Would you want to be a Freemason?

Originally posted by KSigMason
reply to post by artistpoet

 

We have several deists in my Lodge.

Thank you for making that clear.
I am making a few assumptions here from what I have gathered but here goes:-

It would seem that the Craft of Masonry does not have a fixed conclusion as to the nature of God or Creator
But builds upon knowledge within the Crafts framework of learning.
Masonry it seems is Philosophical in nature - yet not armchair philosophy for it requires one to do good within the community.
It all seems very noble and has changed my view of Masonry
Though I realize people are people and each have different levels of understanding

reply to post by artistpoet


I'd say you have a better understanding of our order than a lot of it's members.
It's very refreshing to see logical thought displayed like this.

Originally posted by network dude
reply to post by artistpoet

 

I'd say you have a better understanding of our order than a lot of it's members.
It's very refreshing to see logical thought displayed like this.

Thank you - I take that as a great compliment however:-

Any understanding of Freemasonry I may have is only gleaned from inter changes with actual Masons or those who have studied Masonry with an open mind.
By open mind I mean to set aside aside one's own pre-set beliefs in the light of considering new information.

Originally posted by artistpoet
By open mind I mean to set aside aside one's own pre-set beliefs in the light of considering new information.

Which is the path to understanding everything........

Are there any toilet bowls in the lodge... if so... do they come complete with Compasses and Squares and so forth? Is there a canopy over the toilet bowel? Are the toilet bowl room draped with black and white tiles???
Could there be any understanding developed from a toilet bowl???
I use to think that a Freemason crafted toilet bowls not to better society, but to put a spell on the people.
In NYC... all toilet bowls are white. Is that reference to white power???


Also... WHY IS THERE AN "EVIL EYE" RIGHT NEXT TO THE COMPASS AND SQUARE ON THE FORUMS PAGE?!? Is That A Conspiracy????

Originally posted by LeonoraTenen
Why do black men have to join PHA then?
How is it that masons don't practice segregation when PHA is for black men only?

reply to post by HardToStarboard

Originally posted by HardToStarboard
Up until last week I was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite (SJ) Freemason.

...racism. The problem is rampant in many lodges; in some it is blatant and in others it's subtle. And being that there is no overall governing body for all lodges nationwide the problem will likely linger for many generations to come just as it has for many generations passed. It bothered me from the beginning and finally I could no longer personally ignore it. Certainly there are many organizations that have racist motives, but freemasonry espouses that all men are equal while allowing lodges to remain open that spit on this very ideal. Rationalize all you want, but I could no longer do that in good conscience.

"It was up until recently (?) a "whites only" organization. Some people get bent out of shape when they read this, namely, Freemasons, who don't want this fact mentioned, and sympathetic non-Freemasons, who are unaware of this fact. I recently emailed Scottish rite HQ in Washington D.C. and asked them the exact date blacks were allowed to join. THEY STILL HAVEN'T EMAILED ME BACK. Nor do i expect them to. Apparently a few token blacks here and there are admitted in a handful of lodges, but it's more common to find lodges with zero blacks. Even Masons who favor integration of lodges admit it's going very poorly.

If you don't believe me, just ask a Freemason. They will probably say, "Well, they have their own lodges". They mean African Americans have a separate branch of Freemasonry known as "Albert Hall" Masonry. Albert Hall is not connected to Scottish Rite or York Rite Masonry. If a white Freemason visited one of these Prince Albert lodges, and his lodge found out about it, they would risk being expelled from the Scottish or York Rite!

In the 1970's, the U.S. government threatened the Freemasons with the loss of their tax exempt status if they did not begin to admit blacks. So guess what? THE FREEMASONS GAVE UP THEIR TAX EXEMPT STATUS! They obviously don't want black people in the lodges. This is called "racism". SOURCE

reply to post by Murgatroid

Bah, are you still here?

What is the time frame for "up until recently"? Is that a decade, two decades, three decades? A half century? Why is it anti-Masons have to speak so vaguely and in such generalities? Why can't you all give specifics and stand behind your words? Get some fortitude and speak plainly.

Luckily though in today's world, only a few Grand Lodges refuse to allow black men to join and I do find that sad.

Albert Hall?! Prince Albert?! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! It's Prince Hall. Fail. You'd be surprised to know that white men can join PHA just as black men can join most AF&AM and F&AM Lodges. And actually I have visited PHA Lodges before and thus I stand here still a Mason in good standing. In fact, I attended one of these PHA Lodges with the now Grand Master of my Grand Lodge. Hell, at my installation for my first time as Worshipful Master, I had several PHA Masons there to include the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Idaho, Oregon and Montana Inc.

Hey and guess what? My Grand Lodge does have tax exempt status.

The rest of your site is BS and you really do pick the "credible" ones.

Originally posted by Murgatroid
If a white Freemason visited one of these Prince Albert lodges...

Are you required to have a certain piercing to join the lodge or do they give it to you afterwords?

reply to post by Murgatroid


Definitely seeing a pattern with your sources.
I guess when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Be Blissful.

Originally posted by KSigMason


Albert Hall?! Prince Albert?!

Do you have Prince Albert in a can?

reply to post by AugustusMasonicus


took me awhile but I just got that.... lol slight keystroke slip......hmmm maybe should leave stroke out of response.

Oh, well, I know it's late, but thought I should point this out anyway.

Freemasons are not FREE.

A Freeman enters the lodge and takes "oaths" that "bind him", immediately eliminating his previous "Freedoms".

So the naming is confusing. It should have been something like BondMasons instead of FreeMasons.

Now, would you join the order, of Bondmasonry?

Suddenly, it's quite different, isn't it?

I am an Atheist and have no desire to join an organization based upon Abrahamic laws.

Nor do I have any desire to join an organization that is 100% males. I tend to find organizations that are 100% male are...how do you say....fruity? Not that there is anything wrong with that though.

Supposedly the G inside the compass and the square is meant to represent geometry...strange that no one swears an oath onto a math or science book though. It seems to be a religious text if I am not mistaken? Most likely you have an open King James Bible in your all male club in what...90% of all lodges? No thanks! No religion for me!

But you boys in your all male religious frat have fun!

Originally posted by NAMTERCES
Freemasons are not FREE.

Sure we are.

Originally posted by NAMTERCES
A Freeman enters the lodge and takes "oaths" that "bind him", immediately eliminating his previous "Freedoms".

Taking an oath/obligation doesn't hinder my freedoms, particularly when I am bound by integrity and fidelity my actions shouldn't be hindered in any right action or search for enlightenment.

reply to post by DirectDemocracy

Freemasonry isn't for everyone.

The 'G' isn't used everywhere, particularly outside the US.

Originally posted by NAMTERCES
A Freeman enters the lodge and takes "oaths" that "bind him", immediately eliminating his previous "Freedoms".

Right, because oaths that admonish you to be honest, law-abiding and supportive really can put a kink in your 'freedoms'.