Masonic Brotherhoods

[Steven W]

That's my situation. I've been asked, but it's a blind commitment. It's not that I think there's anything particularly fishy going on, because I judge by the character of those that invited me. My issue is that I'm not going to make a commitment to join anything without understanding what the point of joining is, what the objectives and benefits are, and what the obligations and commitments (financial and otherwise) are.

So I declined. Joining is a leap of faith I was not prepared to make.

That's exactly it, stepping into the unknown. If I had all the facts in front of me, I could make an informed decision.

[Mike Fishcake]

Being a mason seems to be a bit like being a Mac user:

- They're not really doing anyone any harm.
- A lot of people wonder what it would like to be one.
- They show an almost fanatical devotion to it.
- Many of them get annoyed and defensive if anyone questions it or even makes the teeniest-tiniest little joke at their expense.

[MSIC]

ah... I see what you mean now it's democratic in it's decision making, nothing is decided without a vote, anything that affects the entire group is motioned and then it's up to the individuals to vote.

No, that's really not it, although please understand that i'm not being argumentative for the sake of it.

Democracy, at least from one perspective, is about the majority electing who they want to act or speak for them.
That's not what i'm advocating as such.
A masonic group can have whomever it wants in charge, by whatever means they got there (first come first served? father was a mason?).
But irrespective of who the decision makers are (be it a despotic system or communist) they should be answerable to justify their decisions. At it's most simplistic, they should be allowed to be fired. And if the decisions they make affect a wider community, then the wider community should be able to fire them. And THAT is the problem, because the wider community doesn't know who they are, let alone who is in charge of what.

In truth, i actually doubt masonic groups have that much power, so it's not an issue that worries me much. But the principal is there, and it's what i stand by.

[Steven W]

ah... but why would they need to be held accountable? They have to have their accounts audited like anyone else, you can imagine the amount of cash that's passed around.

I'm not sure about other lodges, but we all know where our funds go and what charitys receive donations... so i'm happy with that.

other than that, the way i see it, I pay £20 every month for 6 months of the year and have a damned good meal and booze up. a full 5 course meal for £20 and subsidised bar

Subsidised bar?! I'm sold

[SiM]

It all sounds like just one hell of a big orgy to me...

[Clunk]

It all sounds like just one hell of a big orgy to me...

[Moby-Dick]

Guys if you disagree with someone that's fair enough, but I don't see the need for any name calling , insinuated or otherwise.

[Rob_B]

but what do you 'do' ?

I totally agree with the comments on not joining if you have no idea what you're signing yourself up for (Saracens post is spot on)
Has it not lost some of the mystique as its far more 'mainstream' now than it seems to have been ever?

[IBM]

I am 100% positive I posted something in here asking if anyone else found eshrules a little on the patronising side....

.....and now it's gone!!!

It's a conspiracy I tell you!!

*puts on foil hat*

[Rob_B]

hasn't it been shown that foil hats do not block any signals but in fact amplify certain frequencies (frequencies reserve by the US military) ? Totally OT but thought that might get a few conspiracy nuts going!

[Dreaming]

I honestly don't know anything about them...

[BUFF]

Surely due to the secretive nature of the masons, you shouldn't even be declaring that you are a mason?

as they say, they aren't a secret society but a society with secrets ...
My father did ask me once if I wished to join but as already mentioned they can't tell you anything about what it actually involves until you join.

Would you believe the recent Zimbabwe government when they said that everything is 'going well' and they are just helping their own people?

No, because it obviously isn't (I have several friends from Zimbabwe).
It's not really a good comparison though as there is no evidence that the Masons are going around beating up/killing their opponents currently or have killed 10s of thousands of people who weren't in their tribe.

[Blitzen]

ah... I see what you mean now it's democratic in it's decision making, nothing is decided without a vote, anything that affects the entire group is motioned and then it's up to the individuals to vote.




<giggles>

so naieve and ignorant it's untrue

I hope I don't appear sad and pompus, I'm about as common as they come and from very humble beginnings, I certainly don't feel elitist, but I do like meeting educated, well founded people who can advise and direct me in life and business

how can you judge something like that, when you've not actually 'given it a go' ? that's like me saying people who mod their PC's and such like are just geeks...

I tried to respond but it was deleted.
Giggle all you like. but i am not naive or ignorant. You accuse me of that when you also know next to nothing about it.
I just prefer spending my time with the fairer sex rather than other blokes supporting fictional charities.

The reason i declined (twice) is because i would rather not spend my spare time with people like you

BTW.........It doesnt feel elitist as i isnt. Alot of you just think it is. Thats why you say you go to meet 'educated' people. Do you really believe these people are more educated? They are no more intelligent than the rest of us. They just think they are.

[Konan555]

Iit amazed me that he was 'donating' money each month, that he could ill afford. When I asked where the money was going, he said to charity.

When I asked which charity, he said he didn't know as the lodge would always donate anonymously.

Having seen inside the Freemason's Hall on Great Queen Street I can tell you they're getting a lot of funding from somewhere. It's hardly decorated in the fashion of a charitable organisation.

[ShenBlade]

just seems to be like any fraternity that offers help to any of its members without any reference to shacking up the last bloodline of <insert random religious item/person> like the Easter bunny (for those who saw that southpark episode)

[IBM]

I tried to respond but it was deleted.

I saw your post.....we're being persecuted together. We should start our own fraternity. And then invite women.