I just saw an ad for the Masonic Lodge on TV

[fishwax]

Is this a new thing, or have I just missed the Masons advertising all these years :shrug:

[LuvNewcastle]

1. Were they trying to recruit members in the ad?

If so, that is very odd.

[fishwax]

8. yeah

It was similar in tone and style to ads I've seen for religious organizations. I just hadn't remembered seeing one before ...

[anonymous171]

2. Davide Icke says their advertisements are everwhere, if you know what to look for.

[zbdent]

6. you mean like

the signs by the streets?

[fishwax]

9. lol -- n/t

[Taverner]

3. Our numbers are going down

And the hitch is that a Mason cannot ask someone to become a Mason, you have to ask to become one

[sarge43]

4. And don't you have to have a near male relative who is or was a Mason? n/t

[Taverner]

11. Nope, although I'm fourth generation

Kids get interested in what their dad does :)

[Bluerthanblue]

30. no- that's "Eastern Star"- the

womens form of Masonry.

:hi:

[sarge43]

33. Ah. Thanks for the info.

Next question: How close does the relationship have to be - father, grandpa?

[LuvNewcastle]

5. I think you'll see some interest soon.

I'm reading Dan Brown's book now, and while it is conspiracy oriented, the Masons are generally cast in a positive light (of course, I haven't finished it yet). People will come to Masons to ask questions and some, I'm sure, will seek to become members.

[fishwax]

10. ah, I see -- thanks for the info

I didn't know that.

[madokie]

34. Hmmmm

An older gentleman who is dead now asked me once years and years ago if I wanted to be a mason. Whats the deal with that?

[conscious evolution]

35. you have to ask three times.nt

[MurrayDelph]

38. I thought that was

to become a Jew.

[MisterP]

7. Laurel, Hardy, and Michael Richards were Masons: makes ya think... :P n/t

[Taverner]

12. MLK Jr too - Prince Hall Lodge

[Gabi Hayes]

20. 14 presidents, + LBJ, who was like a neophyte, or something. didn't make it

into the club

[Gabi Hayes]

21. my next door neighbor was one...had a masonic closet with all his stuff

spent about an hour showing it to me one day

very weird to me at the time

like a 'grown up' version of the stupid fraternity I joined in college.

he was very serious about it, and told me to never tell anybody what he'd shown me

I think he was a little hammered

[Taverner]

25. Oh there are definitely costumes

But what's a ritual without costumes?

[Gabi Hayes]

27. I'm hip. capes, caps, tassels, sashes, swords, a slew of pins, rings and things.

32d degree, I think he was

is that right? do they go that high?

it was strange, but fun, I should've said

I wish I'd known at the time how many presidents were Masons. I'd have axed him about that

[Taverner]

28. Scottish Rite Masons go to 32n d degree, but regular Masons only go to 3rd Degree

I've noticed a lot of history buffs in my lodge - a lot of them are HS History teachers.

[eShirl]

13. ...

[Taverner]

14. OMG they're SHRINERS!!!!!

[eShirl]

16. lol

:rofl:

[MurrayDelph]

40. Yep.

The Shriners are a super-set of Masons; kinda like being an Eagle Scout.

My dad was a Mason (became inactive in it in his later years), and for a while I thought about it, but I was single at the time (and was told you had to be a married man), and by the time I was married I decided I would rather spend time with my wife at night than subject myself to whatever rites, initiations and professings of belief in a Supreme Being that membership would entail.

Besides, between my weight and my bad knee, I would never fit into one of those little cars, anyway.

[eShirl]

24. Wasn't Rudyard Kipling?

I just remembered that movie based on one of his stories... Sean Connery and Michael Kaine...

[Taverner]

26. The Man Who Would Be King

Interesting story/movie

I won't ruin it for you - buts a good movie

[BuyingThyme]

15. Are you sure it wasn't an ad for a book or movie?

[fishwax]

17. nope -- they actually sponsored the entire second half of the football game

I didn't see the ad again, but the station ran a voice over before the 2nd half started saying that the half was brought to you by the Grand Masonic Lodge of Illinois ...

[gleaner]

18. I have to ask ....

What show were they sponsoring? No particular reason for asking, I'm just curious.

[fishwax]

22. college football

They were a local sponsor, but apparently the primary local sponsor for the second half of the game ...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

29. I bet that game is rigged.

;)

[gleaner]

31. Could be ....

But then who could you complain to?O8)

[gleaner]

32. Thanks .....

Not what I would have guessed, but somehow the strange combination makes it all worthwhile.;)

[Texasgal]

19. Weird...I've never seen that

What did the ad say?

[BuyingThyme]

23. Here's some raw footage from inside a Mason event...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8_FOQ7-P30

No big deal really.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

36. probably with perfect timing with the release of Dan Brown's new book which is about

the Masons.

[DefenseLawyer]

37. Freemasons run the country.

Or so I've heard.

[tjwash]

39. Shh! They're a secret society...

...at least that's what the 300th different episode of the "secrets of the freemasons" shows on the history channel keep saying.

[DefenseLawyer]

41. That's what the germs told Mr. Burns

on The Simpsons when he was losing it, a la Howard Hughes.