Become a Master Mason then join the York Rite. You must be a professed Christian to be a Templar I'm told. I'm not York Rite, so someone else will have to explain the requirements.
To become a Knight of Templar you must first be a member of the York Rite? My understanding is that the Knights of Templar have no connection to the Scottish Rite other than our Masonic connection to each. So my understanding is belonging to the Scottish Rite has no connection to the Knights Templar. To become a Knights Templar you must first belong to the York Rite. I think thats they way it works.
No disrespect, but that made absolutely no sense. Where did you read in this thread a reference to the Scottish Rite?
Gary, once again, it depends on the jurisdiction you belong to. There are Templars of all faiths. In Wisconsin, for instance, any Mason can become a Templar, but he must be willing to take an obligation that, in part, commits him to defending the Christian religion if ever called upon to do so.
Caos, my friend, you cannot be a knight of templar because there is no such thing. If you are a Master Mason, however, you should be able to join the York Rite system and eventually become a Knight Templar (sorry to play the word game with you, but I think it's important). Anyhow ... join a Lodge of Freemasons, go through the 3 mandatory degrees, then join York Rite, go through their degree system and then, hey presto!, you, too can be a Knight Templar.
There is another thread floating around here somewhere where I said the same thing in a similar discussion. I'm on the fence about that "requirement". If I have time later, I'll post the link.
There are no 'tasks' per se. You've obviously got medieval knighthood legends mixed up with the reality of what Masonic Knighthood is all about.
I, too, am on the fence about that requirement and I AM a Knight Templar. I don't see how a person of a non-Christian faith would possibly obligate himself to "defend Christianity of called upon to do so". I mean, what if he was called to defend Christianity from his own faith? Anyhow, that's the ruling in Wisconsin and I would assume that it's similar elsewhere.
Yes, Knights Templar is the capitular degree in the York Rite System. There is no such thing as Knights of Templar, it's Knights Templar. You're right: there is no connection to the Scottish Rite. But then again, nobody said there was.
To be accurate , the Capitular degrees are the Chapter Degrees . The Knights Templar would be in the Chivalric orders .
That is how I understand it to be in my area too. And to answer your post further down the thread. I was told you would defend Christianity from slander, not actually defend it like Crusades type of defending. Again, that is my take on it, from the information I have gathered. But it is rather hard due to the lack of active YR Masons in my Lodge. Most likely that is the reason why the YR has been the only ones not to hound members in my Lodge to join.
Jason, I cannot give you a direct quote without revealing some of the degree, which I am pledged not to do, but IN WISCONSIN, a Knight Templar is pledged to defend Christianity with his sword if necessary. Indeed, "like Crusades type of defending."
I went through York Rite in Wisconsin as a non-Christian and the Obligation posed no heartburn to me. I would defend the Christian faith if it came under unwaranted attack the same as I would hope my Christian Brothers would defend Judaism if it came under similar attack. That being said, Wisconsin can make all th interpretations about the Obligation it wants. But it cannot make the Christian Masons be tolerant of non-Christians who want to join the Commandery. I'm no longer a member of YR. I've said it before and I'll say it again, and sorry I don't mean to ruffle any feathers, but I have a hard time accepting a Masonic body that restricts membership, in thought or practice, based on religion.
As always, my Brother, you are entitled to your opinions no matter how silly or wrong-minded the rest of us find them to be. At any rate, I'm still sorry to hear that you demitted from YR, no matter how good your reasons were for it. YR needs more open minds.
