Theos-Talk Archives (February 1997 Message tl00047)

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    In the USA, the situation is different. Democracy and independence  have
a very unique meaning to the Americans since the days of American
Independence, and every institution in the USA has been very alert to  any
kind of direct or indirect Foreign Domination no matter in what kind  of
"spiritual" garb it is disguised. In many of these situations there  are
also large assets involved and hence such control means economic  control
and thru economic control other changes can be effected.

    So when the Paris demands of this *veto* based *autocratic* *remote*
control was presented to the membership, most of the members were  outraged
and on a democratic ballot voted to form American Co-Masonry  which is
sovereign and does not depend upon any foreign ruler ship or  control. It
works the Scottish Rite from the 1st through the 33rd degree  plus some
degrees of the York Rite. The elected members of the Board of  Directors
personally visited Paris and tried to formally and personally  explain the
situation in the US so that the situation could be resolved  in a mutually
satisfactory manner. Paris leadership would not budge. So  this situation
ended with the formation of the American Co-Masonry.

    As a historical fact, it need to be mentioned here that when France  was
under Nazi Occupation and Co-Masonic Headquarters could not  function, the
lodges in US were working under a sovereign Supreme  Council in the US.

    For those outside the US, it would be interesting to know that even  in
the masculine Masonry, each State of the United States has its own
sovereign setup and is not subject to any national ruler ship or  control.
So with 52 states there are 52 Masonic Supreme Councils each of  which is
sovereign in its State.
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