To a Brother Templar

by Rudy Olano
Hanford Lodge No. 279
08Apr05

One of the reasons why our Craft was/still persecuted by the Romans (not by the Greeks) is because of our respect to other people beliefs---religious tolerance. Whether in the Lodge, Chapter, Council or Asylum, we promote the concept of agreeing to disagree. Having said that, the glaring mistake that the Brother eloquently pointed out relative to Tranformations and Reflection article is a matter of opinion since no one is certain if we are even taking about the same individual. The Brethren sources might be correct regarding Yeshua bar Yusuf Ansaret and my sources could be also correct regarding Yesu bin Yusef/ Jesus son of Joseph husband of Mary or the Jesus the Nasorian. Certainly the Jewish historian, Josephus in his writings did not even mentioned an event of Biblical proportion and its ancillary effects but did noted a beheading of a fellow known as the Baptist. We all know that history is an event agreed upon by the historians. Because such events did not get written in papyrus, stone, paper or word processor, meant the said event did not occurred. Therefore, let me disagree with the Brother's conclusion and leave it at that.

The passing away of the Bishop of Rome is a poignant history to the faithful all over the Catholic world. He was a man of many accomplishments, truly a man of Peace. Among few of the unprecedented actions he made was the apology to the victims of Inquisitions. A nice gesture to those already dead who really cares for the word—I’m sorry we killed you because we don’t believe in religious tolerance. Ironic, since the Vatican also did not rescind the Bull regarding excommunication to all Catholic males who joined the Fraternity. Instead they took the easy way out and let the individual parish priest to make the determination as to the eligibility based on the individual activity related to the security and well being of the Church. I am preaching to the choir here. Anyway, this writer hoped that the new Pope will also reconsider and extend the apology to the Knights Templar. But then again, it could be another wishful thinking on my part.

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*** reposted on occassion of Pope Benedict today's arrival for a visit to NewYork. (15Apr08)