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'm rolling my eyes OP at your claims of only the 'initiated', 'intellectual' and 'esoteric' cubic stones people understanding what freemasonry is all about.

My DF's side are all FM's and that is how they got their jobs (they make no secret of that either, they are all within the police force and judiciary) The 'brothers' very much cover their own backs, a member of my family commited a crime that should have received a custodial sentence, but thankfully due to the intellectual, high-thinking, esoteric nature of the cult organization he got a slap on the wrist instead.

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
Doubtful he fooled all the people all the time. He was a Grand Master or whatever you call it. If it's as strict on 'moral fibre' as you say, he couldn't possibly be there just for material gain. But it was a huge part of his life that I know helped him in his business life and he liked the fact it was men only, I know he did, but I explain this further in the rest of my this post.

I certainly did not have to prove to anyone that I am not a woman
Well you wouldn't would you... the whole point I was making was that it is such a male organisation, that those joining had to remove their shirts to prove they weren't a woman.

31weeks has nailed it and it's exactly as I remember with my dad and his decades of being in the Grand Lodge.

I could not be part of an organisation that still has the men only part of it. I'm old, my Dad would be over 100 if he were alive now, so I put it down to ignorance of its time. But in this day and age I find it poor that organisations like this, that sideline women, still exist. I must talk to my adult DDs about it, I'm not sure they even know their Grandad was part of something like this, they will be horrified ! It's not something we've ever talked about because of the secrecy that was drummed into me as a child.

OP I thank you for being so honest and also patient in your answers. I suppose my view is tainted because freemasonry was such a huge part of my childhood, to the detriment of it, to be frank. I am sure there are womens branches now that are great for people like you, but it's something I haven't thought about for decades and to be frank, I am absolutely horrified that something like the Grand Lodge, men only, networking, secrecy and all of that, still exists in this day and age. Many other organisations have changed because of womens equality, it's awful that Freemasonry hasn't.

I also remember DF telling me that the only reason women were allowed 'in' was because during a ritual a woman was discovered hiding in a cupboard, witnessed the secret ritual therefore had to be initiated.

It's not something we've ever talked about because of the secrecy that was drummed into me as a child.

Yes. That’s my experience also. All of my dads side are/were in it. He in fact tried to get my sons involved on the one occasion they met him but they weren’t interested.

It was in fact all he seemed interested in. Getting them in the Masons. He also wanted the girls to be their equivalent of debutantes but they weren’t interested either.

Thanks for the thread OP. It's very interesting!

Ps how would your fellow FMs feel about this thread? Would they think it's positive you are dispelling myths?

Conspiracy theories abound about corruption or favouritism through freemasonry over the decades. Your insistence in denial of this despite 20 years as a FM is a bit worrying. And the fact women aren’t included in major lodges could be part of the glass ceiling which reduces promotion prospects. Or it could be sending our brightest and best abroad for better opportunities . I doubt the anti-catholic bias is completely gone even now.

This thread is quite cathartic for me actually, not that that would be what the OP would have expected or wanted!

I can't begin to post what my adult DDs reaction has been on learning their GD was one for decades. This is going to be an interesting family discussion for the future (they don't live at home any more)

Do you have DDs OP?

Very interesting topic OP and I can see that some answers would be hard to understand without actually being a fm. It looks like you'd have to have a certain amount of disposable income to join if it's £200 a month to be a member? A poster earlier mentioned a trap door what is that used for? Sorry if you have already been asked but what is the significance of the word free in the title please?

Why is there any need for an “esoteric school” in this country in this day and age when there are no restrictions to what you can think or believe? To me it implies that people are seduced by the way it may make them feel part of something special and exclusive and this can be used to tempt them into changing their mind on things they otherwise wouldn’t. Otherwise why not be completely open from the outset about everything?

I doubt the anti-catholic bias is completely gone even now

On my mothers side we’re a Roman Catholic familiy and Protestant on my fathers. I was brought up as a practicing Catholic. It never bothered my father but it did others.

My mum would have nothing to do with it apart from ironing his shirts etc for meetings. It was a very very long long time ago. But I can recall her spending hours leading up to Christmas shopping for hundreds of pounds worth of toys that were for children who wouldn’t otherwise have anything. They were being provided by the Masons and her and my dads sisters, all the wives of Masons, would spend hours wrapping them all up. In fact it’s one of the most vivid memories of my childhood.

esoteric
ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk,ˌiːsəˈtɛrɪk/Submit
adjective
intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.

FMs aren't inclusive, you have to have money (I believe you pay a monthly fee), you have to know someone, you have to be recommended by other masons, you have to be judged on your 'moral fibre'. Oh, and it's best if you're male ... I read an article where a provincial Grand Master says this about women and freemasonry..

Are women welcome?
Freemasons do not officially welcome women, although there is an Order of Women Freemasons.

“We do not recognise them formally as Freemasons,” Gareth said.

“I don’t know any lady masons. It’s a very small organisation.”

Just in case I confused people, yes masons generally have money and are of the upper class circles, but my DP’s lodge is just very expensive monthly because of where we live and the building itself being historic. 1600’s I think. It could be some lodges only pay £200 for the entire year.

And yes it’s exactly that rouessette - they aren’t recognised as Freemasons. They’re lady Freemasons. sexist organisation

Trapdoor signifies something like hiding and emerging as a new person, the coffin ritual is something to do with leaving sins behind. These are just examples, see how every “prop” in the ritual am dram play has a purpose.

Thank you for such an interesting thread! Like many others, I had the idea that this was a 'boys club' with some very odd traditions and activities. The freemasons you describe are not what I thought they were. It sounds like a really interesting organisation and I'd love to find out more about joining but a quick search through the recommended links show that the only lodge in my area is the Grand Lodge, men only branch.

The nearest Grand Orient (on the British Federation Freemasonry website, if I'm understanding this correctly?) is 3+ hours away. More than half are in London, with only a few others spread around the country. So I guess my question is - are there many female-friendly lodges outside of London and are they all on the website or is there a way to find others? Is the group growing? Are there likely to be more opportunities for people to join in the future? (Sorry, that's three questions). Thank you for sharing!

I have another question. If a young friend or relative showed an interest in freemasons would you encourage them to join and/or put their names forward to your lodge? If so, why/why not? Thank you.

Apologies if I'm repeating anything. I did read the whole thread but most of it was late last night, long after I should have gone to bed!

I am genuinely shocked at how many people are being pulled in by this thread. I had just assumed that most people knew what a malign force in key organisations such as the police force and the judiciary they are. Maybe it's just because I know a journalist who cut his teeth at the local magistrates courts and who often came across the paltry sentences an offender who was a FM would get if he said a key phrase that would reveal to the judge that he was a FM.
And that was even if it got to court in the first place. The Hillsborough cover up is one of just countless injustices that are linked to FM. Its not a lot of fun if you are on the wrong side of these injustices. Wake up people.

this a good link to explain their impact on women

www.thenational.scot/news/15923673.Male-only_clubs_like_the_Freemasons_are_the_proof_of_the_UK___s_gender_inequality/

Another question. Can youive from one branch to another? So if you were invited into the grand Lodge but you don't like the all male aspect can you move to a different lodge? Or does it not work like that?

And also, how much has it changed over the years? Is there a lot of reform in terms of teachings or is pretty much the same as it was a couple hundred years ago?

From what the OP says, Race nothing much has changed from my father's time and that's more than 50 years ago. The secrecy has probably changed slightly only because they've been forced to open up a bit, there are probably more women in their own female lodges, but from what I've read, really nothing to do with the all male Grand Lodges have changed and from what jellymaker says, the insiduous nature of 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine' hasn't changed either.

But it's not my place to answer that although I have a past view whereas OP has more of a current view

@safariboot I used the terms "Grand Lodge" and "Grand Orient" as abbreviations because I did not expect to go into organisational details but I see that has caused confusion. The full names of these two branches are:

United Grand Lodge Of England - The conservative branch that does not accept women and require belief in God. This is where 31weeks's DP is.

It is not the only prominent branch of Freemasonry in the UK, as there is also the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland that follows a different rite. It is not a minor fringe but rather an entire grand lodge on its own, and the Scottish Rite ("The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry") is followed in different obediences around the world.

Grand Orient de France - The liberal branch that removed the requirement of belief in God in 1800s which caused the break with Unified Grand Lodge of England. It has since started to accept women and people of all races and religions. There are various grand lodges under its umbrella that men-only, women-only, and mixed.

The history is long and complicated but you can find it online by Googling the names above.

31weeks' DP is in United Grand Lodge of England, where they don't accept and initiate women into Freemasonry. They have paramasonic "consolation prizes" (as 31weeks put it) such as the Order Of The Eastern Star for women. I don't know what exactly they do, but they are not Freemasons and 31weeks' DP is probably correct when he tells her that it's a waste of time.

That is not us. Female Freemasonry exists in the UK as well as around the world. Just not in the branch of 31weeks' DP.

It sounds kind of like being a member of an Inn, the legal kind.

1. Are any animals (dead or alive) used in ceremonies?

1. The charity work to assist with girls’ education is really interesting, especially as one poster seems to have been the benefactor of such help.

How does the lodge choose who in particular to help? Is there an application for girls in need of assistance?

Thank you for answering so many questions, OP. I’ve really enjoyed this AMA.

Agreed, JellyMaker. I've found this thread worrying and naïve.

The Hillsborough cover up is one of just countless injustices that are linked to FM.

When you say ‘linked to FM’, do you mean in the same way most events are linked to FM via a comment on a Daily Mail article? Or is there genuine evidence for this?