How do you tell if someone is a mason?

My friend said their grandfather was a 32nd degree mason... who am I? I haven't been on in a LONG TIME because I have just been SOOO busy and I have a job in the music busienss now I was in the photo with hilary duff and I was in the coming clean video and right after the video shoot THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. Am I missing something? What's the best way to tell if someone is a mason? I haven't ever ran into any... I'm just still afraid, from all of the stories I hear on these forums.

[edit on 1-3-2006 by NWObringer]

[edit on 1-3-2006 by NWObringer]

Are you asking about Masonry or are you talking about yourself? I would be interested in anything to do with Masonry, but could not care less about you and Hillary Duff.

my grandfathers a mason. I know nothing about masonry or anything else. i know he has a bunch of badges and stuff. and pictures and brochures and all that junk around his study. I guess i should learn more about them eh?

Hi I am a new member with alot of light to shed on this subject.

First, he probably wasnt a 32nd degree Mason. Thats the highest rank of Freemasons. Tony Blair, Franklin Roosevelt, and George Washington I think was only a 31st Degree Mason. Unless your friend knows some extremely powerful people I doubt it. There are reports that if you ask a Mason what time it is, he to reply, there is no time. Or a special handshake, as the Illumaniti has. The easiest way for me to tell is the symbol on their car. Alot of low degree Masons like first second, and third, are allowed to do so. It is a G with a ruler and compass(math), Freemasons were known sense their establishment to be enlightened builders. Which is why England is what we call eligant, or some say gothic. Churches, Cathedras, the white house, the capital, the pentagon (pentagram), all works of famous Freemasons. Their first building was hand built in Endinburgh Scotland. This is where they named their first temple, The Knights Templar. Most Prominent men todate, are Freemansons. I could go on for days if your interested.

The highest masonic degree in the scottish right is the 32nd degree. His grandfather could very well be a 32nd degree Mason. the 33rd degree is honorary.

Actually, the highest "rank" is simply Master Mason.

A 33 degree Mason has no additional authority or power than a 3rd degree.

I guess that my ring would be a good clue.

Originally posted by DarkSkinAngel
Hi I am a new member with alot of light to shed on this subject.

First, he probably wasnt a 32nd degree Mason. Thats the highest rank of Freemasons. Tony Blair, Franklin Roosevelt, and George Washington I think was only a 31st Degree Mason. Unless your friend knows some extremely powerful people I doubt it. There are reports that if you ask a Mason what time it is, he to reply, there is no time. Or a special handshake, as the Illumaniti has. The easiest way for me to tell is the symbol on their car. Alot of low degree Masons like first second, and third, are allowed to do so. It is a G with a ruler and compass(math), Freemasons were known sense their establishment to be enlightened builders. Which is why England is what we call eligant, or some say gothic. Churches, Cathedras, the white house, the capital, the pentagon (pentagram), all works of famous Freemasons. Their first building was hand built in Endinburgh Scotland. This is where they named their first temple, The Knights Templar. Most Prominent men todate, are Freemansons. I could go on for days if your interested.

Reading this post gave me a headache. First of all, it's a square and a compass, not a ruler and compass. Secondly, the highest "rank" is the 3rd degree, Master Mason. You state that you could go on for days...I have no doubt that you could. However, it would be nice if you actually knew what you were talking about.

Originally posted by DarkSkinAngel
Hi I am a new member with alot of light to shed on this subject.

Based on the content of your post I would strongly recommend that you learn more about freemasonry before posting any further 'light' on it. Check facts, research, that kind of stuff. You have added nothing to the discussion and embarrassed yourself. Almost everything you posted is untrue.

I could go on for days if your interested.

I don't doubt it.

How about just start slagging masons to them and see if there is a negative reaction or not? It should work.

observe. From my knowledge, Masons do not want to hide the fact that they are masons, because (correct me if I am wrong) masons are supposed to do other masons a favour, in the business that they are in.
Look around you, youll see mason signs on welcome to, insert town here, boards. on peoples liscene plate frames, on their finger, I actually saw someone with a mason hood ornament the other day.

also everysingle mason, has a burn of a G on the side of there neck..
















ahahah that last statement was a blatant lie.

First of all most masons do keep their membership a big secret. I have a friend who is a mason. We were best friends for years and then I found a golden pendant on his computer desk, on one side it had a pentagram that had the latin words te tra gram ma ton interspersed in between the points of the pentagram with a little symbol in the middle. The other side was the exact replica of a government symbol that is on the U.S. podiums and (although I do not remember) could have been the eye in the triangle. My friend first didn't tell me a thing and asked me to guess what it was. My first guess was that it was masonic. I kept on guessing and he wouldn't tell me. He finally told me he was a mason, and that even his mom didn't know. His father was a good friend of my grandfather who was also a Mason so I suspect that his father was and that was how he got in. Anyways I asked if I could join the masons. He sounded enthusiastic saying we should talk about it later. The second time he said that same line again. Then the next time he said that we shouldn't talk about it in public. After a while later he then denied to me that he even was a mason.

Second of all I have heard on a post here that Masons are disciplined for giving favours to each other ( I don't know whether to believe him or his claim that he is a mason because a mason doesn't talk). Which if were true would be the oposite of the skull and bones policy of manditorily giving favors to each other.

Hrm, according to some posts I've read, they have webbed feet and the number 666 tattooed on their foreheads.

Originally posted by Spatacus
First of all most masons do keep their membership a big secret. I have a friend who is a mason. We were best friends for years and then I found a golden pendant on his computer desk, on one side it had a pentagram that had the latin words te tra gram ma ton interspersed in between the points of the pentagram with a little symbol in the middle. The other side was the exact replica of a government symbol that is on the U.S. podiums and (although I do not remember) could have been the eye in the triangle. My friend first didn't tell me a thing and asked me to guess what it was. My first guess was that it was masonic. I kept on guessing and he wouldn't tell me. He finally told me he was a mason, and that even his mom didn't know. His father was a good friend of my grandfather who was also a Mason so I suspect that his father was and that was how he got in. Anyways I asked if I could join the masons. He sounded enthusiastic saying we should talk about it later. The second time he said that same line again. Then the next time he said that we shouldn't talk about it in public. After a while later he then denied to me that he even was a mason.

Most masons wear a ring on their right hand that lets you know they're a mason. Most masons have no problem what so ever when it comes to discussing joining Masonry. In fact you can head towards any of the grandlodge websites, like www.freemason.org , which will point you to the nearest lodge, give you their phone number and do everything but directly encourage you to join. The only requirement today is to ask. Family connections, while nice I suppose, are not a requirement of any kind.

As far as your 'friend', whom I thoroughly believe to be made up, there are no Masonic connections to the unfinished pyramid icon, nor is the US Seal, or the Presidential Seal (the icon on US podiums) a Masonic icon. Nor are te, tra, gram, atron latin words, its one word, and a greek word at that. Tetragramatron. Which means 'the four letters' and is a reference to YHWH, ie part of God's name.

[edit on 2-3-2006 by Helios Barca]

To the original poster: The simplest way to determine if someone is a Freemason is to simply ask. Also, most Masons wear Masonic rings, tie-tacks, have Masonic decals on their cars, etc.

Originally posted by DarkSkinAngel


First, he probably wasnt a 32nd degree Mason. Thats the highest rank of Freemasons.

The 32° is, of course, a degree. It is not a rank. Non-Masons often get confused here because they mistakenly believe that a degree and a rank is the same thing. In the United States, there are almost 2 million men who are 32° Scottish Rite Masons, including myself and other members of this forum who are Scottish Rite Masons.

The actual "highest rank of Freemasons" is Grand Master. The Grand Master is elected to one year terms, and is the chief officer of the Fraternity in his jurisdiction. In the United States, each state has its own particular jurisdiction; thus, there is one Grand Master in every state. After his term of office expires, he returns to being a normal member.

Tony Blair, Franklin Roosevelt, and George Washington I think was only a 31st Degree Mason.

Tony Blair is not a Mason. Brother Franklin D. Roosevelt was a 32° Scottish Rite Mason, as well as a Masonic Knight Templar in the York Rite, and a Shriner. Worshipful Brother George Washington was a York Rite Mason only (the Scottish Rite was not founded until 1801).

Alot of low degree Masons like first second, and third, are allowed to do so. It is a G with a ruler and compass(math),

It is a square, not a ruler. That's the decal for the Blue Lodge. 32° Scottish Rite Masons will often have 32° decals on their cars. This consists of the Double-Headed Eagle, with the number 32 imprinted within a delta over the Eagle. The 33° decal is similar, except it has the number 33 within a delta, and the eagle is crowned.



[edit on 2-3-2006 by Masonic Light]

My grandfather was a mason and was honored with a masonic funeral. Masons are a very private society. The things you have to do just get admitted in the club are also very secret. My grandfather could not even tell my grandmother what he did at meetings or talk about it. We just know that every Tuesday night he was gone for 2 hours.

He was also a shriner and helped burn victims. They raised all kinds of money for children with burns. But Masons are very private. I saw a lot of masons at my grandfathers funeral that I had no idea were masons. I think there is a private handshake or something to do w/a handshake to identify yourself as a mason. But I am not sure of that. I know at my grandfathers funeral even the fire department stopped traffic and all the police and firemen were at attendence. It was a very nice funeral god rest his soul.

Originally posted by dorton
My grandfather was a mason and was honored with a masonic funeral. Masons are a very private society. The things you have to do just get admitted in the club are also very secret.

Actually, the process isn't secret at all, and is quite simple. All one has to do is to be sponsored by two members who will recommend their admission into the Lodge. The Lodge will then vote on their request, and if elected, he will be invited to receive the degrees.

My grandfather could not even tell my grandmother what he did at meetings or talk about it. We just know that every Tuesday night he was gone for 2 hours.

Regular meetings of the Lodge are similar to all other civic organizations. The presiding officer takes the chair and opens the meeting. Minutes are read for approval, any petitions for membership are read and referred to committees, candidates for initiation are voted on, unfinished business is conducted, then new business, then the meeting is closed, when the brethren usually retire to the dining hall for dinner and fellowship.

I wear my Mason ring,makes it easy to tell

Both my maternal and paternal grandfathers were masons, and both granmothers were members of the eastern star. I never knew much about the organizations, other than they do help a lot of people in need. I would like to learn more. On both my grandfathers gravestones there is the masonic symbol. I never paid much attnetion to it all until I got older. Now my sister has joined the eastern star and my brother-in-law became a mason about 5 yrs. ago. I would like to learn more about the masons, which there is a masonic lodge right behind where I live. Guess I could just walk over and ask, huh?

[edit on 2-3-2006 by catsi]

Apparently,
You are supposed to be able to tell a mason by the response to this question:
Question: 'Can you tie a bow?'
Answer: 'As well as a knot'
That is supposed to be the answer that lets the asker know the responder is a mason.
I was told this by an old pub landlord in my town who said he knew alot of masons. Go figure.