Joining up??

Freemasons do not have access to Police archives.

If a Man has a record, and says nothing, How do you check on him. There is no internel system in Masonry that does regular checks.

The system can only react if asomeone reports a person or an incident.

For me it's an issue of fairness. Why would I want to join something that my sister/brother/neighbor cannot join? I do not have a desire to feel more special than them. Don't care about the 'in' crowd either. I'm ready for my slaps, go ahead.

Quite clearly you do not have to.

However your sister , brother and neighbor are very welcome. if they wish to join.

Lets be honest no one is trying to get you to join. you please yourself, but no one is excluded. I get a bit frustrated when it seems like masonry is an elitist club, the plumbers, bricklayers and dustmen that are in my Lodge do not see it that way at all.

Originally posted by billmcelligott

Quite clearly you do not have to.

However your sister , brother and neighbor are very welcome. if they wish to join.

Lets be honest no one is trying to get you to join. you please yourself, but no one is excluded. I get a bit frustrated when it seems like masonry is an elitist club, the plumbers, bricklayers and dustmen that are in my Lodge do not see it that way at all.

Sorry, I wasn't pinning one organization, just the exclusive ones. Question though, my sister, brother and neighbor will all be accepted and come to the same Mason meeting? I don't know a lot about it honestly.

[edit on 21-10-2004 by saint4God]

Originally posted by kanga
Just to help you make an informed decision and not a nieve one. This is a quote from "They took the Oaths are you paying the price?" by Sidney Margaret Mytton pge 3

"That which we must say to the crowd is, we worship a God, but it is the God which one adores without superstition. To you sovereighn Grand inspectors General, we say this and you may repeat it to the brethren of the 32nd, 31st and 30th Degrees, the masonic RELIGION should be by all of us initiates maintained in the purity of the Luciferian doctrine. If Lucifer were not God, would Adonay (God of the Christians) bother to spread false and harmful statements about him? YES LUCIFER IS GOD. "

THIS IS A LIE. You are quoting from a fraudulent letter, supposed to be from Wr. Br. Albert Pike, but which was actually written by Leo Taxil. You might just want to do your research before you post materials such as this.

I will watch closely for your apology, for as a good, g-d fearing person, you really wouldn't want to be posting and passing on lies, now would you?

Originally posted by saint4God

Originally posted by billmcelligott

Quite clearly you do not have to.

However your sister , brother and neighbor are very welcome. if they wish to join.

Lets be honest no one is trying to get you to join. you please yourself, but no one is excluded. I get a bit frustrated when it seems like masonry is an elitist club, the plumbers, bricklayers and dustmen that are in my Lodge do not see it that way at all.

Your SISTER wouldn't be, Masonry is a fraternity, but your MALE friends would all be welcome, if they believe in g-d and are good, honorable, upstanding men...


Sorry, I wasn't pinning one organization, just the exclusive ones. Question though, my sister, brother and neighbor will all be accepted and come to the same Mason meeting? I don't know a lot about it honestly.

[edit on 21-10-2004 by saint4God]

Originally posted by saint4God

Sorry, I wasn't pinning one organization, just the exclusive ones. Question though, my sister, brother and neighbor will all be accepted and come to the same Mason meeting? I don't know a lot about it honestly.

[edit on 21-10-2004 by saint4God]

That was wrong of me to assume you meant Masonry. I apologise.

Same meeting is not guaranteed , but there is in Masonry, Womens and Co Masonry so it is quite feasible.

The point I wanted to get over was that Freemasonry is not EXclusive , but is indeed INclusive.

Originally posted by theron dunn

Your SISTER wouldn't be, Masonry is a fraternity, but your MALE friends would all be welcome, if they believe in g-d and are good, honorable, upstanding men...

Ah, that's what I thought. Thanks for the candid answer.

Originally posted by billmcelligott

Originally posted by saint4God



The point I wanted to get over was that Freemasonry is not EXclusive , but is indeed INclusive.

So then i can just go to my local lodge and ask for an application form?

Originally posted by Disaster_Boy
I am actually interested on some more information as well about the freemasons. having said that I don't have any notion of joining my "local branch" but I would like to know what it is like. As people ahve impressions that the Masons are some secret society, but I really dont know. I am uninformed and just would like some idea of what it is all about?

M@

Let me just repeat what I said in another thread...

Yeah,... I'll fess up. The Freemasons are secretly trying to take over the world. We even have time machines, commune with "grey" aliens from planet klatuu and have JFK' head alive in a jar...

But we can't organize a decent blood drive or get our Brothers in manual labor jobs into high powered careers...

It's a FRATERNITY man!!!

It's like a grown-up, no-girls-allowed treehouse with secret handshakes to get in,...
We wear our secret water-buffalo hats, say "nanoo nanoo" to each other, decide what nice thing we're going to do for the community, have some soup or a piece of pie and call it a night...

geesh...

And I'll add this:

Our purpose is to make good men better. We do that through fellowship, the lessons contained in the degree work, and through charitable work in the community.

Masons, in the USA, contribute $2 Million per day to charities... $1.6 Million of that is donations through the Shriners to the Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children and Shrine Burn Centers,... but that still leaves $400,000 per day donated by the various blue Lodge and other concordant bodies...
(Detrators won't say anything about that)

By the way, do you know what people are charged for being in a Shriners Hospital??? Nothing. (Detractors don't say anything about that either)

Originally posted by genuineninja

Originally posted by billmcelligott

Originally posted by saint4God



The point I wanted to get over was that Freemasonry is not EXclusive , but is indeed INclusive.

So then i can just go to my local lodge and ask for an application form?

Yes, as long as you are a man, of good character and repute, and have a faith in g-d, however you know him, and a belief in the immortality of the soul.

OK so I went to the lodge this evening and met with 3 of the Brothers. We sat and talked about Masonry "basics", all of which I already knew thanks to you guys. They answered a few questions I had and just kind of shot the breeze for a little while. I picked up a petition and I'm supposed to turn it in on Thursday when I come for dinner. Well so much for procrastination, eh?

I do have a question, albeit a trivial one; In Arkansas there are no bars in lodges and indeed no alcohol even permitted period at any Masonic function or even any function where Masons are representing themselves as such. The guy said that Arkansas is only one of three states where that is the case. Also, there is a question on the petition asking if you are engaged in the manufacture or sale of alcohol. You are not, as a Mason, allowed to own or operate a liquor store. Do any of you know why that is?

One of them told me that they have their Shrine meetings at a local cafe, and they have a little rolling bar that they bring in before the meeting. Before they are called to order they roll the bar out of the room. Then afterwards they don't bring the bar back in, but you can go to the other room and get a drink. Oh and they furnish and serve their own alcohol, the restaurant has nothing to do with it.

It's no big deal, I just wonder why?

All in all I had a good time chatting with them and I think they did too, so it's definitely a step in the right direction.

Originally posted by The Axeman
OK so I went to the lodge this evening and met with 3 of the Brothers. We sat and talked about Masonry "basics", all of which I already knew thanks to you guys. They answered a few questions I had and just kind of shot the breeze for a little while. I picked up a petition and I'm supposed to turn it in on Thursday when I come for dinner. Well so much for procrastination, eh?

I do have a question, albeit a trivial one; In Arkansas there are no bars in lodges and indeed no alcohol even permitted period at any Masonic function or even any function where Masons are representing themselves as such. The guy said that Arkansas is only one of three states where that is the case. Also, there is a question on the petition asking if you are engaged in the manufacture or sale of alcohol. You are not, as a Mason, allowed to own or operate a liquor store. Do any of you know why that is?

Well, there are several reasons that are given for this. One is that in the south, drinking is seen as intemperate (remember temperance as you take your degree, you will hear a lot about it), and sinful. Then there was prohibition, when many lodges drew up rules against liquor in lodges. Even my grand lodge says we cannot purchase alcohol, though we can serve it with meals, but cannot store it overnight on lodge premises, though we can engage in the liquor business.

Another reason given is the masonic lodges used to be in pubs, or in rooms over taverns, and that there was a point where it was thought that the drinking at refreshment might be deleterious to the stated purposes of the lodge, sober reflection... its likely a combination of some or all of these reasons.

One of them told me that they have their Shrine meetings at a local cafe, and they have a little rolling bar that they bring in before the meeting. Before they are called to order they roll the bar out of the room. Then afterwards they don't bring the bar back in, but you can go to the other room and get a drink. Oh and they furnish and serve their own alcohol, the restaurant has nothing to do with it.

Seems silly, doesn't it... the form, but not the substance of the rule?

I am a Shriner, and a lot of the shrine events seem to revolve around alcohol consumption... and good cigars. gotta love them shriners!

Originally posted by theron dunn
Even my grand lodge says we cannot purchase alcohol, though we can serve it with meals, but cannot store it overnight on lodge premises, though we can engage in the liquor business.

Wow, that does seem silly. I guess people will find a way to have their vices no matter what. Like I said, it doesn't matter a bit to me, I just thought it was curious.

Well I filled out my petition and I turn it in Thursday. I think they are going to read it in Lodge Thursday night and I should be hearing from the investigators soon. Does the investigation team normally interview the personal references as well? I had to give five personal references plus the two Master Mason vouches.

Originally posted by The Axeman
Well I filled out my petition and I turn it in Thursday. I think they are going to read it in Lodge Thursday night and I should be hearing from the investigators soon. Does the investigation team normally interview the personal references as well? I had to give five personal references plus the two Master Mason vouches.

They are SUPPOSED to interview the references. I do. And I ask the references for others that know the candidate and call them as well. I also do an internet search on them and a public records search.

what happens if u dont know any masons but still would like to join?

Originally posted by reddog
what happens if u dont know any masons but still would like to join?

Merely Google "Grand Lodge (insert your state, province or country here)" and that will give you the Jurisdiction you would be under. Every Grand Lodge website has a "Contact Us" and some have a "Lodge Locator" function. This will enable anyone interested in Freemasonry an opportunity to come into contact with a local Mason.

p.s. Go through the content of your Grand Lodge website, some of them have developed into some really good sources of historical information.

Originally posted by Mirthful Me

Originally posted by reddog
what happens if u dont know any masons but still would like to join?

Merely Google "Grand Lodge (insert your state, province or country here)" and that will give you the Jurisdiction you would be under. Every Grand Lodge website has a "Contact Us" and some have a "Lodge Locator" function. This will enable anyone interested in Freemasonry an opportunity to come into contact with a local Mason.

p.s. Go through the content of your Grand Lodge website, some of them have developed into some really good sources of historical information.

Or, depending on where you live, look in the white pages of your phone book. ALL lodges in the United States (and I beleive Canada) are listed. Call them, attend a dinner (usually in the first week of a month), get to know the guys, and TELL them you are interested in joining. You will have a petition in your hand almost before you finish the sentence, most likely.

I am interested on some more information as well about the freemasons. having said that I don't have any notion of joining, but I would like to know what it is all about
thanks

Hi Bill

No I did not find my information on a web site. I am a bookworm and love to read! My information is from my own research into freemasonry and I have quoted from some of the material that I have read myself.

My father was one by the way and quite frankly, it did him no earthly good and certainly did not make our family a strong one. My father has now renounced all the oaths of freemasonry and is much better for it!!!!

The auther Margaret is the lady who helped my father renounce the oaths and the book is her own experience of how the oaths affected her family in their health, keeping them in a poverty cycle and freak accidents.

The oaths that you have taken are spiritually binding and will affect you, your children and children's children. This is not a game anymore than ouiji boards are.

I have to say I have found this chain amusing. It amazes me how expressing your impression on things can lead to a lively debate. Keep it going