chomerics Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Is anyone here a Mason? Does anyone know more about the group? My name was given as a possible canidate to a Masonic Lodge, and I am contemplating asking to join. From everything I have read, the orginization's values and beliefs are right in line with mine and they seem like a very civic orientated group who is active in charity. I was wondering if any members of ES are masons, and if they are, what are their thoughts on the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My dad was a grand master before he passed away. It is a very private organization so I can't tell you about it.......but I can tell you my dad was a wonderful Christian man whose word was worth everything in his life. Those are the beliefs of the organization I believe. Blondie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuji869 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My father is a Free Mason and he was very active at on time. He really enjoys it. I was in a fraternity in college and it was probably similar to that but without the beer slides, keg stands and panty raids. It is a fraternal brotherhood organization that revolves around religion, not Christianity but all religions. You can not be an atheist and be a Mason, you have to believe in a supreme being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntotoro Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My Uncle George was a Freemason, but it was in Syria before he moved to the US. He passed a few years back, but I'll see if I can get my Aunt Tieffa and see what she can tell me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iheartskins Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Blondie: what's a grand master? Anyone: How does the hierarchy work in the Free Masons? Are there more secrets in the Masons than in a typical fraternity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xameil Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 I'm a Freemason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raub Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 I'm not, but I have one of those cool decals on my truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xameil Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 I'm not, but I have one of those cool decals on my truck. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Blondie: what's a grand master? Anyone: How does the hierarchy work in the Free Masons? Are there more secrets in the Masons than in a typical fraternity? I used to call him the "Grand PooPa". It is the leader of the specific lodge. Yes, there are secrets........very loyal secrets. There is a special coin.........my dad had one. I am not sure if it was buried with him or not. This is a website about the Masons. Might help some: http://www.grandlodgeoftexas.org Blondie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autographcollector Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My dad is a past grandmaster. Essentially the organization is a fraternity of men that does charitable things. You must believe in a supreme being, not denominational. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsBry Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 I've heard good things about them, but my personal experiance with Masons was nothing but bad. When I was in the Army, there was a Masonic Lodge right off post. My Battalion Sergeant Major, Battery First Sergeant, and Platoon Sergeant were all Masons, along with several other Platoon Sergeants, NCOs and enlisted men throughout the Battalion. If you were a Mason, you got out of duties and got promoted faster. They were also racist against anyone who was not black, did not like non-Masons unless it was someone they wanted to recruit, and wife swapping was the norm. I saw on several occasions a Platoon Sergeant, a few other NCOs and a couple enlisted, all Masons, just standing around joking with each other when a non-Mason Sergeant would go to the Platoon Sergeant to ask an Army related question or to update him on a mission he was given and the Platoon Sergeant would yell at him, "You best be snapping to parade rest when talking to us!" While the rest of the Masons would stand around laughing at and ridiculing the NCO. This went on for the 3+ years I was there. I asked a few other non-Mason NCOs if there was something we could do and they alls said that we'd just have to suck it up since pretty much the whole chain of command were Masons and it was pretty much the same throughout the entire Division. Since then, I have no soft spot for Masons, but to tell you the truth, I think that was an isolated incident with one Masonic Lodge because I've talked to other ex-military and they never saw it where they were stationed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riggins44 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My grandfather was a grand master and help start several lodges. He was instrumental in getting a lot of men in the lodge here. The local lodge has been trying to recruit me for long time. Recently have been giving it serious consideration. It is a good organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xameil Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 They were also racist against anyone who was not black, did not like non-Masons unless it was someone they wanted to recruit, and wife swapping was the norm. The Master of the Lodge that inducted me was black. Do not generalize in things you have limited exposure to. The people getting promoted faster, hate to say it, but that happens all over. If you are in the same college fraternity as a potential employer, will will probably get the job over a non-brother. Just happens that way. Kinda like you'd probably help out a fellow Redskins fan over say a Cowboys fan. Other then that, just becasue someone got promoted faster then you, I don't think you can just assume it was because the guy was a fellow Mason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 You mean the Illumanati??? :paranoid: :jk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xameil Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My grandfather was a grand master and help start several lodges. He was instrumental in getting a lot of men in the lodge here.The local lodge has been trying to recruit me for long time. Recently have been giving it serious consideration. It is a good organization. Yes it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raub Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Since then, I have no soft spot for Masons, but to tell you the truth, I think that was an isolated incident with one Masonic Lodge because I've talked to other ex-military and they never saw it where they were stationed. It wasn't an isolated incident, I've seen exactly the same at several of my duty stations. I have no love for the Masons either. If you want to have some secret squirrel club I don't care, but keep it out of the function of my military unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xameil Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 It wasn't an isolated incident, I've seen exactly the same at several of my duty stations. I have no love for the Masons either. If you want to have some secret squirrel club I don't care, but keep it out of the function of my military unit. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but it definitely is not like that around the world. Let me ask you this, were they from the South? There have been many instances were chapters down south have taken things a bit too far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Monk Fan Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 If you want to have some secret squirrel club I don't care, but keep it out of the function of my military unit. :laugh: :laugh: You crack me up, man! :laugh: :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaudry Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My dad is a mason. I think he joined just to be the "young guy" at 55 or so. All I have ever seen is that they like to drink whiskey after they ride those little cars in the parade. (Is that just a local thing?) Anyway, I do believe that some serious racism is involved. My dad said that their are "white" and "black" chapters, for some reason. We were at a hotel and noticed a disproportional number of older black men and women dressed up for a party (considering that I live in North Dakota). My dad noticed a pin or something that the guys were wearing and said that it was a mason's function and that the black mason and white masons are seperated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xameil Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My dad is a mason. I think he joined just to be the "young guy" at 55 or so. All I have ever seen is that they like to drink whiskey after they ride those little cars in the parade. (Is that just a local thing?)Anyway, I do believe that some serious racism is involved. My dad said that their are "white" and "black" chapters, for some reason. We were at a hotel and noticed a disproportional number of older black men and women dressed up for a party (considering that I live in North Dakota). My dad noticed a pin or something that the guys were wearing and said that it was a mason's function and that the black mason and white masons are seperated. First off, the people in cars are most likely Shriners. They were wearing "funny hats" right? Secondly, that's an oddity where obviously segregation must still be used. There is no such thing as a "white" or "black" chapter. A brother is a brother is a brother. The practices of racism, and segregation is not accepted. Those people are having problems letting go of the past when it was socially acceptable. Those were also the days when these conversations wouldn't have even existed, because Masons were not all that public. They wore the symbol, but people didn't really know much about it, or speak about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJeremy Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 My deceased Father-in-Law was a Mason. He never really talked much about it so I have no idea whether secret things go on there or not. But since he was "hush" about the whole thing it made me suspicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gichin13 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 I do not understand what the big secret deal is if the Masons really are focused on charitable involvement. I am a member of a service club (Kiwanis) and a big part of being an effective service club is being active, visible, and involved openly in the community. I think if charity and service really is the point, the doublesecret handshake thing really does not help or work. Then again, seven out of nine supreme court justices were Masons at one point during the Warren court. There is a conspiracy theory brewing for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 To clear a few things up. You dont have to believe in God. You must however believe in SOMETHING. It could be a tree if you want. As for the segregation, my lodge has brothers of different races (white, black, Indian, Asian, Arab). And multiple religions (Christian, Muslim, Jewish, even a couple of stinkin Catholics). What you are referring to is the old practice of Clandestine Lodges. Essentially lodges that were entirely black while main lodges were entirely white. In the past 100 years or so, the regular lodges integrated, but there are still some Clandestine Lodges that are still around that are entirely black. chom, I PMd you with other info. But to all here. If you want to know something about Freemasons or Freemasonry, I suggest actually asking one, or better yet, head over to the Not So Hidden Masonic Lodge in your area and know on the door and ask them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xameil Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 There really are no more secrets. There are some traditions that just should never die, and the mystique is one. The reasons for the secrets back then, there are 2 schools of thought. 1) Avoid persecution. Freemasonry is a VERY old organization, and not exactly favored by certain people (The Vatican for one. They have made their postion quite vocal on Freemasonry as late as recent as 1985 I believe). 2) many patriots back in the founding days of our country were Masons (George Washington to name one) and secrets were imperative to help out the Revolution. There are no secrets now...unless you are a conspiracy theorist, then I guess from what I've read from the theorists... Masons have started every war Masons are keeping the UFO facts from seeing public oh there are so many more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 I do not understand what the big secret deal is if the Masons really are focused on charitable involvement. I am a member of a service club (Kiwanis) and a big part of being an effective service club is being active, visible, and involved openly in the community. I think if charity and service really is the point, the doublesecret handshake thing really does not help or work.Then again, seven out of nine supreme court justices were Masons at one point during the Warren court. There is a conspiracy theory brewing for you. Because 200 years ago Masons were the revolutionaries and needed secrecy to ensure their success. Most of it is allegorical in nature, life lessons told as stories from a mythical pretext. As for being visible, Im sure everyone here has heard of Shriners Hospitals or Scottish Right Medical centers. Both are Masonic Charities. But Masons dont feel the need to advertise their deeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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