Pyramid Eye Dollar Bill/Official Religion of USA Government?

Huh. I must have been typing my response, Setanta, while you were posting that picture of Georgie in his cute li'l apron. Never saw your post until this morning.

The role of the Masons in US history has been under-emphasized, I think. For example, one reason the early Patriots, at the start of the American Revolution, were able to meet secretly and plot such things as the Boston Tea Party right under the watchful eyes of the British was that much of this plotting was done under the cover of Masonic Lodge meetings. The Green Dragon Tavern in Boston was known to the British as a meeting place for the local Masonic lodge. Thus, meetings held there were not scutinized too closely. The British respected the right of Masons to meet in closed conclave and never took a close look at what was actually being discussed -- open revolt against the Crown. Paul Revere, John Hancock, all the Adams family males were all Freemasons, as were almost all of the successful merchants of 18th Century Boston.

Old Boys Clubs of one sort or another are of as ancient and hoary an origin as the oldest alleged profession (pun intended). What i found most entertaining in all of this was the christian lunatic fringe websites which spell out for the faithful the infiltration of SATAN, yes SATAN, into our polity . . .

Gosh, yawl. Johnny Depp said the Freemasons were really Jack the Ripper, and poor old Fortunato got all walled up cause he was one.

Just marking with my dollar bill.

Hi Luscious Lips letty,

Masonry I am informed is a progressive system of science.

It is unusual for Roman Catholics to become Free Masons, though not impossible. The system is a close fraternity, British or perhaps English Masons consider their particular mode to be quite exclusive. The American form of Masonry is extremely liberal. Applicants need to be proposed and seconded. A general vote of the particular Lodge members applied to is taken. Applicants can be blackballed and totally excluded. The fraternal movement donates to various charitable aspects of free masonry. The law of any country is strictly obeyed, well should be. The 'all seeing eye' is an important issue in Masonry. There are secret handshakes and various signs which Masons use to show their presence, these 'secrets' would be recognised by other members. I am informed that members who may be television names for example often give signs, on air. Exactly what for I am unable to fathom . There are also Freemason lodges for the female sex. I do not know if they share the exact same procedures as the males.
I rather think it is a harmless escape for bored people, not a riot by any means. It appears to get along perfectly well without my enroling. Oh, I am also informed there are 'expensive' rings, cuff links, lapel badges, and tie pins to expose ones self as a member. Why all the fancy secrets then?

Mathos, thank you for that very thorough explanation. Seriously, dear, I was simply being frivolous in my last response. I understand about these secret societies. At worst, they are the way some people have of declaring themselves elite when they simply are not. At best, I feel that in ancient history, they were a protection of sorts. If you have read The Cask of Amontillado, you will note how Poe creates the anger in Montressor over a foolish slur against his family name. Now that I have some sense, I realize that any kind of "black ball" organization is unfortunate.

Shirley Jackson's "Lottery" shows tradition taken to its basest form.

Robert Browning, in My Last Duchess, shows the abject cruelty of the monarchs of the time.

We still have such in America, but the secret signs are a mite more open.

As usual Luscious Lips Letty,

You are indeed 'The Star of The Ball'

Most societies religious or other, give rise to power of those who achieve nothing in life in general.

They normally create pyramid postings for the members, elders, preacher, deacon, worshipful master, worshipful grand master, and no doubt as high a posting as a confirmed elect of the 144,000. Indeed !

The problem is, (along with all the lies and fabrications) that they seek to alter the members normal existence, perhaps only in a small subtle manner, it appears to work however. We don't believe in X so we are unable to join you any longer. Or we know so much that you are not entitled to know because we are much cleverer than you !

Friends and indeed families can become un-related and often with bitter results.

I know, Mathos. That is one reason that I'm no longer a joiner. When I think of the kids that I taught who sat lonely in a seat because they were not chosen, my heart breaks.

Know something, Brit? You're a damned decent fellow.

Brit ? Yes, of course I am, a true English Brit !

I thank you for your kind remarks, tis extremely kind of you. Which reinforces my considerations of you 'Dear Letty' as somebody very special indeed.

I have to admit to going over the top a little with some of the members, in a nut shell, I see arrogance and it irritates my sense of pleasure, by lulling the saps into a conflict of banter, of which they will not win.

The reason being, 'having a laugh' is far better than the seriousness of which they conduct their approaches to history and 'readers knowledge.'

I think the real world would be a difficult place for them to be. They are cosseted so much by the 21st century.

A few years ago, I was in The Yunnan territories, basically a guest of mountain people in a small village, population approximately 50.

The 'shack' I used as a place to sleep was extremely basic indeed, you could see through the tree branches it had been constructed from. The floor was the earth it stood on. The bed was the floor. The pillow, a crudely sewn bag, (similar to a sand bag) filled with earth and bits of foliage.
Thankfully, I had just missed the rainy season. The water channels cut into the hard earth being a good reminder of how lucky I really was. On day one, my hosts through an interpreter asked me if I would like some meat. The reply was affirmative. They beckoned me to a small clearing, a fire was burning in a hole in the ground. It was a hot afternoon, so I had no inclination to sit around the same. A group of men and a large black dog, similar to a 'sheepdog' in size appeared. They had a monkey fastened to a pole of bamboo. It was obviously dead. They placed a few long pieces of steel across the fire hole, the embers were now quite red, the monkey was thrown on, the smell of burning hair was horrendous. They turned it after a few minutes and the front of it was similarly burned. Then they raked it off and with sharp knives, they gutted, skinned it, decapitated it, cut of the hands and feet, and threw it back over the fire to cook. It just looked like a small child. I was sick, but there was no content in my stomach to come up. There were several pans about the village area over smaller fires with vegetables, rice and other edibles being cooked. Meat was cut from the monkey, diced and thrown into many of the pots. When it became time to eat, and I was extremely hungry, I knew I needed food. I pretended it was chicken, but decided I didn't like chicken at that moment in time. I ate some rice and vegetables, washed down with white rice whisky. Toilets were the hole you dug in the ground, I bathed in a small stream, and walked back to the village, some two miles from the stream, uphill. My 'shack' had other guests, rats, every creepy crawly you or Hammer Films could imagine,
a snake one night. Chickens, and a pig which came in under the space on the north side between bottom branch and mother earth.

In 1991 (January) I had been travelling in Vietnam north of Saigon. My guide, Chee took us into a village seeking food. The villagers were more than happy to feed us. I was given a reddish/brown type bowl, rather like a coconut shell in size and general appearance. It had a soup with vegetables and bits of a grass type substance sticking out of the top. I used the same as one would a large cup or mug, I drank the soup, it was nice, I fished out a couple of pieces of potato and even a small piece of meat, white meat, it tasted nice, similar to chicken, but slightly stronger. "Chicken" ? I enquired of my guide Chee. "No, not chicken, it is rat, no problem though, not like sewer rat, rice field rat, very clean.

When I listen to people moaning and groaning in the occidental world, it annoys me. I think there are hundreds of thousands, maybe millions on this planet, who have no idea, what a light switch is, running water, a shop, hospital, medicine; -how long do we go on?

I witnessed two grown men, earlier this week, almost getting to fisticuffs, on 'who had got to the petrol (gas) pump first. It was pathetic. I actually felt very much like belting both of them. I smiled and went home.

There is so little to do Letty, they create all of these off-shoots, based on acceptable 'religion' and change it to manipulate and gain power, even if only over a handful of 'saps.'

How I would love to transport them to places of which I have spoken, if only for three days out of their miserable existences.

You 'My Lady' are probably the only person I have ever spoken to like this, others may read it, but it is not really for them. You know where I am coming from.

first, let me say this, Mathos. I have never been really hungry except for one brief moment during Hurricane Frances, but it gave me a tiny bit of insight into what it must be like in third world countries, or even right here at home. We never know at what moment it could happen to even the most affluent.

Thank you for being straight with me, my friend, and yes, I do know where you are coming from and I am impressed with your honesty. It only takes one brief moment of deprivation to understand how fragile we all are in this. I am quite taken with your experience in the Yunnan territories, although I have no knowledge of such a place.

I do understand that in some small places, the natives eat rats and monkey brains, which may lead in some instances, to serious complications, but should I be as desperate as you obviously were, I would simply attempt to survive.

Yes, it does give one pause for thought to think that the human race is so obsessed with "Me First". So let's allow the all seeing eye to look and see for real what the human condition basically involves.

Incidentally, Brit<smile> thank you for that moving anecdote.

Tell that to the American Indians.

Oh nevermind, most of them died somehow...

Joseph Campbell was (and continues to be) one of the most influential people in my life. But I don't know about this statement.

Well, at least he did qualify it with "simply" warfare. I guess it could be read that he meant it was created with warfare with other things too.

The Yunnan territories are a mountainous province of South west China. The Province is crossed by the Mekong, Salween rivers. The capital is Kinming. For many years this province, along with the wilds of Burma, The mountains of Laos and even parts of Thailand were well controlled by Kun Sa. Obviously, the formation of a particular area in these parts 'The Golden Triangle' resulted from the produce and world wide distribution of narcotics by Khun Sa, he is still alive, apparently living out his years of infirmity in Burma. His private army was quite a creation, his deeds and resultant infamy went hand in hand. I have been informed many times by those who worked under him, 'he is a good man!'

How correct you are with your views of the world " I'm alright Jack" comes to mind. We are all guilty. The 'all seeing eye' is this a creation of all of us, referring or not referring to a deity. Rather to those who feel well released from religious fervour and conviction. Do we create a self imposed 'all seeing eye?'

I feel we do, and it is a good thing. We think twice, and without considerations for deity's we react in a manner one might see as a true humanist.

Were do we come from, where do we go?
Does it really matter? We are here, we are conscious of being here. Perhaps, and I say perhaps because apart from knowing we are here in a conscious state, nothing else is either possible, or impossible. Are we indeed the manufacturer and creator of all we are conscious of?
Is this form of conscious merely an experience we have elected?

We can of course witness those who would dare to make conclusions regarding these aspects, nothing in these realms can be concluded. Its neither possible nor impossible.

Relatively speaking, there are no ideas

Mathos, I think I hear a philosopher speaking. We convince ourselves that despots are "good men", because it is in OUR best interest.

Thinking for a moment. Something comes to mind like China, Burma, India via my oldest sister.

The whole basis of existence appears to be in the hands of others, everything about us is owned in a manner of fact expression. Even your blood can be spilt on any terrain they desire. Conformity is established by the 'looking after process'. Fair enough, we have the courtesy of democracy and I cannot think of an improvement on the system. However, democratically elected leaders on occasion have a tendency to lean towards despotism. It can be no simple task feeding the planet, several hundred thousand die every year through lack of nourishment.
There is a tendency to ignore the problem when your 'washing machine' for instance is playing you up, or the car won't start. We know what is important then! I have witnessed a wagon load of marijuana plants exchange hands for half a dozen second hand mopeds and a dozen bottles of whisky.Who knows what the 'real street value' of that is worth.
The men at the top have to be ruthless and uncompromising, they get kicked out and they know it if they fail us. Energy is the name of the game combined with food production. Fossil fuel has a limited existence, alternative methods be it solar power, wind power or easily managed nuclear power are the alternatives we are presently aware of, but not in control of. The media is expert at controlling the masses in accordance with sensibility, it could also be a major tool in consideration of a revolution. Hence the guys at the top are very keen to keep control of the same. The 'schoolteacher' is unknowingly a chipped tool of the establishment, feeding the youngsters in accordance with the curriculum advised. He/she also has to mediate between normality in education in accordance with the establishment, being ever aware that the pupil will always react with' Well my dad says' ..............

So yes, you look at The Orient, it has been so different in its undertakings, however, television has arrived, things are definitely changing, the third world has taken heed of our processes and is following the examples set. The young men especially, who were prepared to have their heads shaven in their teens, wear cloaks of humility, the obligatory flip flops and beg for a bowl of rice each day, now want designer clothes, timberland boots,a motorcycle and a flash girlfriend with surgically enhanced breasts. They in turn do not give a damn about the thousands dying in Somalia and Ethiopia for example. No more than we do, except when we are jerked into a good natured charitable response. We have been to the Moon, we are exploring space. a little over a hundred years ago we had no knowledge of a motor car.

Not to sure exactly what you are thinking with regard to China, Burma, India via your older sister. It would be interesting to have you voice on these countries. China, I heard described recently 'As the land of opportunity' India and Pakistan are certainly making progressive headway, but established modes of existence make it a difficult process to maintain smoothly. Burma, (now Myanmar) is controlled ruthlessly by a military junta, human rights are non existent

Mathos, first let me explain about my oldest sister. Her fiance gave her a velvet evening bag with his arm patch on it. The patch said, "China, Burma, India, so that must have been a campaign in which he was engaged at the time. Beyond that I know nothing.

I do know that my brother died in the Philippines after surviving the death march, and I have kept track of all the history surrounding it, of course, because I never got to know him at all.

I'm afraid that you are right, Mathos. We never know what we want until we don't have it.

I do wish that I could speak at length about Asia, but I simply do not have the acumen that you obviously have.

Martinets spring from everywhere. Believe me, I have seen it on the lowest level in my teaching position.

I also know that kids will change with the wind, if their peers dictate it. The socialization of the child is simply inborn in American culture, and I suspect, elsewhere, and, of course, we know about the drug culture.

My dad used to love to quote Will Rogers: All I know is what I read in the newspapers, and although the fourth estate has changed dramatically, it is still the fourth estate.

I wish I knew more, Mathos, because you have turned out to be a most interesting person. I will say this, however. You have inspired me to do more research, which I am afraid won't fill one starving child's belly.

Thanks for the response Letty,

Yes the arm badge was obviously a campaign issue. General (USA) Douglas MacArther as I recall. He was an excellent Chief Of Staff during the conflict with the Japanese and the losing and consequental retaking of the Philippines. Things went wrong for him during the Korean War and President Truman relieved him of his command.
I seem to think he had designs on nuking Korea, but I may be wrong on that aspect.

My thoughts are with you for the memories of your departed brother especially. I visited the 'Death Railway' at Kanchana Buri in 1987, it amazed me, the cemetery for allied troops in the town is alarming to see. I have returned many times, the scenery is outstandingly beautiful and The River Kwai Noi is magical. There is so much to see in The Orient.

I can well imagine the teaching profession on its personal merits alone would be a real eye opener for you. Yes martinets, barrack room lawyers, how right they are ?

The kids in England have their problems conforming to society in general, there are always a few bad apples and the desire to experiment be it sniffing glue, petrol or taking drugs is obviously a worldwide problem we have to face up to. However, the percentage of 'bad, uncontrolled, ill educated kids' is quite low. It will raise its head in the larger towns and cities, the kids from rural areas viewing the miscreants at work on the TV will attempt to imitate. It is no more than a passing phase. It creates more employment for the 'bureaucrats' to feed off. ASBO is the new term over here. 'Anti Social Behaviour Order'

There is much to talk about Letty, and you are extremely well read I have noticed. What about experience in travel? Americans do have a tendency to 'stay at home' I notice.

Mathos - Thanks for sharing all this!
H Sweet Lady Letty!
Reading along.

In fact, he had suggested that the United States create a belt of radioactive material (i believe he specified cobalt) along the course of the Yalu River, which separates China from Korea. Although having some controversial contentions, one of the best biographies of Douglas MacArthur is American Caesar, William Manchester. George Marshall was the Chief of Staff; MacArthur was the Commander, Southwest Pacific Theater--he was later promoted General of the Armies, the highest rank available in American Service, and only awarded to six officers in our history.

Read the book "the biggest secret". David Icke goes in depth about the free-masons and founding fathers. Wheter you believe it all or not, it's a great read, and very eye opening.

My pleasure 'Husker' thank you for taking the time to read.

Some good reading there I imagine Setanta, I hope I can find or make time to give the same some consideration. Your General Patton (George Smith jnr) has an interesting history also. I have scanned a few considerations of his attitudes and thoughts on re-incarnation apparently, but I would like to read or listen to a true version of his exploits in the military fashion. Is it true that he wore two 'pearl handled' revolvers as a cowboy used to do?