There are other congregations too which carry the name "Work", and it is preposterous to accuse them all of being Masonic. In fact, I never heard Masons address their common plans as "The Work".
Actually, Freemasons always refer to what goes on in the lodge as "Work" -- sometimes they call it "the craft," or in French it is literally,"work" ("on travaille", "le travaille").
I know this because when they were vetting me (I've had a couple of encounters when I was pressured to join, in my university days in Europe), I began reading a lot of their literature, and "the craft" or "travaille" was always referred to...
Although freemasons seem to be referring to some incredibly murky occultism, the details of which never seem to be revealed, except as some gnostic quest. The revolutionary activities don't seem to be referred to as "work," although the implication is that they are a natural outgrowth. This stands in contrast to the slavish "work" of Opus Dei, were people literally turn over their checks for economic exploitation...
Does anyone have evidence about the Rosicrucian origins of the Freemasons?
I do know, that both are rooted in occultism, Cabbalism, and maintain close ties. But Rosicrucians tend to be less politically active and more spiritually active than Freemasons.
Rosicrucians were a prime source of inspiration to National Socialist occultism, formerly known as the Thule Society, of which Himmler, Goebbels and many other leading Nazis and nationalists were members. They abhorred Masons and Jews however. Quite contradictory. Or is it not?
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Rosicrucians do focus on occultism, as the Grand Orient lodge does of the Master Mason, however, because they claim to posess the secrets of alchemy, there are some obvious economic implications.
From what I've heard, Rosicrucians and Freemasons tend to be quite similar in Catholic nations, and I've never heard of any mutual animosity.
Another interesting perspective from the Master Mason: the Scottish Rites fo North America are perceived as juvenilia, by the Grand Orient lodges of Europe. They're seen as social clubs were people "hardly work."
