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My experience as a Freemason

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posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 01:25 AM
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reply to post by no1smootha
 


But "they" (as in any freemason i've seen on here and elsewhere) only refer to other masons as brother. I've never seen them call a non mason brother.

Still good to know that your "order" "accepts" women. lol Maybe freemason is finally coming into the 21st century? A little late though but rather late than never ay! lol



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 01:28 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 



I would not join the freemason religion. Well actually I would not be ALLOWED. What if I turned up and said I believe we just are, that there is no creator of any kind! Would I be accepted for what I believe? NO! You are part of a religion, sorry.


No, you would not be allowed, and for good reason.

Can there be civility without spirituality?

Anyhow, you also cannot go in the kitchen at Denny's without permission, or ride the rides at Disneyworld unless you are tall enough. That doesn't make Denny's and Disneyworld religions.


re·li·gion [ri-lij-uhn]
noun
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4.
the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5.
the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.


We don't show an observance of faith, and we don't concern ourselves with the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, and we don't adhere to a particular set of beliefs. Our members beliefs run the gamut of religions. My own personal beliefs are in stark contrast the my Christian brothers, and according to folks on ATS we are Luciferianists.


If we are a religion, how can Luciferianists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Wiccans, and Buddhists all co-exist in the same fraternity?



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 01:32 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 



But "they" (as in any freemason i've seen on here and elsewhere) only refer to other masons as brother. I've never seen them call a non mason brother.


Plenty of people call me brother, but only a couple of them are Masons, and I rarely call anyone brother, including Masons. It happens to be a little too Hulk Hoganish at the moment.
I've never been all that comfortable with it, even before I was a Mason. I also don't call people "bruh." Just too trendy.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 01:33 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 

I call people that I know and love my brother or bro all the time whether they are a Mason or not.

My order traces it's history to the 1880's, well before the Women's Suffrage movement in 1913 when society in general "accepted" women.
edit on 30-6-2012 by no1smootha because: (no reason given)



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 01:39 AM
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reply to post by getreadyalready
 


just because you believe there can not be "Can there be civility without spirituality" does not make it so, does it? Your good reason is bunk and your opinion. It doe snot make it FACT as you try to put it across. After all you are spiritual yet where is your civility towards the non believers? lol

Again you a kin your religion to a fair ground ride or a kitchen that makes no sense at all to be honest. YOu can not go on a fair ground ride for safety reasons! LIkewise for a kitchen... All your religion has for a reason is your opinion and prejudice!

You can be a religion because you put your beliefs about what god is to one side and then follow another set of beliefs, and that is one that you all follow. The degrees or whatever you call them. There is another religion btw that lets you be of any faith, can't remember it's name now though.
edit on 30-6-2012 by mee30 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 01:41 AM
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reply to post by no1smootha
 


So if you met a stranger that was a mason and he called you brother would you reciprocate, have you?

So your order has "Allowed" women for the entire time?

It's good that you are like the way you are but you and your "order" are the exception and not the rule.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 01:43 AM
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reply to post by getreadyalready
 


Yeah it creeps me out, and from what I've seen even on this thread you are the minority.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 01:45 AM
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Anyway people I'm going to leave you all to your religion lol... I will not exactly change anyones minds nor do I want to. And i can not be bothered to sit here and argue the toss over something so trivial. So good day to you all and no doubt I'll see you around here.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 02:03 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 

Liberty doesn't make rules for others to abide. My Order is mixed gender emphasizing Equality of men and women from it's inception. If I met a stranger who called me brother, I would reciprocate and call them brother/sister as well. Fraternity is a familiar term of respect and acknowledgement that we are all brothers and sisters.
edit on 30-6-2012 by no1smootha because: (no reason given)



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 02:33 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 

I don't think you quite realize what determines a religion.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 07:32 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 



You can be a religion because you put your beliefs about what god is to one side and then follow another set of beliefs, and that is one that you all follow. The degrees or whatever you call them. There is another religion btw that lets you be of any faith, can't remember it's name now though.


Bahai Faith allows all faiths and denominations, Buddhism and Shambhalism encourage study of all religions.

Masonry does not cause anyone to put their beliefs about got to one side and follow another set of beliefs. Masonry does not have a set of beliefs. I suppose you'd have to be one to be certain, but that is just a silly notion. The tenets of Masonry like brotherly love, and charity, and keeping one's passions within due bounds, are just lessons for living morally and upright, they are not intended as any way into heaven, and they do not conflict with any known set of beliefs or religion.

It isn't a religion, it is just a good set of advice from some good people.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 08:12 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 


I actually asked a friend who is a Mason this recently, about the religious aspect of it. His answer kinda set the record straight. All he said was;

"How many times have you seen a group of Freemasons doorknocking, selling their ideals?" He then asked me how many times I'd seen religious groups doing the same.

The answer to the first part of course, is never.

To me, that's the difference. Religious groups recruit, Freemasons are pretty clear that in order to join, you have to be the one to express an interest.

Anyway, I have a question or two for the OP (and others if they wish to answer).

Did your joining of the Freemasons give you what you originally expected? And did you discover things, such as wisdoms and understanding you would have missed had you not joined? Not after specifics of course, just curious to know if the idea behind it all is what us outsiders think or something different altogether.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 08:58 AM
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reply to post by no1smootha
 


So your order would allow me to join even though i do not believe in any kind of creator?



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 09:00 AM
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reply to post by 74Templar
 


Really? And you bought that? It proves nothing! Lots of religions do not knock on doors or "recruit" even the catholics do not knock on doors. And in fact that is a negative for them. If they truly believe you will go to hell if you do not follow the path shouldn't they knock on doors? Didn't jesus say to go from door to door and in the streets?

Anyway the masons are on youtube recruiting, so you were saying?


edit on 30-6-2012 by mee30 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 09:07 AM
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Originally posted by mee30
reply to post by 74Templar
 


Really? And you bought that? It proves nothing! Lots of religions do not knock on doors or "recruit" even the catholics do not knock on doors. And in fact that is a negative for them. If they truly believe you will go to hell if you do not follow the path shouldn't they knock on doors? Didn't jesus say to go from door to door and in the streets?

Anyway the masons are on youtube recruiting, so you were saying?


So, where are these videos? Post em up, and I'll concede. Regardless, religion is all about coercion. Freemasonry, if you ask any member, is reliant on the interest of the joining member. All members I have ever met and that is quite a few, have always said the same thing. The closest I ever had was a friend who is a Mason say I would make a good Mason. Read the post properly. I never said that all religions go door to door seeking new members. I said when was the last time you saw Masons recruiting? The answer is never. Plain and simple. As for religion, you barely pass a weekend here without some religious group doorknocking handing out flyers for their church, so you tell me, which is which?

ETA: Hardly a recruiting video.
More just the Freemasons wishing to open their doors to the conspiracy nuts who think they are up to something evil behind those doors.

edit on 30-6-2012 by 74Templar because: ETA



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 09:10 AM
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Originally posted by mee30
Anyway the masons are on youtube recruiting, so you were saying?


How is a news report 'recruiting'?



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 10:35 AM
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reply to post by 74Templar
 


I don't mind answering, if anything I welcome questions like this.

I went into Freemasonry with an open mind, I new the members I had already met to be good men. The one expectation I had was that I would be excepted for who I was, which has been met in abundance.

What I have learnt so far has only reinforced my own spiritual practice, for example part of the first degree encourages us to divide our day into three parts, one of which is to spend time practicing ones individual faith. Though it is a simple recommendation, it is one I had not been doing as much of as I should have.

As I said in my OP, I see secret as meaning hidden. If one does not seek then finding what is hidden is impossible, Freemasonry offers me another set of tools to aid me in my journey.

Hope that helps.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 10:46 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 


My religion is Buddhism, that is what I practice. One of the things Buddhism teaches me is to be compassionate and then to translate that into a practice of relieving others suffering. Freemasonry gives me an opportunity to put this into practice.

An analogy may be going on a journey, the car is my religious belief that carries me forward along the road and though I already know my destination, the journey would be helped if I used SAT NAV, Freemasonry is like SAT NAV. The SAT NAV cannot transport me on its own as it is not a car.

Hope that helps clear up the difference between Religion and Freemasonry.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 11:11 AM
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reply to post by mee30
 


My order is adogmatic and doesn't require a statement of belief, therefore in my order you could petition. You would have to be tolerant towards those who have beliefs that you don't share, arguing with someone for being religious would be frowned upon, just as it would for someone proselytizing to another to convert them to their faith.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 11:45 AM
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reply to post by 74Templar
 


By saying the masons do not knock doors you are implying that they are not a religion because of it! You know that's what you meant just like I do... But not all religions do. Where I am from I can not remember the last time my door was knocked, and the last time it was would of been the jehovahs witnesses. And it is because that is what their scriptures tell them to do. At least they stick to it somewhat...

You say if I show the vids you will concede but when I do you make excuses.. Do not fear there are plenty more! Want to see? Will you concede then?


This is so pointless to be honest...




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