Where has the mystery gone?

More so years ago mystery has been prmoted with various secret societies. Many men that have open arms and a passion to secret societies expect and want a mystical sense about the society being joined. So what has happened? I see very dry speak often on lodges. Am I wrong in thinking like minded individuals attracted to secret societies would onsider a number one attraction being a mystery.

It's just like one of the posters here mentioning how younger prospects have more interest in the esoteric side of things.

If this is the case why is there so much well yeah we do meeting minutes and fish frys etc. I remember some interview with S&B member and he stated that rumours were started both true and false just for the fun of it. So what gives?

Many Grand Lodges have adopted a more public approach to the fraternity in the hopes that it will attract membership. Perhaps they think that "airing laundry" will make an ancient fraternity easier to approach. The Grand Lodge of Michigan, for example, has a PR campaign with the slogan, "Share the Secret."

I tend to think this angle is more representative of a generational divide than anything else. The prevailing membership is (as we know) rapidly approaching retirement age. Their sons are the Baby Boomer generation, who have made a point to defy "the Establishment" and go their own way. This is by no means a dig on the Boomers; it's just a result of the 60's and 70's. It became a prevalent attitude to have full disclosure, and secrecy became vilified.

I think that one of the downsides of turning away from all this tradition is a loss in the mystery of the Craft, a cheapening of the experience. If you want to see the rituals, you can now look them up online or watch a few shows on the History Channel. Sadly, those exposes do very little than show some mechanics of what may happen in a lodge room. Those that have experienced the degrees can tell you how very different they are when they are active participants. It's not just the words or the handshakes; it's the change within.

personally i think a more open lipped approach would go along way toward putting irrational fears to rest, the 400+ years of secrecy were out of nessasity, back when kings and popes hunted free thinkers, but i think that time has passed

Originally posted by Becon of Light
personally i think a more open lipped approach would go along way toward putting irrational fears to rest, the 400+ years of secrecy were out of nessasity, back when kings and popes hunted free thinkers, but i think that time has passed

It's about as open as it can be. What we won't be doing is throwing open our doors for John Q. Public to stroll in for a business meeting. If you wonder why, then also wonder why other organizations or businesses keep their doors closed for business meetings. But again, if you want to know the secrets without joining, they're out there, waiting to be spoon-fed to the wanting. As for allaying irrational fears, well, that's what psychologists and the like are paid to do.

Your summation of our history of secrecy is perhaps partly correct. Another way of looking at the necessity of secrecy relates to the operative days of Masonry, when a master stonemason could be identified by the appropriate sign or word. This saved a lot of time when compared to having to prove his work by carving stone or building something. Those identifying secrets were closely guarded to keep the legitimacy of mastery secure.

Well, since the youth of this country is more esoterically inclined than perevious ones, certainly more so than the generation that is now in their 60s and 70s, you would think the Masons would be more open . However, as has previously been stated, if someone wants to know about the Masons' beliefs, the informations is out there. Read the works of Manly P. Hall, John Churchward and others.

I wouldn't suggest going to websites for information. About all you get from the internet as far as the Masons are concerned is anti-Masonic drivel. It's ridiculous.

[edit on 19-9-2006 by SpeakerofTruth]