GLOBAL FREEMASONRY It is important to recognize this traditionalism. In modern Masonic lodges, legends, symbols and words that are thousands of years old, are still used. Despite the fact that nearly all Masons have a high level of education, and occupy some of the highest positions in society, they organize ceremonies in which they take gilt swords and skulls into their hands, murmur words in Ancient Egyptian, stand before columns modeled on Ancient Egyptian temples in silver aprons, white gloves and even more strange costumes and make profound oaths. If a person who knows nothing about Masonry is brought into one of their lodges, he will probably think that he is visiting a comedy film-set, and perhaps not be able to stop himself from laughing when he sees Masons in the course of the initiation ceremony, with their eyes blindfolded, ropes around their necks, and walking around with one bare foot. But, Masons, living in their secret world, regard these strange ceremonies as very normal, and find psychological satisfaction in the mystical atmosphere of their lodges. After these ceremonies, they sit and talk with one another about their beliefs that "atoms have spirits and come together to form living things," that "the world attained its balance because of the hidden intelligence in magma," or that Mother Nature has created us very well" and other myths. This whole charade is staged only to preserve tradition, and is so clearly devoid of reason that it is amazing that such a system of ideas could still survive and be defended. The Masons' blind attachment to their traditions clearly shows the great importance they give to the idea of the "landmark." A landmark is a place or object that symbolizes something that has historical importance or meaning. In Masonic language, landmarks are the rules that have been passed down unchanged since the foundation of the organization. Why did they not change? The Masons offer an interesting answer to this question. An article published in Mimar Sinan in 1992 says: Masonry's Landmarks are very old laws that have been passed on from age to age and generation to generation. No one knows when they appeared and no one has the right to change them or cancel them.
DHC