Freemasonry in a Nutshell, 217sec Video.

A brief video, in a simple form, presenting the different levels, the signs and the greetings (secret/not so secret handshakes) of Freemasonry.

Link

Simple information but might bring a bit more interest in Freemasonry.

[edit to drop 'Very interesting' from the title, due to popular thought waves]
[edit on 2-1-2008 by xSMOKING_GUNx]

[edit on 2-1-2008 by xSMOKING_GUNx]

I'll be looking forward to the response posted by the first person to try to enter a Lodge with what's detailed in that video.

reply to post by Fitzgibbon


Did you actually watch the vid, Fitz ??

I hope not...I saw the OP, minus a short summary of the vid and said "no way"

Even a short summary of the vid may have enticed some people to view it...But with the amount of Masonic dis-info on here lately, no way I'm wasting my time with this kinda stuff..

Peace and happy new year to all the brothers out there

reply to post by Rilence


Oh I watched it alright, hence the tone of my post. You might also take a lead on my attitude from my mood rating.

reply to post by Fitzgibbon


hehehehehehehe

Watchout for a caustic Fitz, Brothers and folks alike...

There could be a major outpouring of venom at any moment.....

OR

If we stroke him the right way, a major outpouring of love

We will see what we see

EDIT -- Seriously tho, Fitz...I watched like 30 secs and went...."riiight...I have better things to do..."

Last thing I'd want to happen is brothers on the board to get hyped about this one...Your short reply was right on the money, IMO

[edit on 2-1-2008 by Rilence]

Oh that IS comical. As Fitz said, anyone who watches that and thinks even half of it is true is "special." Before the anti-masons arrive and accuse of us saying everything is wrong, I wanted to go ahead and point out that while some of it (a very small part) is factually correct, the vast majority is made up - but comical!

I want someone to try it and do the "sign of horror" at the lodge door. The response should be amusing. And perhaps the "european sign of distress."




[edit on 2-1-2008 by LightinDarkness]

The sign of horror was rather sissy like

If you want to be a Freemason and see what its about go to a lodge near you and do something that is profound. Ask: "How can i become a mason"?

As far as the symbolism with the death stuff and violence it is rooted in
Birth, Death, and Ressurection

reply to post by Rilence


You know? to be honest, I dont know the first thing about freemasonry, I dont claim there is any fact or fiction in this brief video.

I am niether for, or against, niether am I promoting this video.

I have heard rumours all my life about the secrets and hidden agendas of the local lodges and I have always made a point of dissmissing it as simply that 'rumour'.

Maybe I would be interested to learn, if I could sit face to face and actually have a sensible and meaningful conversation with a Master, but that is not going to happen here or probably anywhere, there is too much interference.

What will be will be, I simply found a small piece of someones articulate imaginings documented in this brief video and thought I would fish for comments.

I guess I am getting just that!

There are millions of Master Masons in the US alone. You can have a sensible conversation with them anytime. Even with the masons on here. You just will have to ignore/dismiss the anti-masons which will come into the conversation eventually.

The sign of horror looks like the sign of halitosis...

The video used Tracey Wynam's footage froma video she made a couple of years ago. I wonder if she knows this dude stole it from her.

Either way I'm not sure you'd get very far using those signals seen in the video.

Good luck though.

Originally posted by xSMOKING_GUNx
reply to post by Rilence

 

Maybe I would be interested to learn, if I could sit face to face and actually have a sensible and meaningful conversation with a Master, but that is not going to happen here or probably anywhere, there is too much interference.

Plenty of opportunities for that, in the UK or over 'ere. Truth be told, you can have one here on ATS. Just don't be using that video as a jumping-off point too much; it's pretty much hilarious to an actual Mason.

Originally posted by xSMOKING_GUNx
What will be will be, I simply found a small piece of someones articulate imaginings documented in this brief video and thought I would fish for comments.

I guess I am getting just that!

The operative word is "imaginings". The "Fiducal" sign looks more like an exercise my Dad did during WWII (part of the 5BX plan IIRC). The Hailing Sign, the Penetential Sign and the Monitorial Sign are closer to vogue moves than anything I've ever witnessed. And that Sign of Sympathy is closer to how ATS Masons respond to much of the 'revelations' here (although the heel of the hand is usually a little closer to the forehead).

That said, ask away. I won't promise answers but I think I can fairly speak for the other Masons here when I say that no reasonable question is going to be mocked.

TTYL
Fitz

As said in many places the Masons on here are more than happy to ask a direct question or discuss meaningful, based in reality lines of discussion.

If you have a question; ask...just think about it before you do so and try not to sound like a nutter.

Wikipedia has a decent article: en.wikipedia.org...

And Masonic Dictionary: www.masonicdictionary.com... has some useful information.

Read there first and then come asking questions. Those two sources can set down the basics of Masonry and can spring board any conversation you want.

reply to post by Fitzgibbon



Thank you.

There are a few basics I would'nt mind getting past, would you prefer a u2u or here in the open forum?

Regards

reply to post by xSMOKING_GUNx


Fire away on open thread. There may be things I can't tell you or that I think one of the older hands (a la Masonic Light, Trinityman, et al) are better able to answer but I'm nothing if not a gamer

Originally posted by Fitzgibbon
reply to post by xSMOKING_GUNx

 

Fire away on open thread. There may be things I can't tell you or that I think one of the older hands (a la Masonic Light, Trinityman, et al) are better able to answer but I'm nothing if not a gamer

I am quite interested in knowing the lure of Freemasonry (What is it about it that makes you want to be a Freemason).

And what type of thing makes a lodge request someone join them.

More simple ideas in my head but I suppose they are the main questions.

Thanks again.

Originally posted by xSMOKING_GUNx
I am quite interested in knowing the lure of Freemasonry (What is it about it that makes you want to be a Freemason).

I think that's a question that there are as many answers to as there are Masons. In my case, what prompted it was finding out that my grandfather (who'd died when my Dad was 11) had been a Mason. I knew what sort of man he was from the stories my Dad told (granted, boys tend to idolise their fathers but that notwithstanding) and I knew that his Lodge had taken care of funeral arrangements for him when he died suddenly while my Dad, his mother and his sister were on a ship bound for Britain and in no position to do anything. That spoke volumes to me about the essence of the organisation.

I did some of my own research after that and decided that I'd like to pick up the baton and continue on where my grandfather left off. I've had no cause to regret my decision.

Originally posted by xSMOKING_GUNx
And what type of thing makes a lodge request someone join them.

They don't. You have to decide that Masonry's for you, hence the "2B1, Ask1" thing. You have to decide what it is that you're looking for. If it's wealth and influence and such, that's a pretty good reason not to join Masonry. As trite as it sounds, it's about improving yourself, your faith and your usefulness to your family and community. Any other benefit is secondary.

If you're still interested, you have to apply to a Lodge (not vital that you know someone anymore; in my case, I had been interested in joining for a while and happened by my Lodge when the then-secretary happened to be around doing some work [the Internet's useful that way these days]). They'll appoint an investigation committee to come over to answer any questions you have and ask a few of their own. After that, they'll report back and if the report's favourable, essentially you're in. The one over-riding proviso is that you have to believe in a Supreme Being; no qualifying the name or nature of one's faith.

HTH

If it is not too personal, It would be interesting to hear how you have benefit from your lodge since becoming a Mason, and also what has been asked of you?

Thanks again.

[edit on 2-1-2008 by xSMOKING_GUNx]

Originally posted by RWPBR
The sign of horror looks like the sign of halitosis...

Hey... that is how I great my brothers when I go to lodge!

No, seriously, I am so sick of the same old crap. Common. READ SOME THREADS BEFORE YOU POST A VIDEO. This video was posted (in a much more complete and better quality) before by another poster and we all made the same jokes about the weird ass signs in the video.

I don't understand what would be so hard about making a "good" masonic video to show Masonry with at least a dose of rationality.

Aside from all of this, in the original thread about the original movie which was stolen in this new one, it was made by a female who has only hearsay knowledge of the Craft. Someone probably played a funny joke on her and she took it literally.

Anyways. I prefer the videos where we control the world and all you little minions that dwell in it are our slaves to which we treat you like pawns without ever knowing it making your lives miserable.

Looks and sounds cooler then the damn "horror" sign video.

/rant.

Originally posted by xSMOKING_GUNx
If it is not too personal, It would be interesting to hear how you have benefited from your lodge since becoming a Mason, and also what has been asked of you?

Thanks again.

Benefited? Tangibly, not at all (not that there was ever the expectation). Intangibly? A revitalised connection with the community in terms of helping out in various and sundry ways. Also, a descaled perspective on life, more of a recognition that 'there but for the Grace of God go I'. Nothing unique to Masonry to be sure but another road to Rome, so to speak. Certainly, there's the fraternal camaraderie, again not unique to Masonry.

As for what's been asked of me, nothing in particular that I didn't volunteer for. In Masonry, the Lodge is specifically trumped by family and professional life. But like any civically-minded group, there's an expectation that you'll give of your time as your time allows. I talked with the various Lodge officers about the time requirements of their various chairs before deciding that I wanted to one day be Master of the Lodge. I'm Senior Steward now and I've essentially made a promise to the membership of the Lodge that I'll be there for each meeting for the next 7 years and take on increased responsibility as each year progresses.

I could've taken a pass on that and instead just done various pieces of the ritual work over the years and that would have been received just as well. I guess it all hinges on how much you care to take on. Everyone's different.