How to become a free-mason...

This is a translation of the official french free-mason site :

www.fm-europe.org...

(there are several sites. If you can understand espanol or german, you will find some informations there...)

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Italic text are my coments

Important warning:

One does not return in Freemasonry to see or make a turn, it is neither a hobby, nor a curiosity which one practises at wasted time. It is an engagement of life which has its requirements. A Freemason devotes on average two meetings per month, it agrees to add at least an additional meeting of instruction to the symbols during the first two years. Moreover, the various maconnic Cabins organize conferences with personalities of the world civil which come to expose on political subjects, social, scientific, etc, extremely interesting. One can thus say that a serious Mason devotes one evening per week to his maconnic activity in a direct way, to which is added many hours of research, reading and writing according to his availability, since it acts above all of a work on oneself.


How to become Freemason?

What it is necessary: - to be major, to have more than 18 years for France - to have a virgin criminal record - to be free and of moralities, i.e., to exert a job, which is not dirty of deshonorability like deputy, senator..., even if it's a job authorized by the law, or to have resources of honest source, allowing to provide for its needs.

How?

- A through the recommendation of a Freemason, with which you have a family relation, friendly or professional, which will be able to direct you according to your sensitivity towards a serious Obedience, corresponding to your waitings. - By making a request with a known Obedience, such as the Large Cabin of France, the Great Orient of France, the Large Traditional Cabin and Symbolic system (as regards male Obediences), of the Large Female Cabin of France (as regards female Obedience) or to finish with the Human Right (as regards mixed Obediences). This list of recommendations is not exhaustive, but let us quote we them for their seniority, their importance and their presence on the whole of the French territory thus that the serious one of which they make proof. And in all the cases, it is a guarantee to avoid with the citizen eager to join Freemasonry to fall into the trap from certain swindlers or other traps sectarian. These same Obediences exist in Belgium and Switzerland like in Canada and for a certain number of them, in several countries of the world.

How much does that cost?

On average, in France, the cost is lower than 2.000 per annum F (305 €, approx 300 $) and nothing other. It is not given, but maconnic Obediences receive neither subsidies, nor of assistances other than the annual contributions their members. In addition, a significant part of this contribution is allocated with the maintenance and the loads of the places of meeting, the expenses of secretariat and of the Post office.

How to leave Freemasonry?

It is possible (and even desirable) if a mason resigns that members of its Cabin ask him why, if something disappointed, and especially if it is not because of financial difficulties... But that will not go further. For which wants to leave Freemasonry, nothing simpler: It is enough to cease coming to the meetings, sending a letter of resignation and ceasing paying its contributions! (Completely between us, to cease coming without sending apologies, or to cease paying whereas one does not have financial difficulties is also enough, but in this case one is made erase instead of resigning. It is a bad idea that one is likely to regret if one day one wishes to return!)

If you some people are interested about free-masons I'll translate the maconnery history and some other informations wrote by the masons themselves. Ask me if you want.

Nice post.

Some parts of this translation are hilarious!

Most importantly in 'retranslation' -

"Cabin" = Lodge
"Large Cabin Of France" = Grand Lodge Of France
"Large Female Cabin Of France" = ?????

Freemasonry in France has at times in history not been in fraternal relations with Grand Lodges in other countries.

It has the same core tenets and principles but clearly also has many differences.

This is also a very Interesting and Informative site:


United Grand Lodges of Germany
(VGLvD)

Brotherhood of Freemasons
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This site is available in German and English.

Large female lodge of France... (I know sometimes altavista translations are...:puz

What mean "core tenets" ?

Core tenets = "pillars" or most important beliefs.

In the majority of other countries there cannot be a Grand Lodge of female members, as the whole thing is gender-restricted.

Thanks for the info. Its interesting. I imagened it to be a little more secrative.

This is where I congregate...

www.srmason-sj.org...

Seems to me THIS is where Mason's congregate

so i dare not to judge a man heirin....

Hey, what I wonder is why none of you have, (unless this is part
of a rhetoricke or dialekte scheme by the brilliant) just joind the bloody organization? I mean they have relaxed all of the requirements as I was once a guest on beltane (by a simple phonecall) of a past Grand Master of a Grand Lodge. It was an orientation for those entertaining the notion of joining the Freemasons. I was thrilled and honored to be one of the 'pharoah's kind.' It was...I cannot say as it was a personal thing,
but it was the closest I have come (next to ATS of course) to meeting like-minded individuals. It is really about alternative thought construction, memory storage and so forth.

Why I ask all this is because everyone continuosly slags the freemasons and really, no one outright exemplifies what they themselves do within their situational surroundings. I also wonder if it really is fear that prevents the many here who speak as them or like them, one must do a double take on the situation. Why would people obsess over their fears in interest? On ATS those who are in the know or show interest in the Craft exhibit fear with the hungry eyes of greedy children. Does no one really get it yet?
I would love some feedback, and no I am not initiated as a Freemason, although my parents were Knights Templar. Free thought is nothing new. If you cannot see yourself off the couch for much of yourday it isn't for you. It never was about activities,
rights and such, unless you want to explore theoretical masonic lores into ritual and the Legend of the Craafte.

Once again as mentioned before, we are not pressured by any means to canvas, recruit or oppose. We are men and women that as human beings wish to realign our spiritual perception and basically despite the personal nature of the awakening process are only a group for 2 reasons: 1) To support eachother as we endure our spiritual transfiguration; kinda like AA for the aware.
2) Philanthropy. We bond together with ambitious scope aand aims in mind to improve all kinds of functionaries such as hostels across North america, proper medical services, research in terminal illnesses, care services for those without advocacy with really too many to list. So, take the World of choice poll and U2U your questions. Anything I cannot answer, I will bring to the table with my colleagues and respond as soon as possible. Remember kind and wonderful people on ATS-I am you as you are me as we are all the one in eachother's eyes. The Golden Rule.

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The main seat for Freemasons in Sweden (Stockholm)

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Order Tempel

Say, those are some pretty nice heaps of stone. It all seems facinating to be a Mason. I know a 32 dg Mason (ex brother inlaw, acually) and he says to get his 33dg it will cost him about $20,000.oo and considerable time to go all the places they want him to go. I figured if you made it that far, you would get some sponsorship. I guess nothing in life is free, except the crack of the whip. He gave me a book to read about the degrees but it really doesn't go into a whole lot of detail about things. I do like the way fellow Masons look after one another. There are so many like organizations one hardly knows which one to join.

OK time to dispell some BS -
Go to a good school - they offer Masonic membership
Or get to know a mason and contribute to their charity


Its as simple as that - nothing secret nothing subversive


Ill U2U anyone who wants to argue with this

the Masons are nothing more than a charitable institutiion

Thae Masons do good works - you might like to remember this should you ever - god forbid - have a child in need of care

those are the masons i know - and this resides in the temple and is on the square

The Shriners Hospital did repair my nieces spine when she was a teenager. As far as i know she has been fine ever since.

Its very simple...2B1ASK1...

i agree, most masons are happy to talk about most of what masonry is about.. and if you want to know more you only have to ask.

the big need for secrecy in the past was because kings and popes often felt threatend by those who thought for themselves and encouraged the same in others. in the past many masons have acted in a manner considered treasonous and subversive.. two of the most note worthy being George Washington and Benjiman Franklin.

and the biggest secret in masonry is that there is no big secret, i have heard more then one mason admit that they maintain the supposed secret simply because it gives them an air of mystery, and as most of them have excellent senses of humor, this air of mystery amuses them greatly.

whats more, many masons have come to feel that in the age of information, the need for secrecy is a moot point, 99% of everything to do with masonry is avilable on the net and even in your local bookstore, i have found books on masonry, but for and against.. in almost every bookstore i have ever looked for one in, and many lodges are pulling back the veil to give the public a very clear veiw, the grand lodge of michgan even going so far as to adopt the motto "share the secret"

A group of blind people acting as the base of a pyramidal structure.
A structure not yet seen by them walking the stairs.
Secrets within secrets revealed after oaths and rituals.
Enlightenment for them excepted to the fraternity.

Charity as a smokescreen & Equality at the borders of their temple.

Dancing to the music of the eye..
Oh, they will be judged on our last day

Yes, and after the judgement they will be welcomed with open arms !

Enter into the kingdom my good and faithful servant. You kept my commandments, You helped your brother when he stumbled, You healed the children when they were crippled and burned, you gave of your time and treasure to benefit mankind and you bettered yourself. But most of all you obeyed my most important commandment to " Love your neighbor as you love yourself.




[edit on 28-11-2006 by RWPBR]

Does your supreme being's commandments include the following?



Threat and oaths.
That sounds very godly.
brother I assume you are a believer.

Is every single thing you do and every single though you have related to God ?
Do you not do secular things ? Do you not interact with the secular world you live in ? Do you read posts on this very forum that are ungodly ? Do you believe that only your particular version of religon is correct and that everyone else is going to hell ? Do you demand tolerance but not give tolerance ?

My faith is just a part of who I am as a person. Nothing in Freemasonry has made me do anything or say anything that is contrary to my faith.