My Masonic Lodge had an open house today. The front door was propped open. Signs were up out front for a week and the lodge is on a BUSY main road. Not ONE person stopped for a tour. I dont want to hear anymore about "behind closed doors" and secrecy. Plenty ofy brothers were there to answer any questions. Seems that the Mason-phobes are plentiful, but not intellectually curious or interested in having their illusions shattered with truth. What more can these people want? They had run of the building !

[edit on 8/28/10 by scooterstrats]

i wish the lodge here would have one, I want to join, so i need to get to know the people thwere

I guess most people don't want to be apart of an alleged Secret Society, that has possibly caused the death of thousands of souls around the world.

I am sorry that not a person stopped by. It may be intimidating for a person to stop in. Since I became a Mason about a a year and a half ago, It is a special breed of man.

Maybe a beer tent would have drawn a few people in.

Yep, Open House is not enough. You have to have a tent with goodies for the kids, you need the wavy, wacky, inflatable arm man, you need balloons.

Average people are not paranoid about us Masons, and they are also not that interested in us Masons.

These days, you need an 8 second "hook" to get their attention, a 30 second sound bite or "elevator pitch" to keep them interested, and you need something in it for them to get them to participate or come back. If you don't have the McMarketing approach, you won't get anywhere.

Sad state of affairs.

Kudos for giving it a shot though!

One of the Lodges I visit had an open house as well, two people came in, one to get water, one to use the restroom

Sorry to hear about your open house.

On another "masonic" thread, I mentioned that Masonry has a bit of a PR problem. Not sure anyone agreed really, but maybe your experience is an indication of something.

I'm out West, and it is somewhat different than in the East. I think there are fewer Masons, not as much of a presence, but also perhaps less "negative", although probably mostly just due to old-fashioned ignorance of anything about Masonry.

Years ago, in one of my previous careers, the company I worked for would have an annual management party, very high end, best food, dancing, sometimes exotic locations, special entertainment, etc. One of those times, the actual banquet was held at a very large, and well-appointed masonic temple, that they had rented for the evening.

Now that's what I would call good PR!

Oh come on guys. You know all the ritual crap is a tad weird in today's context. Hell, it was weird a hundred years ago.
Yes, there is that fraternity thing , an intellectual and spiritual atmosphere, much banal mediocrity and beer drinking too I suppose. But, can you really blame people for not showing up to your open house?
Nobody give a rats ass about that stuff anymore.

The ones that might have shown an interest in the past are too wrapped up in the distractions of the modern world. The repository of human knowledge and wisdom is at their fingertips and they are in the temple of electronic delights. The ancient mysteries are revealed to them at a keystroke.

What chance did you have?

People would much rather live in their fantasy worlds, being afraid of the masonic boogieman, than actually learn about you guys.

That's too bad that nobody came. When we did our Open House we had a good turnout.