Thoreau
Valued Senior Member
We've all heard the stories of the Knights Templar. They've been incorporated into Hollywood in movies such as National Treasure and The DiVinci Code.
And yes, the Knights Templar did actually exist. If you haven't cracked open your history book lately, the Knights Templar were formed long ago (during the time of the Crusades) in order to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land from attacks by Muslims and others. The Knights Templar reported directly to the Church - more specifically, they were under command of bishops. These were devout Christian men who lived a very simple life mixed of religious and miltary duties.
I've spent the past few years researching the Knights Templar organization and so I've had the opportunity to learn a lot about them as well as now being able to distinguish the myths from the facts.
One thing that has really seemed to get under my skin lately is that I've discovered a group of Masons that claim they are today's Knights Templar - directly descended from the original - and that they alone hold the secrets to the mysteries of the original Knights Templar. This group goes by the name of "The Grand Encampment of The Knights Templar".
At first glance, you'd think these were just a bunch of teenage kids looking for attention. Nope... they are grown adults. Well, physically grown, at least. Not so much mentally, I'd imagine.
If you haven't already, go to www.knightstemplar.org and take a look around.
First and foremost, it should be noted that not a single credible historian on the Knights Templar nor the Grand Encampment themselves have been able to prove any common and direct link between them and the original Knights Templar.
Taking a look at their organization, it seems to me that these guys that join the Grand Encampment are merely nothing but Masons (a joke in itself) wanting to feel more superior to other Masons. So, the myths were created and the lies were told to establish an even "grander" position among their brethren. And lonely, old, feeble men join because they don't have any sense of self. That's my take on it, anyway.
They claim to hold the answers to "secrets". First off, no one holds the answers because most of the original Knights Templar's papers and records, along with the Templars themselves, were destroyed in the later Muslim conquest. There are no secrets. There is no mystery. There are only two things: 1) Facts that remain, and 2) People that make up "facts" to further fill their own little pathetic need for belonging, such as those of the Grand Encampment.
And yes, I know the Masons and others give a lot to charity. I get it. No harm there. But the groups themselves, outside of the charity aspect, are simply pathetic in my eyes. Lastly, the Grand Encampment are an insult to the original Knights Templars. While these weak and immature old men play dress-up and inflate their ego, the original Knights Templar fought and died for the protection of their people. And granted, The Knights Templar later had MANY issues which I won't get into here and now, the initial formation of the group was an admirable venture.
This is equivelant to WWII re-enactors who've NEVER served in the military wanting to "re-live the life" of the soldiers who did. They put on the uniform, shoot the guns, and do it all in front of the viewing audience so that they can feel "respected" - like they're somebody special. It's insulting and disgusting. They don't have the right to wear the uniform. They've never served. They've never sacrificed. And the same applies to these newby Knights Templars. They have NOTHING to do with the original Knights Templar and are insulting their history by pretending that they do. Fat old men pretending to be something special - in both situations. Pathetic.
And yes, the Knights Templar did actually exist. If you haven't cracked open your history book lately, the Knights Templar were formed long ago (during the time of the Crusades) in order to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land from attacks by Muslims and others. The Knights Templar reported directly to the Church - more specifically, they were under command of bishops. These were devout Christian men who lived a very simple life mixed of religious and miltary duties.
I've spent the past few years researching the Knights Templar organization and so I've had the opportunity to learn a lot about them as well as now being able to distinguish the myths from the facts.
One thing that has really seemed to get under my skin lately is that I've discovered a group of Masons that claim they are today's Knights Templar - directly descended from the original - and that they alone hold the secrets to the mysteries of the original Knights Templar. This group goes by the name of "The Grand Encampment of The Knights Templar".
At first glance, you'd think these were just a bunch of teenage kids looking for attention. Nope... they are grown adults. Well, physically grown, at least. Not so much mentally, I'd imagine.
If you haven't already, go to www.knightstemplar.org and take a look around.
First and foremost, it should be noted that not a single credible historian on the Knights Templar nor the Grand Encampment themselves have been able to prove any common and direct link between them and the original Knights Templar.
Taking a look at their organization, it seems to me that these guys that join the Grand Encampment are merely nothing but Masons (a joke in itself) wanting to feel more superior to other Masons. So, the myths were created and the lies were told to establish an even "grander" position among their brethren. And lonely, old, feeble men join because they don't have any sense of self. That's my take on it, anyway.
They claim to hold the answers to "secrets". First off, no one holds the answers because most of the original Knights Templar's papers and records, along with the Templars themselves, were destroyed in the later Muslim conquest. There are no secrets. There is no mystery. There are only two things: 1) Facts that remain, and 2) People that make up "facts" to further fill their own little pathetic need for belonging, such as those of the Grand Encampment.
And yes, I know the Masons and others give a lot to charity. I get it. No harm there. But the groups themselves, outside of the charity aspect, are simply pathetic in my eyes. Lastly, the Grand Encampment are an insult to the original Knights Templars. While these weak and immature old men play dress-up and inflate their ego, the original Knights Templar fought and died for the protection of their people. And granted, The Knights Templar later had MANY issues which I won't get into here and now, the initial formation of the group was an admirable venture.
This is equivelant to WWII re-enactors who've NEVER served in the military wanting to "re-live the life" of the soldiers who did. They put on the uniform, shoot the guns, and do it all in front of the viewing audience so that they can feel "respected" - like they're somebody special. It's insulting and disgusting. They don't have the right to wear the uniform. They've never served. They've never sacrificed. And the same applies to these newby Knights Templars. They have NOTHING to do with the original Knights Templar and are insulting their history by pretending that they do. Fat old men pretending to be something special - in both situations. Pathetic.
