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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be suspicious of freemasons?

206 replies

wheelsonthefeckingbus · 06/10/2010 14:25

My brother is a member and wants DH to join. Dh isn't interested anyway, but I did have a bit of a debate with DB recently. The problem is that because it is a secretive society, it's very hard to get ammunition to argue.

Would it be true to say that they are

elistist? after all only certain people can join.
nepotistic? there is an element of "helping" each other - ie. members of that elite
patriarchal? although women can join a separate group
homophobic?
have some sort of mumbo jumbo religious element?

DB say that they "do a lot for charity" but he doesn't have to join a secret society and roll up his trouser leg to be charitable.

Any comments?

OP posts:
notagrannyyet · 06/10/2010 15:51

It's not the rolling up of the trousers or exposing of breasts to prove you're not female that worrys me.....each to their own!

It is the favouring of other masons for jobs, contracts etc.

TryLikingClarity · 06/10/2010 15:53

Look it up on the internet. You will find lots of info there.

YANBU.

ShirleyKnot · 06/10/2010 15:58

I went to a ladies night once. I got utterly smashed and ended up having sex with my husband without contraception and conceived my second child.

Original poster
wheelsonthefeckingbus · 06/10/2010 15:59

tryliking
I have googled it - there's a lot of theories to wade through out there.

notagranny - totally agree.

OP posts:
SauvignonBlanche · 06/10/2010 16:00

YANBU

kreecherlivesupstairs · 06/10/2010 16:08

I had a boyfriend who was a freemason. He had a lovely apron and white gloves. He did benefit from the lodge to the tune of many tens of thousands of pounds in contracts awarded to him.
OTOH, I worked with a woman who had been sent to boarding school on the masons' money.

DingALongCow · 06/10/2010 16:16

My grandma's second husband was a Freemason. He was the oldest of 13 and left school at 12 to become a flight attendant. He and my grandma had a little flat above the local masonic hall, he ran the members bar and was eventually lodgemaster. I went to a lot of 'Ladies Nights' there when I was a teen. There was a lot of money floating around but for my grandad (going to call him that because he was that too) and grandma it was a social thing, although he did get my uncle in and offered to get my dad and DH in too if they wanted (but refused). Most of the members were 50+ and it was very patriarchal and an 'old boys club', they all knew each other.

When my grandad died someone from the lodge came and took my grandma out twice a week to do her shopping. Her fridge was full. There was someone with her every day and on the end of the phone if she needed it. For my grandma it was invaluable and as a very social person it gave her the social contact she craved as she got older, having moved away from all of her old friends. I am very grateful to them for that as all of her family live too far away to visit as regularly as we would like.

ccpccp · 06/10/2010 16:17

If you want to join an elite and secretive club that helps its own members to the detriment of others (bar the charity work) then go for it.

They arent homophobic and all races are welcome, but thats about as good as it gets in their favour.

Relative was lodgemaster (or whatever you call it) for years, and is now a pillar in his community. It certainly helps you get along careerwise.

NordicPrincess · 06/10/2010 16:24

if you actually researched the freemasons you wouldnt go anywhere near them...why would you want your dp to be part of somehting that exclused you? Its hardly the same as a book club, since when did being part of those give you influence and job oportunity?

Bonsoir · 06/10/2010 16:29

The main argument against Freemasons is that they engage in a lot of unproductive group rituals when they could be doing useful things with their time like bringing up their children, gardening or making supper.

HappySeven · 06/10/2010 17:03

In my experience I don't think there's any more favouritism for jobs etc than there would be if you met someone through something else like a football team.

I've seen alot of charity work they've done and also the community spirit shown as said by DingAlongCow.

Isn't the rolling up of a trouser leg to show you're a free man (no chains?)

Scuttlebutter · 06/10/2010 17:55

One of my friends has terminal bowel cancer - her son in law is a mason and has assured her that when the time is right, they will gladly pay for any drugs she needs or that her dr would like her to have that NICE have blocked Angry - I am hugely grateful, not as much as she is, and so pleased as this has taken a lot of worry from her and the rest of her family.

Can't see what's wrong with it really - not my cup of tea, but no different to rugby club, or Rotary or any other all male thing.

hairytriangle · 06/10/2010 18:00

there is a certain county near me that I used to work in and the network of masons there has made sure that some very unsuitable men have got some very well paid, very high ranking jobs.

this is why I have a massive issue with masons, they are nepotistic and sexist, and it is unfair.

MrsMadWriggle · 06/10/2010 18:03

scuttlebutter. That's a trick one. Obviously it's very comforting for your friend to have access to the drugs, and I can see why you and she are grateful. I wonder how people who don't have access to the masonic network would feel.

Very Sad for your friend though.

MrsMadWriggle · 06/10/2010 18:03

tricky

notagrannyyet · 06/10/2010 18:10

When I was growing up I never realised it was all supposed to be secret!

Every Monday night the local vicar, headmaster, pub landlords and shopkeepers would catch the 6pm train in to the nearby town to go to the Freemasons Hall. They were all carrying small suitcases with their aprons etc in. Everyone knew where they were going!

The local farmers, doctor, and chemist were also masons.

Of course people can gain unfair advantage for jobs etc. from any family or social grouping, but the masons are different. It's male only, secretive, and they do recruit people in influential jobs. In the past you had to be a member to progress in certain careers.

domesticsluttery · 06/10/2010 18:13

FIL is a Freemason, as are many of my friends' husbands. They aren't actually that secretive anymore, and give an awful lot of money to charity.

I see them as fairly harmless TBH.

lilyliz · 06/10/2010 18:16

round here it's called the womens guild for men.They do a lot of work for the community and the local hospice especially benefits it's not elitist ,homophobic or anything else sinister and you do not have to give or do work for each other.More sinister round here is the evangelical church.

madmissy · 06/10/2010 18:18

My uncle is in it as was my dad, don't speak to my dad anymore Sad but he had good things to say about it Hmm
I see it as quite harmless

MORCAPS · 06/10/2010 18:29

Oh leave them too it, if you don't want to join who cares as long as they are not breaking any laws.

Are they the ones with the funny hats? Or is it something to do with doors? Why do I always think of doorways when I hear the word Freemason?

tvaerialmagpiebin · 06/10/2010 18:29

I went to an open day at the local masonic hall recently. It was very interesting. Our guide said that all masons need to believe in a supreme being but that is interpreted loosely. They make more money for charity than any other organisation but do not shout about it. They have rituals and sing hymns (my ds asked why there was an organ y'see) and most of the time they spend having meals together. Women may join but there are no mixed lodges.

Yes there is nepotism but no more than with members of a golf club or Rotary or Probus or suchlike.

My grandad was Worshipful master of some lodge and he used to keep his aprons and so on in a special bag which we were all on pain of death not to touch. When he died, none of us dared to open it and we got the masons' almoner fellow to take it away without us seeing inside.

My grandad was a fascist bigot, yes, but not because he was a mason. Smile

I don't think they do any harm. Dan Brown is responsible for a lot of the hype as well as those people on the internet who like a conspiracy theory or two.

hairytriangle · 06/10/2010 18:30

"Yes only women can join but there is no barrier in regards to race, religion or sexual orientation"

I think you mean only men can join

Taking it hat you meant men, my comment is ffs. Oh that's ok then. as long as there is no racism sexism is ok. ffs.

childminder90210 · 06/10/2010 18:45

My DH is a freemason and I can assure you there is nothing wrong with it, he was asked to join by my Dad, and I think that is where the problem starts because you cant really just pitch up and say ME NEXT, you have to request to join and nowadays people consider that to be elitest behaviour, however the same could be said of certain groups of women who gather in playgrounds every morning and afternoon refusing to let anyone into their little group, so I see no harm in it. For my DH who works 2 hours from home it provides him with some local friends and a social life, and gives me some peace one evening a week! Also if you google freemasons you can read all you would wish to know, and the only dark side I am aware of is in the Star Wars films not in a Masonic Lodge.

HappySeven · 06/10/2010 19:32

Hairytriangle, there are women's lodges just not mixed ones so not sure if that makes them sexist.

Think of it as the WI for men.

SalFresco · 06/10/2010 20:16

YABU.

My lovely grandad was a freemason. He didn't have a racist or homophobic bone in his body, was working class, and was a docker all his life. I've lost count of the number of fucking idiots who have authoritatively told me he was obviously involved in corruption / bribery / animal sacrifice - and I'm afraid I'm NOT joking on the last one. They're just a very easy target for gullible fuckwits to attack.