Originally posted by The Axeman

Well my friend, that's fine and good if that's what you want to do, but at times your posts seem to be downright dichotomous.

I might not be the best Mason in the world but I am a Mason none the less my friend. Normaly I'm a pretty silent person but there's no way to be silent on a forum like this. I'm the quite anylitcal type. People sit around a campfire and talk, me I silently watch the leaves moving to and fro 80' above caused by the rising heat thermals off the fire, completely unoticed by the talkers busy in endless conversation below.

Sometimes I get the idea you are a Mason. Are you sure your not about a fourty-two degree Freemason? Afterall, it was you that said ," until you join Masonry you know nothing, N-O-T-H-I-N-G about Masonry". And one of my reasons for joining, I might add. I decided then that all the information on the web about Masons only leads everyone on a wild goose chase. I'm starting to think you could live a lifetime and never know the truth, even be a Mason and not know the truth.

The question is how could you know that unless you are a Mason?

Originally posted by TgSoe
I think I can safely say after meeting a few real Masons that they are far from being anti christian. Everything in the lodge has plenty of scripture involved. I just love to ruffle the feathers of a few Masons a little. Theres no sence in just letting them sit there all calm on the roost .

Scripture? There certainly isn't "plenty of scripture" in the First Degree.
As for ruffling feathers? If that was your aim when you joined Freemasonry, maybe you should think again.

Originally posted by TgSoe

Originally posted by The Axeman

Well my friend, that's fine and good if that's what you want to do, but at times your posts seem to be downright dichotomous.

I might not be the best Mason in the world but I am a Mason none the less my friend. Normaly I'm a pretty silent person but there's no way to be silent on a forum like this. I'm the quite anylitcal type. People sit around a campfire and talk, me I silently watch the leaves moving to and fro 80' above caused by the rising heat thermals off the fire, completely unoticed by the talkers busy in endless conversation below.

Sometimes I get the idea you are a Mason. Are you sure your not about a fourty-two degree Freemason? Afterall, it was you that said ," until you join Masonry you know nothing, N-O-T-H-I-N-G about Masonry". And one of my reasons for joining, I might add. I decided then that all the information on the web about Masons only leads everyone on a wild goose chase. I'm starting to think you could live a lifetime and never know the truth, even be a Mason and not know the truth.

The question is how could you know that unless you are a Mason?

Well pointblank, I don't. I don't know. I'm not a member, so I just don't KNOW. I have no problem admitting that. What I do know is that I have spoken, both in person and on this forum and others like it, with many Masons, alot of them (all of them, to be honest) I consider my friends and I trust what they tell me. If you go back and look at my posts from when I signed on here you will see that I was just as ignorant as I could be, but I started asking questions and reading, and I decided for myself who I thought was telling the truth and who was full of it, who I could trust to give good info and who was spouting crap. Put all that together with the Masons I met in person, who I talked to at the lodge before meetings, and the investigation committee that came to my house and spoke with me about Masonry, and all I have read and all the questions I have asked, both publicly and privately, and I feel pretty confortable that I have a good handle on what it's about. Ritual? No idea. Never seen it, never looked for "exposures" on the web or anything like that. I just don't have a desire to know those things before it is my turn to hear/see them. I trust my resources and I trust my intuition and judgement. With that in mind, I feel that I know enough to speak on the subject. If it's something I know nothing about, I'll keep my mouth shut (most of the time ). If it's something I feel like I know something about I'll chime in. I don't pretend to be a Mason, only a friend of Masons who has done his homework and made up my own mind.

P.S. I NEVER questioned the fact that you are a Mason, I have followed your posts here (as I'm sure you have mine) for quite some time now. Like I said though it's just that your posts sometimes are at odds with each other. No offense intended I assure you.

[edit on 1/30/05 by The Axeman]

Originally posted by The Axeman

Well pointblank, I don't. I don't know. I'm not a member, so I just don't KNOW. I have no problem admitting that.

Don't worry about it axeman. Considering the interest you've taken and research you've done, you probably know more about the Craft than a lot of Freemasons. Whether or not that's a good thing, well who knows...

Ritual? No idea. Never seen it, never looked for "exposures" on the web or anything like that. I just don't have a desire to know those things before it is my turn to hear/see them.

Don't worry about it. I did, and I can tell you that they're mostly wrong. So no worries.

I don't pretend to be a Mason, only a friend of Masons who has done his homework and made up my own mind.

By seeking out Freemasonry, you are already more of a mason than most people will ever be. Now you just gotta be initiated

Thanks sebatwerk, I appreciate that alot.

Originally posted by Leveller

Scripture? There certainly isn't "plenty of scripture" in the First Degree.
As for ruffling feathers? If that was your aim when you joined Freemasonry, maybe you should think again.

Well it wasn't totaly scripture alright two scriptures. And I guess thats part of the ritual so I can't share those right? I'm just kidding about ruffling feathers. The funniest thing I have heard in a meeting yet (well I haven't been to an official meeting yet) is,..."Henry!" "What?" "Shutup and eat." .

So far I have found it to be interesting, I am enjoying learning the catechism and look foward to getting my following degrees. And more than that I like the title Mason M-A-S-O-N Mason.

Originally posted by TgSoe
The funniest thing I have heard in a meeting yet (well I haven't been to an official meeting yet) is,..."Henry!" "What?" "Shutup and eat." .

I liked Leveller's bit a couple of months ago about the curtains:

Originally posted by Leveller

"Joe. Go and draw the curtains."
"Not my turn Fred."
"Go on, I did it last time".
"Well my back is playing me up."
"Your back is always playing you up when it's your turn to draw them."
"Doctor said this pain could last for years."
"Ah bugger it. Let's just board 'em up."

Classic.

Originally posted by The Axeman


I liked Leveller's bit a couple of months ago about the curtains:

Originally posted by Leveller

"Joe. Go and draw the curtains."
"Not my turn Fred."
"Go on, I did it last time".
"Well my back is playing me up."
"Your back is always playing you up when it's your turn to draw them."
"Doctor said this pain could last for years."
"Ah bugger it. Let's just board 'em up."

Classic.

Ah yes that's a funny one and probably the true reason all the windows ended up bricked up.

A similar story tells why nearly every church in America starts at 11:00. Not nearly as funny though. The early Irish settlers had to milk thier cows every morning at 8:00 AM and couldn't be there until 11:00 and its been that way ever since.

Oh well I'm getting ready to go practice my catechism, I'm going four nights this week, skipping wednesday. I have to try and get ready, next Tuesday is my Fellowcraft night. Near as I can tell the catechism being secret is basically just a way to identify yourself as a true Mason to other true Masons. Its not written down anywhere. There are versions floating around on the web that give you an idea but they are incorrect.