Modern Conspiracies#5: Freemasonry and Dr. Milgram (Inducing Obediance to Authority)

 In Freemasonry, particularly the Scottish Rite, initiates take oaths that can sometimes be seen as a form of psychological conditioning. The rituals, with their specific language and severe consequences for breaking oaths, can create a strong sense of commitment and obedience within the system. The fact that an initiate must take 33 different oaths (one for each degree) further compounds this psychological effect. This cumulative process appears to soften the individual up for more obedience and loyalty as they ascend through the degrees, making it easier to “Milgram” them when necessary.

Here’s how the oaths taken in Freemasonry might parallel Milgram's findings:

1. The Power of Authority in Masonic Oaths

• Masonic Oaths: Within the Blue Lodge and Scottish Rite, initiates swear oaths of loyalty to the lodge, its teachings, and to the authority of the Grand Master and other Masonic leaders. These oaths are presented as sacred and unbreakable, reinforcing the idea that obedience to the authority of the lodge is paramount.
• Milgram's Experiment: Milgram's study demonstrated how participants would obey an authority figure, even when their actions went against their own ethical beliefs. In the case of Freemasonry, this obedience to authority within the lodge structure can be seen as similar: individuals might follow orders or rituals because they are conditioned to view the lodge leadership as an unquestionable authority, even if those directives might conflict with their own morals.

2. Building a 'Temple of People'

• The 'Temple of People' in Masonry: The metaphor of "living stones" in Masonry refers to the idea that each Mason is a building block in the creation of a moral and virtuous temple (often described as the Temple of Solomon). However, this concept can be seen as less about spiritual enlightenment and more about molding individuals into obedient parts of a larger collective, which conforms to the structure and hierarchy of the Masonic system.
• Milgram's Findings: Milgram's experiment showed that individuals could be turned into agents of authority who blindly follow commands, even if those commands contradict their ethical principles. Similarly, Freemasonry's system of rituals and oaths can turn members into individuals who are more likely to follow the authority within the lodge without questioning, potentially even when it conflicts with their broader ethical or personal beliefs.

3. The Psychological Conditioning in Masonic Rituals

• Rituals and Oaths: The very nature of Masonic rituals, especially the initiation process, serves to create strong psychological bonds between the initiate and the organization. The oaths sworn during initiation are binding and serious, emphasizing secrecy, loyalty, and obedience. The rituals themselves are carefully designed to induce a psychological shift in the individual, making them more attuned to the lodge's moral teachings and hierarchical authority.
• Milgram's Psychological Insights: In Milgram's experiment, individuals became increasingly obedient to the point where they inflicted harm on others, simply because they trusted the authority figure and felt compelled to follow orders. Similarly, Masonic rituals create an environment where initiates may feel a deep sense of duty to the lodge and its authority, often leading them to prioritize obedience over personal autonomy or morality.

4. The Cumulative Effect of Taking 33 Oaths

• 33 Oaths in the Scottish Rite: Here is where the psychological conditioning becomes particularly potent. In the Scottish Rite, the initiate takes 33 oaths—one for each degree. The process of taking a new oath for every degree creates a pattern of escalating commitment to the lodge and its hierarchy. Each oath further strengthens the individual’s bond to the organization, gradually increasing their loyalty and sense of duty.
• Milgram's Findings: Milgram's experiment demonstrated that people’s willingness to obey increases with successive orders, even when they are asked to commit increasingly extreme acts. Similarly, the repeated taking of oaths in Freemasonry can be viewed as a gradual conditioning process that strengthens obedience to the authority of the lodge. The cumulative nature of these oaths ensures that the initiate’s identity becomes increasingly tied to the organization’s principles and authority, making them more susceptible to future commands, regardless of their personal ethics.

5. Potential for Obedience Over Moral Judgment

• Obedience in Masonry: Masons are taught to follow the direction of their superiors within the lodge, which can create a system where personal moral judgment becomes secondary to the guidance of the lodge's leadership. The hierarchical nature of Freemasonry means that members are expected to trust the leadership's decisions, regardless of whether they align with their own beliefs or the outside world.
• Milgram's Experiment: Milgram demonstrated that the presence of an authority figure can override personal ethical considerations. In a similar vein, Masonic authority structures could be seen as fostering an environment where obedience becomes paramount, sometimes at the expense of personal judgment or broader ethical concerns.

6. A Hierarchical System that Cultivates Obedience

• Masonry's Hierarchy: The Masonic system is structured hierarchically, with individuals rising through the ranks based on loyalty, service, and adherence to the principles of the lodge. As initiates progress through the degrees, they take on greater responsibilities but also face increased obligations to the system and its authority.
• Milgram’s Analysis of Authority: Milgram found that individuals are more likely to obey authority figures in hierarchical structures, especially when they perceive the authority as legitimate. Freemasonry's own hierarchical structure ensures that obedience is ingrained in the organization, making it difficult for members to question or reject the authority of higher-level masons.

Conclusion: Freemasonry's Role in Shaping Obedient Individuals

The similarities between the findings of Milgram's obedience experiment and the rituals and oaths taken by Masons point to a system that, consciously or unconsciously, shapes individuals into obedient followers of authority. The oaths taken in Masonic rituals, especially in the Scottish Rite, can be seen as a mechanism that strengthens this obedience, binding members to the group and ensuring conformity to its authority.

The fact that initiates take 33 different oaths, each reinforcing loyalty, secrecy, and obedience, is a significant factor in the psychological conditioning that takes place within the Masonic system. This repetitive process of pledging allegiance to the lodge can be seen as a deliberate effort to make the individual more susceptible to authority, which mirrors the psychological conditioning that Milgram demonstrated in his experiment. By the time an initiate reaches the 32nd degree, they have undergone a process of softening their personal autonomy and aligning themselves with the lodge’s goals and leadership.

Freemasonry, particularly in its more advanced forms like the Scottish Rite, can thus be understood as a system that molds individuals into parts of a larger whole—a "temple" of people who conform to the principles and authority of the organization. This psychological process is one where the individual becomes less of a free agent and more of a follower, willing to sacrifice personal autonomy in favor of obedience to the lodge's hierarchy. In this way, Freemasonry can be seen as reinforcing the same dynamics of obedience to authority that Milgram's experiment demonstrated, turning its members into "living stones" that collectively form a structure where authority, rather than individual moral reasoning, holds sway.