The majority of freemasons I'm sure are well to do people. As in every society there will always be those who are 'satanists' whatever the operative word for that may be.
QUOTE(DeathStalker @ Oct 24 2006, 05:17 AM)
The Freemasons are not Satanic at all. They were the finding fathers of the United States; and chose to use the occult for the goodness and freedom of the country.
Perhaps that was the intent of the founding fathers of the United States, the street plans of Washington for example contain a curious symmetry and pentagrams galore! Most magicians like us will have a circle, maybe a space indoors and out dedicated to our Working, maybe some of us travel to distant sites located at nodal points on leylines, the earth energy grid, or the multitude of other energetic grids that surround this planet. I mention this because the Masons have practically constructed an artificial energy grid (or 'enhanced' what was already there for their own purposes) - the cities of the United States - I'm sure some points in this grid correspond to native american sites, etc. Masonic temples are built in strategic places on this network for obvious reasons - for good or bad. This is the case all over the planet, the arc de triumph and how it lines up with many landmarks throughout Paris is a great example.
The mother Masonic Lodge is located in London, all other Lodges in the world, including those in the United States, are controlled from the United Kingdom.
I must ask; why is Albert Pike - one of the most respected freemasons - associated with the founding of the KKK in America?
Why are George Bush and George W. Bush both members of the Skull and Bones society (also called the Brotherhood of Death), and what do they believe in? Why are so many of the American presidents from related families when there is such a massively diverse genepool in America (i.e a monarchy under the name of democracy). Why was the statue of liberty given as a present to America by French freemasons, isn't that the 'torch of illumination' in her hands, and why are there seven points to her crown? Why are there obelisks, some of which were once in Egypt, in nearly every major city on this planet? Who funded their removal or construction and why are they where they are (see the aetheric energy grid in my second paragraph).
Here in the UK it's known that Tony Blair (most of the members of parliament as well) and nearly all of the royal family are masons (except Diana, of course, who was later involved in a mysterious accident).
QUOTE(DeathStalker @ Oct 24 2006, 05:17 AM)
They didn't want the issues of Europe (which came from Christianity)
You mean paganism...*
QUOTE(DeathStalker @ Oct 24 2006, 05:17 AM)
to have effect on the United States. They had no real religion, they were just practitioners of the occult for a cause, and their cause was to cease the movement of Christianity in the US and thus have an occult-safe country.
... a more sophisticated and intellectualised version of paganism!
Plus, many of the masons who founded your country were 'christain masons' whatever that means to them.
*I think you're forgetting that the Masons still have a massive influence in Europe and always have under different guises, they practically own the banking system for example, which is the same as America. The only real difference is that America was very recently built from the ground-up under the eyes of the Masons, whereas in Europe and the rest of the world in general they have adapted pre-existing systems of thought, sacred sites, etc, for their own purposes. These are my thoughts on them at the moment, as to the question of whether they are 'good' or 'bad', with god or satan, I can only point you to the many assassinations that follow the punishments in their oaths, how it seems everything is becoming 1984esque through the channels of the people these secret societies put into positions of power.