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.

one of his books that spoke of someone being able to fit a curtain ring around his navel. I asked him about it about 10 years ago and he laughed and said I was imagining things. Was I?

I have never heard of this. You mean, like a piercing?

OK, so firstly super interesting thread. Thank you OP.

From what I gather your degrees etc are of a philosophical nature? I am correct? Is it just morality/self development or do you explore metaphysics, logic etc?

You mentioned mozart and Benjamin Franklin, is there anyone actually really important at your lodge or just ordinary folk? Can you identify any famous persons as FM from what they have said/works they have produced?

This thread has been very fascinating. Where can I go to meet freemason-are the freemason hotpots in the UK or are dotted about?

What was your reaction when you were first asked to join?

You make it all sound very benign OP

I am answering questions. If that makes Freemasonry sound benign, perhaps it is not as terrible as you were led to believe, by your father who did not actually know what it is.

I saw on on almost daily basis his utter frustration at being passed over on big financial deals, promotions etc all because he was not a FM.

Or maybe that was not why.

He was approached countless times to join and refused to on moral grounds as the FM only have morals when they are applied to themselves.

You don't seem to realise that this is quite offensive. Are you calling me immoral? And that because your dad did not get a promotion several decades ago?

there are countless journalists and others who have done great work to expose their utter ruthlessness and I am quite shocked at how naive you sound.

If you really think you know better than a Freemason of over 20 years because read a couple of books and newspaper articles, maybe you should do the AMA and I can ask you questions.

I have no question but you just totally owned that previous poster. Briliiant

DH’s grandfather was a mason and DH was left all his regalia when he died together with the story from the family that it gave him a ‘right’ to become a mason if he wanted. DH has never wanted to investigate that. We now live on the other side of the world so that’s unlikely. Is there a hereditary ‘right’ and would it work in another country?

There's no hereditary right or title in Freemasonry. The work is deeply personal. A candidate must wish to become a Freemason of his own free will, be invited by a Freemason, checked out by 3 others, and voted for in the lodge.

From what you have said it probably just means that GF’s lodge would probably be warm to allowing DH to join out of knowing that GF was a good man.

Yes, that is probably what was meant. Since you are now in a different country, I would advise your DH to contact a Freemason who knew his grandfather and let him know that he would like to join. That person's lodge can then contact a lodge in the same obedience near you and inform them of your DH's interest.

Can you join if you don't believe in a god?

Yes. Please read the thread.

You’ve said a few times that people should RTFT but I have and I still don’t get what the purpose of it is?

Like; you join a tennis club to play tennis. That’s it’s purpose.

What’s the purpose of it? Not the wishy washy press release version. What is the point of being a Mason? What’s it for?

I’m struggling to understand what it is that you do. People meet together to discuss different topics? Like a club?

Have you read the thread?

Hmmm. I did read the thread from start to finish OP before I asked my questions. I still think the freemason movement (or whatever you call it) does pay lip service to women because the 'ritual' for joining when my Father became one, involved taking off his shirt to prove he wasn't a woman. So although you are now part of some women's branch of FM, I betcha, if there was a vote by all the men, they would like to sideline women. It's a bit like Rotary and Inner Wheel or whatever it's called. Or Gentlemen's clubs etc.

I also am with the poster who asks what is it you actually do. Despite lots of 'words' from you, I don't totally get it. Sorry. And I repeat I have read the thread.

Is there any way to join if you don't know any one in he organisation?

You must be invited by a Freemason. If you don't know any, you can always visit a lodge near you and ask to meet someone to learn more. Google 'British Federation Freemasonry' and 'Loge Hiram UK'.

I am bowing back in with an interesting article
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/05/freemasons-masons

Do you watch line of duty, OP?

No.

my only knowledge of Freemasonry was Ted Hastings involvement, and the illuminati.

I can't comment because I don't know how Freemasonry is portrayed in that TV series.

Does freemasonry mention in popular culture ever get brought up in your meetings?

No, I've never seen it mentioned in a meeting but we do sometimes laugh about how powerful and influential we apparently are

Have you ever had a giggle about the lizard thing?

I don't know if I find it funny or scary that some people can believe in such ridiculous ideas as lizard overlords.

We try to recruit people with strong moral fibre, although there are no guarantees, of course. However, the process discourages those who are there only for networking and personal gain

You see, this gets to me. Who decides a person has strong moral fibre? It's all old boys network, isn't it? And how you can say it isn't for networking and personal gain, I do not know. My father was one just about all his life, from when he went into business until when he died at a ripe old age. It was a total networking thing for him, people doing favours for each other in business in every single way imaginable. He was top of the tree there too, can't remember the title but he was

You’ve said a few times that people should RTFT but I have and I still don’t get what the purpose of it is?

Yes, I said I had.

OK, so firstly super interesting thread. Thank you OP.

Pleasure I would not have thought it would be interesting for many people but then saw Freemasonry mentioned in the requested AMAs thread.

From what I gather your degrees etc are of a philosophical nature? I am correct?

No, I have had no formal education in philosophy.

Is it just morality/self development or do you explore metaphysics, logic etc?

Definitely not metaphysics, as that would run contrary to the rational and scientific minds that Freemasonry seeks to cultivate. That as well as tolerance, love, moral rectitude, among other virtues. There is also a lot of introspection.

You mentioned mozart and Benjamin Franklin, is there anyone actually really important at your lodge or just ordinary folk?

There is nobody terribly important in our lodge, I'm afraid. It is a mix of professions such as doctor, corporate employee, pharmacist, teacher, as well as housewives and retired women.

Can you identify any famous persons as FM from what they have said/works they have produced?

Sometimes. I was sure after reading The Alchemist that Paulo Coelho is a Freemason.

Where can I go to meet freemason-are the freemason hotpots in the UK or are dotted about?

If you mean lodges, you can find them in all cities and many smaller towns in the UK.

What was your reaction when you were first asked to join?

You’ve said a few times that people should RTFT but I have and I still don’t get what the purpose of it is?

That's what they mean by esoteric

Sorry I forgot to answer this:

What was your reaction when you were first asked to join?

I was not surprised, since I had asked a Freemason I know for an invitation

You’ve said a few times that people should RTFT but I have and I still don’t get what the purpose of it is?

Below is my 5th post on this thread, on the 1st page:

FreemasonAMA Sun 22-Jul-18 22:10:23

What purpose does it serve?

The goal is personal development. To become a better, more tolerant, kind, rational, and intellectual person as years go by.

Freemasonry talks about this in terms of the rough stone and a cubic stone. We (you, me, everyone) all start out 'rough' and strive to work on ourselves, to better ourselves in every way. To chisel our own 'stone'.

Lodges also give substantial financial aid to those in need, but that is not the primary purpose of Freemasonry.

But you don't need a club to be a good person, which you agreed with a few posts after that one ^ so why the freemasons? Why not just strive for those things alone?

Hmmm. I did read the thread from start to finish OP before I asked my questions.

I think you may have missed the part where I explained that I am a woman in a women's lodge, that there are different branches in Freemasonry, some of which accept women.

I still think the freemason movement (or whatever you call it) does pay lip service to women because the 'ritual' for joining when my Father became one, involved taking off his shirt to prove he wasn't a woman.

Again, I don't think you have read the part where I said that Grand Lodge (which was probably where your father was initiated) does not accept women but for example Grand Orient does. I certainly did not have to prove to anyone that I am not a woman. It would have been impossible since I am one, and rather silly in a women's lodge.

So although you are now part of some women's branch of FM, I betcha, if there was a vote by all the men, they would like to sideline women.

I don't know how you can "betcha" such a thing. There are only women all the way to the top in my branch of Freemasonry. Who do you think is going to vote for that imaginary proposal?

I also am with the poster who asks what is it you actually do. Despite lots of 'words' from you, I don't totally get it. Sorry. And I repeat I have read the thread.

Words are all I've got I have written quite a few posts on this thread about the purpose of Freemasonry and what we do. I could copy & paste but it's getting late. Please read over my posts again and ask your questions about them tomorrow.

I am bowing back in with an interesting article

I read your Guardian article. It is very clear that its author knows absolutely nothing about Freemasonry. Just in the first paragraph: "Two lodges set up to recruit at the Palace of Westminster"? That is not how lodges are set up and you would not need to set one up to recruit candidates. It's cringeworthy that Dawn Foster thinks Freemasonry is just "funny aprons and comedic handshakes" but believes herself knowledgeable enough to write an article about it.

Who decides a person has strong moral fibre?

The person who invites her. She would not knowingly invite someone who is a liar, a thief, someone you can't count on, someone who wants to join Freemasonry for hopes of material gain.

It's all old boys network, isn't it?

Again, I only have "words" to answer this. They will be the same words as before I am a woman. My lodge and entire organisation all the way to the top are all women. There are no boys anywhere, networked or not.

And how you can say it isn't for networking and personal gain, I do not know.

I can because I know.

You don't know because, well, you don't.

My father was one just about all his life, from when he went into business until when he died at a ripe old age. It was a total networking thing for him, people doing favours for each other in business in every single way imaginable. He was top of the tree there too, can't remember the title but he was

Maybe that is the aspect you saw but it was not all Freemasonry was for him. Or perhaps your father was one of those who manages to fool people about his sincerity and interest but is actually there just to meet people for material gain. I can't give you the answer.

My partner is a free-mason and we’ve talked about it at great legnth over the years, so I consider myself to know nearly everything he does, been in his lodge, seen the trap door, the rough ashlar to the smooth cube. minus the secret words

The only thing that stops me joining is the fact that A) I find it pointless. My partner is a very high up mason, head of county and says the women’s is just for show. You don’t get told or get to do half the things then men’s lodges do.
2) it’s SO sexist. I have a huge issue with this! My partner persistently tells them to let women join but they never do.

When people are saying what do you do there, they read scripts that already have the words done for you, it’s like a play. They act out with props. The initial ceremony involves a noose around your neck so you can’t step backward and a dagger over your heart so you can’t rush forwards. The “secrets” are metaphors so you can develop yourself as a person, nothing actually secret at all. Just phrases etc. My partner pays £200 odd a month membership fee and that includes dinner twice a month 3 course, very expensive and old lodge (building) where they host it with the “temple” in. I genuinely think it’s just a break from nagging women. (The men’s)

Basically it’s a dining club with a bit of spiritual advancement thrown in. Nothing too secret at all. Everything can be found online if you are good at a google search.

Sorry spelling is shoddy there and I jump from A to 2. Night shift

I still don’t get what the purpose of it is?
That's what they mean by esoteric

True. It's hard to explain a whole system and philosophy to someone who has no experience or knowledge of it. Worse, when so many misconceptions and prejudices cloud the subject.

It's like you say you like to go to concerts and get asked "But what is the purpose? Why can't you listen to the same songs at home?", or you are going to a school and someone who has never seen one asks "But what's the point? Why can't you read the book at home?".