DeMolay: Our Readers Respond

Please see editor's note at bottom.

Last week’s minor treatise on the Order of DeMolay and related organizations drew a variety of comments from readers. Here are some.

A reader wrote, “You are so WRONG about Rainbow Girls. The benefits afforded me by that organization and our leader made for me a better world then and now, with an understanding of Faith, Hope and Charity, which I have carried into a very HAPPY life.

“With the lessons learned, I no longer need to be tethered to the ‘church’ and feel no guilt about my non-attendance with the CHRISTIANS. My relationship with the Holy Trinity surrounds me with Faith, Hope and Charity.”

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A reader wrote: “I never did tell you why I quit DeMolay. The Master Councilor (chief youth leader) was convicted of statutory rape.

“For me, this exposed the cult for the religious fraud that it is. If the fruit of the leadership was evil, then the whole ‘tree’ was just as rotten. My parents were nominal Presbyterians and I attended that church, so had some understanding of morality. Not enough, alas, but enough to recognize the counterfeit. Thank God!”

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A reader wrote, “If you wanted to succeed in those days, the men had to be Masons, the women Eastern Star, and the kids either DeMolay or Rainbow Girls.

“My sister was required to be a Rainbow Girl, and when I was old enough I was sent to DeMolay. I didn't know any better at that time, or I never would have done it. The Masons and their offshoot organizations go against everything I believe as a Christian.

“My Dad and Mom both went through all the positions in Masons and Eastern Star. My grandparents, even though he was a minister, went through all the positions. It was assumed that I would do the same.

“My sister was high up in the offices of RG when she sponsored her best friend, a girl of Japanese descent, as a member. The woman who was in charge blackballed the girl because of her race, not her religion; she was a Methodist.

“My sister was so angry she resigned on the spot, as did several other girls. For once my mother supported her and didn't require that she continue in the organization.

“In the meantime, I was progressing through the ranks of DeMolay. I was slated to be the next (Master Councilor) but that's when I told them that we were moving and I could not continue.

“They gave the position to another young man who immediately announced that he was also moving away. I think it took the organization a little while to recover from that.

“When my grandmother died in 1983, the Eastern Star conducted the graveside service for her. It was all I could do to remain silent as they honored “Electra” (whoever she is) and never once gave this pastor's wife the sendoff she deserved.

“That turned my stomach forever. Then I started to read about the Masons (and not via Dan Brown!) and discovered that my feelings against the organization were correct. We steered our daughters away from RG and kept them active in our church youth activities.

“So your blog brought back some not-so-nice memories, but it also reminded me that I chose the right course for my life. So for that I thank you for giving me the opportunity to reaffirm my life choices.”

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A reader wrote, “I believe that God has given us a sharper understanding of this ‘secret-society’ strategy of Satan, for a purpose. You may be free of influence in this area, and I sincerely hope that you are.”

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A reader wrote: “I belong to several business groups and have held leadership positions in them. All of these groups are required to make public their bylaws and organizational documents, as well as their financials, in order to obtain and retain their tax exempt status.

“The Freemasonry groups, which would include the 'animal lodges' (Elks, Moose) both attract and keep their members through secrecy. This is an appeal to the same spirit of pride that cost Lucifer his place in heaven. It also mimics the Gnostics, and Gnosticism’s secret knowledge.

“The term, ‘mystery religion’ means that it is a religion in which elements are kept hidden from the ‘profane’ (non-members). You can only learn these elements by going through a formal initiation in which you are ceremonially set apart from the masses and sworn formally to secrecy.

“Only then is one entrusted with the group’s secrets, and then in degrees. In other words, there are things a "third grade" or "third degree" Witch is allowed to know that a first degree Witch is not.

“Jaycees, Rotary and Kiwanis are business and community promotion groups, and are to my knowledge NOT secret societies.

“The real litmus test, for any of these groups is, do they preach a false gospel?? A doctrine of good works vs. salvation through faith in Christ?

“Why do the Shriners have some of the best children’s hospitals in the U.S.? They don’t give up their Masonic affiliations; and justify their antics with public service.

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A reader wrote, “Mom and Dad got us into lots of stuff, much of which I have decided was the need for us to meet really interesting characters. Who would introduce me to Tommy Dorsey but Mabel Leick (a unique music teacher). She was one of the original John Phillip Sousa Girls.

“We also met Shorty Hawthorne the handyman, Bill Hobbs the swimming pool superintendent at Fitzimmons Army Hospital, Lucile Rockne the language teacher and a long list of other characters.

“In the list were Boy Scouts, Methodist Church, and DeMolay. Junior Masons become Senior Masons, properly groomed.

“Mom was pushy about getting us into the right stuff. How did we miss 4H?

“I’m not sure the folks understood the historical basis of DeMolay. There probably needed to be such an organization during the Inquisition, maybe not so much any more.

“I have Spanish Jewish friends who moved to the Las Vegas N.M. area during the Spanish Inquisition. The family history there says they needed protection, which they could get in the new world. Odd they are now Catholic.”

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On the subject of the DeMolay “secret sign of distress,” a reader wrote, ”I have stood in the street from time to time with my arms crossed, no one has ever seen it as a distress sign.”

“And there are only so many ways one can position the parts of a body without looking like a baseball coach or deaf ski instructor.”

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Word of the Week: Freemason. A member of an international secret society having as its principles brotherliness, charity and mutual aid.

EDITOR'S NOTE: 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All!