Orangemen corroborate Behind Closed Doors

Much to their own frustartion, Orange defenders have struggled to refute the explosive detail pertaining to the Royal Arch Purple ritual contained within Behind Closed Doors written by the founder of this website W.P. Malcomson. Despite their best efforts, the information has remained steadfast and unshakable. That is because the content is factual and has been furnished, checked and corroborated by various members, ex-members, lecturers, former-lecturers and office bearers. All the Orange advocates can do is resort to ad hominem or lament about the fact that their beloved secrets are now out in the public domain. They have been unable to highlight any legitimate factual errors in the exposure.

The response of Royal Arch Purple spokesmen Rev. Ron Johnstone from Ireland and JRG Harvey from England are a case-in-point. They have nothing of any substance to refute the exposed ritual degree content. The sole basis of their argument is character assassination. The fact that Johnstone named his rebuttal Behind Closed Minds reveals the angle of his approach and speaks volumes of how destitute he is of counter-argument. These responses are driven more by bitterness and embarrassment (that their sacred esoteric secrets are out for all to view), than any valid grounds for rebutting it.

We have had widespread antidotal testimonies throughout the British Commonwealth of members admitting that the detail included in this explosive book is acurate, fair and authentic. The biggest direct complain from current members is that the author dared to brake his blood-oaths.

Joseph Webster (assistant Professor in The Study of Religion at University of Cambridge) carried out an in-depth study of the Orange Order in modern day Scotland (called The Religion of Orange Politics). In his research, he makes allusion to the existing content of the Royal Arch Purple in Behind Closed Doors written by W.P. Malcomson. He got a direct insight into the ethos and thinking of the Orange Order fraternity by working closely with Orangemen in his research over a considerable period. Many members were very open and candid about their membership and their opinions.

While opposing the evangelical angle of the book, Webster admitted that his informants corroborated the detailed information embodied within Behind Closed Doors. He asserts: “The bare description Malcomson offers of the Royal Arch Purple ritual appears accurate. This seems to be the case not only because, as an ex-member, Malcomson himself undertook the degree and would have witnessed others doing so, but also because several Scots Orange informants of mine, having read Malcomson’s book, objected not to his factual account of the ritual, but to his religious reinterpretations. Indeed, with the exception of differing levels of violence associated with various aspects of the ritual (which may be accounted for both historically and regionally), those Orange Scots informants of mine familiar with Malcomson’s work begrudgingly admitted to me that the details of the degree have been described correctly, even if they had been interpreted wrongly as a result of, in the words of one informant, Malcomson’s ‘Pentecostal overexcitement about devils’.”

This has been the pattern of opposition since the release of Behind Closed Doors. The chief issue is not the accuracy of the content. That is beyond dispute. It is rather the fact that their cherished secrets and mysteries are now out in the public domain for all to see, including their inquisitive spouses, their bemused friends, and sworn foes. This is their main issue of irritation.

Webster concludes: “What Malcomson describes coincides with the little that my informant shared with me about the ritual.”

One thing that is clear over the years, when you consider all the refutations of Behind Closed Doors, is that the Orange members cannot deny the disclosed detail outlined in this historic exposure, but are rather forced to place a sanitized slant on the Royal Arch Purple ritual in order to justify its neo-Masonic nature.

Let’s be honest: facts are stubborn things.

Independent Orange Order fighting for its very survival

For more on the internal debate within the Orders we recommend The Orange Order by Brian Kennaway:

Evangelical Truth response to Former Independent Orange Grand Master’s attack on Behind Closed Doors

Evangelical Truth debate with Independent Orange Institution

Ulster Christian review of Behind Closed Doors
The response of George Dawson (Imperial Grand Master of the Independent Orange Institution).
Readers response (including the author of ‘Behind Closed Doors’ – Paul Malcomson).
Second response of George Dawson (Imperial Grand Master of the Independent Orange Institution).
Evangelical Truth reply to George Dawson

Royal Arch Purple degree

A biblical analysis of the Royal Arch Purple degree
The Royal Arch Purple compared to Wiccan Witchcraft
Biblical response to Rev. Ron Johnstone (Royal Arch Purple spokesman): Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Grand Chaplain to the Grand Orange Lodge of England JRG Harvey book in response to Behind Closed Doors: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

We recommed An Army with Banners: The Real Face of Orangeism by William Brown