Ask A Freemason
- Thread starter Methos
- Start date
NedimNapoleon
Weird Little Human
Do you know why nazis hate free masons?
Is there a rank (hierarchy) and if there is which rank are you?
Is there a rank (hierarchy) and if there is which rank are you?
You would contact a Lodge near you and request a petition. I located two Lodges near you.
You have to believe in a Supreme Being. I'm a Christian, though I lean towards Gnostic Christianity.
Sorry, but I can't answer that.
34 I believe.
I'm still searching.
PeteAtoms
FormulaRandom
Are there any sort of dues/fees you need to pay to be a member?
What responsibilities do you have as a member?
For a person interested in being a member, what recommendations can you give to improve their chances of being accepted into the order? Important prerequisites, qualifications, etc?
What responsibilities do you have as a member?
For a person interested in being a member, what recommendations can you give to improve their chances of being accepted into the order? Important prerequisites, qualifications, etc?
Mr. Dictator
A Chain-Smoking Fox
A friend of mine gave me a book, his grandfather gave him, from a lodge and its all in what looks like coded words. Maybe acronyms, maybe something more, but I'm not sure.
Any clue what it would be?
Any clue what it would be?
As in most groups, you have both active and inactive members, so I'm not sure.
This is where the conspiracies come in, because I'm not able to answer that.
In the US each state has its own Grand Lodge which is the ruling body of all Masonic Lodges in that state and other Lodges under it. We do have some Grand Lodges that have Lodges outside its state borders, but very few. These Grand Lodges are separate entities and are not obligated to follow what any other state Grand Lodges do. There is no ruling body that controls all the Grand Lodges.
The 'leader' is elected, but typically follows what is referred to as going up the chairs. There are several positions in a Lodge. Typically what happens is someone is appointed the lowest position by the current 'leader' of that Lodge and then every year that person moves up one position. If they sit in each chair, then they will become 'leader' after seven years. The top three positions in the Lodge are elected, but again, the rising up the chairs is typically followed.
This way the 'leader' experiences all the primary positions before attaining his position. Grand Lodge follows the same path as the normal Lodge.
That's incredibly vague and doesn't actually explain anything
I know, but I was too tired to attempt to expand on it, so I gave him the most common answer.
This is not something I'll be able to do easily, but I'll work on it and get back to you. My apologies for having to wait.
It's a way to improve one self.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Are there limits on the sort of a supreme being you can believe in?
Does it have to be one from an established religion, or could it be.. I don't know.. (trying think of a supreme being that might not be acceptable).. Zeus? Cthulhu? Something you believe but nobody else in the world does?
nonconformist
Miserable
To what extent do Masons screw other people over to give advantages to other members, even if it's illegal?
I mean, for example, would a mason hire another mason over someone else who is better qualified?
Would a mason judge/police officer go easier on a mason than someone else?
I mean, for example, would a mason hire another mason over someone else who is better qualified?
Would a mason judge/police officer go easier on a mason than someone else?
That answer can be found in this post.
I'm a member of two Blue Lodges, or normal Masonic Lodges. I work evenings so wasn't able to attend my home Lodge, so I located a Lodge near me that meets on Saturday nights and became a duel member of it.
I guess I should explain appendant bodies. Freemasonry consists of three degrees and these are the only degrees you need to receive to be a Master Mason. These degrees are received in what is referred to as Blue Lodges. The appendant bodies are Masonic organizations that continue to esoteric works of Masonry and offer their own degrees, but they don't make the Mason any more 'politically powerful' because of it. A 33 degree Scottish Rite Mason is still a Master Mason.
The York Rite is a Christian appendant body. In other words you have to believe in Jesus to join the York Rite. It's broken up into three groups; the Royal Arch (4 degrees), the Cryptic Masons (2 degrees), and the Knights Templar (3 orders).
The Scottish Rite is another appendant body that is often attributed to the conspiracy theories. It offers the 4th through 32nd degrees with an honors 33rd degree.
I'm sure many of you have heard of the Shriners, but probably didn't know that in order to be a Shriner, you have to be a Mason. The Shrine has 22 hospitals that offer free medical care for children.
Why did I join them all? The Scottish Rite and York Rite I joined so as to further my own studies. I joined the Shrine to help support the Shriner Hospitals.
A couple years ago I had two different events going on at the same time. One was close by and only a couple hours long. The other was a Masonic event located in St. Louis that would require a three hour round trip drive, plus the time I would be there. In other words, most of the day. I asked my wife which she preferred I went to and was shocked when she said the Masonic event. Her reason was that Freemasonry charged us with not putting Masonry before family. Family always came first. She knew that and had seen it and respected what I was doing. I then asked her if she had noticed a difference in me since I joined and she said yes, for the better. So yes, it has improved my life, but also it has improved my faith.
As to being costly, yes, it is. With any organization you have to pay dues, but when you consider what they go towards, its worth it. My Shrine dues are the most expensive, but it helps to pay the costs of the hospitals. All Masonic bodies that I'm a part of offer an endowed option, which means you pay the equivalent to several years up front and your paid for life.
As mentioned previously, this is something I can't answer.
Basically yes. At some point in our history the operative masons began letting in some speculative masons, though we're not sure why. There's no solid evidence explaining the exact reason. From this speculative masonry continued and has become what it is today.
It's curious that you put yourself in this position, Methos, because there are many questions you won't be able to answer (some already popped out here), so you may end up increasing instead of decreasing the uneasiness of people towards freemasons.
Anyway, since you are in the spotlight, here are my questions:
What is the actual level of involvement of freemasons with high profile politics? Is it true that many people in the political parties, and many presidents, were freemasons, or is it just a conspiracy thing?
Even if it isn't true today, was it true at least once. The symbol of the pyramid with the eye is a freemason mark, isn't it? if you say yes, than it being in the dollar bills is a dead giveaway.
I have a (distant) relative that belongs to a different society with secrets, the order of the rozacruzes. He told me that whenever a rozacruz dies, the members in the area have a duty to gather some money to help supporting the surviving spouse. Also, that a help request from a member of the order cannot be ignored - like, if someone needs money for something, you are complelled to provide, or, if you find a fellow member with a flat tire, and you do recognize him as a fellow, you have to give a lift. Is it true to freemasons as well, you have to help when you spot the illusive white glove*?
* - someone once told me that some freemasons use white gloves as means of identification. I don't know if I was misinformed; and maybe if you deny it, it's you who will be misinforming me.... I won't know it, but I did want to portray some pretentious knowledge of inside info.
Regards
.
Anyway, since you are in the spotlight, here are my questions:
What is the actual level of involvement of freemasons with high profile politics? Is it true that many people in the political parties, and many presidents, were freemasons, or is it just a conspiracy thing?
Even if it isn't true today, was it true at least once. The symbol of the pyramid with the eye is a freemason mark, isn't it? if you say yes, than it being in the dollar bills is a dead giveaway.
I have a (distant) relative that belongs to a different society with secrets, the order of the rozacruzes. He told me that whenever a rozacruz dies, the members in the area have a duty to gather some money to help supporting the surviving spouse. Also, that a help request from a member of the order cannot be ignored - like, if someone needs money for something, you are complelled to provide, or, if you find a fellow member with a flat tire, and you do recognize him as a fellow, you have to give a lift. Is it true to freemasons as well, you have to help when you spot the illusive white glove*?
* - someone once told me that some freemasons use white gloves as means of identification. I don't know if I was misinformed; and maybe if you deny it, it's you who will be misinforming me.... I won't know it, but I did want to portray some pretentious knowledge of inside info.
Regards
.
GoodSarmatian
Jokerfied Western Male
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
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- 9,408
Does this Supreme Being have to be associated with a particular religion (christianity) ? Is it strictly one personal God, or could Pantheists and Polytheists still become members ?
During my investigation the question asked of me was "Do you believe in a Supreme Being?" I replied yes and nothing more was said in regards to it. When I'm in Lodge I don't know what the faiths are of those around me. They could be Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, or something else. It doesn't matter. What they believe isn't the point.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
So why this requirement?
I considered that when I was debating on whether to create this thread. I knew many would be upset with my lack of an answer, or an answer without a clear meaning.
There have been many United States Presidents who were Masons. George Washington and Harry Truman are just a couple. I believe fourteen of our Presidents were Masons. You can also find Masons leading large companies, or other political offices. I was sitting down at our Wednesday morning coffee and I asked the guy I was talking to what he did for a living and he was one of the Representatives of the state of Missouri. A Mason could also be a farmer, sales clerk, unemployed, soldier, or anything else. When the Mason happens to be in a powerful position, people take notice.
That symbol, among others, were around long before speculative Freemasonry came into existence. That particular symbol was often used to represent deity, or the trinity. Youd be surprised at how old some of these symbols are and where theyve been found. Take the swastika for instance. Its a very old symbol, but due to the Nazis and Hitler few know the original meaning.
We do have a duty to our fellow Brethren and their widows. Remember that charity isnt only the giving of money. Ones own time is more valuable a gift.
While Freemasonry is not a religion, it is religious based.
Which is one of the reasons why I probably will never be interested in becoming a member. But this topic raises other interesting questions:
Even if, as you say, no particular religions is required, in practice most;at least many; of the members are chirstioans. How do you guys cope with the imperative of secrecy of the society, if christians also have an imperative of spreading the word of the savior? Because, if there is no common points (making the qiestion irrelevant), than there is no substance in the claim that it is religious based.
Also, how do you justify the secrecy? If you know (or think you know) some information that is of utter relevance, that are relevant enough to gather a whole society just to keep it, shouldn't the information be release to the world to know, even the non-members? Or is it some "don't throw jewels to pigs" scenario?
Regards
.
