An honest question for all.

[BEDickey]

that's ok

That's no problem, I missed the n in Panentheistic anyway, so it came out Panetheistic. If your eyes are getting bad them my typing is too.

 

[Dion]

Hello, I'm Brandon and I'm a Hermeticist.

Also if anyone wishes I would gladly explain my reasoning as to how the Tarot is in fact Holy Scripture.

Hello again, Brother Brandon;

First, I do wish to hear your reasoning as to how the Tarot is in fact Holy Scripture (of Hermeticism, in particular), because I would certainly have asked you that question had you stated you wanted to be obligated on a deck of cards (there is a Masonic deck, btw). This thread is coming dangerously close to violating a major prohibition pertaining to discussion topics - just a reminder. If you are going to allow your faith to become a divisive element (I expect Hermeticists can proselytize, although I don't ever recall anyone knocking on my door wanting to talk about Hermes 3G), then I see it as a potential problem. The first care of a WM is harmony within his Lodge. Your intro is a case in point, and suggests to me you are wearing things on your sleeve.

Are there correspondences between the study of Freemasonry and the study of Hermeticism? Of course there are (and I congratulate you on your stated reading of A.E. Waite (do look at the Rider-Waite deck, card #I and compare it to your pic - right hand, right path, etc.), because I find him to be a tough read. But the same can be said for most schools of religion and philosophy and science . . . is that not the beauty of Freemasonry, and does it not speak to that universality we claim? But at the end of the day Masonry is the primary topic for the study of Masonry.

One last thing, and I believe this is an important bit of advice if you don't mind. In another post you made, you compared the Eucharist with cannibalism. Given that you have joined an organization that is predominately Christian (its membership, at least in the USA), I suggest you come up with a different argument for justifying the Tarot as your VSL. For more on that topic, if you haven't read it, I recommend Waite's The Hidden Church of the Holy Graal, specifically Book IX. Chapter III (The Latin Literature of Alchemy and the Hermetic Secret in the Light of the Eucharistic Mystery). You can find it online for free (the copy I have was printed in 1909, but I believe
it can still be purchased as a paperback). Good luck