Anti Masons please read this!

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
ps forgive my anger but I have not told my account to many people .

Sorry you were subjected to that. Modern life has conditioned us to expect panacea silver-bullet answers to complex problems. We humans are lazy creatures and usually inclined to look for the easiest solution (even if it isn't the most effective).

Originally posted by Fitzgibbon

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
ps forgive my anger but I have not told my account to many people .

Sorry you were subjected to that.

Its no problem what doesn't kill you makes you stronger .
What is life but learning from mistakes and growing as a person ?

Originally posted by TheGhostViking

Originally posted by Fitzgibbon

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
ps forgive my anger but I have not told my account to many people .

Sorry you were subjected to that.

Its no problem what doesn't kill you makes you stronger .
What is life but learning from mistakes and growing as a person ?

And oddly enough, that's the process within Craft Masonry, that even until the end of life, there are lessons to be learned. I'm sure as you get older, your perspective on your parents' decisions may well change. Things are seldom as clear cut as they sometimes seem

Fitz

I'm sure as you get older, your perspective on your parents' decisions may well change.
How much older? im 34 this year!! lol .
In all seriousness I will learn from their mistakes and not repeat them when I have children . TALK to your children even if you find it uncomfortable .
I mean you and I are proof of this .
Had I not joined ats I might not ever had the chance to talk to masons .
Remember it was uncomfortable for me when I first started speaking to you guys ( and vice versa im sure lol ) _
But by ignoring the awkwardness and talking to you guys I have realised that you share a lot of my opinions and the value the same virtues as me .

Cheers !

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
I'm sure as you get older, your perspective on your parents' decisions may well change.
How much older? im 34 this year!! lol .

34? I had you pegged as somewhere early/mid 20s. But ultimately you can only hang stuff on parents and upbringing for so long. Past that point, it takes on an entirely different and potentially more debilitating character.

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
In all seriousness I will learn from their mistakes and not repeat them when I have children . TALK to your children even if you find it uncomfortable .
I mean you and I are proof of this .
Had I not joined ats I might not ever had the chance to talk to masons .
Remember it was uncomfortable for me when I first started speaking to you guys ( and vice versa im sure lol ) _
But by ignoring the awkwardness and talking to you guys I have realised that you share a lot of my opinions and the value the same virtues as me .

Cheers !

Talking to Masons is not really that difficult. ATS can seem fairly adversarial in that regard (being a CT site, big surprise). But if you're looking for straight information, getting it straight from the horse's mouth is easy enough.

And I only speak for myself as far as opinions go. Politically, I think I'm to the left of most Masons I know in real life or on the Internet. But ultimately that's of no more concern than my religion (Anglican). The membership of my Lodge includes Sikh, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant of all stripes, Mormon and Muslim members and the fact that men of such disparate belief systems can work together for personal growth and societal good is probably the single most compelling argument against the 'evil secret society bent on world domination' meme.

But don't tell that to rabid anti-Masons. That ability to work together in harmony would just be cited by them as PROOF of our word domination intentions.

Whether here or wherever about Masonry or whatever, ask questions; educate yourself. Knowledge isn't the bane of mankind, it's the boon.

HTH
Fitz

reply to post by StarrGazer25


I am sorry your family members act like that. As was said, the lodge stiff isn't all that secret, in that you cannot be told of the general idea of what happened. It's best if the things that should be discussed in private are done so like that. In private. Not in the middle of a family gathering. Nothing that happens in the lodge is anywhere near earth shattering, it's actually very boring if you are not directly involved. Your cousins are probably just feeling very proud of their accomplishments. It takes a bit of work to get to the degree of master mason. But the first thing we are taught is the masonry is not to interfere with your family, your religion, or you work. You may want to let them know about that. Just tell them to remember the charge they received in the first degree. I joined to find out if there was a grand conspiracy within masonry and to try to help people. I heard that no matter what, helping kids was a priority in the Shriners and that is what I wanted to do. I have not been disappointed and I have yet to become a shriner.

reply to post by TheGhostViking


I hope you have noticed the varying views help by masons here. This is the great thing about being one, is the tolerance that is taught, is followed through in life. Masonic Light is on the other end of the spectrum as I am politically, but we share a common bond with being brothers and if he needed anything, I or any other mason here would not hesitate to do whatever was in their power to help. ML is possibly the most respected mason here by all of us as he is an excellent example of what being a mason should be. The religious beliefs vary probably mores so than the political views, but in that, I take the differences as a chance to learn what others think. I am sorry for your problems growing up. I had a storybook childhood and still have great parents. I hope you have someone to talk to when you need it. I know I am happy to listen whenever needed.

The membership of my Lodge includes Sikh, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant of all stripes, Mormon and Muslim members and the fact that men of such disparate belief systems can work together for personal growth and societal good .

Well this is indeed a good thing . I am pretty sick of arguing about race religion etc on this forum . Im a human being before anything .
I take my hat off to you and the other masons ( network dude thankyou for your kind words in your last post ) If all masons are like yourselves then I have no problem with your organisation . I was never anti all masons anyway ,

Thanks for estimating my age at mid twenties lol . I,m not using a pc to post here or a keyboard so Its gets a bit tiring typing and I become a bit lax with my vocabulary .
My girlfriend and I both look in our 20 ' s although in our 30 ' s . I put this down to a diet of no manmade drugs whatsoever , only "natural herbs ".
So are the majority of masons here residents of North America ?

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
So are the majority of masons here residents of North America ?

A majority of the ones on ATS, yes. I believe we've got one member who's a brother in South Africa, and probably one or two in the UK, and maybe a Canadian. I can't recall off the top of my head coming across any other ATS members who are also Mason from other countries, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few around.

And, of those in the states, we have a few in Texas, Florida, California, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, etc. A few have met each other in person on their travels... I sadly missed out on meeting Augustus face to face last time I was in New York, but the offer still stands. I know Mirthful Me, an ATS supermod and Mason, has met a number of ATS members in his travels. Kind of cool when you can put a face to an online friend...

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
I take my hat off to you and the other masons ( network dude thankyou for your kind words in your last post ) If all masons are like yourselves then I have no problem with your organisation .

Like any disparate group, there's not really the quintessential Mason. We're typical of Masons I'm sure but I think there's probably more differences than similarities among Masons.

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
Thanks for estimating my age at mid twenties lol . I,m not using a pc to post here

Oh I figured you were using a Crackberry© or somesuch to post. No, I just based my assumption on the Ritalin mention. I guess you were ahead of the convenience Ritalin wave.

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
So are the majority of masons here residents of North America ?

I'm JN's "maybe a Canadian".

Josh yes meeting online friends in person is cool . I met my online freind from Ny in real life and lemme say you yanks are bloody tall lol . But hey its a boon for one of your national sports basketball lol
On that note am i right in thinking that nba players used to be the highest paid sportsman but now its football players (soccer ) ?

Fitz canada ay ? lol. I Ilike Canada, americas quieter cousin ?
I saw flights toToronto for 240 pounds on tv yesterday . I want to go to Nova Scotia though because I like the accent the cur instead of the car the perk instead of the park lol .
Ahh variety is the spice of life .

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
Fitz canada ay ? lol. I Ilike Canada, americas quieter cousin ?

Quieter, smarter, better looking.....did I forget more modest?

Originally posted by TheGhostViking
I saw flights toToronto for 240 pounds on tv yesterday . I want to go to Nova Scotia though because I like the accent the cur instead of the car the perk instead of the park lol .
Ahh variety is the spice of life .

Haven't been down to the East Coast since my Dad passed away. Been meaning to. Take in Newf if you get down around those parts. The country's definitely worth a visit or two (not that I'm biased you know )

reply to post by RuneSpider


I wonder would the artist be a mason? And I love the way the mural you chose to show is the least threatening! How about showing the one with the armed guy stabbing the dove of peace with a sword over the graves of children! I wonder why you didn't show that one? I also wonder why you didn't inform us all about the masonic group who financed the building of the airport but which doesn't exist!
I also wonder why I'm wasting my time talking to a freemason and expecting him to tell the truth!!!

Originally posted by CholmondleyWarner
reply to post by RuneSpider

 

I wonder would the artist be a mason? And I love the way the mural you chose to show is the least threatening! How about showing the one with the armed guy stabbing the dove of peace with a sword over the graves of children! I wonder why you didn't show that one? I also wonder why you didn't inform us all about the masonic group who financed the building of the airport but which doesn't exist!
I also wonder why I'm wasting my time talking to a freemason and expecting him to tell the truth!!!

I wonder whether it'd be too much to expect that you might post what you say Rune didn't and explain in some clear detail why it's important/relevant/factual? Likewise for your assertion about the nonexistent group?

Because you're not a Freemason, I assume that it's implicit that everything you post will be unvarnished, verifiable, supportable truth?

Many thanks in advance

Fitz

reply to post by CholmondleyWarner


Masons didn't finance it. We don't have that kind of money to waste.

And Rune isn't a Mason, so I guess your argument is just falling apart left and right...

reply to post by CholmondleyWarner

What is this supposed Masonic group that financed the murals?

reply to post by CholmondleyWarner


Because the artist talks about *both* murals, and explains one represents the bad of humanity, and the other represents the good.
I expected you to read it, I apologize if that was to much to expect.

As for why I didn't mention the masons, well.... yes. They helped finance the place, they made donations but where no where near the chief financiers..
They did get to put a time capsule on the site though.

Oh, and as always, I am not a Freemason. Point in fact, I am an atheist, and therefore can't join.

Originally posted by RuneSpider
Oh, and as always, I am not a Freemason. Point in fact, I am an atheist, and therefore can't join.

Yeah but why let something as inconvenient as fact get in the way of a perfectly lovely screed?
Facts only matter on "Jeopardy"©.

Originally posted by network dude
ML is possibly the most respected mason here by all of us as he is an excellent example of what being a mason should be.

I would second that. He would never stoop to the level of breaking another Brother's balls about not being able to have a cold beer.

Originally posted by JoshNorton
A few have met each other in person on their travels... I sadly missed out on meeting Augustus face to face last time I was in New York, but the offer still stands.

It certainly does and I have extended that to any Brother who happens to make their way to the New York City area.