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My experience as a Freemason

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posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 11:50 AM
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reply to post by Jamjar
 


Not really mate lol... It's all the same mumbo jumbo to me... That is my opinion, sorry you guys do not like it.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 11:54 AM
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reply to post by no1smootha
 


And that is fair enough dude, I still wouldn't join however as I have no need for anything like it. But at least yours seems a little more open and understanding. Not my cup of tea though.

That being said I don't much care what club/religion people choose. Personally for me it's all a bunch of worthless BS. Just my opinion. I'm sure you will disagree and that is fine. Would be boring if we all agreed all the time



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 12:29 PM
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Brother, thank you for sharing with us!
I wish you greater Enlightenment on your journey.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 04:11 PM
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reply to post by 74Templar
 



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.


Tough question. I really expected there to be more instruction, more concrete ideals to learn, but instead I discovered there were only very basic and simplistic guidelines and a whole lot of room for experience to cause me to learn things I never expected. I would have to say I did not get the things I expected to get, but instead I got things way more profound and powerful that really caused e to change from within.

One of the most basic and humbling experiences was just the time and effort that goes into putting on a degree, and the number of men that are willing to go out of their way, stay out late, and be there to welcome a new member. Some of them don't even do anything, they just sit there in the Lodge for a couple of hours, just for the opportunity to shake a new Mason's hand and say "welcome."

Another lesson was preparing a meal for 30+ men. I've never done anything like that before, and I did it once or twice per month for almost a year, and that was an enlightening experience. Also learning the politics that go on within a group such as the Masons, and how the group gets past any petty differences.



I'm still waiting for my piece of the Templar Treasure, launch codes, secret words that make all Judges look the other way, and advance notice of stock market manipulation. They keep forgetting to put me on those mailing lists?



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 04:16 PM
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reply to post by Jamjar
 



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.


That is interesting, but I see it exactly oppositely.

My spiritual belief is very similar to yours, I already know where I am going, but I want to be as prepared as possible when I get there. If I use a SAT NAV and take the interstates the whole way, then I will be pretty much the same person I am now when I arrive there, and I might not be prepared for my new role. So instead, I avoid the SAT NAV and I take all the backroads, and I get lost as much as possible, so that my journey is unplanned and chaotic and I'm forced to evolve, and by the time I reach my destination I am an entirely different person than when I left.


Or maybe that's just me justifying a lot of wrong turns, unplanned pit stops, and a few flat tires or crashes along the way.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 05:26 PM
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reply to post by getreadyalready
 


Lol that's a great way of seeing it.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 06:14 PM
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Originally posted by mee30
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...


So then why continue to argue a lost point? You should really look at the definition of a religion, and then read all the responses here. What your saying is that Freemasonry is a religion, so by your logic I could walk into the local assemblage of Christ, say I'm Muslim or a Buddhist, and they would welcome me with open arms... You see the failed logic here?

You showed one news report of an open lodge. I have seen dozens of these "recruiting" videos as you call them. Funnily enough, I don't seem to be swayed into thinking joining Freemasonry is a good idea after watching them. When you can show something that clearly states active Masons selling their product or salvation as the church does, then I will concede. Until then you're just grasping at straws.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 06:22 PM
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Originally posted by Jamjar
reply to post by getreadyalready
 



Thankyou both for the replies. I do tend to ask hard questions, must be the journalistic nature coming out...


I hope I didn't pry too much, I know that what each man learns in a lodge is personal and completely different from another's experience. I have always been curious about Freemasonry, not the conspiracy side, but the reality of it. I guess I just always wanted to figure out the mysteries for myself though. As I do a lot of charity work, I am always in contact with Masons, and I've always found them to be great stand up guys, or "on the level" as you say... One thing is they are always consistent with their ideas and answers. You can ask a dozen Masons the same question, and will always get the same answer. I tend to think if there was some hidden agenda, you would eventually trip one up. That to me stands out above all else.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 09:09 PM
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reply to post by mee30
 

It's a title in our organization.

How do you cope with such a constitution if such a benign word creeps you out?

reply to post by mee30
 

Co-Masonry and other irregular bodies have existed for a long time. Though I do not recognized all organizations who use the name "Mason", I have great respect for many of them, including no1smootha



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 09:25 PM
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reply to post by KSigMason
 



Co-Masonry and other irregular bodies have existed for a long time. Though I do not recognized all organizations who use the name "Mason", I have great respect for many of them, including no1smootha


Worth repeating!


Especially the bolded part.



posted on Jun, 30 2012 @ 09:29 PM
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reply to post by getreadyalready
 


I want to back that up, too, getready. The teachings are similar, and even though here in the States co ed bodies are dominantly considered clandestined, i hold them in a high esteem. The teachings of Freemasonry can have a positive influence for all people.



posted on Jul, 2 2012 @ 12:37 PM
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reply to post by W3RLIED2
 

I want to thank the three of you for your words, they meant a lot to me. I also wanted my experience with Freemasonry, at least part one.

My best friends and I have known each other since we were kids collecting comic books and playing role-playing games to pass the long hot days of summer. As we grew to be teenagers in the eighties, our interests turn to the punk rock music scene that was emerging in American cities. One of my friend’s fathers was an aging hippy who worked in the post office. He encouraged our youthful rebellion seeing it as an important step in the development of our subculture. Anyway, this man was also an instructor of the Transcendental Meditation technique that he had learned from Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi, the Beatle’s guru. He gave us each our mantra and taught us to meditate. This was the beginning of a spiritual adventure as we explored a variety of alternative beliefs. We discovered a group here that believes their founder was in contact with extraterrestrials who built the ancient pyramids. This group makes meditation wine in pyramids and mummifies their dead. We were invited to Hare Krishna temples to eat Indian meals and learn to chant. We helped them maintain their buildings and build enclosures for some of the animals they kept. We also met with small local meditation groups like Siva Siddhanta held in some yuppie family’s living room. We were strange sight punk rockers with yoga mats and mala beads. One friend’s mother fearful from all the “anti-cult” propaganda she had heard called her minister concerned that her son might be brainwashed, but after meeting with him he reassured her that he was not. We kept an open mind but not so open minded that our brains fell out.

We became aware that some of the writers we read such as Vivekananda were Freemasons. We had all seen the Masonic Temple, with enormous sphinxes flanking the entrance but none of us knew anything about this group or their building. So we started seeking and reading Freemasonic literature as well. One friend and I became more and more interested and decided that we both wanted to join the Fraternity and the search for sponsors to recommend us was on. I met one old man and his wife at the nursing home where I worked, they were always very kind and I would often stop in even on days off to check on them. During one such visit, I noticed that he had an unusual ring that I didn’t recognize and I asked him if he was a Freemason. We talked at length about some of the books I had read, and then I told him I would like to join. He said nothing. I thought maybe I did something wrong or perhaps I wasn’t worthy in his eyes. I wasn’t dissuaded, and expressed my desire to join twice more at different occasions before something happened. One day I arrived at the retirement center and he excitedly wheel out in his wheel chair, calling my name and gesturing to come to his door. He had a petition there with his name on the first line followed by the initials PGM and the number 33. I wouldn’t find out what that meant until later. My friend found that he knew two Brethren through his parent’s affiliation with the Elks club where he was also a member. He petitioned and took his degrees. His being raise a Master Mason provided me with a second signature for my petition and I turned it over to my elderly friend so he could return it to Lodge.

The rest is as it is for every Brother. My application was read, I was investigated and the petition was balloted upon. I received my degrees in 1990 and enjoyed my time with my mentor, an old Cajun miner who enjoyed smoking cigarettes and drinking strong coffee as he helped me pass my proficiency. There were times in the last 20+ years when I wasn’t active due to time demands at the University when I was studying there, but as I grew older I became more interested in giving back to my community and especially to help the Brothers to develop our Lodge. I took a more active role as a mentor to instruct new Brothers in their catechism proficiency, and also edited our newsletter and mailed it to our members. My favorite activities with Lodge have been helping struggling rural Lodges to perform their degrees and active group participation in charities like Habitat for Humanity, because “many hands make for light work” and at the end of the day we could see physical manifestation of the work we did and knew some family would appreciate our efforts.

This is my Freemasonic experience with “Regular” Freemasonry, when and why I demitted and became a “clandestine” Mason, is as they say, another story for another time.

edit on 2-7-2012 by no1smootha because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 2 2012 @ 06:08 PM
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reply to post by no1smootha
 


Thank you for recounting your experience, it seems we've all been on a great journey and I do look forward to hearing the rest of yours.



posted on Jul, 4 2012 @ 06:54 PM
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reply to post by Jamjar
 


jamjar, i am 16 years old and i have created an account just to speak with you, i am a 16 year old guy that has recently got in touch with the fake society we see on TV everyday and i am taking all this in pretty easily but i am surrounded by "unawaken ones" everyday, i have recently by chance gone to Paris to see my stepmum and dad.

One evening a few years ago, i met a 32 degree freemason and he opened me eyes so much i cried and felt a weird sensation that i never felt before when he revealed that what everyday life in the streets is nothing to compare to the world being destroyed by powerful people. i don't feel depressed that we will all be killed within the next few 10s of years but i feel i can't do anything about it and i have no one "intelligent" to talk to about it, apart from a friend which is 16 as well, i don't see the freemason anymore as i have moved back to my original country, but i just feel like a worthless petty teenager which has no great value to society (which is pretty much true) yet i want to know more about the REAL secrets behind everything we are being lied to about. I know that i am probably another 1000th person asking you for the truth, but if there is anything anyone could tell me to survive in this horrible and irrational world please tell me.

I am the sort of kid that sits on the computer until 4 am in the morning reading posts on how the Illuminati or whatever other secret society are doing to kill us. I do everything possible to avoid eating the poisoned foods they feed us and thats all i can do to survive because like i said, im a worthless teenager with absolutely no power in this world, heck i don't even think the illuminati cares if i know about what they are doing since i can't do anything to stop them! I feel ever so worthless but i (for my age) am more intelligent and much more rational than any other person i know except for one of my friends AND the freemason i met.... ONCE. i guess that might be a plus point?

What i am trying to say is that you have LIVED and been through things that i couldn't imagine a year ago, but i am just asking you for help, for guidance, for knowledge i can use to survive in this world because knowledge is power and only the powerful ones survive in this world.

I have never posted a post ever so long, i have only read posts, the reason i am asking you help is because i am nothing and i have lost hope, i smoke weed to forget about all the unimaginable things that happen in this world. i dont smoke weed much but when i do, its probably the only time i don't think about the world coming to an end.
I am crying so much right this second of writing this, it will probably not touch you but you are anyone are my only hope to stay sane. please help me.



posted on Jul, 5 2012 @ 03:39 AM
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reply to post by pierre123
 


Pierre, you're forgetting one thing.

At the end of the day, every person, no matter how powerful or greedy, has at least a spark of good in them.
And at the end, that spark will become a flame, and the world will be a better place.

When you are older and have experienced many years of life and have seen the good in people, you will realize that ultimately, the good in people will triumph over every evil plan and over world domination.

People have tried since the beginning of time to destroy the world, and to rule with an iron fist. Every war that has ever started has eventually ended. Every tyrant has ultimately been overthrown. Deep down, the good in people will not tolerate opression, and since the beginning of the world, opression has always been the side to lose.

I guess you can take confort in this.



posted on Jul, 5 2012 @ 09:35 AM
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Originally posted by pierre123
reply to post by Jamjar
 


jamjar, i am 16 years old and i have created an account just to speak with you, i am a 16 year old guy that has recently got in touch with the fake society we see on TV everyday and i am taking all this in pretty easily but i am surrounded by "unawaken ones" everyday, i have recently by chance gone to Paris to see my stepmum and dad.

One evening a few years ago, i met a 32 degree freemason and he opened me eyes so much i cried and felt a weird sensation that i never felt before when he revealed that what everyday life in the streets is nothing to compare to the world being destroyed by powerful people. i don't feel depressed that we will all be killed within the next few 10s of years but i feel i can't do anything about it and i have no one "intelligent" to talk to about it, apart from a friend which is 16 as well, i don't see the freemason anymore as i have moved back to my original country, but i just feel like a worthless petty teenager which has no great value to society (which is pretty much true) yet i want to know more about the REAL secrets behind everything we are being lied to about. I know that i am probably another 1000th person asking you for the truth, but if there is anything anyone could tell me to survive in this horrible and irrational world please tell me.

I am the sort of kid that sits on the computer until 4 am in the morning reading posts on how the Illuminati or whatever other secret society are doing to kill us. I do everything possible to avoid eating the poisoned foods they feed us and thats all i can do to survive because like i said, im a worthless teenager with absolutely no power in this world, heck i don't even think the illuminati cares if i know about what they are doing since i can't do anything to stop them! I feel ever so worthless but i (for my age) am more intelligent and much more rational than any other person i know except for one of my friends AND the freemason i met.... ONCE. i guess that might be a plus point?

What i am trying to say is that you have LIVED and been through things that i couldn't imagine a year ago, but i am just asking you for help, for guidance, for knowledge i can use to survive in this world because knowledge is power and only the powerful ones survive in this world.

I have never posted a post ever so long, i have only read posts, the reason i am asking you help is because i am nothing and i have lost hope, i smoke weed to forget about all the unimaginable things that happen in this world. i dont smoke weed much but when i do, its probably the only time i don't think about the world coming to an end.
I am crying so much right this second of writing this, it will probably not touch you but you are anyone are my only hope to stay sane. please help me.


Don't be silly, I understand what you are saying, you are definitely not alone in how you feel. Your generation have it rougher than any generation that has gone before, yes I know people have experienced world war in the past but your generation has to live with the fact that we have just been through a mini golden age and the prospects you all face are dire indeed.

One thing you are wrong about though is your ability to influence the world, to explain this I'll give you an example from my own experience - I used to feel helpless about the suffering in the world, my heart ached because I could not directly relieve the suffering of others around the world, then one day I realised that relieving suffering was not the point, the point was that I wished for their suffering to end and began to lead my life in a way that caused no further suffering, this is part of what we can do.

The one and only thing we can control in our lives is who we are, how we respond to situations. Through practice we begin to train ourselves not to react negatively when confronted with a situation that would normally generate a negative response, our response is our choice, the choice is subconscious, but it is trainable.

Nobody can make you happy, sad, angry etc. It is our own response and that we do have control over, it just takes time, but the rewards are worth it.

We change the world one step at a time, we become better people and lead the world by example. When people see happy in a situation that would make them unhappy they will then ask themselves "Why?" and hopefully this will trigger a desire to change.

You ARE important, you DO count, you DO matter, and you most definitely DO have the power to change the world. With a good heart you WILL become the cure to the dis-ease the world is experiencing.

Be patient as it won't happen over night.

If you want to talk more I am here. U2U me, post here etc.

Hope that makes some sense.



posted on Jul, 5 2012 @ 09:40 AM
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reply to post by Jamjar
 


Great thoughts jamjar!

In Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" he talks about a "Circle of Influence" vs. a "Circle of Concern."

A lot of us have concerns far outside our circle of influence, and those things are just wasted stress and concern. If we can learn to focus all of our concern, efforts, and energy within our circle of influence, we will see profound results and success, and as that success grows, so does our circle of influence.

If we want to change the world, first we have to change ourselves, and then our family and friends and careers and we have to speak to those that will listen and not waste anytime with those that won't. We have to be the things we want to see changed, and we have to always be vigilant to focus our energies where we can do the most good. If everyone could master that simple process, the world would change itself! Imagine if every single person just took the time to be more personally responsible for themselves, that alone would change the world. It doesn't take any grand effort or event, it takes a whole lifetime full of small ones.



posted on Jul, 5 2012 @ 04:39 PM
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reply to post by no1smootha
 


I'm really enjoying this thread. Thank you all for sharing your experience, it was very interesting.

To no1smootha. I am thinking about joining freemasonry but I don't know yet which would suit me best regular or liberal masonry. If you don't mind I would really like to know why you abandoned regular freemasonry and joined clandestine.



posted on Jul, 5 2012 @ 04:46 PM
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Originally posted by no1smootha

This is my Freemasonic experience with “Regular” Freemasonry, when and why I demitted and became a “clandestine” Mason, is as they say, another story for another time.



Please do start a thread and tell this story. I think it would be a very interesting thread.

Besides, I'm really curious and I'm sure I'm not the only one...



posted on Jul, 5 2012 @ 06:33 PM
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Originally posted by Saurus
and I'm sure I'm not the only one...



You're not. We all want to know if Smootha couldn't handle the blood on the altar clean up job that all Junior Deacons have to do. Let alone feeding the captives. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.







 
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