Well, my year as Worthy Patron of my Eastern Star Chapter has ended, but in the place of those duties I am now the Secretary for Tahoma Chapel #30, Order of St. Thomas of Acon.
I draw this from observations I have made as I know many Free Masons and I have followed a particular lodges activities. As I said I have no issue with how they accept members but I can't see how you could possibly argue that a member tens to be chosen based upon their benefit to the group? AboveAlpha
I thought I would add my comment in a general reply to some of those made along this thread. The reason being that I am a mason, but not in the USA, but in Australia and while there are many similarities and obviously a lot of what we do in lodge will be pretty much identical, there are some major differences. I will start with the way in which a person becomes a mason. In Australia it is very different and you can apply on line. You do not need to know any masons or have any connection with them. That is how I started. The, next part is that you are met at lodge by one of the members who will have a chat, show you around the lodge and tell you about it and yes, you will be shown pretty much everything. If you are happy with what you hear, then you are invited to join the lodge in the south for about six months. This basically means you have a meal with the brothers once a month for six months and is an opportunity to ask lots of questions and to get to know the brothers and them you. After six months, there will be a ballot on admitting to the first degree. This is pretty much a formality and I have never heard of anyone being refused. There begins your masonic life. Next, some commentators have said your occupation is a factor. Well, certainly not in Australia. My lodge is mainly made up of working class guys who do a range of jobs from working at a refinery, to administration to retail. Our current Master is a welder and small time country singer. Also, someone mentioned that they bet someone working at McDonalds could not be a member, well, we have one member working at McDonalds. The ex-Grand Master of the whole of West Australia was a builders labourer. In fact, I am the only person in my lodge who has a professional background geoscientist. As I say, you simply apply on line. Race. Racial discrimination is not a factor and would not be tolerated in any way. We have people from a range of races and even religions it is not a branch of Christianity and we will be having a 3rd degree next month for a Muslim brother. We currently have a Pilipino member, a Maori, a Indian and an Australian Aboriginal it makes the dinner in the South so much more interesting as we take turns cooking (well our wives normally do) . As a global organisation we also have lodges in pretty much every major city in the world. In fact some Australian lodges are mainly made up of Aboriginal members. Community. This is, certainly in Australia, the biggest practical part of being a mason. Each lodge choses causes to support and raise money or do practical assistance with. In my lodge, we arrange a childs backpack that the police and social services get from us. This is used when a child is in distress such as if parents have been involved in an accident, or their home has been damaged by fire and that sort of thing. It is a cute backpack containing some essentials such as toiletries, a pair of pyjamas and of course a couple of toys including a teddy bear. We also support a school for kids with special needs and a centre that provides skills training. The latter we do in a practical way by helping with its maintenance and things. In Australia, there is a also a thing that many organisations have a hot dog stand to raise cash outside the big hardware chain. However, many smaller organisations do not have the staff to man it, so we will do it for them. We also organise the local bikers rally that raises money for sick children every year. Some want to know why people become a mason. I think it varies for everyone. For myself, I am British and moved to Australia and wanted to make new friends, I also wanted to do something in the community and I love history and what we can learn from history to make our own lives better. As I researched I discovered the phrase that is an important part of Masonic thought to take a good man and become a better man.
As we know Hamas has singled out the Masons for special attention once they wipe out the jews. My question: What did the masons do to acquire such emnity from Islamists?
IMO, what two consenting adults do in their home is none of my business. I know that a Secretary of a Lodge in my area is held by a openly gay Mason. He does his job, he's a nice guy, and so is his partner. Well, from the minds of people like Hamas and Nazis, the Freemasons are a convenient target for attacks due to our private or secret nature. Many of this same mindset have also tied us in with the Jews and thus are a part of those dastardly Zionists. And from writings of the past, like Robison, have made statements that we are tools of the Illuminati and thus the NWO which is apparently the antithesis to what they see as good and moral. Often what is held against us is from fabricated sources like Carr, Nesta Webster, Leo Taxil, Robison, Stephen Knight, and Jim Shaw; or misrepresented quotes (sometimes edited) of Albert Pike, Manly P Hall, and Albert Mackey. You also have a large amount of religious extremist propaganda held against us: we're bad because allow men of all faiths to join; we're a religion ourselves...even though we don't meet the basic requirements to be considered a religion; we worship Satan; we're an extension of the medieval Templars; we're a tool of the Jews; and the list goes on and on. There are some who say we secretly control the governments of men and are the cause behind every wrongdoing in the world. There's a variety of reasons and motivations as to why people oppose Freemasonry. As a Freemason I've been screamed at; someone got in my face (but didn't hit me); and told that I should be arrested, killed, beaten, tortured, and the list goes on. Opposition to Freemasonry comes in the form of certain religious groups (like the Catholic Church), Conspiracy theorists (David Icke or Alex Jones), Hate groups (KKK and Nazi-like groups), and self servers (Bill Schnoebelen). And to clear things up, I'm not saying every Mason is a good person. Like any group, we have our bad apples and some of them have made their actions public, but you don't burn down an orchard over a few bad apples. If every Mason was good, the nearly 180-Grand Lodges around the world wouldn't need a Penal Code in their Constitution and By-Laws. I have always maintained that anyone guilty of a crime should be held accountable.
I am not aware of any official thoughts on the gay community within Freemasonry. For myself, I believe that people have a right to be what they want to be. I have several gay friends and while i am not aware of any gay people in our lodge, it would not be a problem.
First, i think you need to seperate Hamas from Islam - one does not equal the other. Second, i think people in general are prone to discrimination when faced with something they dont understand or have a lot of knowledge about. When we are faced with something, we have a choice. We can make the effort to learn about it or we can take the easy option and discriminate against it. In the UK, the press often try to paint masonry as some sect and that nobody knows who is a mason. People believe it. The sad part is that all of the lodges have open days for the public to come and meet the brothers, look around the lodge and ask questions. Sadly, very few ever turn up. But the same people who can not be bothered to turn up, are often the ones with strong opinions of Freemasons
I do. Hamas is an Islamist organization. In my lexicon Islamists are extremists. I agree bigotry is rooted in ignorance.
Today was the first day of the 2014 Grand York Rite of Idaho which consists of conferring the honorary bodies of Order of High Priesthood, Order of Silver Trowel, Order of Knights Preceptor, and Knights of the York Cross of Honor. I had the pleasure of being initiated into Idaho Priory #13 of the Knights of the York Cross of Honor (or commonly referred to as the KYCH). The KYCH is an invitational body for those who have served as Worshipful Master of a Blue Lodge, High Priest of a Royal Arch Chapter, Illustrious Master of a Council of Cryptic Masons, and a Commandery of Knights Templar. The ritual is not long, but impressive and informative. The KYCH is considered by many to be the highest honor that can be awarded within the York Rite of Freemasonry.
A relatively unknown order of Masonry: Freemasonry is filled with many appendant bodies that can be found worldwide. Some are well-known, but there are a few that are relatively unknown. One such group is the August Order of Light, which has one Temple in the United States. This group should not be confused with "Sat B'Hai" that started in 1875, a similar society found in India. This organization is concerned with intellectual and spiritual stimulation and enlightenment. This group is unique as it incorporates ideas from the Orient. The Order and ritual was originally organized by Maurice Vidal Portman, a politician and occultist who had traveled to India around 1876 and became learned in the ritual, arts, and lore of the Far East, particularly of the Hindus, Buddhists, Jainists, and other faiths. It is thought that Portman may have been influenced by the rituals of Sat B'Hai, but this is only a speculation. It was also thought that John Yarker also assisted in the writing of the rituals, but the Order states that he was never a member and had no connection with it. Originally the Order did not take foot in England. It would be by the assistance of others that helped establish this order. The rituals were revised around the turn of the Century by two followers of Portman, T.H. Pattinson and Dr. Bogdan E.J. Edwards. These two through studying and communication with those in India reformed the rituals. The August Order of Light seeks to explain the symbolism of Craft Masonry by reference to the old world religions, particularly the mythologies of India, ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. This order is not adding to or replacing the ritual of Craft Masonry, but providing keys to explain it. It is there ardent wish "that all members will receive some degree of illumination from participating in the mysteries of the Order, thus rending the veil of darkness between the physical and spiritual planes." The order was founded in 1902 and flourished in Bradford (Northern England) in the basement of a pub. They would move into a warehouse in 1924 and in the 1960s they would move into a building of their own. The trouble would start to fall into troubles, particularly with the loss of property in Bradford, and those who sought to keep the order alive suggested that it should be absorbed into the Allied Masonic Degrees (AMD), but the Grand Master of the AMD rejected the idea. Its present headquarters is located in Halifax in West Yorkshire. At the proposition the members came together and kept the Order going, spreading it to now two Temples in England, two in Australia, one in the United States, and one in India. Each Temple is named 'Garuda Temple', with numbering identifying precedence within the Order. The August Order of Light is open to all Master Masons in good standing in a Lodge recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England. The order looks for Masons would benefit and be a benefit to the order. The Order has two Arch Presidents of the Center who are appointed for life and appoint their own successors. This order is not democratic in that the Arch Presidents have absolute discretion in the governance of the order; they have the ability to shut down the entire order or close down an individual temple, and may exclude from it, temporarily or permanently, any member or officer, giving reasons in writing if requested. The Arch Presidents are the approving authority for the creation of new Temples and are the Custodians of the Archives of the Order. The two Arch Presidents rule all temples directly from the center; there is no Grand or Provincial structure. Admission to the order is overseen by the Council of Agni which is made up of the Presidents of Garuda (leader of each temple) and brethren selected by the two Arch Presidents. Each Temple of the August Order of Light is administered by its Council of Garuda. The order is comprised of 2-degrees and a "connecting path": The First Degree, the Passing Degree, and the Second Degree. The regalia of Order is a robe and belt, with variations in each degree. With the First Degree, the Brothers wear a breast jewel. In the Second Degree, they wear a neck-jewel and the belt changes. The charity of this group surrounds raising money that helps pay for eye surgery for those that cannot afford the procedure on their own. The Order is thus dispensing Masonic light in a practical sense and assist those who are so afflicted. SOURCE
I haven't been on this entire forum lately as my new place's internet is so slow that I can't connect unless I am on campus. I have written more on Masonry and my latest article was on an order conferred in the Commandery of Knights Templar called "Order of Malta." I talk about the original order and its history as well as the Masonic Order of Malta.
Astrology. One thing that fascinates me about Masonry is that it seems to preserve the astrological "wisdom" of ages past that also served as the basis for the modern Christian faith, as well as for other sky-oriented religious traditions, and of those there were clearly very many indeed. Thomas Jefferson rightly pointed out Christ's origin as a solar deity, and there is apparently an ongoing debate as to whether he was a Freemason or not... I do have questions about Freemasonry, such as just what it is the Freemasons actually do. Apparently we have their architecture all over the US, especially in the District of Columbia, indicating that they were instrumental in the founding and building of this nation. Does Freemasonry ultimately control governments? It's conceivable that they could, though obviously this is straying into conspiracy theory territory. Even if they do control national governments to some extent, though, this wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, as their direction could be positive in more ways than it isn't. Also, how does one join? What does one do as a member?
I guess I can answer this one for myself: http://www.masonicinfo.com/member.htm While they are stated in slightly different words in various jurisdictions (and a few jurisdictions may have one or two requirements beyond these), they basically are as follows: Being a man, freeborn, of good repute and well-recommended; A belief in a Supreme Being; Ability to support one's self and family; Of lawful age; and Come to Freemasonry of their "own free will and accord". ----------------- I'd have to make a friend who could recommend me, and I'd have to lie about believing in any sort of supreme being
What do you think of one of the most famous Freemasons Aleister Crowley? Complied and commented by David J. Stewart Crowley (1875-1947) was the Master Satanist of the 20th Century The hierarchy of the Secret-Societies have been deeply involved in the Black-Occult since they have existed. This includes the ritual sacrifice of children and babies.(*)This knowledge has been kept from the minds of society at large until more recently. It is now only a matter of time when the masses of the people become fully aware of the real agenda behind the secret societies and the true purpose of why they exist. [video=youtube;12_PUYtkZBc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12_PUYtkZBc[/video]
One must go to a Lodge, fill out a petition, and be voted in by the members. To be eligible you must be an adult male (18 or 21, depending on jurisdiction) and hold a belief in a Supreme Being (Freemasonry doesn’t define one’s faith). You found a good site. If you are interested in joining, visit multiple Lodges if you can to find one that best suits you; every Lodge has its own personality. If you are elected to join, you go through 3-degrees in the Lodge by passing a proficiency. Once you are a Master Mason you may want to become an officer or work in committee or just be a sideliner. Some also decide to join appendant/concordant bodies such as the Shrine or York Rite. Aleister Crowley was a member of a clandestine or irregular Lodge and so I don’t consider him to be a true Mason. He tried to visit Lodges in England and America, and was denied entry. He even claims to be a 33rd, but could never really prove it. Even in the Lodge he was a member of he didn’t ever amount to anything. It was in the group, OTO, that he really left his mark and for which he is most known for.
1. Do lodges pay their members to do work for them? 2. Do they probe people on the Supreme Being bit, or is it a simple yes/no question and that's it? Because I'm sure I could come up with something to call supreme 3. Is there any rivalry, or any other kind of relationship, between the Masons and the Illuminati?
Every Lodge is different. My Lodge pays the Secretary a monthly salary for doing his job, but Lodge is a larger one in my state, and very active. I don't know if that is what you mean. It's a Yes or No that we ask. We never ask the individual faith in the Lodge. In some appendant/concordant bodies of Masonry, specifics are asked such as the Commandery requiring one to be Christian to join. Well, as the Bavarian Illuminati died out 230-years ago so I'd say no.
This is a question which came to my mind observing the behavior of some modern mason environments. As masonic tradition says the lodge is an organized room, physically a drawing [you can draw it on carpet or on the floor or on a bed sheet]. It was just in the revolutionary century [19th century] that in Europe some masons begun to make "portable" lodges [that is to say drawings on carpets which were available to be carry around]. Now, since some of these lodges were on valuable carpets, some masons begun to hang the carpets to a wall [to avoid to walk over it], meeting in front of the carpet. But this was traditionally wrong: those masons were no more in the lodge, but they were gathering in front of the lodge. Is this curious variation on the tradition still present or the "mistake" has been corrected? [Or it is totally unknown in American freemasonry ...]
There was some crossover of membership, but the whole "infiltrating" thing is myth and exaggeration. Before the Bavarian government disbanded them they were falling apart within the leadership structure. The most famous theory of "infiltration" is 1782 Congress of Wilhelmsbad. - - - Updated - - - Well, today most Masons own the building their Lodge is located at so they have drawings, carvings, engravings, and so forth physically present.
At lest for the tradition I know, the lodge is not essentially the construction, but a system of symbols [and the masons should be within the limits of that system to stay "in the lodge"]. Anyway ... I am quite curious about the "extension" of the original degrees [the 3 ones represented in the educational Masonic tables we can observe in many places], which was the base on which in a certain moment the number of "degrees" increased in a so visible way?
I do agree that a Lodge is more than just a building. Well, originally, there were only two degrees, but soon enough the Master Mason degree emerged along with the Royal Arch degree. Then with the Oration of Andrew Michael Ramsay, you started seeing chivalric orders starting to pop up like wildfire. Some of the side orders were legitimate orders of knighthood that were disbanded or became defunct for a variety of reasons. Some origins of these side degrees are just as unknown as Craft Masonry (the Lodge). Studying Masonic history is a pain in the ass, but I still love doing it.
