Masonic Temple locations

I have been wanting to ask this for awhile now,but wasnt sure if it would start some sort of conspiracy theories.
Here in San Diego,there are many Temples.
My question is,why are they,or why do they seem to be,located very so very near churches.I may be just noticing the few,but there are quite a few.I can confirm 4 that I pass by everyday that have churches located withing throwing distances.
Is there a reason or is it just by chance that these ones were built near them?
I cant find any info for the ones I know on the net,so I cant say the lodge numbers.Therefore cant say if the churches were there first or not.
Again,just wondering if it had any meaning or was just coincidence.

The history of local body zoning regulations would have more to do with this phenomenon around the world than synergy with selection of any particular denominational meeting places. IMHO.

Its not a coincidence. Its a zoning issue, and lodges are located where the city zoning allows one to be erected. Strangely, in San Diego County, Lodges are grouped with Churches in the zoning code, so...

Did you think that lodges would locate next to churches to... recruit?

Riverside Lodge in Riverside California is located across the street from a church, and my lodge is sanwiched between the Southern Baptist Church and the Calvary Church Drug Rehab facility... its just a zoning thing.

Did you think that lodges would locate next to churches to... recruit?

Not at all.
To tell you the truth,I was thinking it had to do with faith and wanting to be near something as holy as a church.From what I have read,Masons are to believe in God.So I thought maybe it was a way of being close to a place that does this.
Stupid thinking I know,but my thoughts were as simple as that to me

I dont know much about the Masons.I dont know what their agenda is.It may be something I should read more about.

Thank you for the answers though.Atleast now someone down the line wont think it is some sort of conspiracy that they are so near to them

Originally posted by SMR

Did you think that lodges would locate next to churches to... recruit?

Not at all.
To tell you the truth,I was thinking it had to do with faith and wanting to be near something as holy as a church.From what I have read,Masons are to believe in God.So I thought maybe it was a way of being close to a place that does this.
Stupid thinking I know,but my thoughts were as simple as that to me

I dont know much about the Masons.I dont know what their agenda is.It may be something I should read more about.

Thank you for the answers though.Atleast now someone down the line wont think it is some sort of conspiracy that they are so near to them

Best thing to do would be to go to the source. FInd a local lodge, and see when they have open house events, or you can even see when their parking lot is full and then hang around until they come outside. Just talk to Masons face-to-face. Nothing beats a candid in-person conversation.

its funny you ask that question. last year a new lodge opened in my area. just so happens it opened where a church had just closed. they tore down some(but not all) of the church and built onto what they left standing. the zoning issue was the first thing that popped into my mind as well. I would be more interested in the lay(sp?) lines that lodges are said to be built on. no clue about this really, just saw it mentioned on this board before. may be called something completely different, my memory isnt what it once was...either way it had something to do with magic.

Lodge buildings are built where the land is cheap enough to buy and build on... Be that an old converted Church (like my Lodge building), or a structure built specifically for the purpose of housing a Lodge (or two).

There are no "lay" line issues, no hocus pocus. It's a simple question of how much money is in the coffers and how it can best be spent.

As for being located near Church buildings,... I live within walking distance (4-5 minutes) of no less than 6 church buildings of various (Christian) faiths, including my own. Some areas have more Churches than others...

my first thought was property value and zoning. i know the lodge in my home town is where the old skating rink used to be. the rink floor is still there under the new floor. also might have something to do with the activities. we had
3 youth groups ( jobs, Rainbow, and DeMolay) so always had dinners, dances,
fund raisers, etc going on at the temple. we had a coffee shop next door.

Here in my City the Lodge is built inbetween the Royal Canadian Legion, A Curling Rink and an Abandoned Police Station.

I was wondering more about the location near chuches only though.I just seemed that where there was a chuch,a lodge was very near by.Most very near churches.Right next to or accross the street.
There is a fairly new lodge accross from an old church.

I just thought it was something to do with Masons believing in God and wanting to be near a place that so worships God.
No real conspiracies here.Infact,there was an old grocery store that was turned into a roller rink!! Seems reasonable to me concidering the layout

Originally posted by SMR
I was wondering more about the location near chuches only though.
...
I just thought it was something to do with Masons believing in God and wanting to be near a place that so worships God.
...

Naw,... Sometimes the land that a Lodge buys is/was OWNED by the Church that sold it off for some increase in their coffers...

Location is purely a matter of convenience and aesthetics...

in the city were I live, there is a masonic temple just right down the street from the high school.

My lodge is right across the street from St Mary's church in Sacramento, my Scottish Rite is right across the street from Cal State University.

some lodges use to be the centers of meetings in towns. in farmington michigan, this lodge use to accomadate both a masonic lodge and city hall and court house. It was also a stop on the underground railroad with seven or so sub-basements. and i think it has been there since 1851. Further you should consider that as many religous faiths there are there are churches everywhere (in the U.S.) and there is a masonic lodge in almost every city and town in the U.S. .

My lodge is in an old Baptist church and current Odd Fellows lodge. Within one block (east and west) of the lodge is the sheriff's department, county jail, courthouse, police department, a church and a fire station.

If we move or build zoning will dictate to us where we can go but we were there first

I have only seen 2 lodges in my city and 1 lodge in Portland Or., only because i am working at a Hotel that is being remodeled downtown and I recognized the symbol. The ones I have seen there is no church within miles of the lodges and I have never seen the parking lot have one car in them or seen people come out of the buildings, it is like they are deserted? Really strange... Maybe they don't like the 24/7 rain we get here!

Here in Newbury, Berkshire, England. There is a lodge which stands next to the site of a pulled down church.

The church was called Saint Marys, it is also situated near a huge catholic church. The name escapes me, but I will find out.

More to follow when I find the name of the church.

CabalX

I too had a thought and here I share...

The lodge in my city is constructed within the downtown core and has been there since the early 20's. Being that I live in a very newly constructed city, this is where everything was built at the time and was then constructed outwards from there. There are really NO buildings that are older than 1890's in my city and the lodge is one of the oldest buildings in its area. Around it you will only find churches, a few old apartment buildings (turned into apartments after being old office buildings etc.), and churches.

Just an hyposthesis...
nat

speaking of weird masonic temples, there is this very secluded masonic temple church in the otay mesa area of san diego. it is deep in the otay river bottom and it is very eerie. there are masonic symbols all around it with small deeply tinted windows. outside there is guard keeping watch of people who come by. the whole temple is actually gated and locked. what kind of church locks their gates to the public? masonic satanic churches!!