90%?gkearney wrote: ↑January 5th, 2018, 2:23 pmNow hold on here, I have been a Mason and an active temple attending Latter-day Saint my whole adult life. I went through the endowment prior to 1990 and further I have studied, lectured (before both LDS and Masonic audiences) and written extensively on the topic of the development of the endowment and Masonic rituals. While I am the first to admit parallels between the two and no, I do not hold to the idea of the endowment ritual originating in antiquity, even in my approach would never make the kind of sweeping statement that the endowment and the rituals of the Masonic lodge are anything close to "100% identical".Col. Flagg wrote: ↑January 5th, 2018, 1:46 pm Mark, back together again old friend! Along with Natasha!!
The truth of the matter is that Joseph became a Mason before he instituted the temple endowment ceremony - I've seen and read about the ritual that goes on in Masonic temples and it is almost 100% identical with the exception of characters, symbols, signs, tokens and handshakes being changed to something entirely different for the temple endowment. All I can say is that I am glad I didn't go through any endowment sessions before 1990 or I might have never gone back. Good to hear from you though - hope all is well. Same with you Nat.
Take it from someone who has and continues to attend both the temple and the Masonic lodge. There are similarities and there are considerable differences, particularly so in the modern endowment.
http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech22b.htm#535
So the Masons had it right before Joseph had the endowment ceremony revealed to him? If so, when and where did the Masons get it from? If the endowment was revealed to Joseph, then the Masons had it right (or were on the right track) and so why would it have to come through revelation if it was already being done (mostly) correct by the Masons? See the can of worms we're opening up?