New ATS Member

Just a hello from a new member. I've been a lurker here for a little while, but up till now have resisted joining.

I came across ATS while doing some research on Freemasonry before joining the Fraternity (my father is a past WM, my grandfather and many other relatives are or were members). I was looking for information on what to expect, public perceptions, and so on. I'd heard all of the usual babble from non-masons, those who have no first-hand knowledge of the Craft, yet profess to know more than the members, but was interested in learning more. While I wanted to participate in some of the discussions, I felt that my knowledge as a non-Mason was at the very least limited, and\or that I didn't want take the chance that something I wrote may somehow jeopardize my petition to the Lodge for membership. I have been accepted, but not yet initiated, and I anxiously await it.

I've found some intelligent and thought-provoking stuff here, but I've also found stuff that is amusing at the very least, some completely off the mark, and some at which I just shake my head and laugh. I've also found reason to buy stock in Alcan and Reynolds...

Looking forward to participating and making positive contributions.

reply to post by IslandMason


Hi IslandMason, and welcome to the Introductions Forum, a place to say hello to the ATS community. For now you can reply to any thread in any member forum you wish, as well as send & receive (PM's) Private Messages to Staff only for now.

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reply to post by IslandMason
Welcome IslandMason!

Be on your toes- there are some here who like to think the Masons are responsible for every bad thing that happens on the planet. My experiences with Masons have always been good, I just want you to be prepared. A word of advice: Don't feed the trolls!

reply to post by IslandMason


Welcome to ATS...here's your complimentary Pastry Tray...enjoy....




Des

reply to post by IslandMason


I just noticed that you are 1 of 38 people that joied ATS today. Pretty whacked out huh.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Wow! A pastry tray!!!!! 'talks with mouth full' You must be really special for Des to trot this out....welcome! 'Sings' "We are Family".

reply to post by IslandMason


... Masonry background eh...hmmm.. neat and very interesting..
And I second what littled said





See ya around.
-nat

Thanks for your welcomes. I'll sit down with that pastry tray when prime time TV hits, if that's OK...

I hope this is an acceptable place for this - it gives insight into my core beliefs and the reason why I joined ATS.

Through looking onto Masonry, I have found that Masonry itself can be blamed for some of the issues it faces, and simple misunderstanding for more. Regardless of their benign intent within context, specific words, phrases, and concepts found within Masonry, when taken out of context, or even at face value, really set the Anti-Masons off because they misunderstand, and certain hoaxes and misinformation are continually perpetuated as truth, further supporting unfounded suspicions. If I may postulate...

I am not (yet) a Mason, but I am a Christian, and a free thinker who considers both sides of an argument before making judgement. I don't see things in such narrow terms as some others of my faith. Being Protestant, to me the Holy Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - three separate entities that are also one. In other words, if you follow any, you follow all, and a belief in God is also "through Jesus Christ" (even the Catholics say he was God in human form, which means he was the SAME entity as God). I find it entirely plausible that my God, the God of the Bible, is the same God that other religions pray to, except they use a different name. All religions claim theirs is the only true faith, but I certainly don't think that the God I pray to has set up a colossal lottery, where we get to wait until we die and stand at the Pearly Gates to hear St. Peter say (in Richard Dawson's voice), "Because of your nationality and upbringing, as your lifelong religion you chose Hinduism. The survey says...Ooops, too bad, but thanks for playing".

Things like being "brought into light" in the initiation and the very word "ritual" seem to upset the "uber-religious". If one uses common sense (which really isn't that common), one can see that the "light" doesn't refer to spiritual light, but the light of knowledge (I wonder if those who will say that "the quest for knowledge is evil" ever sent their kids to school or attended university...). Since Masonry uses allegory and metaphor to encourage members to think and find "answers' for themselves, that "knowledge" of Masonry is therefore purely symbolic; in the end, it is different things to different men. But perhaps simply changing a word or phrase or two in the rituals - and maybe even renaming "rituals" to "ceremonies" - might make it more acceptable . Just a thought.

The fact that the Masons have some "secrets" they will not divulge has a few in a fever. Contrary to speculation and disinformation propagated by the likes of illuminattinews.com, the VERIFIABLE extent of those secrets appears to be no more than the rituals themselves, and a few handshakes, signs and words or phrases, all of which are easily searchable online, and since I'm not a Mason, I can post the link. Go here: www.sacred-texts.com... (though admittedly, the illustrations make me think that the text is from the mid-1800s). The keeping of those secrets is more a matter of honour between members, demonstrating a man's character and trustworthiness (if he can keep these minor secrets, he can be trusted with anything I might want to tell him), and his ability to deal fairly with others and in business, not a grand conspiracy to take over the world.

Secrets themselves are not evil. Everyone has things they keep to themselves. Many organizations have certain things to which they restrict access. Companies, city governments, and your public library board have "in camera" meetings the public cannot attend. On a more personal level, I don't divulge my banking information.