I'm a Freemason AMA

[FreemasonAMA]

I will not go into some details, but I will try to answer as many questions as I can.

I've always been amazed at the amount of charity and outreach work that happens in each lodge completely under the radar of the outside world.

Yes, charity and giving in general is important in Freemasonry. It's under the radar because we don't do it for publicity or recognition.

Is your lodge particularly charitable OP?

We give what we can, which helps people. I don't know if you would find it particularly charitable or not.

Do you have a favourite cause that has been supported?

We mostly support girls' education.

Also does your lodge put on a lot of events for family members etc?

We have one evening a year where we invite partners & husbands.

Are you all Protestant?

No. As I said above, some don't even follow any religion.

How would you react if a catholic or a Muslim tried to join your lodge

We have Catholics and Muslims in our lodge. It's not a problem.

Do you feel your organisation is bigotedor are you just happy to take the advantages from it?

I would not be in a bigoted organisation and I have had no material "advantages" from Freemasonry.

You're served a meal. Who organises this?

We have a kitchen and a chef who sorts it all out.

Can a man self identify in to your order?

I have never seen or heard of it but can't say for sure that it has never happened. There are mixed lodges transwomen would probably be more comfortable in.

Can you give an example of a phrase one might hear which would signal to another person that you are a freemason?

Thankyou, very interesting thread.

Do you think it's helped you spiritually?

I don't think so, but I wasn't looking for spiritual help. I probably would not have lasted long in a spiritual/religious place.

Why would someone perhaps not be accepted to join?

Each candidate is proposed, their names & photos are posted in the communal areas for a period of time and then there is a vote. This is normally a formality - people vote 'yes' unless they personally know of a reason why that person is really not suited to Freemasonry. Even then, they would go and talk to someone about their concern rather than just blackball the candidate. I have only seen one candidate who got 2 black balls and was not accepted.

My ex husband wanted to join a lodge at one point and enquired within one but they never contacted him back.

This is not normal. At the very least, he should have been contacted by the Freemasons who would meet & interview him. Was it a friend or a colleague who agreed to propose him as a candidate? I would think that maybe he just never did.

Have you been in the chair?

If you mean by that if I have ever headed a lodge as its Worshipful Master (Honorific title. She doesn't "worship" ), the answer is no. I have held another position and sat in that chair for that period, though.

I don't like the fact that lady Masons don't meet in the lodge, making them seem secondary to the men.

We meet in the lodge.

Can one quit at any point and does it get more difficult up the ranks?

What is the symbolic significance of a black n white checkered floor and horses?

Why are the ranks and freemasonry shrouded in mystery? I know you alluded to it being like a school and not wanting to get ahead of yourself or find out answers before working it out. However, like schools though, everyone's path/ journey with learning or the knowledge is different...regardless of whether we knew the curriculum and expectation at the end. The secrecy is what gives freemasonry a bad image imo.

Can you give an example of a phrase one might hear which would signal to another person that you are a freemason?

It would be slightly different for each degree but even an Apprentice in his first month would know a phrase out of the opening or closing ritual of a lodge's meeting, for example. You could work it into casual conversation if you really wanted to.

One could also use one of the many metaphors used in rituals, such as "He is a bit of a rough stone" in place of "not very civilised" for instance.

Most of the time you don't have to guess. The person introducing you says "She is a sister" or "He is a brother", or you work it out from the people she knows. Facebook helps more than guesswork.

Thankyou, very interesting thread.

Pleasure

Was it a friend or a colleague who agreed to propose him as a candidate? I would think that maybe he just never did.

It was just someone in the lodge museum we spoke to, he took his details and contact info but never heard anything after

Thanks for the thread and previous answers

Btw, this is really interesting OP! Thanks for taking the time to answer.☺️

Another q: Do you ever worry that as you climb higher, there may come a time you may not agree with the ethos of that rank?

Can one quit at any point and does it get more difficult up the ranks?

You can quit at any point. Just stop going to meetings and paying the annual fee. Nobody will forcibly drag you there. Some would probably worry about you and check on you, as friends, but they would leave you alone if you say you've had enough.

What is the symbolic significance of a black n white checkered floor

Duality, balance, extending out to eternity to mean the whole world as a lodge. That is my understanding from our discussions, though. None of it is passed out and studied as a book.

and horses?

I have never seen horses in relation to Freemasonry.

Why are the ranks and freemasonry shrouded in mystery? I know you alluded to it being like a school and not wanting to get ahead of yourself or find out answers before working it out. However, like schools though, everyone's path/ journey with learning or the knowledge is different...regardless of whether we knew the curriculum and expectation at the end.

You said it: Everyone's path/journey is different. The way it works in Freemasonry is that you question and work on different topics in each degree. So you are exposed to ideas one by one, and you slowly work your way through them through that year or so with discussions, speeches, questions. If you had a book in your hand that told you what you would see at each degree's ritual, it would lose its meaning and effect on you.

The secrecy is what gives freemasonry a bad image imo.

It's not secret, it's esoteric.

Do you ever worry that as you climb higher, there may come a time you may not agree with the ethos of that rank?

There isn't a different ethos, responsibility, or job at different degrees. It is more like a progression or moving on to different topics. I don't expect the ethos of moral rectitude and rational/scientific thought to change in higher degrees.

I think I have come to the end of your questions. I have to sleep now but I will come back to this thread tomorrow. If I have missed a question, let me know.

Thanks for the reply to my question. Fascinating stuff!

So at the end of the 'year', do you have to reach a consensus with the rest of the group? Also can you fail? if that's a thing

What determines how fast you rise up the ranks?

I'm genuinely fascinated as well. I never thought I'd get to ask questions to a Freemason let alone get answers back!!!!

My father, grandfather and uncle were all Masons. All Grand masters. No questions at present, but blatantly placemarking !!! Interesting thread

Thank you for answering these questions in a straight forward way. A couple more questions if you don't mind.

I've known a few masons most of whom are in their 60s-70s. Can I ask how old you are, roughly?

Also, you say there is 'no woo' involved. I briefly house shared with a mason who left his book which had the wording to rituals in it lying around, so of course I used to read it!

Firstly would it be frowned upon for a non-mason to have easy access to this book?Secondly it seemed pretty woo to me. I know you said that it wasn't once you know what the symbolism means, but the same could be said of a pagan ritual or a reiki guide, both of which I would put in the woo category. So not a question as such but an observation/point of discussion.

Thank you

Really interesting thread OP. Thank you.

Every time I hear about a court case where the obviously guilty party gets off someone attributes it to masons. Is there a clause where you promise to help one another to that extent? Getting fellow masons off criminal charges if you are in a position to do so?

So at the end of the 'year', do you have to reach a consensus with the rest of the group?

No, not at all. I can't say if that sort of thing happens in later degrees but so far the "work" has all been on a personal level.

I know that decisions are taken at the highest level, but those are managerial just like at the head of any organisation.

Also can you fail?

I have never seen anyone kicked out of Freemasonry, if that is your question. I have also never seen anyone stay an Apprentice for many years, except those who have lost interest and just never attended.

What determines how fast you rise up the ranks?

It's mostly a steady progression in the first couple of years. After that, you might not necessarily know which exact degree everyone is unless you ask.

It's also not "ranks" like in management, except at the very top. You don't manage those in a lower degree or order them around