Chris Hodapp at the blog Freemason for Dummies has posted up a pretty revealing (and scathing in its own way) analysis of the story that appeared in the Buffalo News.
You can find the ongoing news saga here:
- Human trafficking close to home – Sheriff’s deputy plays lead role as she works to help victims of all ages in local battle against atrocious crimes ranging from prostitution to slavery
- Ex-deputy admits hiding crime
- Ex-deputy charged in Jesters case
- Probe of Jesters’ carousing goes national Case against 3 men from area wraps up
- Lawyer in Jesters case pleads guilty to transporting prostitute illegally
- Plea deal expected for lawyer in vice case Probe focuses on transporting prostitutes to Jesters event
- Deputies eyed in Jesters investigation Pair added to group suspected of patronizing prostitutes
The story is the further sentencing of brothers, who were also members of the Shrine’s Royal Order of Jesters (their website is gone, but a version exists in the wayback machine from 2011), who committed felony violation of the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for prostitution.
In this story, it details the expansion of the federal investigation where now other states are becoming involved as more allegations of bizarre actions of members are coming into question. And, consequently, a 2nd group in Big Sandy, Kentucky has been suspended pending investigation.
Truth be told, this has some very dark tones to what it portends, and if true, it will denigrate the fraternity more than one isolated situation.
What is being reported in the story are:
- Prostitutes walking around parties, wearing only panties, soliciting Jesters to meet them later in their hotel rooms.
- “Sex contests” involving prostitutes and Jesters members, performing in front of large groups of Jesters.
- Off-duty cops in uniform, making sure that no non-Jesters entered the rooms where activities were going on.
Brother Gary N. Martin, who is the president of the 22,000-member Royal Order of Jesters, says that he is “disturbed about the allegations”. But that, to his knowledge, such conduct is extremely isolated and never condoned by the organization.
As a brother, the allegations disturb me too, and so to does the possibility of what this will say about the moral and upright fraternity of men.
Proudly, the Royal order of Jesters say on their home page “The Royal Order of Jesters proudly believe and participate in Masonry“.
Is this really so “extremely isolated”? And does the activity warrant instructive tongues to correct?
Read Br. Hodapp’s piece on the article, then read the articles above.
In my opinion, I think its time for the Masonic Billiken to go, before its mirth making takes the fraternity down the drain.
For a full investigation, see Sandy Frost’s series on the Royal Order of Jesters.
While I’ve been known to enjoy bizarre sex acts, I believe that they should be private affairs between close friends, and not a part of lodge functions.
I’m suddenly picturing some of my bros. Eewww.
The ROJ seems to be one of those hold-out groups that are still stuck in the 1950s – much like some of our US Congress and Senate members. Is the Shrine so hurting for membership that they are afraid to take these idiots to task? Or are they simply hoping that they’ll die off in a few years?
I’d say it’s time to disassociate ourselves from the Royal Order of Jesters only 22000 members and this type of scandal erupts. It’s a sad day for freemasonry.
And yet we continue to lower the ‘bar’. Some states : No proficiencies: In blue, york, scottish, Grotto, NO WHERE. We only investigate in a cursory manner ‘does he have a pulse? Take him!’, we let felons into the order …. I think this is just the beginning of how far we have fallen. Lodges ignoring a request from their Grand to promote activities in the your groups, or in youth community activities …. to be honest, I am beginning to worry about the Blue Lodge as a whole, and we the base isn’t solid ….. nothing else can be.
The Jesters ritual is actually pretty awesome. One of the best of the American rituals. Too bad the group was taken over by pedophiles.
Raum, you don’t appear to belong to a UGLE recognized Masonic body; what do you know about the ROJ ritual that the rest of us don’t?
I find this unutterably sad. There are no Jesters in England, as far as I am aware. The Shriners have made noises about chartering a Temple in England but I have not heard that it has actually been done.
Raum – Point taken; I have a bunch of rituals from other jurisdictions, myself.
I’m surprised that the ROJ has ritual, after having heard that the Shrine really doesn’t have anything substantial.
Tom, does someone have to be an UGLE recognized Freemason to have access to Rituals? I have the ROJ ritual as I have hundreds of others, that is my main hobby.
I like the ROJ ritual a lot. It has a very Midsummer Nights Dream quality to it. Quite original.
Besides, the UGLE doesn’t recognize the Shrine and thus not the ROJ either.
S&F,
Raum
Tom, the Shrine has one ritual, I have it. I am less than impressed.
The Q has a ritual too, but the ROJ ritual is on another level.
S&F,
Raum
I think it’s been about 5 years now that I have been advocating a separation between The Shrine and Freemasonry. The Shrine has little in common with the rituals of the Craft. If we had not corrupted Freemasonry by adopting conservative Evangelical Christian views of morality into Masonic code we wouldn’t have felt a need for forming such an organization in the first place.
Instead we allowed one view of Christianity to tell Masons how to act and wrote it into the by-laws of some Grand Lodges. Thus alcohol became a sin and banished from the Lodge and all Masonic functions as was gambling which is a sin also.
But while we kept Freemasonry pure, we still needed a place to drink. So we created a Side Body where drinking was permissible. When I attended the installation of the Grand Master of Mainstream Texas in 2004, his installation was held at Grand Lodge but the dinner and reception was held at the Shrine. Why? So we could all have a glass of wine with dinner.
The British Isles, Canada, Australia etc have no such alcohol prohibition and therefore no need to create a Side Body where drinking is allowed. They don’t need the Shrine. It seems sadly ironic to me that the only nation on earth that is holier than the rest of Masonic counties is the only nation on earth that still bars a black man from initiation or admittance in some areas.
Thus does American Mainstream Masonry not only seem hypocritical but also silly.
No lodge accepts fellons, there’s a screening process.
UGLE has nothing to do with the shriners or ROJ or most if not all Blue lodges in North America. A hand full being an exception.
You have no idea if the rituals you have read are real because you never went through them, so you assume they are legit.
Most of you are talking out of your ass.
Ahem…in most jurisdictions, at least in the U.S., the screening process is simply a question or series of questions asking the candidate about his criminal record. There is no official background check. Therefore, it is completely possible for a candidate to lie about his background and get accepted because most lodges don’t truly investigate their candidates. I have actually seen multiple felons become Masons until it was discovered that they were so later. So you are incorrect on that point.
“Most of you are talking out of your ass.” Harmony being the strength and support of all institutions…
MooMoo,
Yep, I know the ritual I have for the R.O.J. is authentic.
You don’t have to “go through” the ritual to understand it,
you just have to be able to read.
Fraternally,
Raum
My AFAM lodge did accept a known felon. [DUI/DWI] … And it is known he was a felon because it was on his app … he didn’t get the required no votes, he is a member … and I am looking for a new lodge…
Although I think it is unfortunate that Beehive mentioned religion, he has a point in that in England/Wales/Scotland/Ireland we can all look forward to a pint of beer or four after lodge and during the sit down waiter served 4 course dinner that follows every lodge meeting, other than those purely held for practice or committee meetings. The warmth and conviviaility that exists is tremendous and has kept me a happy member now for over 10 years, rarely missing a meeting. One of my lodges meets in a temple that has it’s own chef, and what a chef, outstanding food every time. That Lodge is fighting applicants off, figuratively speaking and has a 3 year waiting list to join. IMHO the American lodges should do likewise.
I am divorced after 30 yrs of marriage to a ROJ member. He was a respected educator esteemed by the community where we lived, worked, farmed and raised our children. We were not wealthy but he was accepted as a member of the ROJ on the recommendation of his very wealthy brother and on the condition that he do the “secretarial” work for his court. He did not like this job since he felt it was demeaning. When I once asked him why he agreed to do it, his response was “because I would not be able to be a Jester any other way.” He is a Mason and rose to respected leadership and honour in that order. He subsequently joined the Shrine. I had always been a supportive partner in all of his extracurricular activities related, inter alia, to Masonry and Shrinedom. Our marriage had been one that was based on love, hard work, trust and mutual respect. But then my husband joined the ROJ. He was away many weekends, out of the country and at Books of the Play in our country. These diversions strained our budget in a huge way. Over time, our relationship, and my husband’s relationship with our aware and intelligent teenagers began deteriorating. He was aloof, often in a bad mood, uncommunicative and unsupportive of anything to do with mutual or family activities. He acted like he did not like any of us anymore. (It was himself he didn’t like anymore!) He did, however, always tell me upon returning from a ROJ event, of all the activities that went on there – much of which has been written about on various related websites recently. I could not condone this behaviour of the many men I knew who were Jesters, but at that point, I still believed my husband when he said he did not engage in any of these activities. I often directly challenged him on how he could purport to adhere to the morals and principles espoused by Masonry and still turn a blind eye to the behaviour of his “Masonic” friends and family members who had become members of the ROJ. One day he informed me that he did not want to be married anymore. I could not understand why, initially. It was when we were well into the legal separation stage that my son, of all people, told me what his father had been up to all this time. My husband had earlier in the year taken our son into his confidence and subsequently to one of the out of country weekends to educate him as to what went on at these events – I guess as a means of educating our son in the ways of manhood and manly activities. At that point, my husband was having an affair with a woman in the US and also having affairs when in home country ROJ territory. Some educator! Some education! I was appalled, angry, disgusted, betrayed and completely ambushed and damaged by this information. The rest is very painful history and now belongs in my past – not my present. My children are now married with children of their own. Their father is part of their lives once again, but that is due to their initiative and courage to engage with him in recent years. He is still a very active Jester and travels to the BOP’s many time a year. He and I still must connect politely at family gatherings. He still seems in need of my friendship from time to time and I remain detached and cool, but I keep the peace. I have paid a very painful price for this peace. No, I do not have anything good to say about Jesters or this organization of primarily very wealthy (but incredibly selfish and narcissistic hedonists), influential men from around the world. I know too much. And many of the Jesters I know, know I know too much. The behaviour of adult, seemingly successful and intelligent men at the various venues of the ROJ does nothing but bring sadness to my soul. I thought, rather naively I suppose, that overall male intelligence and moral decency had risen considerably above the level of the “the other head” in recent generations. How wrong I feel about that now. I do not understand why a group of men must have a “secret” and exclusive club to engage in deviant sexual (as morally and legally defined) behaviour and other non-mainstream activities such as cock and dog fights. There are surely enough other venues, opportunities and freedom of choice these days for any adult man or woman to have their non-mainstraim needs met. Why the need for disguising as “phun” and secretly condoning such behavior in a group comprised mainly of so-called “elitists”? Sick, sicker and sickest. There is, IMHO, absolutely no merit to this Masonic/Shrine offshoot organization whatsoever. Thanks for the opportunity to rant.
After 30 years of marriage to a Shriner I finally realized what a life I wasted with someone who lies, cheats and deceives me. My husband joined the Freemasons after we had been married about 5 years and being the narcissist that he is things quickly got out of hand –he is currently a member of 15+ organizations. It doesn’t stop with the Shrine there are spin off organizations they join such as the Royal Order of Jesters, Order of the Q, Billiken Clubs, Jesters on Wheels, etc. that keep them gone on weekends and will drain your bank accounts. These organizations promote immoral activities that are published as STAG events that include prostitution. Over the years while doing the wash I found call girl cards, phone numbers, Viagra, and other memorabilia in my husband’s pockets after he returned from the “Books”. These Books are nothing more than excuses to leave your wife and family and do whatever you want – your marriage vows are checked at the door. What goes on behind the secret Shrine/ROJ curtain stays behind the curtain. They will lie to your face and in court to protect each other. One protection they can’t offer is from HIV – Jester Girls should be tested more often. I recommend to other wives that you have your husband HIV tested regularly if he joins any of these organizations or your life will be in danger and not just from his threats. The Sam Houston email regarding the Royal Order of Jesters is not isolated to Texas and New York this behavior exists in every state under the fraternal cloak of darkness. They are brainwashed to acknowledge Hiram Abiff as their savior and to believe in a supreme being that is not Jesus Christ. Like they say SO LET IT BE!
Behaviour by certain members of the ROJ is unmasonic and they deserve to be expelled from the Fraternity. As a Freemason I am instructed and taught to keep to the Moral Law and True. Secondly Hiram Abiff is not my saviour and my masonic rituals do not teach that misconception, Third and last we do not say So Let it Be.
I am a freemason and a shriner, and in the Grand Lodge of Florida’s jurisdiction all candidates are subjected to a criminal background check. And if one memeber of your lodge is opposed to a candidate, then he doesn’t get in. ANd.. I’ve never cheated on my wife at a masonic function or been offered the chance. If you’re not a freemason, and presume to judge those who are based on what propaganda you have read, i feel sorry for you. I do more for my community and family than most of you could ever imagine.
I have a family member who is a member of the Shriners and ROJ, i was told once i was of age i would be admitted to the masons, and eventually if deemed fit, into the ROJ, but after reading much information i’ve found in various locations on the internet, i am not sure if i would like to join. I always felt it would be an honor to be a mason, but now i’m not so sure. I’ve always looked up to this family member and find it horrible to believe hes taken place in such activities (though i do not believe he has), if these stories are true, i may seriously have to rethink my position on the masons, or at least the ROJ. If anyone can give me some information on the masons or ROJ to ease my suspicions and rebuild my hope for Freemasonry, it would be appriciated.
Shrine and ROJ are NOT Masonic organisations. They are completely seperate entities. Membership in the Shrine requires that you be a Master Mason in good standing. ROJ requires membership in Shrine. Neither of them are Masonry.
I have no interest whatsoever in joining them.
I enjoy every masonic moment in my Blue, York, Scottish, AMD, RCC, YRSC lodges.
Masonry is a deception by satan, any mark of deception in any man, as it’s written in the bible. The heart of man is deceptively wicked above all things, beyond cure. Is how freemason boast of their good works, if you follow true doctrine, such are called dead works. Our righteousness comes from christ, not our good deeds, and anyone that has not received the spirit that gives life by salvation and the remission of past sins has no hope of seeing GOD.
YOU MAY NOT BELIEVE IT BUT FREEMASONRY LIVE IN DARKNESS AS THE REST OF CHURCHES STARTED BY MEN, AND ANY KNOWLEDGE THAT LIFTS ITSELFE ABOVE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
Masons may follow some christians doctrine, but that is as far as it goes. Unless you believe jesus died for your sins, and repent from dead works( that there is any good deed you do that could earn you Gods love, believe that jesus christ is the end of law, by faith in jesus we are righteous before God.
Masons the high way to hell is paved with good intentions. Or as jesus said enter through the narrow gate, as wide is the gate that leads to destruction.
St Paul was a servant of God and all spoke as moved by the spirit said. I will glory in nothing except the cross.
That is why we sing amazing grace that saved a wretch like me!
Hope you come to the saving knowledge of jesus christ, who we thank the father continually from rescuing us from the dominion of darkness to the glorios kingdom of his son to whom we have hope of being with God.
I’ve been a Jester for over a year and I have not seen any of the activities mentioned. I have over eaten. Maybe had a bit too much to drink from time to time. Mostly just had fun playing golf with the guys.
Lol I used to work banquets at a hotel in az and the jesters use to have a regional “meeting” there. We were actually on call to there rooms and party areas getting anything they needed from ice to food and anything they wanted from nearby stores. They would rent a whole floor, the penthouse, and banquet rooms. They were so creepy, so many were married and admitted it shamelessly to woman they were chasing. I actually had more than one jester offer money for my undies, talk about disgusting! Also I was called up to the pent. suite (made into party area) they requested like 20lb of ice so I brought it up to them and they wanted it put in the middle of a room they had emptied. I didn’t ask why cause I didnt care (was 3am) but I noticed a few interesting things 1. Obvious call girls 2. Naked bartenders 3. Several beds pushed together in main living room. Lol I’m sure there are good jesters out there but some are just nasty. Im just glad other people are acknowledging their craziness, now I don’t sound like a crazy person when I tell someone about them. ( to each their own though I don’t judge just wanted to share my experience, lol)
very concerned about what I’m seeing about ROJ, please anybody have specific info on the ROJ chapter in Summervilles SC (Andrews SC)and its members…please help
The Masonic Oath
For another example, I have inserted the oath of a Master Mason, to be repeated by the candidate for Master Mason, the third and highest degree in the Masonic Blue lodge. Also included with this vow are the first two vows that one must take for the first two degrees, first degree entered apprentice and second degree fellow-craft.
For the sake of space, the three oaths will be combined together. The Masonic lodge is admitted by some to be the “Father of all Frats,” and boldly claims Biblical affiliation. Let us see if our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ condones a Christian being affiliated with the Masonic lodge and approves of the rituals and practices of the Craft. Here are exerts from these heinous oaths. I must advise that you take heed before reading further, because the content is gory and graphic.
“All this I most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear with a firm and steadfast resolution, to keep and perform the same without any equivocation, mental reservation or secret evasion of mind whatsoever, binding myself under a no less penalty than that of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by its roots (1st degree), my left breast torn open, my heart plucked out (2nd degree), my body severed in twain, my bowels taken from thence and burned to ashes (3rd degree) should I ever knowingly violate this my solemn obligation as an Entered Apprentice Mason, a Fellow Craft Mason, a Master Mason”
(Taken from the confidential manual by Ronayne, Edmond. Handbook of Freemasonry, 1943. Chicago: Powner Co. 1973).
It is time to speak up for the children who are sexually used by the Shriners and Jesters. The fact that Shriners have sex with children at their sex parties is probably their most closely guarded secret. Their basic protocol is to drug children so they can’t remember what happened afterward. The children, no matter how many times they are raped and degraded by Shriner pedophiles, do not remember it afterwards. This enables the pedophiles to use innocent children over and over again with nary a worry of exposure.
The mothers of these children are not drugged and thus live with the guilt of keeping this horrible secret from their targeted child/children and everyone else their entire lives — like my mother did. My mother (now deceased) was a victim of the Shriners and it is for her sake as well that I speak out. She married a Shriner without knowing the plans he had for his adopted stepdaughter. I wonder if these were not his plans initially. Perhaps he saw others in his fraternity doing this and figured this would be an easy way for him, a family law attorney, to earn some extra money. Either way, it was an unconscionable thing to do not only to me, but to his own wife! My dear mother (nor any mother) did not deserve to suffer with the knowledge that her child was being used by lecherous men who marched proudly in parades.) The wives are told that if they say anything, their entire family will be killed. This is how the Freemasons operate.
I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ now and it is he who protects me, not my silence. I will not be silent when children are being filthily defiled by Shriners and other Luciferians who think they are above the law. They can get away with crimes worthy of thirty years only if those who know what they are doing keep their secrets for them.
Shriners are Luciferians. This is crucial to know in order to understand one of the main reasons they choose to sexually abuse children. Occultists move up in degree more quickly by sexually violating children, Plus, pedophiles just plain enjoy having sex with children.
If you are a Shriner and not a pedophile, you are not off the hook. You choose to associate with such people and call them brothers. Considering the fact that Shriners are Moslems (they take an Islamic oath and have an Islamic belief system) take note of what the Islamic “faith” says about using underage girls for sex.
The Shriners have their hospitals so they will have a tax deduction but only a small percentage of their donations goes to these hospitals. Every parent who has a child in one of these hospitals should not let that child out of their sight and get their child out of that hospital as quickly as they can. The staff might not touch them, but if a pedophile Shriner wants to get his hands on your child he can. Due to being drugged, the child will not recall what has happened to him/her so as to report it to you.
This is absurd. The ignorant talking in a similar manner of what they have not been exposed to nor would they understand.
Also every dime of Profit from donations and/or fundraisers goes to helping the kids. I hope you go and visit one of the Many Shriners Hospitals for Children so that you may be better informed and less laughable on future comments.
The Morocco Shrine of Jacksonville, Florida. Men who came from this precise group of Shriners sexually abused me and other innocent children. And no, this wasn’t some one-time event. This went on for years. Shriners like to party and it is not just with adult prostitutes. It is with children — and they have plenty of money to pay the wicked adults who hand them over.
Well their filthy secrets are being exposed. Parents, keep your children away from grown men who regard your children as “our kids.” They do not own your children and they have no right to do with them what they will. Grown men with Luciferian beliefs and values have no business taking charge of anyone’s children.
NC: I am sickened that you think the exposure of pedophilia by Freemasons with a distinct Islamic belief system toward children is laughable.
While your masons are at it, please disassociate yourselves with Isis, Horus and Set.
This story is five years old.
I have been involved with a mason for a couple of years. We have since parted ways as he told me at the last jester retreat he was in charge of transporting the prostitute to the event. These are supposed to be family men and hold family sacred..hmmmmm what is wrong with this picture
I am a Master Mason and a Shriner, I take being a Master Mason very seriously. I also take being a Shriner seriously, with that said my son is a Shrine Kid. Bar none the Shrine Hospitals are the best in the world, and a family is taken care of regardless of their ability to pay. In the screwy world of today Shriners work tirelessly to help children, they are heroes, if you don’t believe me come to an Outreach Clinic or visit a Shrine Hospital.
I see a lot of ill based opinions, please take the time and visit a Shrine Center, talk with some Shriners, before posting a bunch of nonsense.
I don’t know the truth of the posts that proceed mine but I am divorcing my Shriner/Jester husband of 26 years because I cannot stand all the lies and secrets anymore, or the other Shrine clubs he has joined that meet in strip clubs, my idiot husband brought all the crap home with him and I found it so he cant lie his way out of it, I know about the strip clubs because I got the email, you can discount others but I have all the itineraries and newsletters and I even went to see if my husbands Jester meeting was where his schedule said it was and it wasn’t, they move around when they think a members wife has caught on. Its disgusting. So I am here to tell you why Jesters are picked out, they need to know you are their kind of scum and your family doesn’t matter. The Shrine needs to get rid of this garbage, my husband has been a member for over 15 years, and all he does is club at the expense of our family and obviously our marriage. When people ask why we’re divorcing I tell them, word of mouth is your best advertisement or your worst. Get your shit together
.
I am ninty some years on this planet and a mason for sixty six years. I was rased by my father, m,y family has a long masonic history. I can not relate to the uinexcuseable actions refered to as Jester actions. I was a police officer for twenty five years and served as chief of detectives. I can assure any of the crimes related to the jesters would place them in felony class. Maonary is the foundation of the family. This related information should be relayed to the proper authorities and arrests made. If this conduct is part of any assoiciated mason activity it should be addressed as the cancer it is and removed from the banner of masons every where. My early expertance with the craft was part of a close community. It functioned as a meeting place for good men.This groupe should not be part of ant mmasons life. I am a schriner and recognize the good they do. I undersatand the bitternerss of the wifes that called attention to these activities. My experances over these many years and my association with my wife as a mason and family has been my guid. My sons and grand sons are maons, They all are good family men. I intend to look into the charges made here if the good Lords allows me the time. THere must be vehicle within our brotherhood to clense the satain.
I remain Frederick V Miller Sr MM