Excited...just turned in my petition

After much thought, I am happy to say I turned in my petition to become a Mason.

Very excited at this point. Some interesting things, I found out last week my father-in-law is a Mason. I have a lot of respect for him, so this helped in the decision.

The final decision was made when I talked with my mother. On a hunch, I thought my grandfather was a Mason. I have no recollection though of why I thought that. He passed away 20 years ago.

Anyway, I asked. Her reply. "Of course he was. He was a 32nd degree Master Mason. I have his ring here do you want me to send it to you?" "He was a Shriner."

I never knew this. This cemented it for me. My grandfather was everything I hope to be as a man.

She also told me, he was a charter member of the local Elks lodge. Busy man.

Originally posted by tlshark
After much thought, I am happy to say I turned in my petition to become a Mason.

Very excited at this point. Some interesting things, I found out last week my father-in-law is a Mason. I have a lot of respect for him, so this helped in the decision.

The final decision was made when I talked with my mother. On a hunch, I thought my grandfather was a Mason. I have no recollection though of why I thought that. He passed away 20 years ago.

Anyway, I asked. Her reply. "Of course he was. He was a 32nd degree Master Mason. I have his ring here do you want me to send it to you?" "He was a Shriner."

I never knew this. This cemented it for me. My grandfather was everything I hope to be as a man.

She also told me, he was a charter member of the local Elks lodge. Busy man.

Congratulations, I hope your experience as a Mason is a good one. It is an exciting time, and an experience that I'm sure you'll treasure forever. It's my understanding that the ceremonies for the various degrees are beautiful and life changing. Come back and let us know if they are.

Your pal,
Meat.

Thank you. I will be happy to talk about my experiences.

I wonder though how I could find out more about my grandfather. I know in his time you had to have experienced some of the higher degrees of the Scottish Rite. And now simply be a Master Mason.

I would love to find out more about what it is he did and went through. Of course, I will on my own journey. It just seems as a way to get closer to him.

reply to post by tlshark


I hope it goes well for you.
Let us know how your investigation goes.
Good luck and best wishes friend.

Sounds like a pretty interesting event. I am sure all of us here wouldn't mind here your experiences and tales

Congratulations, I hope that you are admitted and enjoy Freemasonry.There is nothing that I have experienced remotely like the degrees,they really are beautiful and amazing.My lodge did two third degrees last night and I was thinking when I was leaving that as much as I enjoyed the time when I received my degrees, it is equally if not more so amazing to be helping confer them and give something back, the happiness and gratitude of my brethren last night could not be put into words, and I felt really proud to be a part of helping to bring a life shaping experience to others.Remember when you get in, you will eventually have a little memorization to do, and it seems daunting at first, but everyone has gone through it, and you will be more than capable.

Keep us updated

Congratualtions and best of luck on your new journey. I can only hope that you receive as much from Masonry I have. Make an effort to speak with as many of your Brethern as possible and never hesitate to ask for more enlightenment, it is always are pleasure to provide such.

reply to post by tlshark


Congrats hopefully future brother.

Little tip for you, when your preparing for initiation, do not accept the offer of nickels, pennies, pins, buttons, coins of any kind or essentially anything metallic!

Best of luck mate.

yup. and another tip - don't write anything down!

I'm sure you will be accepted and have a great time passing through the degrees. Don't be a stranger.

[edit on 12-1-2008 by scientist]

Just wanted to let you know that the process takes a few months.I remember when I petitioned it felt like it took forever.My poor first line signer I must have pestered him about it once a week,I was so excited and anticipatory.It pretty much goes this way, you hand in your petition and then that month they read in lodge that they have a petition, your name,address,and job description (basically just what you put on the application.The next month they send an investigating commite of three masons, who were not your signers to meet with you and answer any questions that you may have,and also to give you a chance to meet some of the men in your lodge in a comfortable setting for you (your own home).Then I believe they vote on you that month, and the next month you start, so about three months.Maybe my brethren will correct me if I am wrong on any of the time line there.So don't worry if you feel really excited and that it is taking forever because of your excitement.

Yeah... hope that works out for you...

www.youtube.com...

ENJOY

Oh and dont forget to flame on your way out.

Originally posted by tlshark
I never knew this. This cemented it for me. My grandfather was everything I hope to be as a man.

Congrats to you. This is exactly the reason I investigated and finally joined the Masons as well.

Originally posted by II HAL II
Yeah... hope that works out for you...

www.youtube.com...

ENJOY

Oh and dont forget to flame on your way out.

What does a JFK speech on the methods and dangers of Communist expansion have to do with this guy joining a fraternal order?


[edit on 1/14/2008 by JustMe74]

Originally posted by JustMe74


What does a JFK speech on the methods and dangers of Communist expansion have to do with this guy joining a fraternal order?

This is popular with Anti's they use this speech and equate Freemasonry with Secret Societies and then make the argument that that Kennedy's speech was about the Freemasons,and masons killed Kennedy, and then they launch into this huge diatribe about how where he was killed was 10 miles north of the 33rd degree parallel and it is proof of Masonic involvement,among other wackjob logic.I almost hate to share the link to this theory, because I feel like it is spreading ignorance and stupidity.I can't believe you never saw this before.

www.revisionisthistory.org...

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica

Originally posted by JustMe74


What does a JFK speech on the methods and dangers of Communist expansion have to do with this guy joining a fraternal order?

This is popular with Anti's they use this speech and equate Freemasonry with Secret Societies and then make the argument that that Kennedy's speech was about the Freemasons,and masons killed Kennedy, and then they launch into this huge diatribe about how where he was killed was 10 miles north of the 33rd degree parallel and it is proof of Masonic involvement,among other wackjob logic.I almost hate to share the link to this theory, because I feel like it is spreading ignorance and stupidity.I can't believe you never saw this before.

www.revisionisthistory.org...

I never said this was about freemasonry... read and listen please, I'm linking this because its general idea applies. Of course you have to defend yourself and make crazy accusations but do i expect anything more from you? ... no... its what I expected.

Freemasonry is a secret society... regardless of how you want to twist it, in fact I bet most freemasons dont even know what the point of freemasonry is. And as for knowing what happens at the top then I doubt 80% know.

Originally posted by II HAL III never said this was about freemasonry... read and listen please, I'm linking this because its general idea applies.

I hate making such a short post, but I need some clarification:

Applies to what?

Freemasonry? Communism? Hot dogs? Fish food? Nose hair? What?

I look forward to your clarification.

Your pal,
Meat.

Oh well. Should have known better I guess.

After reading this board for quite sometime now I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less then someone to come in and try and rain on my parade.

Just for the record...I have read all the anti I care to, I have read all the pro I care to. So I guess what I am saying here is I am excited to continue my journey to either the dark side (as some of you think) or to the light. Either way it is my journey.

Other than that, no new news to report. I am awaiting my in home meeting.

reply to post by II HAL II


I am still looking for one anti-mason to answer this: HOW IS IT that **YOU** know what is "really going on" and what the "top" of masonry is, and yet ITS MEMBERS have no idea? Its so secret its kept away from every single mason I've ever known, and yet apparently not secret enough because somehow YOU know about it. And what exactly IS going on? All I ever see is "you don't know whats going on" - but no one ever cares to tell us what IS going on or how they know or where their proof is.

To the OP: congratulations on your quest for light. Keep us updated

[edit on 15-1-2008 by LightinDarkness]

Well like EVERY organisation there is a thing called structure and Masons more than any love their degrees of order. And in EVERY organisation the people at the bottom dont know whats happening at the top, I dont have to be a Mason to know that... For example I'm a Quantity Surveyor for a construction consultant (big area for the Masons by the way) and I dont know what the directors of my company do day to day.

If your telling me the people at the bottom of the run in Masonry know what the leading figures are doing day to day then say so, you can't because you don't know.

Also... I never said I know what "really is going on" all I did is post a speech by JFK who said secret societies are repugnant.. and I agree.

The Masons here seem to be very defensive of things that haven't been said.. if you are true Masons 1. YOU SHOULD NOT BE ON AN INTERNET FORUM. 2. YOU ARE ATTACKING A PERSON FOR THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SAID. Love those Masons.

So tell me what are the main points of Masonry? and I will point out why there is absolutely no reason in joining if these points are TRULY the Masons only purpose.

And to 'Meat'... the link I posted was not a speech about Masonry but it's content can be applied to Masonry.

To the OP - I dont mean to rain on your parade... after all I'm just some random on a forum and you have already made your decision. If your going to post things on a public forum you have to take the bad as well as the good otherwise post on a Mason site if good is all you want.

PS dont forget to post the main points of Masonry....

Perhaps you do not know, HAL, but we have many people from the top of the organization on this board. They have confirmed nothing is going on. The top of masonry is the the 3rd degree, but we have people all the way to the 33rd degree confirming this.

If you want to claim some secret cabal exists beyond this, I again ask you to tell me how is it you know what is going on when no one else - regardless of degree - knows of it. How is it that this is kept secret from everyone but you KNOW it is going on.

This sort of hasty generalization fallacy does not serve as an answer. Every organization does indeed have a hierarchy, but it is absolutely false that every organization keeps secrets from the people at the "bottom." Again, I ask - how is you - not being in the bottom or even in the organization - know this?

Your no true Scotsman fallacy also fails you. Do you have any evidence that says masons aren't allowed for some reason to post on an internet forum? Or further, that masons are not allowed to show you that you are factually wrong about things on which...being in the fraternity....we actually know?

Your attempt to use the JFK speech failed. As others have pointed out, it is widely known that JFK was referring to the secret way press was handled in communist countries. If you read the entire speech or the context, you would see that. But I know it's much easier to pull quotes out of context from conspiracy sites.

The "main points" of masonry are friendship, morality, and brotherly love. Whether or not you want to join because of them does no matter - masonry is not for everyone and given your responses here, I would say not for you.