In all fairness I have to preface this article with this: THIS IS FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A RIP ON ALL MASONS. THIS IS A PERSONAL OPINION. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

I've been a Master Mason since June of this year. When I first began visiting the lodge for dinners and eventually to receive my First degree initiation I was trying to keep an open mind because it was very important to me that I become a Mason. Right off the bat I felt very alienated and out of place. A whole group of old guys and widows that do nothing but gossip and talk amongst their cliquey circles.... How the hell is a 24 year old supposed to fit into any of this and become a true and faithful Brother?

So initiation night comes around and I'm nervous as a whore in church. I will tell you all now that there is no weird sexual things, it's nothing creepy like that. A lot of ritual and walking in circles blind folded. You take an obligation over a bible (something sacred to be obligated to) and that's pretty much it. At the time it was very moving for me, but later I understood that the brothers really don't even like doing them. All they do is bitch about it. After I found that out the whole experience seemed very superficial and fake.

The second and third degrees aren’t much different than the first. And since this part was televised on the history channel I will tell you how it goes. During the third degree your big right of passage is getting bopped in the head with a fake setting maul. And as before all of this was very emotional for me and I took it very seriously.

Well after becoming a master mason and learning the big masonic secret(**to save a bunch of questions like what is that masonic secret, i will tell you... THERE IS NO SECRET, ONLY GRIPS AND WORDS WHICH I WILL NOT WRITE) things started falling apart... I was spending a lot of time with the Brethren and I started to see their true colors. These men will tell you your great and a good mason and then turn around to the next guy and stab you in the effin back. Hell I even heard a 'brother'... some one who is supposed to have my back no matter what whisper to another 'brother' that my fiance looked like a bar room whore because of her tattoos. Right after I heard him say that he walked over and offered me his hand for a shake and a smile and offered it to her as well!!! I cornered him after the dinner was over and told him if he ever said another cross word about my lady, I'd drag his ass out in the street and beat it.

Well that led to me being labeled a barbarian (HA like Conan?) who only wants to fight. Well I’m sorry fellas but when a man calls your wife a whore because of tattoos on her shoulders he deserves a good ass kicking. Mason or not.

It gets worse. In the masonic obligation a man is sworn to keep a tongue of good report, never to harm a brother in his person or good name, and to reach out and aid a distressed brother who is in danger. Well here we go again. After a meeting A brother who I used to look up to a lot offered to take me out for a beer to congratulate me on completing the Senior Deacons work ( a lot of memory work). I accepted his invitation and we drove to a bar in town that is owned by a brother mason. I was wearing a suit and tie and he was wearing a tux. As soon as we walked in a table full of hood rats started hassling us a bit. No so you understand this, I'm 6'2", 210 white guy and the brother I was with is a little shorter but about the same weight, but he's also almost 60 years old. The table full of little gangsters were all Mexican. Not a race thing, just little cholo hood rats.

I don't think they wanted to mess with me too much but on several occasions they tried to pick a fight with my 'brother'. So remembering my obligations a finished my drink, stood up and told the whole table that if they were looking for a fight then stop picking on the old man, I'll give you what your looking for. Near enough to an exact quote. Bottom line is I was trying to defend my friend who is much older and hasn't been on the streets as much as I have. Sure enough a small fight broke out and that table full of guys were thrown out. Well after that we left and I went home to patch my knuckles up and get some sleep.

The next week at lodge every brother and even some of the brothers wives were doing nothing but talk about that little scrape up in the bar!!!! My friend and brother who I had defended and even took a couple lumps for had gone out of his way to make sure that every Mason in my district found out about this little ruck down at the bar. His words to them were that was an animal and that I beat 5 people up.... He didn't bother to mention that it was to protect him from getting the crap kicked out of him or from breaking a hip or something...

I guess the whole point of this is after being around masons and getting to know them very well I don't trust any of them as far as I could throw them. Actions that took to defend my fiance's honor and protect a brother got so twisted and distorted so quickly that for several weeks I was shocked and very depressed that men I called brothers would turn on me so quickly. Instead of standing up for a brother they cut my legs out from under me.

I still take my obligations very seriously, but I don't think I will ever attend another lodge meeting again after this Thursday. I will be demiting. I will live my life the way any good mason should, honorably, respectfully, and should I ever see certain signs or hear certain words I will respond the way any other mason would. But I will also never forget these experiences that I have been through over the last year or so. And for that reason I would not recommend becoming a mason to any man. Just live a good, honest life.


MOD EDIT to correct spelling error in thread title )

[edit on 12/5/2009 by benevolent tyrant]

S & F mate, interesting thread.

It's horrible that the people you called 'brothers' would do such things behind your back.

I also congradulate you for having the self control for not beating the living Sh*t out of the person who called your fiance a whore. To be perfectly honest, if I was you, I would have beat his ass down right then and there for his disrespect.

At least your out of the main game now man.

Good luck in the long run.

Thank you Jordan. I was trying to keep my passions in check... I made him aware that he messed up. Maybe the next time he thinks he's out of ear shot and can open his mouth about a mans lady he'll just keep his trap shut. Either way, you're right. I am taking myself out of the gig. What any of those men do is really none of my concern.

this sounds like a pretty horrible experience after dedicating yourself to this group, and every minute, you have a sleezball backstabbing you verbally, and socially.

I am a MASON... no not a brother mason, but a mason... brick layer.
(thought id add this to be a little funny)

Overall, if these people seem to be bastards, then why dont you leave?

I have a question for you... Master mason. Can you teach me the handshake?

Your way better off out of it, you don't need such a group. Just live a decent life and try to do no harm to others, a few good friends and your set. If you want to help others, do some charity work they are grateful for any assistance.

True I have an axe to grind with them, but I think you will find my advice sound.

I'm a Mason also, brickayer that is.
My Grandfather, Father, Father-inlaw all belong to the Masonic Lodge, of which I have great respect, for them.
The ideal of what the Masonic Lodge represents is good, but it does not mean that some of those that are members are not fools, and are just going thru the motions of being a Master Mason.
Illregardless of them, you sould set your self aside and relize the truth's that have been given to you, thru the Masonic Lodge or your own insight.
It might be good if you persue this with the Masonic Lodge, that if you work in the pure essence of what it represents, you will not allow these false things to bring you down to their level of ingnorance.
Reguardless of the things presended to you, it is you that must stand in your place of strength, the Truth that is before you.

These fellows are not inline with what is being taught, you would be better to be a example of what they should be, rather than to criticize their failings.

I have seen, set by example a good man, I have also seen the fool.

Some of these fellows would mostly likely come by and give you a goose to show their level of Wisdom.


[edit on 29-11-2009 by googolplex]

Why don't you become a Knight of Columbus then?

It should have been clear from the start that such a large age gap in membership may not work out too well. It sounds like your lodge does too little to recruit younger members. I think you're only hope is to convince your lodge to get a few more people your age. In fact maybe you could branch off from them and form your own lodge or something to that effect.

But in any case, you should have mentioned yourself to your barmate that you did this for him, and then again when he was mentioning it to the others at the lodge. I mean he may not have really understood that and thought you were just being aggressive.

thank you for sharing this man,it really is refreshing to hear some true words and insights..seems humans will be humans

Sounds to me as if you joined the wrong Lodge?

If it had been me (and I know it wasn't) as soon as I had the vibe that there was going to be trouble I would have suggested to my Worshipful Brother that we leave and go somewhere else.

That's what I would have done, but we are all different, and I was not in your position on that particular evening

This is no big deal and I'm no spelling bee whatsoever,but don't you think you should check the title before posting

That was no dig just thought I'd let you know,I'm sure you know