Studying Islam

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[quote]The Shriners were formed in the 1870s by two theatrical New York Freemasons who became entranced with Arabic and Muslim lore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriners

.......Despite its Arabic theme, the Shrine is in no way connected to Islam. It is a men's fraternity rather than a religion or religious group. Its only religious requirement is indirect: all Shriners must be Masons, and petitioners to Freemasonry must profess a belief in a Supreme Being. In order to further minimize any confusion with religion, the use of the word "Temple" to describe Shriners' buildings has now been replaced by the phrase "Shrine Center."..............

.They developed rites in which God is referred to by many names, including "Allah," "Father" and the "Grand Geometrician." Shriners have traditionally prayed by facing toward Mecca (the most holy city in Islam) and initiation ceremonies include the Bible, altars, holy titles and devotion to "the everlasting foundation of God-given law."

The blood oath of secrecy represents the most contentious display of religion in the Shriners.

The Encyclopedia of Fraternities, by Albert Stevens, contains this description of the macabre punishment a Shriner agrees to if he ever transgress his obligations to the mystic Shrine: "In willful violation whereof may I incur the fearful penalty of having my eyeballs pierced to the centre with a three-edged blade, my feet flayed, and I be forced to walk the hot sands upon the sterile shores of the Red Sea until the flaming sun shall strike me with livid plague, and may Allah, the god of Arab, Moslem and Mohammedan, the god of our fathers, support me to the entire fulfillment of the same. Amen. Amen. Amen."

Stanford University's Rich says Shriners shouldn't be surprised Muslims believe Shriners are parodying their religion. Noted Vancouver Muslim Itrath Syed, for one, finds the Shriners appropriation of Islamic themes annoying, even though she recognizes they do good work.

"It seems to me the Shriners took what they wanted from Muslim and Arab culture, ignored the original meaning, ascribed new meaning to it and patched it together. It's as if they were creating their own little fantasy, which at one level seems harmless, but at another level seems part of a larger imperialistic project."

BELIEF'S OF SHRINERS:

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/masons.htm

..Most do not realize the terrible oaths that Masons are required to take for each advancing degree in this cult. Each Entering Apprentice, for example, is required to repeat:

"... most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that I will always hail, ever conceal, and never reveal, any of the arts, parts or points of the hidden mysteries of ancient Freemasonry. ... All this I most solemnly, sincerely promise and swear, with a firm and steadfast resolution to perform the same, without any mental reservation or secret evasion of mine whatever binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by its roots, and buried in the rough sand of the sea at low water mark where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, should I ever knowingly or willingly violate my solemn oath and obligation as an Entered Apprentice Mason. So help me, God." ...

Each succeeding degree has a similar horrible oath and penalty connected with it.[/quote]

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