What's with the masonic stickers?

Of late, I've seen the masonic symbol sticker on the back left hand side of vehicles. I thought masons did not "openly" identify themselves? Or are these just stickers bought out of some gumball machine for people who like to portray that they are a mason?

Any ideas?

Most Masons are very open about it. I wear a ring, have a decal on my truck
and have my picture on our lodge web site. Most who know me, know that I'm
a Mason.

When you see a car with one of those bumper stickers, its probably a mason. I think lots of those are only issued through the organization too. Its surprising how many of those stickers are out there when you look for them. I saw one vehicle the other day that had three masonic stickers, i think one general, and two other ones for specific organizations within masonry. There are vent/grill 'badges' too.

Originally posted by magestica
Of late, I've seen the masonic symbol sticker on the back left hand side of vehicles. I thought masons did not "openly" identify themselves? Or are these just stickers bought out of some gumball machine for people who like to portray that they are a mason?

Any ideas?

All Masons "openly identify themselves". We are very proud of the Masonic fraternity, and proud to be associated with it.

ML, I've had a lot of Masons tell me a bit differently. They say it is usually a Mason who is still in the fiorst three levels, or someone who has nothing else going for them.

Miond you, I don't know; just an outsider looking at (not in).

[edit on 3-3-2006 by Thomas Crowne]

Our friends at Cafepress.com sell them.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
ML, I've had a lot of Masons tell me a bit differently. They say it is usually a Mason who is still in the fiorst three levels, or someone who has nothing else going for them.

Miond you, I don't know; just an outsider looking at (not in).

[edit on 3-3-2006 by Thomas Crowne]

That's correct. Masons are sworn to never tell the truth, or there will be death consequences. See you're right, the masons, in 1, 2, 3, and other lower levels, aboslutely have no idea what goes on in the higher levels. This is because it is kept from them... Also, I am related to george Washington the 1rst president. he was a 33rd degree mason. Which means that I have elite blood. I believe that, the people who become *low class* masons, are just pure. They have nothing to do with satan, or the devil...or rituals. However...the TOP MASONS do. And I know that because of having an interview with a mason at my school. He is not a high degree mason, but he does know high degree masons, and they will not tell him what they are doing... Freemasonry is one of the major of five organizations in the Illuminati....

Whoa, lets try to keep this about the stickers. There are plenty of other threads on the rest of that stuff.

Likesay, how accurate can we see this stickers as being? If cafepress is selling them, like Umbrax found out, then anyone can get them. The one I saw most recently, the trio, one of them had the 't' in the center of this symbol:

Which is apparently for the Royal Arch of the York Rite (or somesuch). So I would think that that is specific enough that it'd probably be from one of the councils or chapters or whatever, rather than a third party. The other two were just the square and compass with, if i recall, the "G" in the center, but both were different stickers, just had that as the central motiff.

AngelWitch, just curious but have you ever heard of the eighties Metalband AngelWitch from the U.K?

Originally posted by Kuffar Rex
AngelWitch, just curious but have you ever heard of the eighties Metalband AngelWitch from the U.K?

Actually yes. That's where I got the name from. I always disliked thier music, but for some reason the name stuck.

Ah, I liked their music as well as Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon etc. But that's a topic for a metal-forum I think. Would've sent you a U2U but I don't have the minimum of 20 posts yet so I'm not allowed to.

See you around.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
ML, I've had a lot of Masons tell me a bit differently. They say it is usually a Mason who is still in the fiorst three levels, or someone who has nothing else going for them.

Thomas, if I were you, I'd question the accuracy of your acquaintances who told you that actually being Masons. You can easily identify them to be either true or frauds: all you have to do is ask to see their Lodge membership card. If they are Masons, they will provide it. If they are only pretending to be Masons, they will likely come up with a story about the cards being secret, and refuse to show it.
If they actually told you that, I do not believe that they're really Masons, for the simple reason that Masons would know better.

I mention this because, as I wrote recently in an earlier thread, each Masonic organization has its own car decal. The Blue Lodge decal is the square and compass with the Letter G in the center. The 32° car decal is a double headed eagle with the number 32 enclosed within a delta over its head. The 33° car decal is identical, except the eagle is crowned, and the number in the delta is 33.

York Rite car decals include the Triple Tau (symbol of the Royal Arch degree), a broken triangle with a trowel (symbol of Cryptic Masonry), and a cross and crown (symbol of Knights Templar).

The Shrine decal is the famous sphinx head and tiger's claw (the same emblem found on Shriners fezzes).

Originally posted by Nygdan

As ML pointed out, the triple tau is one of the main symbols used in Royal Arch freemasonry, and is known in all RA jurisdictions. The particular badge that you show is that of the General Grand Chapter International which oversees Grand Chapters in the US, I think. Which does rather leave a question mark over the word 'International'...

Originally posted by Trinityman


As ML pointed out, the triple tau is one of the main symbols used in Royal Arch freemasonry, and is known in all RA jurisdictions. The particular badge that you show is that of the General Grand Chapter International which oversees Grand Chapters in the US, I think. Which does rather leave a question mark over the word 'International'...

Actually, it is international, with participation from Grand Chapters in Scotland, Italy, Germany, France, Canada, and Mexico. You blokes in England and Ireland, however, are not on the list.

yorkrite.com...

I heard in UK they do not show it as much as Americans. Also in Texas I was told they don't wear rings under grand lodge rules. Assuming he remembered the state. I guess thats why they have loads of texas Mason watches on ebay.

from what I have understood is that since masonic members cannot openly ask people to join their order they make it obvious who are members and promote a " If you know one ask one" slogan.

I would like to hear from a Mason here if that is indeed true. I was noticed a sticker on a Mason's car that said "Ask12b1." Is this how Masons are recruited, or can a member openly ask others to join?

Originally posted by DJMessiah
I would like to hear from a Mason here if that is indeed true. I was noticed a sticker on a Mason's car that said "Ask12b1." Is this how Masons are recruited, or can a member openly ask others to join?

In most U.S. jurisdictions (i.e. "Grand Lodges") members tradionally do not solicit membership. Some Grand Lodges have lifted this prohibition but we still do not have "membership drives" per se.

Ordinarily we require that a person who's interested in being a Mason ask us to join and not vice versa. However it does not preclude a Mason from letting someone know that he believes that person might be a good candidate.

I, too, have seen the "2 B 1 Ask 1" bumper-stickers and think them a bit tacky...but the Grand Lodge didn't ask my opinion.

Originally posted by yeht
I heard in UK they do not show it as much as Americans. Also in Texas I was told they don't wear rings under grand lodge rules. Assuming he remembered the state. I guess thats why they have loads of texas Mason watches on ebay.

There are no 'Grand Lodge' rules that I know of about rings, decals, car stickers, jewelry etc etc. It's just the masonic 'culture' of the country, which has become a great deal more open in recent years.

Unfortunately there has been an increasing trend of discrimination against freemasons in the UK, and consequently many are hiding their membership at work for fear of career problems. This is certainly the case in the police, and some local government.

The whole point is to have new members seeking Masonry out, not the other way around. Reasonably you can expect a more committed sort of person as opposed to getting a bunch of 'tourists' who may or may not make good Masons.