"Two characteristics of fanatics are they care not whom they harm, nor consider the consequences beyond the immediate moment." - Restivo
Mike Restivo in a post to alt.freemasonry Dec 30, 1998
Astronomer Carl Sagan wrote of those living in demon-filled worlds; others have written of those who suffer from a persecution complex to the point of inability to function in real life. At times, these thoughts waft through the mind as we contemplate the words of Mike Restivo in our daily perusal of the alt.freemasonry usenet newsgroup.
While we have no knowledge of Mike's 'real-world' life except tangentially from certain personal facts about himself which he seems to share for effect (now more frequently peppered with braggadocio about his sexual exploits - something that seems to have little contact with reality), we can draw certain conclusions from his behavior online.
A telling example was posted to the alt.freemasonry newsgroup in mid-June, 2001. In support of yet another of those anonymous posters who hide behind mailing blinds and pseudonym in order to degrade Freemasonry Mike stated:
"Ed King needs your full particulars if possible so that he can deploy his extortion business. You better shut up or he will put up a page about you on his anti-Masonic hate web site. Not good enough? How about phone calls to your employer or loved one making allegations or suggestions about your sexual preferences, mailed photos of you doctored to appear as if you are frequenting a homosexual club or soliciting the sexual favours of prostitutes and/or young boys. Rumours that you have AIDS."
One cannot but be aghast at the way that Mike Restivo builds this scenario using such blatant logical fallacies. He has no evidence whatsoever that we have ever even considered such heinous actions. His suggestions to others about these matters however shows the desperateness of his arguments.
Certainly I can't be surprised at the viciousness and outright libel which Mike Restivo displays. In a message in December, 1998, for example, he advised a non-Mason:
"Potential applicants are not told that if they leave the Order, information obtained about them might be used by Masonic enforcers to discredit them or disrupt their personal and professional lives."
Mike was challenged to provide one -
just one - example of such behavior. He has not - and yet he continues his smear campaign of insinuation and innuendo.
Some examples of Mike's 'being himself' follow:
To akma (a Mason who, due to personal circumstances, keeps his online identity anonymous most of the time but who is well-known as a long-time moderator of the soc.org.freemasonry newsgroup) in December, 1996 (the first point at which records appear of Mike Restivo posts in Usenet, none appearing in the March, 1995 through November, 1996 Google archive):
Look up the meaning of the word "theoretically", that is if you can devote some time away from the devil's work of virus design. (....) You do not understand the principles of Freemasonry which would never countenance threats upon any individual. You are a rogue Mason or an imposter.
and in another message:
Show me where I have written ALL Masons are bigots. Only some are, but many more are guilty by association and passive acquiescence to racism, letting the prejudiced do the dirty work of which they are too faint of heart to do themselves.
and one of Mike's earliest ROGUE MASON name-calling on the alt.freemasonry newsgroup - LONG before Ed King began regularly posting there and well before this site exposing him came into existence - he wrote in December, 1996 to akma:
I describe you as a rogue Mason, that is one who is misrepresenting the morality of Freemasonry, while attempting to justify said prevarications from the Craft, as acceptable. Rogue in that context is a moral judment <sic> not a legal judgment. You could be a rogue or criminal in the legal sense too, it remains to be demonstrated and/or proven.
Masonicinfo note: Please observe that here - in one of his very first encounters with another person on a Usenet newsgroup, Mike Restivo takes a belligerent and aggressive attitude, branding the person who had the temerity to challenge one of his 'spins' as a "Rogue Mason". This is the standard Mike Restivo behavior - and is repeated time and time again! Please note also: this post is made two years before this site's author (the subject of frequent Restivo claims of 'targeting') began posting regularly on alt.freemasonry and was 18 months before this website was created. Let's look at some more of Mike's name calling:
To Mason Ted Morganthaler in December, 1996:
An adult of mature mind should have his or her course of action not determined by childish fears and/or ignorance. (Referring to Mr. Morganthaler)
|
In January, 1997, a Mason (Peter Pedrotti) attempted to explain Mike Restivo's already observable aberrant behavior. He gave three options, the first being that Mike Restivo was "... an ordinary anti-Masonic bigot....". He further wrote: "2. Restivo started as a fledgling bigot, did actually join a Lodge knowing it was flawed, tried to proselytize its membership with his insulting views about changing into the sort of group he could approve of, was politely told by some ingrates to stuff it, matured into a full-feathered idiot and now has proceeded with his campaign in this arena. We should ignore him." Ironic, isn't
it, that within a month of Mike Restivo's commencement of posting on
the alt.freemasonry newsgroup, one of the 'regulars' from back then
had him 'pegged'.... And you thought it was all about Mike
Restivo and Ed King.... Another poster (Michael Stiler) a few days later wrote: "In the name of God, Restivo! You've got to be the most boring, long-winded, whining poster on this newsgroup!! Is there *anything* on God's green earth that you _don't_ complain about???" (Masonicinfo Note: This was at a time when Danny Sale, Joken (a/k/a Ken Mitchell), Acacia Press, Raybert and many others mentioned on this site were 'in their prime'....) As can be observed, Mike's behavior has been observable to all LONG before he came into contact with Ed King! |
But let's continue with some more examples wherein we can see Mike overflowing with the milk of human kindness:
Your oily comments confirm that I made the morally right decision. (About his leaving his Lodge.)
You, like other propagandists, can't resist instructing your fellow Masons, as if they were not capable of independent and critical thought themselves. Posting another's elitist and exclusionary views does not make yours and his any less bigoted, notwithstanding euphemisms like "disputatious", "select", "false step may be fatal", which fail to conceal the racism of which they are the metaphors.
To Mason Bob Dennis in January, 1997:
I can repost all 600,000+ bytes of my engagements with Masonic apologists, including you, right here with ease. (Masonicinfo Note: the bragging of his 'verbal prowess' is another of Mike's claims to fame.)
Deception is your game and I have the proof furnished by yourself.
To a Mason only identified as "Bill" Mike Restivo bragged (lamented?) in October, 1997:
I have contended with self-proclaimed Masonry advocates for almost two years on Compuserve and been met with a coordinated plan of deception, evasion and theatrical tactics which have no place in the court of truth. Armed with megabytes of proof, I remain convinced that Freemasonry allows a "culture", which culture confirms its members by peer pressure such that the very virtues of leadership that should be cultivated, are in fact stultified into follow along obedience..."to go along to get along."
To Mason Rick Read in January, 1998:
It is the vain illusion of instant superiority granted under the auspices of Masonic Initiation that blinds men to the fact that the practice of their morality is often at a level inferior to that of the profane and cowans which they dispise. <sic> An irony to which they are oblivious and to which they are involuntarily vulnerable.
To Mason Mike Ermel in September, 1998:
Your moral integrity evaporated as you descended into gutter tricks and lies, all easily exposed. I could repost my corrections of your posts to me. It would be informative of the trickery exemplified by rogue Masons. It is a morality beneath contempt, but one which consistently has backfired and debased the lot of you for years. What is that to me that you are compelled to wallow in the gutter? Am I forcing your hand? It is you who inserts himself in an attack against me, and I'll take this opportunity to reproof your errors, so that the results of sin may be made evident. Get out of the gutter and get into grace. I like to give you hints, because I suspect that you are too convulsed with vindictiveness and cultism to apprehend the meaning:
To Mason Richard Jackson in December, 1998:
I've followed your profile for a year or so, and reprimanded you twice over your belligerent demeanour, but to no avail. Who is to blame? You? Oh no, blame Restivo for your troubles.
And there are, of course, many, many, many more examples. We'll add some more as time allows.
There are a few who (before the
pornography incident) might have believed Mike's assertions that he
had never written critically about Freemasonry, preferring instead to
merely heap insult on Masons. Take a look at this message published in
alt.freemasonry in February, 1998:
In fact, on Compuserve in August, 1996 he bragged:
Masonicinfo Note:
So in one breath he brags about his "Pro-Masonic" essays in
an another, brags about his bashing of Masonry. Isn't he just a
darling????? You might also wish to see our FAQ item on
this very issue here! |
We'll add some more outstanding examples of Mike Restivo's insults as time permits. We believe, however, that these should give the interested reader a primer on his aggressive and offensive behavior so as to dispel any thoughts that it is the Masons or any individual Mason which has caused Mike to arrive at his present state of agitation. And should any question arise as to Mike simply reacting to his imagined persecution on Compuserve (as referenced above) we'll also provide some quotes from there to illustrate the point that Mike Restivo is an angry individual seeking attention.
One may also find a considerable amount of 'diversion' or 'partial representation' of facts in material presented by Mike Restivo. Consider, for example, this:
Mason Michael Poll wrote to Mr. Restivo the following question:
M.R.P. "Is there some reason that you do not want to come down too very hardly on Craft Masonry and yet do not want to give up your anti position ? Maybe because you NEEDED Craft Masonry for you to join the Martinists ?"
to which Mike Restivo replied:
Masonic qualifications have only been required by one Martinist Order which merged with the Martinist Order of Paris in 1965. The Martinist Order of which I am a member has never required, nor recommended Masonic embership. It has never excluded women or individuals based on race or ethnicity. It has never charged for Initiations. Neither it nor the
Martinist Order which I incorporated several years ago has ever misrepresented the Holy Bible, but commended its members to be active in their faiths. The Martinist Order of which I am Grand Master requires that its applicants and members be Christians. It's good that you have access to some of my Web essays.
Compare and contrast that reply to this one:
Now I have only 90 days membership in the Craft; just the Initiations, that's it. I was interested in the C.B.C.S. and needed Master Mason qualification for consideration. Otherwise I would not have joined, as the Craft had nothing to teach me. I was interested in the Scottish Rectified Rite, of which the C.B.C.S. and the Profession are higher grades within it, and still am, although I have not studied its rituals yet.
Just a bit contradictory, isn't it? Typical of the Mike Restivo obfuscation. Also consider that Mike's Martinist organization which he incorporated in 1984 has only ever had one member: himself! With this type of deceit, it's easy to see why Mike can claim so many different things about his position on so many different matters
For more 'Fun with the Martyr', select one of these:
