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Sisyphus Press -- P.O. Box 10495 State College, Pa. 16805-0495 Angels, Demons & Freemasonry by Philip Gardiner For Orders in U.S. only $20.99 plus $12.99 for S&H. AIR MAIL: For Canadian + International Orders (U.S. checks, money orders, or currency only - no Canadian checks, money orders, or currency) |
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Who runs the world? Is there a shadow world of powerful and elite men pulling the strings of our global society? If so, when did it originate and why? What is the real significance of Rosslyn Chapel? What were the Templars, Assassins, Druids, Augurs, Sufi's and many more really planning for all of mankind? Angels, Demons and Freemasons explores the myths, folklore and legends of the world of secret societies and provides startling evidence for a true and all too real conspiracy that has been ongoing for centuries. Within every religion and every State there lurks an underground stream controlling and manipulating those in power. Great knowledge was fostered and hidden by these groups. Wars and revolutions were carefully planned and orchestrated by a Universal Brotherhood. The knowledge and power of these people would be deemed sacred and protected. Whether it was practical methods of survival such as navigation and measurement or inner psychological and spiritual wisdom, it would become the foundation for secret societies the world over. This is the story of the groups who have guarded this sacred knowledge for centuries. ================= Are we being ruled by a secret society of powerful mystics? Do the Freemasons represent more than just a charitably-inclined organization? Producer Philip Gardiner's new DVD, Angels, Demons and Freemasons explores these other intriguing issues, leaving us with just as many questions as answers. At the heart of Gardiner's argument is the idea that Freemasonry, along with its hidden rituals and archaic symbolism, embodies centuries of esoteric knowledge once shared among priests, scribes, military elites and royalty. Gardiner?s analysis probes deep into the gnostic world of the Egyptian pharaohs, Kabbalistic Judaism, Islamic Sufism and different types of ancient and medieval alchemy. Apparently all these mystery cults and Freemasonry share one key element - the transmission of an underground stream of covert, illuminated knowledge. And since knowledge is power, those in possession of that knowledge are best positioned to shape the course of history, peacefully or through violence. History demonstrates that individuals have always formed relatively small, hierarchically arranged groups to maximize their power over the apparently unenlightened masses. This has been the social dynamic for centuries within Churches and other governing bodies enjoying both knowledge and power. And so it is today, Gardiner believes, with Freemasonry and some of its allegedly related offshoots. The contemporary power brokers differ, however, in that neither religion nor nationality play a part in their domination. According to Gardiner, the real kingpins in the so-called New World Order are mostly hidden from view and, perhaps equally important, international and interdenominational. One unanswered question runs throughout this video, and this is whether the many social symbols found in 21st century society, while clearly similar to their ancient roots, are consciously or unconsciously embraced by mankind. Angels, Demons and Freemasons seems to suggest that the mere presence of these symbols in contemporary artifacts is evidence of secret societies flourishing in the 21st century, replete with esoteric knowledge and power. But a postmodern semiotic analysis could interpret things another way. Jean Baudrillard, for instance, argued that the meaning of signs becomes imploded over time. Although ancient symbols carry on, they take on entirely new meanings (or lack of) in contemporary culture. For Baudrillard we live in the hyperreal consisting of so many distorted or entirely reinvented simulacra - i.e. signs once having clear meaning, meaning that has all but vanished in the 21st century. Not to say that Baudrillard is necessarily correct. One could argue that reinvented signs continue to carry some kind of numinous allure and deeply entrenched significance. For instance, the U.S. dollar bill contains the image of a pyramid with an eye in its capstone. And this might make the US bill more appealing on some unconscious level. But is this clear-cut evidence for a secret society operating deep within the US government? Some have argued that if these societies are so secret, why would they proliferate such a blatantly esoteric symbol? Now, to switch gears a little, another point to consider is the New Testament portrayal of Jesus Christ as the King of Heaven, while Satan is deemed the Ruler of This World. Here Gardiner makes the astute observation that practical leaders (and we do need them) ideally possess a healthy balance between mankind?s dual nature of vice and virtue, greed and goodwill. Organizational leaders are often called upon to make personal sacrifices and difficult compromises in order to render legal decisions among competing interest groups. For Gardiner, this shouldn't be a free-for-all or raw and brutish survival of the fittest scenario. The wise leader, he says, ideally leans toward the compassionate rather than Machiavellian end of the spectrum. Meanwhile, theologians might not agree with Gardiner?s view that individual choice is merely the outcome of all preceding influences, a view which seems to omit the possibility of grace and divine intervention at the moment of decision making. But these apparent theological differences may be more a matter of semantics than actual difference. For the film closes with an undeniable ray of hope. Angels, Demons and Freemasons is a thought-provoking piece that poses seminal questions about the complexities of power in contemporary society. It should appeal to specialists and intelligent laypersons and serve as a consciousness-raiser for those who perhaps put a bit too much stock in what the evening news says. |
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