Lodge Was open, nobody cared....

My Masonic Lodge had an open house today. The front door was propped open. Signs were up out front for a week and the lodge is on a BUSY main road. Not ONE person stopped for a tour. I dont want to hear anymore about "behind closed doors" and secrecy. Plenty ofy brothers were there to answer any questions. Seems that the Mason-phobes are plentiful, but not intellectually curious or interested in having their illusions shattered with truth. What more can these people want? They had run of the building !

[edit on 8/28/10 by scooterstrats]

i wish the lodge here would have one, I want to join, so i need to get to know the people thwere

reply to post by HomerinNC

Not hard.If youre in the US, Google "Grand Lodge of (your state)". You'll find it. Good luck !

I guess most people don't want to be apart of an alleged Secret Society, that has possibly caused the death of thousands of souls around the world.

I am sorry that not a person stopped by. It may be intimidating for a person to stop in. Since I became a Mason about a a year and a half ago, It is a special breed of man.

Maybe a beer tent would have drawn a few people in.

reply to post by bob676


Wow! Those Masons are extremely powerful people if they can "kill a soul".

Yep, Open House is not enough. You have to have a tent with goodies for the kids, you need the wavy, wacky, inflatable arm man, you need balloons.

Average people are not paranoid about us Masons, and they are also not that interested in us Masons.

These days, you need an 8 second "hook" to get their attention, a 30 second sound bite or "elevator pitch" to keep them interested, and you need something in it for them to get them to participate or come back. If you don't have the McMarketing approach, you won't get anywhere.

Sad state of affairs.

Kudos for giving it a shot though!

One of the Lodges I visit had an open house as well, two people came in, one to get water, one to use the restroom

You know this is very sad! I think the Masons could use an image update.

I think it's time to call in the:



The dawn of a new age in Masonry!

reply to post by bob676

Well bob676, I didnt say anything about membership. Only that theres lots out there with bizarre ideas, but make no effort to see what actually happens when they are given the chance. As to the second line of your post,it doesnt dignify a comment.

reply to post by getreadyalready

Well we did have free food and drink, but nothing ! I would have though maybe a local crackhead who might need a meal would wander in, but....Tryng to give food and drink to the community must not be charitable behavior. For many who walk by the lodge to the bus stop, this would have been more food than theyve seen in a month. Horse to water, but.....

Sorry to hear about your open house.

On another "masonic" thread, I mentioned that Masonry has a bit of a PR problem. Not sure anyone agreed really, but maybe your experience is an indication of something.

I'm out West, and it is somewhat different than in the East. I think there are fewer Masons, not as much of a presence, but also perhaps less "negative", although probably mostly just due to old-fashioned ignorance of anything about Masonry.

Years ago, in one of my previous careers, the company I worked for would have an annual management party, very high end, best food, dancing, sometimes exotic locations, special entertainment, etc. One of those times, the actual banquet was held at a very large, and well-appointed masonic temple, that they had rented for the evening.

Now that's what I would call good PR!

Oh come on guys. You know all the ritual crap is a tad weird in today's context. Hell, it was weird a hundred years ago.
Yes, there is that fraternity thing , an intellectual and spiritual atmosphere, much banal mediocrity and beer drinking too I suppose. But, can you really blame people for not showing up to your open house?
Nobody give a rats ass about that stuff anymore.

The ones that might have shown an interest in the past are too wrapped up in the distractions of the modern world. The repository of human knowledge and wisdom is at their fingertips and they are in the temple of electronic delights. The ancient mysteries are revealed to them at a keystroke.

What chance did you have?

Originally posted by scooterstrats
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

Well we did have free food and drink, but nothing ! I would have though maybe a local crackhead who might need a meal would wander in, but....Tryng to give food and drink to the community must not be charitable behavior. For many who walk by the lodge to the bus stop, this would have been more food than theyve seen in a month. Horse to water, but.....

LOL! That is pretty bad! For all of those people on these boards that think the extension of unemployment benefits was a good idea, and there are no jobs out there. I wonder if a job fair tent would have had similar results?

Imagine, you and your charitable brothers sitting there with free food and drink and information for jobs that could be started immediately, while dozens of people walk by to the bus stop to take free transportation to the public assistance offices to pick up unemployment checks and foodstamps!!

And then, to add insult to injury, quite literally, as a Mason and a hard-working Conservative tax payer, you would have to come on ATS and get bashed for not doing enough to help those poor people while your evil fraternity was taking over the world.

People would much rather live in their fantasy worlds, being afraid of the masonic boogieman, than actually learn about you guys.

reply to post by getreadyalready

And then, to add insult to injury, quite literally, as a Mason and a hard-working Conservative tax payer, you would have to come on ATS and get bashed for not doing enough to help those poor people while your evil fraternity was taking over the world.

You guys have an evil Fraternity taking over the world?

I have an evil fraternity taking over the world. It's called the Knights of Proto, it's so secret that no one has heard of it until now! Shhhh don't tell anyone.

Anway I got five dollars that says my Evil Fraternity takes over the world before your Evil Fraternity does!

By the way my Evil Fraternity gives away free beer, porn, and has strippers at all the meetings!

Lets see your Evil Fraternity top that!

That's too bad that nobody came. When we did our Open House we had a good turnout.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


May I please join?

reply to post by scooterstrats


It sucks, when I was a kid Masons were known as the good guys or pillars of the community.
Nowadays people think we are evil and scheme to take over the world.
Oh well, I enjoy all of my brothers company as they really are some good guys. Just another frat is all.

reply to post by HomerinNC


There is no big secret to getting into Masonry we accept almost any man with very few exceptions Legal type exceptions.
We have bumper sticker all over that say “2B1 ask 1” I guess we wanted to go mainstream or get the text crowd.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


I'll join today and I can bring some of my own vices to contribute to the effort!!

I have a feeling your organization of beer porn and strippers is already well ahead of our organization of charity and brotherly love. I see your influence EVERYWHERE!! Nice work, btw! I'm a big fan of what you've done so far.

Is this you proto?


[edit on 28-8-2010 by getreadyalready]