo es tan tentador y cómo nuestros datos podrían impulsarlo y empoderarlo, por Yuval Noah Harari (El video está en inglés con subtítulos a escoger en varios idiomas).


Video en Inglés con subtítulos a escoger.

En una profunda charla sobre tecnología y poder, el autor e historiador Yuval Noah Harari explica la importante diferencia entre fascismo y nacionalismo, y lo que significa la consolidación de nuestros datos para el futuro de la democracia. Apareciendo como un holograma en vivo desde Tel Aviv, Harari advierte que el mayor peligro que ahora enfrenta la democracia liberal es que la revolución en la tecnología de la información hará que las dictaduras sean más eficientes y capaces de controlar. "Los enemigos de la democracia liberal piratean nuestros sentimientos de miedo, odio y vanidad, y luego usan estos sentimientos para polarizar y destruir", dice Harari. "Es responsabilidad de todos nosotros conocer nuestras debilidades y asegurarnos de que no se conviertan en armas". (Seguido de una breve conversación con el curador de TED Chris Anderson)

Notas relacionadas:
Un Análisis de la Doctrina del Fascismo.
Nazis contra Masones.
Hitler vs Masonería.

New French Novel, Translated Into English, About Freemasons

From FFD.

A new book is on the way from two French authors, translated into English, one of whom is a French Freemason.

From PRWeb.com:

In France, Giacometti and Ravenne, said together in one breath, is synonymous with adrenaline-pumping Freemason thrillers/police procedurals that spend months on the top of the charts every time they come out. The authors Eric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne have written nine to date, sold over 2 million copies of the series in seventeen different languages, and, rumor has it, are currently holed up somewhere in the French countryside working on the next one.
They recently made their debut on the US market with a very successful title called Shadow Ritual, published by Le French Book. Number 1 bestselling author Douglas Preston called the book, "Phenomenal." Kirkus Reviews says the series has "abundant visceral appeal." Reading Reality gave it "Escape Rating A," while Shelf Awareness specifies, “The plot and pacing of a thriller, but the meticulous attention to historical detail sets it apart.”

The series 
 The series focuses on a Paris police detective named Antoine Marcas. This character stemmed from long arguments the two authors, friends since they were teenagers, kept having. Eric Giacometti, a reporter, had investigated corruption scandals linked to Freemasons on the French Riviera, while Jacques Ravenne, as a master mason, couldn’t understand why the media was so fierce in its attacks against freemasonry. He felt it was unfair and simplistic. From these often-heated discussions, they created a Freemason cop who is proud of his ideals and values, but aware of the pitfalls of the brotherhood.
The novels give readers an inside view of the brotherhood’s real codes and rituals, and these are genuine and accurate because Jacques Ravenne is a Freemason. He is also a historian. In Shadow Ritual, the plot was inspired by an incredible, yet true story: that of the French Freemason archives stolen by the Nazis in 1940. In 1945, the Russians recovered them in Germany and sent them to KGB headquarters in Moscow, where they remained until 2000, when they were finally returned to France.
The books are called "esoteric mysteries" for fans of Dan Brown, but they are also for fans of, among others, early Robert Ludlum thrillers, and anyone interested in a good story and history. In Shadow Ritual, readers won’t find a single Templar shield, an Illuminati hood, or a descendant of Jesus. Rather, readers discover the esoteric side of Nazism, and the persecutions against Freemasons in Occupied France, by both Nazis and the Vichy government.
There's a lot of fact mixed in with the fiction, and as a bonus the authors provide exclusive content here, revealing Freemason secrets and more.

What's next 
Encouraged by the initial sales of Shadow Ritual, Le French Book is busy working on translating another book in the series, which is scheduled to come out in English in early 2016. It holds stories of alchemy and information from unpublished documents about the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower that the authors uncovered in the Freemason Library at the Grand Orient of France headquarters in Paris.

Masons Killed in Charlie Hebdo Attack

Two of the journalists assassinated in the cowardly and barbarous attack on Charlie Hebdo were Freemasons. Bro:. Bernard Maris, economic columnist at CH, and Bro:. Michel Renaud, formerly  of Europe 1 and Le Figaro, were both active Freemasons in the Grand Orient, Bernard in Roger Leray Lodge in Paris and Michel in Lux Perpetue Lodge in Clermont Ferrand.

They died representing the values we stand for :

- Freedom of expression,
- Freedom of conscience
- FREEDOM in general

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Source: FFD, La Lumiere.

UGLE Restores Recognition of GLNF

The United Grand Lodge of England on June 11th has restored recognition of the Grande Loge Nationale Française, according to François Koch on his La Lumiere blog.  Several US grand lodges, including Indiana, have restored recognition of the embattled GLNF already after they gave former Grand Master Stifani the boot and did much internal work to fix their problems. But for the UGLE to re-recognize GLNF is major news, making the GLNF again the only major recognized grand lodge (of a dozen or so) in France. This should come as a relief to the brethren of France.

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Source: FFD.

October 26th in 1863, the Football Association was formed.

The Football Association, the world's oldest football organization, was founded in a public house in London. The F A was formed because every team was playing to different rules, and so its first task was to draw up a set of rules for the game.

In the early Nineteenth Century, there were no fixed rules for playing football. There were various clubs, who played by their own individual rules, but all their games were played between sides taken from their own club. The players would meet on a regular basis, select the teams for the day, and have a game amongst themselves. The diversity of rules made playing a match against another club difficult, if not impossible.

In order to facilitate inter club competition, delegates from several notable clubs of the day met on 26th October 1963, in the Freemasons’ Tavern, London [now the Freemasons Arms, 60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ]. The delegates were from such famous clubs as Barnes, War Office, Crusaders, Leytonstone, No Name Club, Crystal Palace (not the modern club), Blackheath (now a rugby club), Kensington, Percival House and Surbiton School. It was agreed at the meeting to form the Football Association, and to hold a further session of meetings to draw up a common set of rules.

The meetings for the formulation of the rules were long and protracted, all taking place at the Freemasons Tavern, fuelled by copious drafts of ale. After six meetings, a set of rules, drawn up by Ebenezer Cobb Morley of Barnes, were agreed but the representative from Blackheath withdrew his club in protest at the inclusion of a rule which prevented ‘hacking’, the kicking of an opponent in the shins. Many other football clubs followed Blackheath, and in 1871, formed the Rugby Football Union. The first ever game of soccer was played at Mortlake on 19th December 1863, between Barnes and Richmond, and resulted in a nil-nil draw.

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Source: Ward's Book of Days.
Related Notes:
The Story of Football.
London Unveiled.
Futbol Red.

Giordano Bruno - The Philosopher/Heretic to the Church

Giordano Bruno, born Filippo Bruno, was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician, astrologer and astronomer. His cosmological theories went beyond the Copernican model: he proposed the Sun was essentially a star, and that the universe contained an infinite number of inhabited worlds populated by other intelligent beings. The Roman Inquisition found him guilty of heresy and he was burned at the stake. After his death he gained considerable fame, particularly among 19th- and early 20th-century commentators who, focusing on his astronomical beliefs, regarded him as a martyr for free thought and modern scientific ideas.

http://youtu.be/vAIU3sgRFfA

The String Pullers: Freemasonry, The Secret Empire (Video documentary)

The dark mysteries of power revealed Behind closed doors, cliques of the world's most powerful men form societies so secret and controversial that their very names spark fear in our hearts and minds: the Freemasons, the Illuminati, Skull and Bones. What are the intentions of these secret societies? Are the members of these brotherhoods the innocent victims of mudslinging conspiracy theorists or are they untouchable elitists who control the world?


http://youtu.be/haFfR_LJ3JQ

St. John's Bible

By Chris Hodapp

My friend Piers Vaughan, Master of New York's St. John's Lodge No. 1, is interviewed by CBS for the famous bible used by George Washington at the first inaugural.


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Source: Freemasons for Dummies.

Scottish Rite For The 21st Century

The Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction has produced a DVD program to tell the story of Scottish Rite Masonry, and I was proud to take part in that program. I appear with several Indianapolis brethren like Paul Page, Jon Porter, Jim Morris, and Jeff Saunders, but the show features brothers from all across the Northern Jurisdiction (I was actually in Pittsburgh when the crew shot my segment.)

The Valley of New Castle, Pennsylvania has made the program available on their website here:

Scottish Rite for the 21st Century masonic- Introduction
Scottish Rite for the 21st Century - 1 - Faces of Scottish Rite
Scottish Rite for the 21st Century - 2 - A Brief History
Scottish Rite for the 21st Century - 3 - A Matter of Degrees
Scottish Rite for the 21st Century - 4 - Standing the Test of Time
Scottish Rite for the 21st Century - 5 - Doing Well By Doing Good
Scottish Rite for the 21st Century - 6 - What Liza Learned
Scottish Rite for the 21st Century - 7 - The Art of Scottish Rite

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Source: freemasonsfordummies.

NASCAR's Clint Bowyer

NASCAR fans take note: the Grand Lodge of Kansas reports that driver Clint Bowyer has petitioned Emporia Lodge No. 12 for membership. The Grand Lodge joined Bowyer at an event today to dedicate the Bowyer Community Building in Emporia, made possible by his $1 million donation to the community.

From the Grand Lodge of Kansas website:

A native of Emporia, Kansas, Bowyer drives the #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. Early in his career, he drove for Richard Childress Racing. He won the 2008 Nationwide Series championship.

The building, which was completed in early March was made possible by a donation of $1 million by Bowyer in July 2010 and will be available for many uses including children's and community events.

Grand Master Tracy L. Bloom presided over the ceremony, and was joined by Past Grand Masters Jimmi L. Grassi and Roy T. Sullivan, Deputy Grand Master Don Newman, and a host of Masons from across the state. On hand to watch the ceremony was a crowd of 250 spectators, community leaders and the media.

Additionally, Mark Snider, the Master of Emporia Lodge announced that Bowyer has petitioned for membership in Emporia Lodge No. 12.

H/T to Michael Halleran, who says if Bowyer is successfully voted in, he'll be "going through the old fashioned way."

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Source: freemasonsfordummies.

Masones del Paraguay designados para liderar la mayor hidroeléctrica del mundo

De acuerdo con una nota del Masonic Times, el gobierno de Paraguay, ha designado tres miembros de la Centenaria Gran Logia Simbólica del Paraguay para liderar la más grande hidroeléctrica del mundo, Itaipú Binacional.

Octavio Augusto Airaldi (Venerable Maestro), Efraín Enriquez Gamón (Maestro Masón) y Diego Bertolucci Vega (Past Gran Maestro) son los tres masones que van a manejar la hidroeléctrica. El evento tuvo lugar el 3 de marzo de 2012, en presencia de varias autoridades nacionales y del Gran Maestre de esa Gran Logia, MR Carlos Alberto Quiñónez.

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Fuente: DiarioMasónico.

Brother Shaquille O'Neal

On the heels of the news yesterday about Brother Richard Dreyfuss, Brother James Morgan reports that the Grand Master of the Wost Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts F&AM, M:.W:. Frederick B. Summer, has made Shaquille O'Neal a Prince Hall Mason at sight on Saturday.

Brother O'Neal is now a member of Widow's Son Lodge No. 28 in Boston.

His legendary status in basketball is well known. Since 1992, he has played for six NBA teams: the Orlando Magic, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Miami Heat, the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Boston Celtics.

Brother O'Neal graduated from Louisiana State University, and he holds an MBA from Phoenix University. He's currently pursuing a PhD in Leadership and Education at Barry University. Influenced by his step-father's military background and devotion to service, Shaq has made public service a priority in his life, making untold donations to charities and organizations across the country, and even working as a reserve police officer in Los Angeles, Miami, and Phoenix. He has recently formed a business venture in Orlando to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Welcome, Brother O'Neal.

Photo by Bro. "Dizz" Mikael Kwame Cooper. Can anyone identify the brother in the photo on the left?

H/T to James Morgan.

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Source: Freemasons for Dummies.

Archbishop allows freemason to be bishop

The Archbishop of Canterbury is at the centre of a row after it emerged he had appointed a Freemason to be a bishop.

Rev Jonathan Baker and The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent 9:45PM BST 14 May 2011

Dr Rowan Williams named the Rev Jonathan Baker as the next Bishop of Ebbsfleet despite knowing he was an active and senior mason.

The appointment, announced earlier this month, marked a significant U-turn by Dr Williams who had previously said that Freemasonry was “incompatible” with Christianity and had refused to promote Masons to senior posts.

Last week, as news of Fr Baker’s membership of the Masons began to circulate through the Church, it provoked growing concern and criticism from clergy and members of the General Synod.

When contacted by The Sunday Telegraph on Friday, Fr Baker defended his continued membership of the Masons and insisted it was compatible with his new role as a bishop.

Yet yesterday he said he had changed his mind was leaving the masons so he could concentrate on being a bishop, adding: “I wish nothing to distract from the inauguration of that ministry.”

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Source: telegraph.co.uk

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Versión en Español:
Arzobispo permite a un masón a ser obispo (Diario Masónico).
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Notas relacionadas:
More Masonophobia in the Church of England (Freemasons for Dummies).
Los Curas Masones (enlace a nota).

Vandalism Against Texas Masonic Temple

Brother John Wallace reports that Onion Creek Lodge No. 220 in Austin, Texas recently suffered its fourth vandalism incident in the past year and a half. Its signage has been destroyed, at least two break-in attempts were made, windows have been broken, and the American flag in the front yard was turned upside down. Most recently, at the end of March, a Molotov cocktail was hurled through a window of the dining hall. Fortunately, the bottle didn't break, and the flames did not spread, but some fire damage did occur, including to a piano. It could have been far worse.

There have also been reports of other Austin-area lodges, as well as some across Tarrant County (the Ft. Worth area) having anti-Masonic material taped to their doors.

Because of the previous repeated attacks, the Austin Fire Department installed motion activated cameras and the images are being studied to see if faces and vehicles can be identified. The arson attempt raises the acts from vandalism to a 2nd class felony.

Onion Creek Lodge is an historic building—it's the second-oldest lodge building in Texas still in use today, along with being one of the oldest public school houses in the state. It is a state-designated historic site.

Unfortunately, reports of vandalism and worse activities are increasing against Masonic lodge buildings, as Freemasonry gets greater exposure in the press. And sad to say, not everyone who comes to your open houses has angelic motives. If your lodge doesn't have bright exterior lighting and a decent alarm system, with a monitoring service and an updated contact list of your officers, you need to bring it up at your next lodge meeting.

And it never hurts to remind brethren to drive by the lodge on their way home from work, or after a night out. Too many Masonic buildings sit empty 29 days a month, which makes them an easy target for bored miscreants or devious Masonophobes.

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Source: freemasonsfordummies.