freemason's signs of recognition

Originally posted by ConspiracyNut23
Out of respect to the masons on the board, I won’t post them.

Thank you. I appreciate that.

Besides not one them, (even the more liberal ones such as ML) will confirm or deny any of them because of their oaths.

Quite right. The one solitary thing that we promise to do is not reveal the modes of recognition or cause or suffer it to be done so by others. Normally I wouldn't even post on a thread like this but I just wanted to make that point.

It should be remembered that the modes of recognition are traditional and certainly my interpretation is that they should not be used outside of the lodge room. There are better ways to tell a mason anyway, some of which have been mentioned already.

"I know you.."

"Who's your mother?"

"Where were you born?"

"I'm very interested in architecture.."

And so on and so on...

You would often never guess that you'd just been checked over by the masons.

For a while I couldn't figure out why so many job interviews I went to seemed to have people who knew me!

I certainly didn't know them!

PS: please stay away unless you want to have crooked politicians, perverts paeodophiles and murderers for friends..

Originally posted by Hobbes
What good is a mode of recognition that the folks in question don't recognize?

Thats why the modes are the grips from the basic degree rites and the passwords from the rites no? I am sure that there are other things, say from other degrees, that can be used to see if a person has been through the rites, and the like, but I'd expect that the stuff in 1-3 would be the most general no?

Doesn't a masons understanding of the symbology directly correlate to the level at wich he presides at?

As far as I, a non-mason, understand it, there is an elaboration of meaning in the later degrees, and of course, since things like the scottish rite and york rite are essentially parrallel to one another, a person could be a Knight Templar of the York Rite and have no idea whats going on in the 23rd degree of the Scottish Rite, the interpretations could be completely different for the same basic symbols too I'd expect.

umwolves123
if you are not a mason WHY do you want to know our secrets...what gives you the right to know the secrets i hold true

A person has a right to a private life, of course. But at the same time, I think its natural to be curious about things like this.
If the OP really wanted to infiltrate masonic meetings, heck, he could just join.

conspiracynut23
similar to college fraternity rituals

Its questionable if even college frats have that protection. Trade Secret Protections aren't given out lightly, the forumula for Coca-Cola, for example, is a trade secret. I'd doubt that any of the college frats actually claiming to have such protections infact do have them. Also, consider, what is being protected, the ritual. And what is the ritual? In most cases, its allegory and play-acting, built up from interpretations of myth, ethics, religion and folklore. You can't really claim a trade secret on something like that. A secret recipe for a soda, sure, but an intellectual interpretation?
Additionally, Masonry would, I'd think, be required to enforce any trade secret protections that they have, but we find the rites printed up in publically available books, even in books distributed by the masonic order itself, so I don't think that they have sought any such protection or qualify for it.

edelweisspirate
PS: please stay away unless you want to have crooked politicians, perverts paeodophiles and murderers for friends

Thats really uncalled for. Certainly I hope you don't mean to say that the ATS members who are masons are such. Any group is going to have crooks, perverts, and pedophiles in its ranks, church, state, or private social club. Seems rather ignorant to slander an entire group because of that though.

Originally posted by ConspiracyNut23
Does anyone know if the Masonic mode of recognitions are protected by law as trade secrets? What about OTO's? (similar to college fraternity rituals)

The O.T.O.'s are indeed somehow protected legally, although I'm not quite sure how this works. They have threatened suit against several websites who once carried e-copies of Francis King's book, for example.

As for Masonry, no, we aren't that concerned with the legality of the issue. Even if a non-Mason somehow knew the entirety of the modes of recognition, that would still not get him into a Lodge. The only way a stranger can be admitted into a Lodge is by providing his membership card under his Lodge's seal, showing him to be a Master Mason in good standing in a regular Lodge, along with a photo ID, such as a driver's license, which proves the card belongs to him.

Originally posted by Edelweiss Pirate
You would often never guess that you'd just been checked over by the masons.

Likely because you never have. Nor will you. How ridiculous.

PS: please stay away unless you want to have crooked politicians, perverts paeodophiles and murderers for friends..

What an ignorant, crappy thing to say. On most lists this would be considered "trolling" What is it here?

Trolling? My dear, this is a conspiracy forum, it is you and your fellow fiends who are the trolls.

Freemasons have been exposed time and time again as murderers and peodophiles by journalists and writers from all over the world.

While you all shroud yourself in secrecy, appearing in public only to hound and decry those who would like to expose the unbelievable evil of your world..

I'm done, now I can ignore you because debating with schizo-gnostic zombies is something I have long given up on!

Better luck next life-time.

[edit on 12-7-2006 by Edelweiss Pirate]

Despite the fact that this is a conspiracy board, calling all masons pedophiles and perverts and criminals is clearly trolling, a troll is a person that posts to provoke a predicted emotive response.

How would one go about becoming a freemason? What does the "initiation" consist of? I ask because I have become fairly close to the gentleman that does our computer network who also happens to be a mason. He has asked me on several occations to come with him to the lodge, but to be frank, I have been quite nervous to take that first step. Any info?

A senior member in a lodge once told me they could tell another mason in the dark! I think they light up. Joking aside I agree with your comments

Originally posted by wu kung
I'm sure that, unless you are a mason, you'll never actually find out.
All the information released to the public, is total disinformation.
Unless you are initiated, you'll never truly garner the ways to discern another mason.
At least, that's what a mason friend of mine told me, and the way he said it, I totally believe him.
Don't beleive the stuff on the history channel and the like, it is willingly misleading...

Originally posted by sendillegalshome
How would one go about becoming a freemason? What does the "initiation" consist of? I ask because I have become fairly close to the gentleman that does our computer network who also happens to be a mason. He has asked me on several occations to come with him to the lodge, but to be frank, I have been quite nervous to take that first step. Any info?

In most US jurisdictions, the process consists of requesting a Mason to sponsor you, after which you fill out an application for membership called a "petition". You will then be interviewed by the Membership Committee. If the committee approves your membership, the entire Lodge will vote on your admission at the next meeting. If elected, you will be called upon to come to the Lodge for the First Degree, or Entered Apprentice, ceremony.

There are three degrees, usually conferred a month apart. After you receive the Third Degree, or Master Mason degree, you are a full member of the fraternity.

[edit on 12-7-2006 by Masonic Light]

Aren't there serious reprecusions for revealing the secrets of the masons?
(and I don't mean having your tongue cut out and that kind of stuff)

I think the whole Mason world is interesting but I don't see the secrecy side of things. Through a friend of a friend (not the most reliable of sources I know!) I have been told that being a Mason is not all what it is made up to be, for example, a Mason with a craft is often asked by other Masons for cheap labour/money off and the process works vice-versa. Kind of a you help me i'll help you scenario. One member in which I have been told refused membership because he didn't want such things happening.

The secret side of matters I am interested in, I of course do not expect any members revealing any information, I would just like to know if there are such secrets out there and if so on what basis are they secret? As in getting money off certain companies. organisations due to Masons links etc.

As for the comment earlier on depicting Masons in a 'murderous' bad light (and I am in no way suggesting this), in the same regard if say I was a Mason and was in trouble for something (say a parking ticket), would another Mason have the power to write the ticket off.

Nieve I know but I am still fairly new to the area and would like to learn more!

Yes, the world of freemasonry is very interesting, but anyone joining for the primary purpose of receiving favors is likely to be severely disappointed, particularly in the UK.

There are no secrets in freemasonry other than the modes of recognition, oh, and the other ones that I can't tell you about

As for the comment earlier on depicting Masons in a 'murderous' bad light (and I am in no way suggesting this), in the same regard if say I was a Mason and was in trouble for something (say a parking ticket), would another Mason have the power to write the ticket off.

Only if he was
(a) a policeman or a judge
(b) corrupt, and
(c) willing to break his promises to both freemasonry and his employer

Originally posted by wu kung
Aren't there serious reprecusions for revealing the secrets of the masons?
(and I don't mean having your tongue cut out and that kind of stuff)

Isn't that serious enough for you?

Actually there is a far more serious penalty for spilling the beans, and if you search some of my recent posts you will find it.

[edit on 12-7-2006 by Trinityman]

Originally posted by Masonic Light

The O.T.O.'s are indeed somehow protected legally, although I'm not quite sure how this works. They have threatened suit against several websites who once carried e-copies of Francis King's book, for example.

The O.T.O. uses copyright to keep the "secret stuff" secret. The copyright is good until XX years after the document is published. And the O.T.O. has no plans to publicly publish the secret stuff so it will be under copyright indefinitely (or XX years after the O.T.O. is gone).

Legally King's book was a violation of the O.T.O.'s copyright as he didn't have permission to publish the O.T.O. material. If you post the book online odds are you will hear from the O.T.O. lawyers because you don't have permission to post copyrighted material. I have even seen eBay auctions taken down, but there is no law that forbids you from buying/selling the book secondhand. And there is no law against someone paraphrasing/summarizing the material (Like DMK did in Modern Sex Magick), or quoting snippits that fall under fair use.

In regards to King's book I think the official line is if a member sees the book for sale he should buy it if he can (normally it's quite expensive $300+) or try and get the word out so another member can buy it. The same goes for any other material under seal that's floating around out there.

Even though my Grandfather (now deceased) , and my uncle are freemasons; you'd think id know a little about the subject... i dont though,... anyways isnt there some kind of tax-exempt code or something for masons, and if so why?..

As stated earlier,

If you want to become a mason, ask a mason.

As for the secrets, once you are accepted and go through your initiations, you will learn the secrets for which you desire to know.

Since masons can recognize each other, even in the dark, we have a safe and secure way of recognizing each other. If you will read on masonic history, you will find that during the American Revolution, many who entered military or militia camps needed to know how to identify theirself as a friend and not a foe. Masonrys' secret signs, words and tokens served this purpose. If those that came could not give a proper sign, word or token, it would be known they were foe and would be dealt with accordingly.

If you truly seek to know what it is to be a mason, go to lodge, speak with a mason, turn in a petition.

I feel you shall become a better person if you get enlightend by masonry.

This is not to say you are not a good person now, masonry just adds to your goodness and kindness by exposing you to many great things.

Monkey King, what degree is your friend? Only the very highest Masons, that is the 32nd degree and the York Rite, usually will know the true secrets. Your friend will only hear of the good the Masons do until he has obtained the highest degree in the Order. Then and only then will he be told the real truth of what the Masons stand for.

Originally posted by elecampane
Monkey King, what degree is your friend? Only the very highest Masons, that is the 32nd degree and the York Rite, usually will know the true secrets. Your friend will only hear of the good the Masons do until he has obtained the highest degree in the Order. Then and only then will he be told the real truth of what the Masons stand for.

Dontcha think that if someone who went all along with the good the masons do, would revolt at the slightest mention of impropriety when they get the 32nd?

And if one was predisposed to something "evil" or bad wouldn't they get fed up with all the good in the lower degrees and not stick around till the 32nd?

Originally posted by elecampane
Monkey King, what degree is your friend? Only the very highest Masons, that is the 32nd degree and the York Rite, usually will know the true secrets. Your friend will only hear of the good the Masons do until he has obtained the highest degree in the Order. Then and only then will he be told the real truth of what the Masons stand for.

Which is what exactly?

I've read so many conflicting viewpoints on this that I'd be eternally grateful if you can clear that up for me please?