Any Freemasons on this forum..?

[Rare Breed]

Did not know that

 

[Pilgrim]

Real question: why would you want to be a free mason?

 

[Newboomer]

Real question: why would you want to be a free mason?

I was entered, passed and raised in Covina Lodge 334 in 1976, entered the Valley of Long Beach Scottish Rite in 1978 and Al Malaikah Shrine in Los Angeles in 1992. I held those memberships until we moved to NV. I demitted shortly afterward and joined Douglas Lodge # 12. I went through the chairs and was Master in 2016 and 2022.

Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternity. Once you become a 3d Degree Master Mason you are welcome in any lodge anywhere in the world. There are several appendant bodies such as Jobs Daughters and Rainbow Girls for young girls. The Order of DeMolay is a boy's group. These orders teach young people honor, discipline, community service and leadership skills. There are groups for adult women who wish to participate alongside their spouses.

Shriners Hospitals care for ill and injured children free of charge. Masonic homes offer living quarters for elderly Masons who can no longer live alone or have no family.

We also sponsor athletic teams, have blood drives, car shows and participate in any number of civic functions. Freemasonry is open to any man 18 years or older, regardless of color, creed, religion, ethnicity or political beliefs. One just has to believe in a Supreme Being.

There is a saying in Freemasonry,"We take good men and make them better." It is an excellent path to learn, participate and become better in one's daily life. Just ask one. We are more than happy to talk with you.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You don’t get asked or invited per se..

There is a quote… “to be one, ask one”

You need to ask a mason about being a mason… that’s the first step…

Correct. Back in the day it was more or less the rule that we were not supposed to recruit new masons. They were supposed to find their way to masonry on their own. My dad never encouraged me. I never recruited my brother.

 

[VertigoBE]

Correct. Back in the day it was more or less the rule that we were not supposed to recruit new masons. They were supposed to find their way to masonry on their own. My dad never encouraged me. I never recruited my brother.

Yet at the same time Freemasonry has kept a veil of secrecy over them. So it is difficult for someone to get interested into something they know nothing about.

My father and brother are part of Rotary, is freemasonry a similar kind of service club ? Perhaps just with a bit more ritual?

Could you or someone explain what the goal is of the freemasonry ? And how it distinguishes itself from other organisations like Lion’s, Rotary, Round Table, Kiwanis, JCI, etc?

 

[WAB]

Is there a link between the Freemasons and the Templars?

 

[Altitude sickness]

How old is your grandmother?

 

[lhook7]

Gray Lodge #329 Houston, TX.

 

[CEO]

My Grandmother gave me my Great Grandfathers Masonic Bible before she died. I'm neither religious, nor a Mason (my Great Grandfather died when I was fairly young so never brought it up. Wife's Grandfather hinted to me about it, but he also died soon after), but she knows I love books, and it would never be lost or ruined.

I mentioned this in passing to a guy I know who is very religious. He warned me it is dangerous to keep it in my house and asked if I'd be willing to let him burn it to see if anything evil comes out. I politely told him I'd just hang on to it.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I am delighted to see so much interest in Freemasonry. Where to start? From the beginning. It evolved in the 1700s if memory serves me correctly, almost spontaneously in Britain and France. Figuratively, it was supposed to preserve the ancient skill secrets of operative masons. So why were operative masons so secretive? Look at the construction marvels of the ancient world and even Middle Ages. These structures were built without the benefit of schools of architecture or engineering where anyone could go to learn. Masons apprenticed in guilds where they learned the trade. The knowledge was kept secret for good reason. Not only did it provide job security, it provided life insurance ... as in keeping the mason and his family alive and financially secure. Ancient times, particularly the Middle Ages, were unstable times. A mason who held secret knowledge could be a valuable asset for a conquerer. These guys can not only build edifices to his grandeur (palaces and cathedrals) but also fortifications. The only conquerors who did not respect masonic knowledge were the Mongols, true barbarians in every sense. They lived on horseback in tents and didn't worship gods or money ... just warfare.

Of course, by 1700 most of the "secrets" of masonic building methods were widely known and published. Freemasonry evolved as a place where established men could gather in secret and freely discuss matters that might get them imprisoned if discussed publicly. Things like revolution. Liberal ideas. These men were also obligated to look after each other and their families in times of need. Keep in mind there was no Social Security until the 1930s. Oddfellows was another self-help organization that I believe actually predates Freemasonry. Sadly, it has not survived the "evils" of govt socialism and insurance companies.

The ritual of Freemasonry, it's secrets that we are bound to keep on penalty of death (figuratively speaking of course), are no longer secrets. They've been published. I was told they are in the Congressional Record. The ritual is entertainment, which was important in the days before TV and internet. Church and public executions were about the only other options for entertainment. And the Church did not care for the competition! Catholic church in particular reacted fiercely (even violently). Clergy spread the story of Masons eating Catholic babies in the secret ceremonies, etc. And they long forbad congregants from joining lodges on the grounds that it is a sin to keep secrets from one's priest (I don't see that anywhere in the Scriptures). To counter Masonry the Church started Knights of Columbus. Today Knights and Freemasons get along fine. We often have joint functions and share charities. I have known a few Catholuc Masons but it is still relatively rare. During Victorian times the number of fraternal organizations bloomed. Off the top of my head I can think of Oddfellows, Masons, Orangemen, and Foresters. The Orangemen were, of course, definitely and violently anti-Catholic, particularly Irish Catholic. Older folks I knew as a young man told me stories of the bloody riots here in town during the St Patrick's Day parades. The Protestant terrorists of Northern Ireland were invariably Orangemen.

Freemasonry today is about fraternity and philanthropy. Govt agencies have stepped in and taken over the self-help aspect, for the most part anyway. Shriners hospitals for kids are still important (more so in the US without socialized medicine). One thing that has changed bothers me. Whereas formerly Freemasonry was a sanctuary for free thinkers (aka liberals) like the US founding fathers, today it seems to be a bastion of conservatism. I see modern Freemasonry falling to the same level as the Church which in former times opposed it so vehemently. Ironic.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I am delighted to see so much interest in Freemasonry. Where to start? From the beginning. It evolved in the 1700s if memory serves me correctly, almost spontaneously in Britain and France. Figuratively, it was supposed to preserve the ancient skill secrets of operative masons. So why were operative masons so secretive? Look at the construction marvels of the ancient world and even Middle Ages. These structures were built without the benefit of schools of architecture or engineering where anyone could go to learn. Masons apprenticed in guilds where they learned the trade. The knowledge was kept secret for good reason. Not only did it provide job security, it provided life insurance ... as in keeping the mason and his family alive and financially secure. Ancient times, particularly the Middle Ages, were unstable times. A mason who held secret knowledge could be a valuable asset for a conquerer. These guys can not only build edifices to his grandeur (palaces and cathedrals) but also fortifications. The only conquerors who did not respect masonic knowledge were the Mongols, true barbarians in every sense. They lived on horseback in tents and didn't worship gods or money ... just warfare.

Of course, by 1700 most of the "secrets" of masonic building methods were widely known and published. Freemasonry evolved as a place where established men could gather in secret and freely discuss matters that might get them imprisoned if discussed publicly. Things like revolution. Liberal ideas. These men were also obligated to look after each other and their families in times of need. Keep in mind there was no Social Security until the 1930s. Oddfellows was another self-help organization that I believe actually predates Freemasonry. Sadly, it has not survived the "evils" of govt socialism and insurance companies.

The ritual of Freemasonry, it's secrets that we are bound to keep on penalty of death (figuratively speaking of course), are no longer secrets. They've been published. I was told they are in the Congressional Record. The ritual is entertainment, which was important in the days before TV and internet. Church and public executions were about the only other options for entertainment. And the Church did not care for the competition! Catholic church in particular reacted fiercely (even violently). Clergy spread the story of Masons eating Catholic babies in the secret ceremonies, etc. And they long forbad congregants from joining lodges on the grounds that it is a sin to keep secrets from one's priest (I don't see that anywhere in the Scriptures). To counter Masonry the Church started Knights of Columbus. Today Knights and Freemasons get along fine. We often have joint functions and share charities. I have known a few Catholuc Masons but it is still relatively rare. During Victorian times the number of fraternal organizations bloomed. Off the top of my head I can think of Oddfellows, Masons, Orangemen, and Foresters. The Orangemen were, of course, definitely and violently anti-Catholic, particularly Irish Catholic. Older folks I knew as a young man told me stories of the bloody riots here in town during the St Patrick's Day parades. The Protestant terrorists of Northern Ireland were invariably Orangemen.

Freemasonry today is about fraternity and philanthropy. Govt agencies have stepped in and taken over the self-help aspect, for the most part anyway. Shriners hospitals for kids are still important (more so in the US without socialized medicine). One thing that has changed bothers me. Whereas formerly Freemasonry was a sanctuary for free thinkers (aka liberals) like the US founding fathers, today it seems to be a bastion of conservatism. I see modern Freemasonry falling to the same level as the Church which in former times opposed it so vehemently. Ironic.

If one of the goals is to make men better then conservative thinking is one of the obvious results of that betterment

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Is there a link between the Freemasons and the Templars?

Knights Templar was a religious order of soldiers created to assist Crusaders traveling to the Holy Land to "liberate" it from Muslims. Usually the Knights were second sons of European nobility. In reality, they became adroit land grabbers, creating by force their own semi-monastic kingdoms. Eventually they became too successful. Once the fervor for crusading subsided, the Catholic Church eyed Templars with suspicion ... and other religious orders coveted their land and wealth. Finally they were brutally repressed by papal order. The order complied with the order for dissolution (and execution of its leadership) but their competitors were never satisfied with the spoils. The myth grew up that the Templars went underground to preserve their hoard of treasure, etc. Knights Templar, in name only, was resurrected as an elevated branch of Freemasonry mostly for the entertainment factor. The mystical mythology surrounding the Knights simply added ritualistic flavor. That's all. No real connection to the original Knights Templar.

 

[rookhawk]

Yet at the same time Freemasonry has kept a veil of secrecy over them. So it is difficult for someone to get interested into something they know nothing about.

My father and brother are part of Rotary, is freemasonry a similar kind of service club ? Perhaps just with a bit more ritual?

Could you or someone explain what the goal is of the freemasonry ? And how it distinguishes itself from other organisations like Lion’s, Rotary, Round Table, Kiwanis, JCI, etc?

Freemasonry is the oldest fraternal organization in the world, so the first point is tradition. It also is anchored in a non-religious philosophy that incorporates your religion into it. The agreement amongst masons is that we are going to be judged by our creator for our conduct, and we have an expectation to behave in a proper manner at all times. In this world of immoral, shifting sands and sectarianism, you may find as a Catholic you have full confidence to cooperate, volunteer, or engage in commerce with a mason that happens to be a Jew. The foundational agreements on the essentials of life is integral to freemasonry.

There are no secrets in masonry, but there certainly are ancient mysteries. The Masonic orders go back officially to the renaissance, but I can show concrete evidence it existed for a tremendous period of time prior to that era. Mason’s believe it may have gone back to the time of the building of the pyramids whether that is myth or fact, no one can declare.

And what were those values and mysteries of freemasonry and what was the benefit? Answer: the Freemasons were originally literally stone masons, the first trade under feudalism where the underclass was permitted to travel legally for work. In time, that led to the transmission of values and ideas of the englightment that would have been impossible without that freedom of movement. In time, many influential thinkers became part of this stone mason’s union so that not only were they free to travel, their ideas were free to travel.

Many of America’s founding fathers were Freemasons and its ideals are upheld in the “Judeo Christian Western Dogma” of the enlightenment as we might call it.

 

[VertigoBE]

thank you @Ontario Hunter and @rookhawk for your explanations

 

[Altitude sickness]

Many of our traditions, formalities, structured meetings, proper decorum, and a hierarchy of roles can be traced back to Free Masonry.

Many sayings also.

“On the Level”

 

[sgt_zim]

Raised in 2021, West University #1292

West University (Houston), Texas

2 years as Senior Steward, 1 as Senior Deacon. Junior Warden was mine for the taking last summer, but I had to get out of the line because I'm having to drive back and forth to Baton Rouge every week to help take care of Mom.

Any past masters here?