Inside a secret society: A gay African American Freemason's story

This is a really interesting article on an interview with a Black Homosexual Freemason that gives some insight into Freemasonry.

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Edit: shortened link.

[edit on 11-1-2007 by intrepid]

Interesting article. Good find.

I received a letter asking if I had ever heard of the Masons, and if I would be interested in becoming a member of their esteemed organization.

I have to wonder? Regular Masonry, or Prince Hall? Because, he's black, and Prince Hall masonry is mostly black, and because they recruited through a letter, which regular masonry isn't normally supposed to permit (via letter or any kind of recruiting, as I understand it).

I asked an influential member about whether this might be true and he told me that the Masons did not buy this kind of information. Perhaps someone recommended me. When I questioned him further, he said, and I quote: "It could be the kind of wines you like, it could be places you like to go, your taste, your station in life." There are a whole bunch of things that are considered.

Rather snobbish. Vino has many virtues, but it doesn't make you virtuous.

Once again, I question if this was an actual regular freemason. Seems fishy. To think, they are out there, in the world, paying attention to what kind of wines or maybe cigars you smoke, and then contacting you.....through a mass mailing letter? Doesn't add up. Sounds more like people wanting to pretend to be high class than anything else.

Gay people love pageantry, we love rituals, and we love secrets

Ha! Gotta love that, priceless!

There are 33 degrees. I have just made the second degree.

Interesting. That seems to confirm that he's in Regular Masonry. I know that the 33 degree system is from teh Scottish Rite, and that technically Regular Masonry only has 3 degrees, but that statement does seem to indicate that he is in regular masonry.

Naughty naughty, they've been recruiting. By a letter mailing campaign too.

Interesting that he's only at the 2nd degree and thus not yet a Master Mason. I think that the rules also say you're not supposed to identify yourself as a mason until you've received the 3rd degree too. But I suppose that the benefits of the article outweigh the rationale for maintaining silence up to that point.

What Nygdan said about soliciting new members. "The most important reason for joining is the networking benefits" says to me that the likelihood of him sticking with Masonry for any length of time is limited.

"They involve costumes and partial nudity."
Playing it a little loose here. I guess you could qualify it as partial nudity if you look at partial nudity as defined through the filter of Victorian England.

"Are you required to contribute money to the organization?
Yes, but less than four figures annually"
Again playing loose. Paying membership dues sounds a whole lot different than "contributing money".

"the initiation is so laborious and so hard"?
Again with the loose. Bit of a trend developing in this story.

"The value of coming together and trying to be part of their mission is a greater incentive than whatever someone would gain from betraying that trust."
OK, a step back into the light, IMHO

OK article. If I weren't a Mason but interested in becoming one, I can't say that this article would have increased my interest at all. While I'm glad to hear about this brother, I think he should've checked his facts a bit better.

With a dwindling membership worldwide Masonry has to reach out now to those people they have ignored in the past. This is evidence that the funding they have enjoyed for so long is now deminished and is forcing them to recruit 'less desireables' My only question is when will the Pakistani Midget Trannys get their own lodge ?

I don't know what to make of it... One thread will claim that Freemasonry is racist, homophobic and anti-semetic, the next that the "Jooos" are in charge and pulling every string, and now that Freemasonry is all inclusive to a fault.

Perhaps the secret to taking over the world is contained within leather pants gyrating to George Michael at 3 am with the bass turned up.

Yeah... I surrender.

One thing that stood out to me in this article is that this members "gaydar" was going off in the lodge.

I don't know how other masons would respond if this member was trying to pick up other members there.

Originally posted by Fitzgibbon
OK article. If I weren't a Mason but interested in becoming one, I can't say that this article would have increased my interest at all. While I'm glad to hear about this brother, I think he should've checked his facts a bit better.

The other thing to keep in mind is that masonry isn't too good at doing PR for itself, and has certainly developed a repuration as being part of the establishment, part of the 'the good old boys network'. My fiance thought that the organization was a racist organization, like the KKK (that is, not merely full of racists, but actively racist like the Klan).

I wouldn't be surprised if when gays heard about masonry, heard about it as an anti-gay organization, or certainly not one that gays would be welcome in. So the article does a good job of alleviating that perception.

cheif_counsellor
I don't know how other masons would respond if this member was trying to pick up other members there.

Gaydar generally only means that he considers other people to be gay, not that he is necessarily hitting on them. He noted that members from his lodge have been at his apartment/house and seen pictures of nude men on his walls and thought nothing of it, and it also seems like he isn't trying to hide the fact that he is gay, so its probably not an issue.

Besides, how should they respond anyway, other than to say 'er, no thanks. I dig chicks.".

Yeah, chicks man.

Originally posted by Nygdan
Gaydar generally only means that he considers other people to be gay, not that he is necessarily hitting on them. He noted that members from his lodge have been at his apartment/house and seen pictures of nude men on his walls and thought nothing of it, and it also seems like he isn't trying to hide the fact that he is gay, so its probably not an issue.

Besides, how should they respond anyway, other than to say 'er, no thanks. I dig chicks.".

Yeah, chicks man.

Thanks for the clarification, I did not really know what gaydar meant. I guess it makes sense about the nude pictures of men on his wall, and the freemasons not mentioning anything about it.

Is there in fact any stipulation in the US about homosexuals joining the Freemasons? Doesn't seem to be a problem where this member is hailing from.

"When I questioned him further, he said, and I quote: "It could be the kind of wines you like, it could be places you like to go, your taste, your station in life." There are a whole bunch of things that are considered."

...or maybe someone in the organization had the hots for him, tracked down his email, and figured this was how he could meet him. LOL! This was my first thought. It's a long shot. I love a good mystery. I think the "how he got picked part" is kinda creepy. It's almost like something in a horror movie where at the end he ends up being the big sacrifice.


Wow, I just read the parts about the secret keeping and threats of murder. He keeps going back on forth on his answer. Yes/no. This does not sound like a group I'd want to get involved with. I can keep a secret, but.....what kinda secrets are they harboring that would warrant harm? Makes you wonder what these guys are really up to.....

Chief Counsellor, do the KOC do this kinda stuff?

[edit on 10-1-2007 by rocknroll]

Originally posted by rocknroll
"When I questioned him further, he said, and I quote: "It could be the kind of wines you like, it could be places you like to go, your taste, your station in life." There are a whole bunch of things that are considered."

...or maybe someone in the organization had the hots for him, tracked down his email, and figured this was how he could meet him. LOL! This was my first thought. It's a long shot. I love a good mystery. I think the "how he got picked part" is kinda creepy. It's almost like something in a horror movie where at the end he ends up being the big sacrifice.

Wow, I just read the parts about the secret keeping and threats of murder. He keeps going back on forth on his answer. Yes/no. This does not sound like a group I'd want to get involved with. I can keep a secret, but.....what kinda secrets are they harboring that would warrant harm? Makes you wonder what these guys are really up to.....

Chief Counsellor, do the KOC do this kinda stuff?

[edit on 10-1-2007 by rocknroll]

The Knights of Columbus actively recruit members, and have membership drives once a year. In my council when someone applies for membership, it is usually through someone who knows the applicant to some degree. The most we do is try to make sure the applicant is actually a Catholic, and we take it for his word that he is a practical Catholic. A vote is taken at a council meeting whether or not to approve the new membership, and there may be discussion on the character of the applicant.

All it really takes to become a Knight of Columbus is to fill in what is called a FORM 100. Which you can get from any K of C member.

So NO, the Knights of Columbus do not follow you around and try to find out what you do, where you go, where you dine etc.. Usually someone will spot you going to mass on Sundays, and approach you with an invitation.

CC

[edit on 10-1-2007 by chief_counsellor]

The KOC: Do they harbor secrets and threaten with violence or murder? Do they have group rituals where people wear costumes and are half naked? Too freaky. That doesn't sound like something for a guy like me. I mean this stuff (Freemasonry, and I don't mean to judge it all because I don't know much about it) sounds like a version of The Evil Boy Scouts For Older Men.

Originally posted by rocknroll
The KOC: Do they harbor secrets and threaten with violence or murder? Do they have group rituals where people wear costumes and are half naked? Too freaky. That doesn't sound like something for a guy like me. I mean this stuff (Freemasonry, and I don't mean to judge it all because I don't know much about it) sounds like a version of The Evil Boy Scouts For Older Men.

No threats of violence or murder, and no half naked rituals either in the Knights of Columbus.

So Lodges are allowing gays now?

And Prince-Hall Lodges no less.

(considering that communities of 'African' and Hispanic descent are generally less accepting of this extremely degenerated way of life, than are those of European descent).

I'm sorry, but if I were a Mason I'd be offended that gays are allowed, considering that the Lodges are supposed to be modeled after Solomon's Temple:

Deuteronomy, Chapter 23

1: He that is wounded in the testicles, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of Iod-He-Vav-He.

Originally posted by Tamahu
I'm sorry, but if I were a Mason I'd be offended that gays are allowed, considering that the Lodges are supposed to be modeled after Solomon's Temple:

Would you be just as offended if they were celibate, meaning, if they actually practiced more sexual control than you yourself are capable of? Would that still bother you?

Celibacy is generally not recommended, as the Internal Building of the Temple of Solomon requires Woman and Man(though we must first return to Eden through the same way we left: Sex).

However, there's certainly nothing wrong with the lunar-celibate who wishes to stay in chastity(through various means) until they have the oppertunity to marry(one of the opposite sex of course).

Or, Masters who already Built the Temple of Solomon, such as H.H. the Dalai Lama, who have decided to walk the path of the Solar Celibate, or Dry Path depicted in the Mona Lisa.


I wonder though, how did the personal issue of my sexual control come into this?

What does the KoC have to do with any of this?

While I do not believe this story is factual for the very way he claims to have been "chosen" .. I have talked to some who think it is possible. I will still maintain it is not.. at least not in the way he was "chosen." .. That is, I have never heard of, seen, not even hearsay of Masons "selecting" people, especially through the mail.

I have seen radio commercials (which I am against) and tv commercials (I am against all advertising) I have however never heard of in any way a mailing list.

The kind of wine you prefer, the kind of food you like .. that has nothing to do with you becoming a Mason. You have to ask to become a Mason. You can be given information. You can see an advertisment. You still have to ask. That is anyways how I see it, as the rules, that there are not Masons on the street corners looking for those they prefer best. Just does not work like that. And like he said, all information he said in the interview can be accessed through the internet and various books. He revealed nothing that anyone couldn't find on their own, he gave no personal insight, did not name his lodge, did not name him self (as if he feared them or what ever) though I was perplexed as to why he said he was a second degree instead of claiming for be a Master Mason or something, I still do not believe his story.

And to Tamuh.. I never would have taken you to be so ant-gay? .. I do not see sexual preference mattering in Masonry.. It should never come up actually. I was never asked if I liked women or men lol.. I don't know any gay Masons but I am sure they are out there.

Originally posted by Rockpuck
And to Tamuh.. I never would have taken you to be so ant-gay? ..

Why?

I do not see sexual preference mattering in Masonry.. It should never come up actually. I was never asked if I liked women or men lol.. I don't know any gay Masons but I am sure they are out there.

Anybody who is to seek Initiation should already know that gays, direct offenders of the Male/Female Great Architect Demiurge Jehovah-Elohim, have no place in Masonry.

And the Lodges should have no fear in stating that gays, due to bringing poisonous vibrations, are not allowed(this can be done without personally asking anybody if they are or not).


As I've implied many times before, Masters and Adepts such as Eliphas Levi, H.P. Blavatsky, Manly P. Hall and Cagliostro knew full-well the disastrous consequences of allowing gays into any Lodge.





Regards

Originally posted by Tamahu
So Lodges are allowing gays now?

Tamahu, this is the first post of yours, I believe, that I have responded to. The smiley says it all. WHY? I'm not gay, I don't hate gays, honestly, I don't care about sexual orientation. Why do you? Please say it isn't biblical, or whatever other holy book one could derive from.

Originally posted by Tamahu
So Lodges are allowing gays now? ...

I'm sorry, but if I were a Mason I'd be offended that gays are allowed, considering that the Lodges are supposed to be modeled after Solomon's Temple:

Why? Is not Masonry a beacon of universal tolerance?

There has never been an injunction against gays in Masonry, although I'm only aware of a few. Oscar Wilde, the famed English poet, is probably the most famous of them. And although Frederick the Great was not "gay", he was certainly bisexual (as was King David, the father of Solomon, who had a "special friend" in Jonathan, son of Saul).

Greetings intrepid


Well I've already explained, but to spell it out...


...see this post:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

en.wikipedia.org...

"Our order possesses the key which opens up all Masonic and Hermetic secrets, namely, the teachings of sexual magic, and this teaching explains, without exception, all the secrets of Freemasonry and all systems of religion."

Although that quote is from an Aleister Crowley book(whos teachings I don't condone, as they allow homosexuality which is in contradiction to the original teachings of the O.T.O.), I think said quote says a lot.