i was asked to join the freemasons

Originally posted by bluemirage5
reply to post by gdmfs2200

 

if you are going to join them to spy for those interested in information......DON'T join!

While most often believe this is something they would do... it is always the case that after the "Experience of thhe 1st Degree"... they repent.
So... he should join as I believe it is not manliness of him to know they exist and refuse to join for the purpose of assisting them in their craft(s)...
Also... Once he becomes one he will most definitely learn to do: "I Am Here To Make Sure That What Happened To Hiram Abif Does Not Happen Again! EVER!"
Yay!

reply to post by gdmfs2200


Your grandpa was just disappointed.

Originally posted by gdmfs2200
...i was asked to join the freemasons by my grandpa ...

Having been made a Mason myself was also indirectly a result of my grandfathers influence. Holding true to the standards of "to be one ask one", he sent my grandmother to tell me to ask him about the lodge and how to join. Masonry has always been apart of my family and I was relatively familiar with what it means to be a Mason, I did not know that I had to ask to petition. As most people I was under the assumption that when my time came or if they wanted me to join they would make the first move. Well, it doesn’t work that way. From the time I was a kid admiring his ring, and the similar emblem worn on my fathers ring, I knew one day, whatever it was and whatever it meant, that I would wear it too. And I proudly do, but if you are unsure of what it means to be made a Mason, or if you have any reservations about it, I would suggest talking to him about it first. Find out if it is something you would even be interested in, but always remember that the only secret in Masonry is that there are no secrets!

As an outsider, it seems there is a loose definition/practice behind the motto "2b1ask1". It seems more like "to be one, you must join of your own free will", which is extremely reasonable yet distinctly different from the literal definition to the words of the motto.

This perspective of mine was formed exclusively by reading claims from both the initiated and uninitiated.

reply to post by Erbal

The "2B1ASK1" means if you'd like to join, just ask. Seems pretty straight forward.

reply to post by KSigMason


Right. I'm referring to the inconsistency of Freemasonry claiming they don't recruit, the only way to join is to ask, yet I've seen many claims of recruitment, even amongst Freemasons themselves.

I get the feeling you are intelligent enough to have understood this the first time around. Why is it so freaking difficult to have an honest, straightforward conversation with a Mason?

reply to post by Erbal

It varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but most don't allow for recruiting events.

My post was aiming for clarification. If you had posted this post the first time there wouldn't be any confusion.

i for one am surounded by freemasons ,family members one of them a soon to be potenttai* in two or four years not really sure and i had always asked them about it and thay wouldent tell me much at all. nothing close to what ive read on these boards.

but in all those years not one of them have ever asked me to join
take it for what you will
OP you have a lot to consider
fallow your hart, mine has goten me this far in life .

reply to post by KSigMason


By recruiting events do you also mean recruitment attempts for individuals outside of "recruiting events"? To me, an event sounds like setting up a booth at a fair or something, recruiting an individual would be a more private and nonpublic affair.

reply to post by Erbal

I do mean any type of recruiting, whether its a booth or an individual, public or private.

reply to post by Erbal


I think I can explain this. We are not supposed to recruit. We are not supposed to ask people to join. As we all know, it can happen.

The recruitment functions are to explain what masonry is and answer questions to people who might have them. The ones with questions are the ones who might ask to join.