Posted: 10/2/2007 6:52:00 PM EDT
| I just found out that my great-grandfather was a Mason. It is really interesting to me and I would like to learn more about it. He has been dead for about 12 years and my dad says that he never talked to him about it much. Is there any way that I can learn more about his involvment, or Masons in general. I have always found it interesting, but honestly do not know much about it. Is it really as secretive and exciting as the movies and tv make it out to be? What is there purpose? Thanks for any info or links |
AGNTSA |
|
Tagged My Grandfather was an Elk but my Great Grandfather was a Mason. I really don't know much about the organization either and to be honest I have so little time that I am reluctant to try to get involved. When my kids get a little older I will find my way out of the shadows... |
|
Grew up in a Masonic environment and was active in their youth organization called DeMolay. Learned enough there to know I didn't want to pursue the adult options. Nothing bad, just not what I was interested in, and I'm not much of a joiner. They do a lot of good things (hospitals for instance) for the community, and I think now are pretty much a social organization with no serious political or social agenda. The History Channel has a week-long series on the Masons that gets run every now and then. Their history goes back hundres of years to the Inquisition, and my recollection is that they were anti Catholic, but don't remember any racial or other religious prejudices like anti-Semitism. Have friends who are really into it and they are good people. I believe you have to ask to join as I don't think they can recruit members. |
|
I was talking with an uncle who thought one of the great things was having separate lodges for blacks. He said they aren't considered "real" masons. Without getting into a flamefest here, as I looked into it I found major theological conflicts that I couldn't compromise on. Those points were enough to convince me not to go that route. Do your homework. Cross reference multiple sources. Ask tough questions. Make your own decision. |
|
i joined this year. they are more of a "society with secrets" than a secret society. they pride themselves on taking good decent men and making them better. from what i can tell you get out of masonry what you put into it. if you are there for super secret spooky shit you will likely be disappointed. if you are there for fellowship with good people and a want to better yourself and your community you will enjoy it. yes they/we have some esoteric ceremony as would any organization that can be traced back a few centuries. if you want to know more, find your local lodge and ask them. they will be happy to discuss it with you and give you all the info you want about them. they will not seek you out nor will they ask you to join. that must be done by you of your own free will. |
| A guy I work with talks about it all the time, he says it is basically a great way to network and drink for really cheap. He is an 8th degree I think or something like that. He just talks about it to anyone in general conversation, so it's not all that secret I think. he did say when he applied that friends and relatives started calling him saying guys were asking alot of questions about him, specifically his character. |
|
I joined a Lodge in 1999. Masonry is out of place in today's age due to how society has changed. Today, other activities occupy evening time (such as TV, kids activities, etc.) that consume the time of the average guy. As in anything, you get out of it what you put into it. There is a tremendous amount of history and heritage in Masonry. I think the religious aspect of Masonry is greatly overblown. It is never discussed before, during or after a Lodge meeting, and honestly, I couldn't tell you what faith/denominations any of my Lodge brothers are. Congrats TBS on joining the fraternity. |
the lodge will form a group to "investigate" the applicant. basically they want to know who they are voting in and that you have no SERIOUS issues which might hurt the fraternity. my group came to my house and actually wanted to talk to my wife more than me. they wanted to be sure that SHE was ok with my joining and that she understood the path i was about to take. had she said no that would have been it for me. |
|
(nearly) Every town has a lodge. Go and ask if you're interested. As stated, you'll need to be recommended and given an application by a mason. If you decide to pursue, it is a great opportunity to enjoy fraternity and help others. Like most things in life, but especially so in Freemasonry, what you get out of the experience depends on what you put in. You may choose to complete your membership requirements while still young (I have no idea how old you are), maintain your membership in good standing, then be come more active later in life when you have more free time from family and work obligations. Or, you may choose to be very active in the lodge from the start. Good luck in whatever path you decide. |
|
My father joined at one time but I am sure he is not active anymore. I found his freemasonry book at home once and my brother said it was supposed to be secret. Not sure where it went. You can probably get them on ebay. Another friend of mine is highly religious and calls it a cult. I have read a little about it on the internet and seems this is the feeling some churches seem to have about it. Of course, some churches feel this way about many other religious organizations. I personally think it is like one person said, out of date in this society. I personally believe it was like a fraternity and was a gathering/meeting place for good men to get together and do good works and meet to discuss things and facilitate religion. Too many things to do these days keep more people from joining or even thinking about it. THey have some of the coolest old buidlings too. I do know one thing about masons..they believe in ONE GOD. Not the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as many protestant religions teach. |
 Love that Simpsons! Hey if it weren't for arfkom I wouldn't know that joining the Masons was a sin. I was kind of surprised the nuns never got around to telling me about that one. At least they pointed out that reading science fiction was sinful 
|
actually you'd be wrong. there is no "belief" at the lodge level. you are free to believe in whatever diety or dieties you wish. the only religious requirement is that you believe in a higher power. the higher power is up to you. it could be god, the holy trinity,allah or the FSM for all they care. lodges do have a prayer. the nature of which is up to the lodge, ours is christian in nature but could be whatever religion the lodge members want. |
This is THE big misunderstanding with Masonry. You need to understand the time frame from which Masonry draws its allegories from... Everything is centered around the building of King Solomon's Temple. When did that occur? 10th century BCE. Were there Christians or Muslims in the 10th C. BCE? There were only Jews, and they were monotheists. That is why before joining the Fraternity, you must express a belief in ONE God. It is quite simple. |
this is similar but not exactly what i was taught. then again each state appears to have a slightly different system of beliefs which i am sure helps add to the confusion. |
The last IM I got from Wayne was about the Masons. I just wish that I had been able to meet him in person instead of over the phone and through IMs. 96Ag Sorry for the hijack. I am interested but just don't have time to give to an organization at this point in my life, |
 Master Mason, 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, and Shriner, here.Here's a helpful link, given without further comment: www.momason.org/beamason.asp Make your own choice. We don't go around recruiting. To be one, ask one. To be left alone, you don't have to do a darned thing. |