With all due respect, I KNOW these external forces exist. Your unfamiliarity with such does not alter a single one of the personal experiences upon which my knowledge is based.

Let us also differentiate between thoughts and actions. What does the mind actually do? The mind/nou (Greek)/psyche is separate from the brain. It processes thoughts and converts them into actions. It is the mind which governs us - not our thoughts. It is the mind which structures and orders thoughts and then transforms those thoughts into actions. It is the mind which animates us and differentiates us from any other individual.

What is a moral choice if not a good choice? The Greek Hedonists advocated for their own "happiness" yet one need only look at their actions to question the true morality of such an ideology. Modern ideologies all claim to pursue their own happiness, but not all can be true.

And how does one actually go about correcting poor choices? Such exist in the past and can not be unmade. In some cases not even restitution is sufficient. What then?

I know what you are saying here and we all have to be sure of our facts before making a judgement. I think we can also agree there seems to be a modern epidemic of "rot at the top" for many long term organizations. At the same time we can't always trash every organization because of a few bad actors. It can be a tough call, but let's keep our eyes open and our wits about us.

The first three degrees are the primary ones to attain to become a "Master Mason" or full member of the fraternity. You don't need any more than that, but they need to be completed in order. There are further avenues of study and commitment in two main branches, York Rite and Scottish Rite. Scottish Rite can take you up to the 33rd degree, which is the highest degree. I started in the Scottish Rite, but dropped it because I didn't have the time and treasure to keep going. Someday I may try again as it was very interesting and a good experience. Interestingly, even though the Scottish Rite degrees are numbered you do not have to take all of them in numerical order. Each degree is a lesson like a chapter in a book. The 33rd degree is usually reserved for those who go on to do extra service for the fraternity or community at large.

The article brought to us above by Dobrien has a link to an obviously bad actor (Italian, can't recall the name as I type), who was offering a lodge up to the 92nd degree. There is no such degree as 33 is the highest. The person was a charlatan creating what is known as a "clandestine lodge" for personal gain. They were common during the late 18th and throughout the 19th centuries. Today, part of our acceptance into the fraternity is to be told any Mason joining a clandestine lodge or even dealing with a "mason" of such a lodge will be thrown out.

Freemasonry came out of being "hidden" officially in England in 1717 when the Grand Lodge of England was formed officially. Here's an interesting link if you want to know more (not a Masonic site). https://www.grunge.com/241147/the-his...

Today, there are scammers pretending to be Masons who specifically target Masons and others to get money for fake charities. I have been contacted several times by these thieves and we all have to be careful.

Edit add: I forgot to mention I never explored York Rite. Didn't have the time.

I don't know the first thing about the Masonic degrees, but I'm certain my grampy was never a 33rd or anything close to it.
I can't ever remember him attending a meeting (assuming they have meetings).

You want a ghost in the machine setup where mind is not the operating brain but rather something installed in a brain. If I recall right, OUC considers mind as somehow being at least partly outside of the brain. For me the mind is the operation of the brain. A somewhat similar question is what is life? Is it some ghostly thing inhabiting a body or is it a body as Rand defined as a process self generated and self sustaining action not separate from the body, trillions of trillions of chemically molecules acting creating a structure self sustaining itself, decreasing entropy as an open system using energy from matter and radiation outside of it. If the action can not sustain itself, it dies with entropy then increasing as the structure deteriorates in rotting as food to decrease entropy in the lives that process the dead body.

What exists are matter and radiation. Those have relationship called energy. They can compose fields in which matter in action transfer or exchange momentum. Radiation in the form of photons transfers momentum. Momentum, mass, energy, mind, life, concepts, etc. do not have substance. They are mental, i.e., brain processes related to what exists in objective reality.

I got sidelined by this classic in the first few minutes. I Loved this song. https://youtu.be/qJae3Q2l-BY
Before the guest author even was introduced . The narrative portrayed by Vincent Bugliosi and the media don’t make sense until you learn of Mansons parole officer. Today we find the FBI has almost every mass shooter on the radar and many seen by the same FBLie therapist prior to their killing sprees. Mansons therapist was expert at LSD and mental suggestions. Well we could call it MKUltra.
So Charlie was taught how to MKUltra the girls.
The NAZIS never lost they just gave up Germany and the Prussians just took over the countries that were fighting them. What was Hitlers goal? To take over all of Europe. What’s the EU? The infiltration has been going on for many decades.

Difference Between Brain and Mind
Following are the important differences between the brain and the mind:

Brain
Mind
Brain is the central organ of the human nervous system
Mind is a faculty that manifests itself in mental phenomena such as perception, thinking, sensation, reasoning, memory, etc.
Brain: It is made up of blood vessels and nerve cells.
Mind:It is not made up of any cells and is hypothetical.
Brain :It has a definite shape and structure.
Mind: It does not.
Brain coordinates, movements, feelings, and different functions of the body.
Mind :It refers to a person’s conscience, understanding and thought process.
You can touch the brain.
You cannot touch the mind.
The debate on the difference between the brain and the mind has been going on since the time of Aristotle. The mind is considered pure vibrating energy, whereas the brain is considered a physical manifestation of the mind. The above differences might have helped us understand how the mind and brain are two different entities.

Sure they come from your own brain. Take responsibility for your own self and don't try to blame your self on some evil angel or some unknown unreal force or energy external of your self. A mind is just a complex brain in operation and, as you, it is your responsibility to keep it rational.
It can be difficult because of evolutionary protective emotions that in the modern world would not be appropriate for the context and cause what might be considered evilness if acted on in modern times.
Like I said, don't get stuck with something outside to direct your reason or why of having been born. Your purpose for living must be selfish. If not you are just an amoral animal and as a human doing whatever makes you feel less pain. As Rand put it, your goal and reward for living your life experiencing your own happiness. The hard part is deciding what cost that happiness is. The most important costs are honesty and making rational choices, i.e.,being moral and correcting poor choices, i.e., correcting your immoral choices.

“The thing is, there are millions of members and it is inevitable some bad ones are lurking around.“
We can agree on that.
Today it does seem that in the largest organizations in the world , the criminals seem to rise to the top.
Like the Us Govt or most any Alphabet agency, virtually all Fortune 500 companies and Universites , elected ( more like selected) officials
Or Media companies, or Pedowood.

+1 for both of you

Well I am an American and I believe mossad is evil.
So there you go mr head of mossad.

Thanks Captain , I will check it out.

I just put PM Heath in a Google search and copied the first four results in the previous comment . I was being lazy but it showed the point of his treachery. Sir, I could say that the FBI is corrupt to the bone and back it up with evidence. That doesn’t mean someone’s Grandfather who was an FBI agent was corrupt.
The School system is pushing transgender bullshit,
and racism against whites with a Marxist agenda ,
My daughter is a school teacher . The whole public school system is a disaster , that doesn’t make all teachers Marxists.

IMHO, the phrase "God given rights" is basically a part of our language today to emphasize not government given rights. God given rights and Natural rights are the same thing whether you believe in God or not. I don't know who would down vote you here, so I bumped you up 1.

"Weren't at the top of the pyramid" I've heard that meaningless supposition before. I also have met 33 degree Masons and found them to be decent people. I've been in the fraternity for 22 years and have met a couple of bad eggs, but they are long gone.

The thing is, there are millions of members and it is inevitable some bad ones are lurking around.

Jesse Michels covered it, mentions a couple of books. I Find him very trustworthy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOPF8...

I'm not going to write an apology for a criminal ass that happens to be a Mason.

The first link sends me to a dead server, the second one sends me to a page of advertising and an invitation to celebrate LGBTQ+ History month, the next two are also advertising. None of them is an article about Heath.

OK, with that said prospective members petitioning any lodge in my State (NY) over the last decade or so are given a strong background check. Criminals, especially pedophiles are immediately black balled. That doesn't mean no criminal masons exist, but it means they are weeded out as soon as discovered. Even if not a criminal, there will be no Satanists in my lodge - trust me on that!

I notice the opening line in your post states he WAS top dog. Did the Brit masons throw him out?

Edit add: I found an article on him regarding the pedophile accusation (and other stuff), but my browser won't let me copy the link. The publication is called "The Week" and the article is "Who was Edward Heath? And what was his secret?". It doesn't say anything about Freemasonry, but that's not what it's about. He's been dead for a while.

Don't over-complicate it.

In London this man was top dog at a Masonic Lodge in London ,the members were mostly intelligence people and he was the first Speaker at the first World Economic Forum that is now the highly publicized event in Davos.

w.dw.com › edward-heath-pedophile-investig...
Oct 5, 2017 — After decades of speculation, British police have said new evidence presents a serious case against Edward Heath. The former prime minister ...

The Satanist Cult of Ted Heath: Ethical Implications of ...https://www.cambridge.org › european-psychiatry › article
by R Kurz · 2016 — Seven UK police forces are currently investigating the alleged involvement of the late Edward Heath (Prime Minister 1970–1974) in a child ...

Police chief '120 per cent convinced' Edward Heath was a ...https://www.independent.co.uk › UK › Crime
Feb 19, 2017 — Chief Constable Mike Veale, of Wiltshire Police, is reportedly convinced by testimony from alleged victims of the former Conservative Prime ...

Edward Heath Latest to be Accused of Child Abuse Claimshttps://www.beltramiandcompany.co.uk › news › edwar...
At least five police forces have conducting investigations into accusations of child abuse against former Prime Minister Edward Heath.

Of course not . Thing is they weren’t at the top of the pyramid. I have worked with many many kind Shriners over the last 50 years , it’s unlikely any of them are
Aware of any nefarious actions by the leaders.
I also met and sat with a 33 rd degree Mason and his extremely skittish wife who looked to see if she could answer basic conversational Questions at a wedding dinner.
He made my skin crawl. We later found out he violently abused his wife. I find it unlikely that either of your grandfathers used the symbolism
That the Illuminati use today. My Grandfather was a Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Many evil things done by Catholics particularly the Jesuits. My Grandfather was a good man, but many evil fuQs in the Catholic leadership over many years.

That is very curious . Having read Helter Skelter ,it was all about trying to get a race war started.
MKUltra brought to you by operation Paperclip and a continuation of the NAZI project.
If you have any links please share.

But where does the impetus to choose evil come from? There are a lot of thoughts which enter into my head that didn't originate from me. They had to come from some outside source. Those thoughts which entice me to choose evil come from an evil source and vice-versa. Thus both good and evil necessarily exist independent of you or I. A belief that the embodiment of these forces in personages (God vs Satan, etc.) is up to one's individual belief set but the forces themselves exist.

Is either, both, or neither force anti-human? That's an interesting question, TBH. I think the answer to that depends on the very nature of humanity itself - including not only its current state but its past and potential states as well. Where did we come from, why are we here, and where are we going? Those are the questions of theology. Objectivism - in so far as I have been able to determine - remains rather mute on these points.

I believe that there are evil people who do evil things. I do not believe in Evil as some independent Force that goes through the world on its own. I believe that it originates in the"blank-out" (see Ayn Rand) which some humans commit when they refuse to recognize honestly the facts before them, and accept irrational evil (such as Marxism, Naziism, etc.), and act upon it. When confronted with such evil, one should recognize it as a fact, and fight it.
I think that there are some people who go to college, and hear their professors say, "There are no absolutes." That is a false and evil statement. One should not just accept it, and use it as an excuse not to oppose evil. It must be fought, at different times and at different ways, but resolutely,

I can believe that.

I believe in Natural rights. I don't still call them "God-given".