PODCAST · education
Masonic Muscle
by Cesar Rubio
Unpacking the Origins of Freemasonry & Building Stronger BrothersThis will be a strong exercise in speculation, progressively increasing the resistance one degree at a time, using the ‘Key Stone’ of a Fellow Craft Mason.Let us contemplate after lifting heavy weights!!! We give you more light, but no light weights!!!“This is the Way”#masonic#templars#fitness#mysteries#secret#weightlifting
Episodes
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232 Did the Enlightenment shape modern Freemasonry, or did Freemasonry help shape the Enlightenment?
In Episode 232 of Masonic Muscle: The Origin War, we examine Michael Spurr's Age of Enlightenment Theory, presented in his 1996 paper, Freemasonry—Child of the Enlightenment? Or Vice Versa? Spurr proposed a relationship of mutual influence between Freemasonry and Enlightenment ideals, including...
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231 Before Solomon — Nathan St. Pierre on the Patriarchal Origins of Freemasonry
Where does Freemasonry really begin? Not with 1717. Not necessarily with the medieval stonemasons. And perhaps not even with King Solomon. In Episode 231 of Masonic Muscle, I sit down with author and Masonic researcher Nathan St. Pierre, author of Masonic Harmony in the Hive, for a wide-ranging...
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230 Why Were Non-Operatives Made Masons? | Sandbach's Passport Theory
Why would a man who didn't work in stone want to be made a Mason? Cyril Richard S. E. Sandbach proposed an unusual possibility: Masonic recognition may once have functioned almost like a passport. In Episode 230 of Masonic Muscle: The Origin War, we examine Sandbach's Darwinian Concept…
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229 What if some Masonic symbols were meant to be read against the sky?
In the final chapter of The Autumn Mysteries, we investigate one of the boldest claims made by nineteenth-century interpreters of Freemasonry: that portions of Masonic symbolism correspond to the annual journey of the Sun through the zodiac. And this time, Robert Hewitt Brown takes center stage.…
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228 Why Does the Light Have to Die? | The Autumn Mysteries, Part 2
After the autumnal equinox, darkness begins gaining ground. Robert Taylor, Richard Carlile, and Robert Hewitt Brown believed that this annual drama of declining light provided a key to understanding some of the oldest religious and initiatory mysteries—and perhaps portions of Freemasonry itself.…
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227 Freemasonry, the Autumn Equinox & the Mystery of Light | Autumn Mysteries #1
The Autumn Equinox is approaching. Why did Masonic writers such as James Anderson, Robert Taylor, Richard Carlile, and Robert Hewitt Brown repeatedly connect Masonry with geometry, nature, light, the heavens, and the cultivation of the mind? This special investigation follows the changing season...
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226 Did Freemasonry Begin With the Men Who Hired the Masons? | Markham's Associate Theory
What if the missing link between operative and speculative Freemasonry wasn't found inside the operative lodge—but among the men surrounding the builders? In this episode of Masonic Muscle: The Origin War, we investigate A. Geoffrey Markham's Associate Theory. Markham directs our attention toward...
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225 Did Freemasonry Come From the Monasteries? | Cyril Batham Challenges the Transition Theory
What if one of the most widely accepted explanations for the origins of Freemasonry became accepted without ever being proved? In this episode of Masonic Muscle: The Origin War — The Great Investigation, we examine Brother Cyril N. Batham's Monastic Origins Theory and his direct challenge to…
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224 Did Rosicrucianism Influence Freemasonry? | A. Cosby F. Jackson's Theory
Did Rosicrucianism influence the origins of speculative Freemasonry? In 1984, Masonic researcher A. Cosby F. Jackson examined this controversial possibility in his Ars Quatuor Coronatorum paper, “Rosicrucianism and its effect on Craft Masonry.” Jackson observed that Rosicrucianism and speculative...
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223 Did Religion Help Shape Freemasonry? | Colin Dyer's Religious Base Theory
Did religion help shape the emergence of speculative Freemasonry? In 1982, Masonic researcher Colin Dyer proposed another explanation for the origins of Freemasonry in his paper “Some Thoughts on the Origin of Speculative Masonry,” published in Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, Vol. 95. Instead of...
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Did Political Secrecy Shape Freemasonry? | Conspiracy to Fellowship | Ep. 222
In Episode 222 of Masonic Muscle: The Origin War, we investigate Frederick W. Seal-Coon’s Conspiracy to Fellowship Theory, published in Ars Quatuor Coronatorum in 1979. Seal-Coon proposed that some early English Masonic gatherings may have provided discreet association for Royalists during the...
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221 Eric Ward's Original Birth Theory | Was Speculative Freemasonry Created, Not Transformed?
Eric Ward's Original Birth Theory | The Origin War Campaign Two The Origin War has begun. For decades, Harry Carr's Transitional Theory shaped how many historians understood the origins of speculative Freemasonry. But in 1978, Eric Ward challenged one of its central assumptions. What if…
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220 Harry Carr's Transitional Theory: Did Operative Masonry Become Speculative Freemasonry?
For much of the twentieth century, Harry Carr's Transitional Theory became one of the most influential explanations for the origins of speculative Freemasonry. But what does the historical evidence actually tell us? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we investigate the Transitional Theory using…
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219 The Great Investigation Begins | How Quatuor Coronati Changed Masonic History
The Origin War enters a new campaign. For twelve episodes, we examined Kenneth Mackenzie's twelve competing theories on the origins of Freemasonry. Now the investigation changes. Instead of asking "Which theory is correct?", we begin asking a far more important question: How should Masons...
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218 Did Freemasonry Begin in 1717? | Desaguliers & the Final Origin Theory (#12 of 12)
Where did modern Freemasonry really begin? For eleven episodes we've explored ancient traditions, medieval guilds, political movements, master builders, and competing origin theories. Now we arrive at the final battlefield of Brother Kenneth R.H. Mackenzie's 12 Origin Theories of Freemasonry. Did...
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217 | Did Sir Christopher Wren Shape Freemasonry? | The Wren Theory (#11 of 12)
Did England's greatest architect help shape modern Freemasonry? For generations, many Masons believed that Sir Christopher Wren served as the bridge between the medieval operative builders and the emerging speculative fraternity. But does the historical evidence support that claim? In Episode 217...
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216 Did the Jacobites Shape Freemasonry? | Prince Charles Stuart Theory 10 of 12
Did the Jacobite's Shape Freemasonry? | Prince Charles Stuart & the Political Origins Theory (#10 of 12) In this episode • Theory #10 of the 12 Origin Theories of Freemasonry • Prince Charles Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie") The Jacobite movement and the Stuart Restoration • The Glorious…
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215 Why Was Oliver Cromwell Linked to Freemasonry? | Theory #9 of 12 – The Political Battlefield
Why would anyone connect Oliver Cromwell to Freemasonry? Why would anyone connect Oliver Cromwell to Freemasonry? This theory may be wrong — but the reason it survived tells us something important about power, politics, and the Craft. This is Theory #9 of the 12 origin theories listed by Brother...
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214 Did Rosicrucian Ideas Shape Freemasonry? | Theory #8 of 12 – The Invisible Brotherhood
Did Rosicrucian ideas help shape modern Freemasonry—or are we seeing another pattern repeated throughout history? This episode puts one of the most intriguing origin theories under the bar. We separate historical evidence from speculation and investigate why generations of Masonic writers have...
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213 Did Freemasonry Come From the Pagan Mysteries? | Theory #2 of 12 – Ancient Initiation
Did Freemasonry come from the Pagan Mysteries—or are we confusing similarity with proof? This episode puts one of the most powerful and dangerous Masonic origin theories under the bar: the claim that Freemasonry may have roots in the ancient Mystery traditions of Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the...
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212 Is the Operative Mason Theory Complete? | Theory #7 of 12 – The Medieval Builders
What if the most widely accepted explanation of Masonic origins isn't wrong—but incomplete? This episode puts the Operative Mason Theory under the bar. We investigate whether modern speculative Freemasonry truly evolved from the medieval stone masons—or whether the transition from operative craft...
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211 Did Ancient Rome Shape Freemasonry? | Theory #6 of 12 – The Roman Collegia
Did Freemasonry inherit anything from the Roman Collegia—or are we seeing another historical pattern that keeps repeating itself? This episode puts one of the oldest institutional origin theories under the bar. We investigate whether the Roman Collegia of Artificers helped preserve ideas…
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210 Did the Knights Templar Become Freemasons? | Theory #5 of 12 – Romance Is Not Evidence
Did the Knights Templar secretly survive and become Freemasons—or is the Templar theory powerful for a different reason? This episode puts one of the most popular Masonic origin theories under the bar: the claim that Freemasonry descended from the Knights Templar. This is Theory #5 of the 12…
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209 Did the Crusades Shape Freemasonry? | Theory #4 of 12 – Sacred War, & Masonic Origins
What if the Crusades didn't create Freemasonry—but changed the world that eventually made it possible? This episode puts one of the most influential Masonic origin theories under the bar. We investigate whether the Crusades served as a bridge between East and West, carrying ideas, architecture,...
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208 Why Does Freemasonry Have So Many Origin Stories? The Catholic Encyclopedia Problem
This episode steps back from individual theories and examines the larger battlefield. Using the Catholic Encyclopedia as a starting point, we explore why Freemasonry has generated more competing origin theories than almost any other fraternity in history. Before debating which theory is correct…
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207 Did Freemasonry Begin at King Solomon's Temple? | Theory #3 of 12 – The Symbolic Blueprint
Did Freemasonry literally begin at King Solomon's Temple—or did later Masons adopt the Temple as the greatest symbolic blueprint ever created? This episode puts one of the oldest and most influential Masonic origin theories under the bar. We investigate whether King Solomon's Temple is the...
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206 Was Adam a Mason? | Theory #1 of 12 – The Patriarch Theory
Was Adam a Mason—or were early Masonic writers using the Patriarchs to give the Craft an ancient moral lineage? Welcome to The Origin War, Masonic Muscle's investigation into the 12 origin theories of Freemasonry listed by Brother Kenneth Mackenzie in the Royal Masonic Cyclopaedia (1877). We…
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205 | Origins of Freemasonry: The 12 Theories Every Mason Should Know
Where did Freemasonry come from—and why has no single origin theory ever convinced every Masonic historian? Welcome to The Origin War, Masonic Muscle's long-form investigation into the 12 origin theories of Freemasonry listed by Brother Kenneth R.H. Mackenzie in the Royal Masonic Cyclopaedia...
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EP 204 Why Must Freemasonry Take the Hard Way? Dwight L. Smith’s Warning to Modern Lodges
Why must Freemasonry take the hard way? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we examine Dwight L. Smith’s warning that the Craft cannot be strengthened by shortcuts, slogans, surface-level programs, or easy enthusiasm. If Freemasonry is going to mean something, it requires standards, discipline,...
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EP 203 Where Are Real Masons Made? Dwight L. Smith on Lodge Work, Labor, and Brotherhood
Where are real Masons made? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we continue through Dwight L. Smith’s warnings and examine one of the most important ideas in lodge life: Freemasonry is not built by titles, slogans, or programs. It is built through work. Real Masons are formed through lodge labor,...
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EP 202 How Can a Masonic Lodge Set Better Goals? A Real Leadership Breakdown
How can a Masonic lodge set better goals? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we look at lodge leadership from the ground level: vision, planning, commitment, officer responsibility, member involvement, and the real challenge of turning a lodge from routine activity into meaningful work. This is…
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EP 201 Why Do Masonic Lodges Confuse Activity With Purpose? Dwight L. Smith on Lodge Culture
Why do Masonic lodges confuse activity with purpose? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we continue through Dwight L. Smith and examine one of the great problems in modern lodge life: a lodge can be busy and still be weak. Meetings, meals, events, degrees, fundraisers, and programs are not enough...
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EP 200 Should Freemasonry Get Political? Dwight L. Smith on Protecting Lodge Harmony
Should Freemasonry get political? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we use Dwight L. Smith to examine one of the most dangerous questions in lodge life: how can the Craft remain relevant without becoming captive to political noise, factional thinking, public controversy, or the passions of the...
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EP 199 Why Does Freemasonry Need Inner Stillness? Dwight L. Smith on Earthquake, Wind, and Fire
Why does Freemasonry need inner stillness? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we examine Dwight L. Smith’s chapter “Earthquake, Wind, and Fire” and ask why modern Freemasonry is so easily distracted by noise, activity, controversy, programs, and institutional motion. The deeper work of Masonry...
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EP 198 Should Masonic Lodges Publicize Everything? Dwight L. Smith on Freemasonry’s Public Image
Should Masonic lodges publicize everything? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we examine Dwight L. Smith’s concern about publicity, public image, and the danger of confusing visibility with value. Freemasonry does not become stronger simply because more people see it. It becomes stronger when…
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EP 197 Why Does Freemasonry Keep Repeating the Same Mistakes? Dwight L. Smith Chapters 4–6
Why does Freemasonry keep repeating the same mistakes? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we continue through Dwight L. Smith’s Why This Confusion in the Temple? and ask why his warnings still sound current. Weak education. Poor leadership. Vague purpose. Declining standards. Institutional…
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EP 196 Why Is Freemasonry Still Confused? Dwight L. Smith on Masonic Drift and Lodge Purpose
Why is Freemasonry still confused? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we continue through Chapter 4 of Dwight L. Smith’s thought-provoking work, Why This Confusion in the Temple? Smith wrote these articles in the 1960s, but his warnings still hit hard today. The question is not only what Smith...
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EP 195 Masonic Installation: Why Repetition, Ritual, and Responsibility Build Better Officers
Masonic installation is not just ceremony. It is a public reminder that leadership requires repetition, discipline, responsibility, and spiritual seriousness. In this episode, I connect installation, ritual repetition, weightlifting, leadership, and the simple truth that no man gets stronger...
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EP 194 What Went Wrong in Freemasonry? Dwight L. Smith’s Warning, Chapters 1–3
What went wrong in Freemasonry? In EP 194 of Masonic Muscle, we begin reading chapters 1–3 of Dwight L. Smith’s warning to the Craft. In 1962, Dwight L. Smith, Past Grand Master of Indiana, wrote a series of articles describing the state of Freemasonry and what he and others had observed since…
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EP 193 What Is Masonic Astronomy? Winter Solstice, Saint John, and the Circle Between Parallel Lines
What is Masonic astronomy, and why does it matter to lodge education? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we continue Day 3 of the Winter Solstice observation and connect Masonic symbolism, health, nutrition, strength training, and celestial interpretation. We begin with the practical side: if a…
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EP 192 The Holy St John Matter in Freemasonry? Winter Solstice, Masonic Festivals, and Sacred Time
Why do the Holy Saints John matter in Freemasonry? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we continue Day 2 of the Winter Solstice observation and read from Brother I. Edward Clark, who became a Mason in 1887 at Hopper Lodge No. 386 in Alpena, Michigan. Clark’s book is over 150 pages long and…
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EP 191 What Does the Winter Solstice Reveal About Freemasonry?
What does the Winter Solstice teach Masons? In EP 191 of Masonic Muscle, we look at the Winter Solstice, the Saints John, Masonic festivals, ancient seasonal cycles, and why the rhythm of light and darkness still matters inside Freemasonry. This is not just calendar trivia. This is about rhythm....
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EP 190 Whither Are We Traveling? Dwight L. Smith, Masonic Wisdom, and Lodge Problems
Is Dwight L. Smith still relevant today? In EP 190 of Masonic Muscle, the Curmudgeon Supreme and I continue reading Whither Are We Traveling?, written by Dwight L. Smith, Past Grand Master of Indiana, in 1963. Before we read chapters 9 through 12, we discuss the recent controversy involving…
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EP 189 Where Is Freemasonry Going? Dwight L. Smith’s 1963 Warning to Modern Lodges
Where is Freemasonry going? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we revisit Dwight L. Smith’s warnings from the 1960s and ask why his critique of lodge life, membership, leadership, standards, and Masonic purpose still sounds painfully current. This episode solves one Masonic problem: are modern...
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EP 188 What Does the Regius Poem Reveal About Masonic Origins? The 1390 Manuscript — Part 2
What does the Regius Poem reveal about the origins of Freemasonry? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, the Curmudgeon Supreme and I continue reading Part 2 of the Regius Poem, dated around 1390, one of the oldest surviving documents connected to the Masonic tradition. This document raises serious...
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EP 187 What Is the Regius Manuscript? Freemasonry’s Oldest Known Masonic Text Explained
What is the Regius Manuscript, and why does it matter to Freemasonry? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, the Curmudgeon Supreme and I begin reading and discussing the Regius Manuscript, commonly dated to around 1390 and often described as the oldest known Masonic manuscript. That raises some hard...
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EP 186 Is Anderson’s Legend of the Craft Just Myth? AQC, the 1723 Constitutions, and Masonic Origins
Is Anderson’s Legend of the Craft just myth — or is there something more useful hiding inside it? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, we look at material from the Ars Quatuor Coronatorum / Quatuor Coronati project dedicated to Anderson’s 1723 Constitutions: 1723constitutions.com The site covers...
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EP 185 What Did the Catholic Encyclopedia Say About Freemasonry? Rosicrucians, Illuminati, Part 2
What did the Catholic Encyclopedia say about Freemasonry? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, the Curmudgeon Supreme and I continue Part 2 of our reading and discussion of the 1910 Catholic Encyclopedia article on Masonry/Freemasonry. This article is long, detailed, and written from a clearly...
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EP 184 Why Did the Catholic Church Condemn Freemasonry? A 1910 article, Illuminati, and Rosicrucians
Why did the Catholic Church condemn Freemasonry? In this episode of Masonic Muscle, the Curmudgeon Supreme and I examine an article on Masonry/Freemasonry published in the Catholic Encyclopedia in 1910 and ask what it says about the mysterious origins of the Craft. The article surprised the...
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EP 183 Have You Read the Ancient Masonic Documents?
What have you done to strengthen your Masonic knowledge? In EP 183 of Masonic Muscle, I ask some questions that have been bouncing around in my head lately. MasonicCon is back at South Pasadena Lodge No. 290, and that got me thinking again about Masonic education, ancient documents, lodge…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Unpacking the Origins of Freemasonry & Building Stronger BrothersThis will be a strong exercise in speculation, progressively increasing the resistance one degree at a time, using the ‘Key Stone’ of a Fellow Craft Mason.Let us contemplate after lifting heavy weights!!! We give you more light, but no light weights!!!“This is the Way”#masonic#templars#fitness#mysteries#secret#weightlifting
HOSTED BY
Cesar Rubio
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Masonic Muscle have?
Masonic Muscle currently has 205 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Masonic Muscle about?
Unpacking the Origins of Freemasonry & Building Stronger BrothersThis will be a strong exercise in speculation, progressively increasing the resistance one degree at a time, using the ‘Key Stone’ of a Fellow Craft Mason.Let us contemplate after lifting heavy weights!!! We give you more light, but...
How often does Masonic Muscle release new episodes?
Masonic Muscle publishes regularly with 205 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Masonic Muscle?
You can listen to Masonic Muscle on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Masonic Muscle?
Masonic Muscle is created and hosted by Cesar Rubio.
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