Freemasons - are you one?

[JazzyComposition]

So what's it all about?

My grandfather is one and still makes it to his weekly Lodge meetings at 90. When I was a little girl, he used to work at the Grand Lodge in Sydney and took me in there a few times. I did see the main hall (which I guess is the 'temple' with its chequered floor and odd seats) but what really impressed me was the red carpet on the walls in the hall outside.... it's always been hinted that we are the descendants of the temple builders of King Solomon.

That's good - an obligation for the police to declare is they are masons. It is a sensible way to deal with it as long as it does not stop those who are not masons or female from getting promotion.

I'm a female Mason.

They don't know though. I just wear a big beard, very much like the women going to the stoning in 'Life of Brian'.

I used to work with a lovely Catholic lady who was also a lady mason. She only divulged this to me in confidence, when I found her in our first aid room trying to memorise some ritual stuff. She was about to become Worshipful Master of her lodge for the year, and was really nervous about forgetting her words!

I chatted to her a bit about it, but didn't pry much as she was a bit uncomfortable that I had found out (though I certainly didn't tell anyone). She did say that her lodge was mostly old ladies (she was in her 60s herself and was one of the youngest members). She thought it was a shame that young folks these days just wouldn't be interested or have the time to dedicate to it.

She said the 'We're not a secret society, we're a society with secrets' thing, but then also said 'but anyone can just look all those up online these days'.

They have meetings in a room that has distinct similarities to a church, lots of readings and rituals. Then go and have a slap up meal.
All while dressed very smartly.

I do know that there is a skull in a box in a Manchester FM hall because I have seen it. My grandad was one I believe. I know nothing bad about them except that women cannot be Masons.

Women can be Masons. United Grand Lodge Of England takes only men but there are other Masonic obediences in the world. Some are mixed and one is for women only.

If you only know of UGLoE, you might think that women can't be Masons. You would probably also think that atheists can't be Masons. That would also be wrong.

I remember my father telling me he'd been invited to join the Masons by a good friend of his but he declined because apparently the Masons had put his grandfather (his father's side) out of business. How I don't know, but because of this he was very anti-Mason. Having said that though, my g grandfather (DF's mother's side) was educated by the Masons at the Masonic School in London in the late nineteenth century when he was orphaned. I've always viewed them with a bit of suspicion tbh.

My uncle is a Freemason and he is deeply unpleasant and a total creep.
My NDN is one also and he has a sad little sticker on his car so everyone knows it.

To be fair though he'd probably be an unpleasant creep even if he wasn't a Mason

I think that anyone in a job such as national or local government; or in the MOD or Public Sector (inc. the Police) should declare membership of certain groups such as the Freemasons.

We do (i am police)

I know lots of masons as i am a rotarian and the organisations are quite similar. I've been to a few lodge functions and also been in a temple. We have masonic meetings & dinners at the hotel where i work for various lodges

It's mainly networking, charity and socialising. No funny stuff and no more "nudge and a wink" than something like chamber of commerce.

It's makey uppey nonsense with a few quid behind it, a treehouse club for 'grown ups'. I find it embarrassing.

Not interested in the millions they raise dor charity then ? Some of the ignorance and narrow mindedness on this thread is breathtaking

I have 2 gay friends who are masons (outside UK). I,m glad they,re not homophobic.

A friend,s father was one. He was a horrible, racist man but that was probably just the way he was.

There seem to be quite a few masons on the resurrected bit of the thread so I might as well ask: why the secrecy? As I said further down it does the Masons a huge disservice I feel because the conspiracies tend to outshine the good work that they do.

"Police officers have a voluntary requirement to disclose - but only to their superiors." (how can something be voluntary and a requirement - the words contradict)

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17272611

This comment below there certainly would present my mother's views on them

"My partner is a Mason: there is definitely a handshake. Their attitude to women is utterly offensive causing the glass ceiling. The ideals may be fine, but the practice especially in local Lodges is snobbish, arrogant and without justification. Cannot see more openness happening."

Some very interesting comments, (and yet another thread I will want to read through at leisure), but something I spotted from some days ago "

My late dad was a mason. Can remember him telling me when he used to interview/recruit in his workplace in the 70s men would come into interview and give the handshake and he used to send them away without even interviewing them. He hated that side of it and saw it as an abuse of what the masons were actually about.

"apparently the Masons had put his grandfather out of business."

It can happen merely by passing their business onto others who are Masons. One of my BiLs managed an engineering firm, and was involved with local college etc. Found that he would be asked to give quotes for specific jobs, but never got the eventual order.

After 4/5 such quotes, he'd leave future requests to the bottom of his in tray, because he would get business from elsewhere in the country, but these (local) firms, where he had met the bosses and had the wobbly handshake (but being Catholic, was not a Mason himself) all asked for quotes, but passed orders to others (whether Masons or not, he didn''t know) so it seemed like ultimate time waste - he'd spend his time calculating a quote and then not get the order anyway.

I can see how, (in situations where there was little "out of area" demand,) being shunned from getting work/ orders, could lead to closure. It's not just a bit of "back scratching", it can lead to those outside the brotherhood getting treated badly, whatever anyone else says.

Not all Masonic lodges are impressive. The one in the village I grew up in looks like a slightly crap village hall. DS1 went to a Halloween themed birthday party in there once. It was pretty tired and dated inside. As far as I can tell, it was mostly a cheap pub where local men went to hide from their wives.

I think my uncle was/is involved in the knights of at Columba, which is a catholic only version of the masons based in Glasgow. He is a dreadful bigot (totally invested in all sorts of sectarian shit) so he wouldn't have wanted to join the masons. He'd rather have accused them of oppressing him and other such shit.

"Why the secrecy?"

Freemasonry is not a secret organisation. It is an esoteric one.

And it is not just another charity & networking group. It is also an intellectual one that aims self-improvement, with different themes/goals at each degree explored by rituals, discussions, and a master/apprentice system.

I thought only Catholics were banned from membership (because of them going to Confession and telling a priest about their sins, which itself might make one wonder if all is wonderful, honest, and good, inside the realms of Freemasonry).

Anyone I ever knew who was a FM was not a nice person.

I was seeing someone who was a mason very briefly. Instead of sending me a picture of him in swimming trunks or whatever men do he sent a picture of the inside of a some ridiculous masonic hall including a fancy chair and I think some robts. It made me laugh so much and totally confirmed my mother's view that these are just at best silly little boys playing around (and at worst as corrupt as they come).

I was a waitress at the FM Christmas party many moons ago. They told us that we "young ladies" were not allowed to be present during the entertainment.. We managed to spy in through an upper window and saw other "Young ladies" were providing sweaty Entertainment involving strategically placed marshmallows!!! Most of the guests looked over 70 years old!!! At the same hotel I was a waitress at wedding where the bride had a black eye! Those were the days....