Still Running Off at the Keyboard

CANONBURY CONFERENCE 2006, AND THE ESSENES ACCORDING TO MICHAEL BAIGENT

Some recent discoveries...

First - the 2006 Conference of the Canonbury Masonic Research Center is titled "The Knowledge of the Heart: Gnostic Movements & Secret Traditions", and is scheduled to take place this weekend. On the program you will find a lecturer from the University of Paris discussing "Martinist Orders & Freemasonry in France Since Papus' Time"; a Fellow of Exeter University discussing "Freemasonry: A Gnostic Tradition?"; a professor from the University of Utrecht discussing "Spiritual Transformation in Ancient Hermetism & Gnosticism"; a University of Sheffield Professor discussing "Gnosticism & the Dead Sea Scrolls"; a Princeton Professor discussing "The Sethian Gnostic Gospel of Judas"; a Professor from the Sorbonne discussing "Gnostic/Sufi Symbols & Ideas in Turkish & Persian Freemasonry"; and more.

But is Canonbury accepted by Regular Masonry? For an answer, turn to the Grand Lodge Legal of Portugal, a speech made by HRH the Duke A Kent, on the occasion of his being made an Honorary Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, in which he states:

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the recognition by the United Grand Lodge of England of the Regular Grand Lodge of Portugal...

As far as my Grand Lodge is concerned, you are the only regular freemasonry in Portugal and we value our close relationship with you. ...

I started the Canonbury Masonic Research Center to study the more esoteric aspects of freemasonry and I am delighted that your Grand Master came to one of our conferences and lectured on the Hermetic Palace at Sintra, which we so, enjoyed visiting this morning. ...

One could be forgiven for thinking the Craft carries the torch for the Hermetic Tradition. And if we are going to attract good quality candidates we must re-enchant Freemasonry by explaining these aspects of its true nature and propose, [sic] and inspiring men to want to join us.

If that doesn't indicate that Canonbury is regular mainstream Masonry, I don't know what would. Michael Baigent, being (or having been) a member of the Board of Trustees of Canonbury, is thus legitimized as belonging to regular Masonry as well.

A picture at the Canonbury website shows R. A. Gilbert talking with another man who is not identified. I have a printout of this same webpage dated 2/16/00 which shows the same picture and indicates that the other person is Michael Baigent, trustee of the Canonbury Masonic Research Center.

Baigent is the author of "Freemasonry Today," and also the co-author of several books including HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL which essentially told the Da Vinci Code story before Dan Brown got around to it.

Baigent wrote an article for "Masonic Forum Magazine" No. 18-19 titled "The Essenes and the Dead Sea Scrolls" which uses the Dead Sea Scrolls to refute Josephus and Pliny about the nature of the Qumran community. Baigent claims that:

According to Josephus, the Essenes maintained cordial relations with King Herod the Great who, he states, held the Essenes in high esteem.

The Dead Sea Scrolls however reveal a militant antagonism and unremitting hostility towards non-Judaic authority generally and, according to the Temple Scroll, towards the Herodian dynasty specifically. Furthermore, Qumran seems to have been abandoned around the beginning of the reign of Herod (37 BC) because of his persecution.

The classical writers describe the Essenes as being pacifist. Philo specifically mentions that no weapons makers were members of the sect. Josephus draws a distinction between the non-violent Essenes and the violent, militant, and messianic, Zealots. Yet, the ruins of Qumran reveal a defensive tower and a probable forge. In addition, weapons (arrows) were found in the ruins during excavations. The Dead Sea Scrolls themselves, especially the War Scroll reveal the sect's belligerent and martial nature.

Baigent closes the article with this:

We end this chapter in The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception with the following: "It would thus seem that the Qumran community was equivalent to the "early Church" based in Jerusalem ...the "Nazoreans" who followed James, "the Lord's brother". Indeed, the "Habakkuk Commentary" states explicitly that Qumran's ruling body, the "Council of the Community", was actually located at the time in Jerusalem. And in Acts 9:2, the members of the "early Church" are specifically referred to as "followers of the Way" a phrase identical with Qumran usage."

"The Way". The same phrase used by the Ebionites and the Essenes is being used by the Cleveland chancery in its announcement of an upcoming youth program scheduled in Columbus, as I reported yesterday. Are they talking about the same "Way"?

The Essenes are closely linked with the Ebionites. Orthodox Wiki makes the association:

The Early Church before Constantine had many diverse views.

Jewish Christians

On one extreme were the so-called Judaizers or Jewish Christians. They were established by James the Just and believed in the Jewish Bible, at that time called the Law and the Prophets, and that Jesus was the prophesied Jewish Messiah who would return in a Second Coming to fulfill the rest of Messianic prophecy.

They denied the virgin birth, believed that Jesus became one with God at his baptism but was not a god. The Ebionites, Nazarenes and other groups of Judaizers used only the Gospel of the Hebrews and rejected Paul’s writings and Pauline Christianity. They kept all the Biblical Hebrew rituals (such as the Sabbath and Quartodeciman) and did not believe in the Holy Trinity. They rejected Antinomianism but were accused by their opponents of Legalism (theology).

There is an Order of Nazorean Essenes on the web which offers a webpage dedicated to "Scottish Rite Masonry: The 2nd Degree of Scottish Rite Masonry". Essentially the webpage describes the degree ritual.

In MORALS AND DOGMA, Albert Pike mentions the Essenes 22 times, 21 of which are in the 17th degree chapter, "Knight of the East and West".

This Essene website makes it quite clear what this group of Essenes think about Christians:

Having set the stage, I will describe in detail the schism led by Paul which evolved into modern Christianity. I will conclude this expose´ with a call to action: A CALL TO REJECT PAULIANITY AND RETURN TO ESSENE NAZARENE CHRISTIANITY. The choice is simple, yet profound; and every Christian must make it: YAHSHUA (Jesus) OR PAUL?

First, some necessary background information must be given. There was an ancient Jewish religion which was very mystical, high and noble. It was a very evolved form of religion, rooted in respect and care for all of creation. This ancient Jewish religion was both very esoteric -- as evidenced by its Kaballah mysticism -- and yet very practical, as evidenced by its emphasis on daily lifestyle disciplines, ecology and communal economics. It was also VERY VEGETARIAN: not only was animal sacrifice forbidden, but so was the eating of animal flesh absolutely condemned. War and slavery had no part in this nonviolent religion. Women were the equals to men; women were entitled -- in fact, encouraged -- to participate in the Priesthood. This Priesthood -- called "The Priesthood of Melki Zadek" -- was governed by God via good angels and the divinely inspired BOOK OF THE ETERNAL COVENANT. Their original founder was Enoch; later, Moses led a major remanifestation of their movement. THIS ENLIGHTENED ANCIENT JEWISH RELIGION WAS KNOWN AS "ESSENE NAZARENE JUDAISM".

I would argue that there is an association between Essenes (and thus Ebionites) and Freemasonry based on the evidence I've presented over the last couple of days. It seems to me there can be a reasonable argument made that Freemasonry may in fact have been the system that brought the teachings of the Jewish community in Jerusalem forward in history in a secretive system as is being claimed by Alan Butler and John Ritchie in ROSSLYN REVEALED. If this is true, the Church has opposed it each time it has broken out into open sight. Today, however, it would seem that Benedict is focused on making compromise with it and forging some sort of peace. What then is one to think about his firm stand against Freemasonry made at or near the time when the 1983 Code of Canon Law was promulgated?

It is easy to dismiss the Ebionites and their Noahide laws that would forbid belief in the Trinity and in Jesus Christ as God, with its penalty of beheading for violation. They are a small group. The situation becomes somewhat more alarming when the Ebionites are coupled with the Essenes. But add Freemasonry to this mix and the picture changes dramatically.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!