The Freemasons

[nevadamedic]

I just don't get the whole "we're not speaking to you" thing, unless it is meant to be purely punitive. If the father is worried about his son's soul (my assumption given his Pentecostal beliefs), wouldn't continuing to speak to him be the best thing?

Maybe the Davinci Code was accurate when the talked about the Knights Templar and the Masons.

[glockmail]

Is it like the Jaycees? ....

Exactly like the Jaycees. Except they substitute soda pop for beer in the converted vending machines.

[Psychoblues]

Male only?

Unfortunately, Abbey, the blue lodges, the York Rite and Scottish Rite lodges confine themselves to male only participation. On the other hand, the Order of the Eastern Star and Rainbow Girls are also part of the Masonic organization and I with all of my Masonic brethren strongly encourage you to check them out!!!!!! You will not regret any participation within those organizations!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would also recommend the Demolay for any minor males that you would also like to see participating in the Masonic orders.

Like you, I abhor sexism and I have fought for all my years in Masonry to abolish it as it is only a holdover from unenlightened times and a more unenlightened population. You will also discover, if you choose to look, that particular Masonic Lodges are racist and that is also a problem with me.

Nonetheless I consider the organizations sound on their principles, valuable within their endeavors and all the teachings in the Masonic Lodges and Orders serve to be enlightening and serve even more for the betterment of yourself and society in general. I guess it all depends just what you might be in search of?

[Psychoblues]

Fuck you, oca.

Ok updated list:

Decorated Veteran of every war from "Spanish" Nope - "Viet Nam" (changed by Psychoblues) War to Desert Storm, I am.
Elected politician. I am.
Blues musician. I am.
Minister of the gospel who knows the New Testament better than most Americans. I was.


and now Knight Templar..all true despite oca's pitiful cries of disbelief..

Does your habitual lying and delusions of grandeur have an end to them? Your habits are not mine, oca. PSYCHOBLUES

I am honest about my life and you continue to threaten and lie to get your point? I don't need your shit. You are one sick human being.

[OCA]

I am honest about my life point?

About as honest as old tricky Dick Nixon.

[Abbey Marie]

Unfortunately, Abbey, the blue lodges, the York Rite and Scottish Rite lodges confine themselves to male only participation. On the other hand, the Order of the Eastern Star and Rainbow Girls are also part of the Masonic organization and I with all of my Masonic brethren strongly encourage you to check them out!!!!!! You will not regret any participation within those organizations!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would also recommend the Demolay for any minor males that you would also like to see participating in the Masonic orders.

Like you, I abhor sexism and I have fought for all my years in Masonry to abolish it as it is only a holdover from unenlightened times and a more unenlightened population. You will also discover, if you choose to look, that particular Masonic Lodges are racist and that is also a problem with me.

Nonetheless I consider the organizations sound on their principles, valuable within their endeavors and all the teachings in the Masonic Lodges and Orders serve to be enlightening and serve even more for the betterment of yourself and society in general. I guess it all depends just what you might be in search of?

Thanks for the information, Psycho.

[Joan]

I don't remember too much about this, but I do know that quite a few members of my family were freemasons. I did find it strange that at my uncle's funeral, when the masons arrived, we were all escorted to another room so that we couldn't watch their ritual. What I did notice when we returned was a sheepskin they had laid on his chest. And I do believe they are associated with the Eastern Star, as my grandmother's sister was a past grand mistress. I think most of their doings are rather secretive, but nothing evil.

[TheSage]

Albert Pike, the godfather of american Masonry, was also the main organizer of the Klu Klux Klan.

[TheSage]

Check it out.

http://freemasonrywatch.org/albertpikeandkkk.html
Pike has been termed by a number of well known Masonic authors as the Plato of Freemasonry, and even the Masonic Pope!

Freemasonry, that is to say Organized Freemasonry practices the big lie technique. More to the point organized Freemasonry has perfected the big lie technique. They term this doublespeak ' diverting the discourse'. In regard to Confederate general, slaver, British spy, convicted Confederate war criminal, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council 33rd Degree, Ku Klux Klan ritual designer, Ku Klux Klan Chief Judicial Officer and Arkansas Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon it is necessary to add some superlatives on to the term 'divert the discourse', because that opaque term doesn't nearly come close to describing the effort and tactics it has and is employing to cover-up, obscure, deflect, and divert about Pike's leading roll in the KKK's creation.

[nevadamedic]

I don't remember too much about this, but I do know that quite a few members of my family were freemasons. I did find it strange that at my uncle's funeral, when the masons arrived, we were all escorted to another room so that we couldn't watch their ritual. What I did notice when we returned was a sheepskin they had laid on his chest. And I do believe they are associated with the Eastern Star, as my grandmother's sister was a past grand mistress. I think most of their doings are rather secretive, but nothing evil.

Eastern Star?

[Joan]

Yes, if my memory serves me correctly the Eastern Star was the female equivalent of the masons.

[Psychoblues]

I don't think "equivalent" is the word that I would describe the Order of the Eastern Star, Joan, but for this conversation it is close enough. I am shocked that you tell me about your uncle's Masonic funeral and how you were "escorted out". I have attended and participated in several Masonic Funerals and I can tell you that I have never seen such an abuse. In fact, most ritual leaders and participants go to great extremes to explain the activities and purposes so as not to freak anyone out as you imply was done in your experience.

You remember the sheepskin correctly. Actually it was an unsoiled lambskin apron, but that's not significant at this point. Particular lodges and states perform this ritual differently. Some spread the apron out, some simply place the apron in the casket and some others do other things that I have heard about but have never personally witnessed. In any event, the apron is the first tool of the Masonic workman and it is generally requested that an unsoiled apron, preferably the one that was given to him on the day he was raised a Master Mason, accompany the Mason into the hereafter.

Yes, if my memory serves me correctly the Eastern Star was the female equivalent of the masons.

I hope I have been some help to you and not "freaked you out" as I alluded earlier!!!!!!!!! If you have other questions or concerns I will be very happy to share anything that I can.

[Psychoblues]

This may please some of you nutheads. This has lain here for several days and not a peep of the naysayers. Are you sure this should be in the "Conspiracy" forum? I think the FreeMasons speak for themselves and the jerkoffs just jerkoff, if you know what I mean?

[No1tovote4]

Background: a friend told me a story about his friend who joined the Masons. His father, a Pentacostal pastor, gave his son an ultimatum: as long as you're a Mason, we're not speaking to you. Obviously, the son was distraught... long story short, he's out of the Masons and working things out with his dad.

BUT, the reason for my post is that there's obviously a lot of sentiment built up about the Masons. Without digging through a few thousand Google search results, does anyone have any good sites, either pro-Mason or anti-Mason, which are worth reading for someone with little knowledge of the group?

I can answer your questions if you wish. There is much speculation written as 'truth' on many conspiracy sites.

[No1tovote4]

my dad and his dad and his dad were all masons.....would not tell shit....

There really isn't much to tell. Seriously. Membership is not "hidden" as in a secret organization, there are some handshakes, that are not very secret. In fact, there are articles from the 1700s, when Freemasonry was beginning as it is known today, that talk about the "secrets that are not secrets". Even then the secrets were easy to discern.

The Fraternity is built on two things, education and charity. They support education when they can and they give charity all the time. In fact, the Shriners' Burn Hospitals are one of the largest charity organizations ever. Nobody gets a bill, it is paid for by the Shriners. They are all Freemasons, in order to become a Shriner you must first be a Freemason.