There are many websites purported to be pseudo-Masonic Orders, there are some that are just separate ‘secret Orders’, and there are others that are merely strangely named forum groups, run by Freemasons for the purpose of being discussion groups for various Masonic ideas or philosophies. Some are just light-hearted fun, others take themselves a bit more seriously. One such website advertises the Ancient Astral Order of the S.R.O.T.N. (which stands for the Shemihaza Rite of the Nephilim). On what looks like a satirical side-swipe at esoteric and occultist Orders, they describe themselves as “A Dadaesque Pre-Abrahamaic Matriarchal Pantheistic Neo-Whiskey Cult.” If you go deeper into the site, they refer to their “Chief Deitrix, Asherah” and the ‘Order’ claim to be able to awaken their “arcane telepathic powers” and “meet astrally at precise coordinated times” at their “massive astral Temple”. Indeed.

While the site at first seems to be a sardonic, tongue-in-cheek exercise, there may be a darker aspect to it; the site, it is alleged, is the location for online bullying by men that profess to be Freemasons, who operate on different websites and known Masonic forums. On another associated site, it is stated that the S.R.O.T.N. are associated with the “fearsome C.B.C.S. Knights of St. Vitalis of Assisi, an offshoot of the powerful esoteric group known as the Ancient Sovereign Astral Order (A.S.A.O.)”. Yet another website representing these fierce C.B.C.S. Knights of St. Vitalis of Assisi reveals a request for donations.

According to one of my sources Philip Carter, the discussions on the S.R.O.T.N. forum included “Crowley’s Thelema, Rand’s Objectivism, Austrian Economics, and Discordianism”. Carter also claims that they “accepted the title of “Flying Monkeys” à la Wizard of Oz. They were a bunch of self-appointed vigilantes who coordinated attacks on those who didn’t practice Freemasonry as they knew it.” These ‘Flying Monkeys’ have been noted before when it was claimed that they were associated with online bullying some years ago.

These so called “Flying Monkeys” have appeared before on various forums since around 2007, and it is alleged that they have launched cyber attacks against people who have disagreed with their overall philosophies or beliefs. Carter went on to claim that “sending mixed messages and gas-lighting was part of their strategy. How they square these activities with their masonic involvement is perhaps the least part of the logical, legal, moral, conundrum they have created.” Indeed, Masons have an obligation, which includes brotherly love (amongst other things) and Freemasonry is a moralistic society that makes its members better men. Perhaps the lodges that these particular Masons belong need to guard their West gate better?

So who are the Flying Monkeys? As Philip Carter claims “their activity is spread across different social media sites; the same individual often uses different usernames on different sites (identified only by their interests and style).” To quote the post on the Masonic Forum of Light (17th Dec, 2007), they “take over Masonic forums through intimidation, bullying, name calling…some of these men even take it upon themselves to determine what is and what is not masonic.” There is no place in Freemasonry for this type of behaviour, be it within a lodge or on a Masonic related forum or website. Freemasons have taken an obligation, and we must strive to make the world a better place.