Lets talk about the "Masons"

[CalebHayes]

I can never learn enough about them. I find myself searching for info on them for hours and I will find a lot but I can't come to a conclusion on how I feel about them because of all the conflicting info ... So I'd like to hear what DU thinks.

[Taverner]

1. I'm a Mason

Alameda Lodge. There are both Liberal Democrats and Conservative Republicans in my lodge.

The history aspect of the group is fun...and the traditions are great as well.

[incapsulated]

2. OMG, DU has been infiltrated by Masons!

:scared:

Actually, their history, especially when they were really influential, is very interesting.

[Taverner]

8. Yep - the history is what attracted me

Good book "Born in Blood" covers one theory on their possible origin.

[awoke_in_2003]

12. Great book

read it before I became a Mason. Knew I wanted to be one, since my grandfather was. That book caused me to look into the Knights Templer. Now I am a Past Commander.

[DanCa]

3. How does one become a mason?

Seriously I know nothing about them except from fiction and I wont even go there :D Any real info or a link where i can do accurrate research would be appreciated.

[Solon]

6. Find a lodge and ask?

Just a guess, they aren't THAT secret, I drove by a lodge all the time, and see cars with that "G" emblem on it, very pretty.

[Taverner]

7. Find a lodge near you and ask

The rule is, one cannot be asked to become a Mason - one has to ask them.

I know the California Lodges are on http://www.freemason.org

[awoke_in_2003]

17. Have you seen the bumper sticker?

2B1Ask1? In order to become a Mason, ask a Mason. We will never ask you to become a member, you must seek us out. Once you do, you will be investigated and voted on. So if this is something you want, you must start the process.

On edit: to any Brothers here, kick this thread, let's get it on the greatest page, I am sure good discussion will occur.

[awoke_in_2003]

9. Hello BrotherGood to see another

Good to see another traveling man here.

[Taverner]

10. Travel the burning sands :)

[awoke_in_2003]

18. Yes I have

and the liquid refreshment left a lot to be desired :)

[Solon]

4. That's easy...

Let's see, first they started as a trade union, and while some claim to be THE trade union of stonemasons that built the ancient Egyptian pyramids, the evidence there is lacking. I forget the exact time, but around the Late Middle Ages, several stonemason guilds combined into the Masons, as they called themselves. Soon enough they sort of fell out of the "Trade" part of their guild, but kept the club. By the Renaissance, they were considered a "secret" society, which basically means that they were a "Members Only" club, a Fraternity, basically. They seemed to have welcomed the ideas of the Enlightenment with open arms, and many emigrated to the British Colonies in the Americas, where many of their descendants started an experiment with a truly Masonic country based on Enlightenment principles.

Hence much of the Masonic imagery used in America, the Washington Monument was built by them, and they ran, and still run, if I'm not mistaken, many hospitals and many other charities that were mostly started in the 19th century, same with the Shriners. If any Masons want to correct anything I said, please, I'm not one so forgive me.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. I am a Master Mason

don't believe all the bad you hear. We are just a bunch of guys who like to get out of the house for some "guy time". Yes, we have initiations, but those are all symbolic. The basic thing you need to know about Masons is:

1. They believe in a higher power (yes, Muslims, Jews, etc, are welcome)
2. They believe men should strive to be the best they can be, and to help their fellow man
3. 52 out of the 56 people who signed the Declaration of Independance were Masons (Jefferson included)
4. Hitler outlawed them in Nazi Germany

For the most part, a good, civic minded organization. We have had bad seeds, which caused the Anti-Masonic Party in the middle 1800's, but all groups have their troubles. I joined the Masons because of the men I knew to be Masons. Good guys always ready to help.

[CalebHayes]

13. Can an atheist become a Mason or do you...

have to believe in a higher power?

[Taverner]

16. Technically no

But higher power is left up to one's definition

[CalebHayes]

20. I have often thought about joining but I don't necessarily

believe in a traditional "god." My thought on religion is that I will believe in god when god walks up to me and says "Caleb, you have been fucking up and if you don't start changing your ways and worshiping me your gonna go to hell." But until that day comes I don't believe in a god.

[Taverner]

21. I'm a Deist personally

Believe in a higher power, but think our capacity to understand it is about as good as ants understand us...

[Taverner]

14. Also in the South during reconstruction

Many lodges faught the Klan...

[TomInTib]

34. I am a total renegade, but some of the finest men I have known...

in my life were Masons.

I don't get it, but they did.

[Kellanved]

45. No, the Nazi Germany situation is not that easy

The vast majority of the German masons, organized in the "Prussian" masons, was very pro-Nazi. They dropped the name "Masons" and took it up again after the war. Only the "irregular" Masons were banned; even those were not prosecuted like other pro-Democratic organizations.

The sad thing is; after the "Prussian" Masons re-joined, they took the claim of being an opposition movement as their own.

[madrchsod]

11. my grandfather was a mason

he had a really cool sword with engravings but my grandmother gave the sword back when he died

[awoke_in_2003]

22. Most likely

your grandfather was also a Knights Templar, an appendant body to the Masons. I still have my grandfather's sword, and wore it while I was commander of my commandry. The images on that blade tell the story of the Ancient Templars, and if you ever become a Templar you will learn it.

[CalebHayes]

25. Is curiosity the wrong reason to join?

I just want to know the history so bad. And there is so much I don't know. I'm not a control freak or anything but I guess I just crave intelligence.

[awoke_in_2003]

32. Nothing wrong with curiosity.

Do you believe in God (meaning a higher, controlling power)? Are you a good man who wants to do good things in your life and community? If so, you make the call.

[CalebHayes]

37. in a way ... check # 13

[malaise]

42. My father was a Mason

When I first left home I was often amazed that his brethren across the globe went out of their way to ensure that I was comfortable. I didn't even know these people but they were very kind to me.

I remember when he needed eye surgery, I visited him and my mum in England at the rather well equipped Royal Masonic Hospital in London. They also had a nice bed and breakfast for wives and children to be close by. I was quite shocked because I had no idea they had their own hospital.

They really are a powerful network. I have never met an unemployed Mason.
Edit - add.

[Erika]

15. It is said that many rites of the Mormon Church come from Masons

Brigham Young was a mason and introduced the rites to Joseph Smith who made it church dogma.

[Taverner]

19. Also Alistar Crowley and HP Lovecraft "borrowed" the rites

For their stuff...

[Solon]

24. I don't know whether it would be borrowing or simply overlap...

The Masons and Thelemics(group Aleister Crowley started, ritual magicians) both borrowed from the Ancient Kemetic Religion(Egyptian) along with Christian and Jewish Mysticism(Quabbalah/Cabballa). Its hard to tell who borrowed from whom in this situation. For the Masons, it was mostly the imagery and SOME rituals, usually with the overtly religious context taken out, with the Thelemics, its mostly the rituals with the Magical part emphasized, confusing to say the least.

[incapsulated]

26. What is funny is...

My knowledge of the Masons came from study of the occult and occult symbology. (Crowely's rituals were really Golden Dawn rituals, btw.) Then I became interested in their involvement in American history, but I only know a little about it. I will check out the book you recommended. :)

[awoke_in_2003]

23. To all my Brothers out there

this thread has generated some responses, but only 1 kick (mine). Let's get it in gear and recommend this thread, so far there has been some good discussion.

[kestrel91316]

27. My great-grandfather was a Mason. I inherited his Masonic logo

sterling silver french cufflinks when my grandmother died. And I think there is a membership card in his stuff, too.

[awoke_in_2003]

28. If you don't know how to handle these items

contact the Grand Lodge of your state. Most likely, they have a museum to show these items off and would greatly appreciate the contribution (and they will take good care of them).

[kestrel91316]

30. Well, being the family "archivist" I plan to keep them with all the other

keepsakes and antiques. I also have his pocketwatch and eyeglasses, I think.

And I have used the cufflinks a couple of times, lol.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. Well,

digital photos of these old pieces are always good to look at, too :)

[hlthe2b]

29. Thank God... I thought this was going to be another tin foil bash

of Masons.

My father, his father, all my uncles and nearly every male of their hometown and generation were Masons and Shriners. So too was our beloved and departed DUer, Khephra. The secrecy was (in my opinion) nothing more than a "bonding" tradition. These guys were in it to socialize and to do civic and philanthropic work.

I get so tired of those who know nothing about the subject villanizing those who belong as though they were all part of a global conspiracy on the scale of the supposed illuminati. :eyes: You didn't do that and are curious (as am I) about the origins, traditions, etc. Thanks for asking in such a respectful way.

[awoke_in_2003]

35. Didn't know that about Khephra

since I have already done it, why dont you give this thread a kick for my Brother Khephra. Let's keep it alive.

[hlthe2b]

38. done and kick!

:toast: to all the dear departed Masons--including our own dear Khephra.

[GoneOffShore]

52. My dad was a Mason

Past master of his lodge, secretary, and did some other stuff.

Never went any further into the Shriner's and such.

It got him out of the house on Friday nights.

I never contemplated joining because I just can't memorize long passages and never felt the desire to hang out with "the guys".

They're a good organization, but "greying" because they just don't have the appeal to younger people that they used to and their influence seems to be waning.

[awoke_in_2003]

31. An interesting little tidbit...

To begin, the elected presiding officier of a lodge is called Worshipful Master. Before anyone kneejerks to this title, realize that when this term came about, people of respect were addressed "Your Worship" ie judges, nobility, etc. Anyways, when George Washington was president, the Master of his lodge happened to be his gardener. When Washington was being visited by a newspaperman he was dumbfounded when he heard George call his gardener Worshipful Master. Washington then explained why he did such. Masonry brought the idea that "all men are created equal" to this continent. In Masonry, as in this country (or at least used to be), the principle idea is that no matter who you are, how rich you are, what exterior possession you may have, if you are good and do good work you will be rewarded.

[DoYouEverWonder]

41. A few years ago I met a black fellow

who told me he was a Mason. I was very surprised since I had always assumed that the Mason were a pretty homogeneous group. Turns out that they have been multi-racial for centuries. Finding that out certainly helped change my POV about them.

[Behind the Aegis]

43. The only Mason I know is an African-American male. n/t

[northofdenali]

36. My ex was both a Mason and a Shriner -

and married to me, a liberal, leftie aging hippie chick. We never had any problems there, many of his lodge were apolitical, some were left, some were right.

Masonry can be pretty exclusionary, though - no women (except Rainbow Girls and Eastern Star for women; an auxiliary) and in the south, black and white Lodges did not mingle. Catholicism and Judaism were not acceptable. This is one of the largest Lodges and Shrine Temples in the world, as well. But they never had any problem meeting the goals of the Shriner's mission - whether the goal was money, transportation, etc. for crippled or burned children.

Masonically (? is that a word?) my ex was Scottish Rite. The men involved were generally very good citizens, active in the communities, good fathers and, if the wives (including me) weren't fibbing, pretty good husbands. My ex and I split because we were just too different, not because he was a burbling idiot. We had a lot of fun with others in both organizations, but mostly with the Shrine, where my ex was in the motorized unit (Harleys).

The Zamora Shrine Temple was beautiful, too.

The Masons, as I understand it, are the "spiritual" and symbolic side of the two organizations. You don't have to be a Shriner to be a Mason, but the reverse is true - you must be a Master Mason and become a Knight before you can join the Shrine.

And the tassles on their funky little hats are fun to play with :rofl:

[soothsayer]

39. Also Job's Daughters (for those with a non-masonic bloodline)

[annabanana]

40. I was a Rainbow Girl...

does that count?

[BuyingThyme]

44. My favorite Mason song is We Just Disagree.

[Neil Lisst]

48. well, let's leave it alone

cause we can't see eye to eye

[jmowreader]

46. The way they make the final decision on members has become...

part of the English language.

When they vote on the prospects, each current member is handed two balls--one white, one black. Everyone drops one ball into a box, then they dump it out onto the table. If even one black ball was in the box, the prospect is rejected. Apparently a lot of historically-significant figures were "blackballed" from the Masons at one time or another.

If they accepted atheists, I'd join; it is a very good organization.

[DiverDave]

47. My neighbor is a Shriner.

He is in the hospital now, I have to ask his wife what they are doing for him.
I was asked to join, but the home inspection, the Black bean/White bean thing sorta got to me.
Do they still do these things?
I admire them for the work they do for kids, and have been thinking of asking about joining.

[CalebHayes]

53. kick

[Catherine Vincent]

49. Don't know anything about them.

And don't want to know.

[LSK]

51. i dont know what they are either

:shrug:

[Taverner]

50. The Rosicrucians were once part of Freemasonry

They split off, but there are a lot of intersections between them, Crowley and the Masons.

It all goes back to the search for truth; when the Freemasons were founded searching for truth was considered heresy and a capital crime.