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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Freemasons - are you one?

276 replies

JazzyComposition · 12/09/2012 22:31

So what's it all about?

OP posts:
Mrsjay · 14/09/2012 10:05

MY dad has never asked my DH to join I really thought he would have maybe he hasn't the 'power' to do that ? not that my dh is interested but I though members had to canvas other members, oh wait maybe dad doesn't like him

valiumredhead · 14/09/2012 10:07

He has the 'power' - you can nominate anyone as long as you have been a member for a year or more. My dad didn't ask my dh to join, it was through work that dh finally joined up.

Mrsjay · 14/09/2012 10:08

He has the 'power' - you can nominate anyone as long as you have been a member for a year or more

He hates his SIL doesnt he Grin

OneMoreChap · 14/09/2012 10:30

Mrsjay Fri 14-Sep-12 10:05:16
MY dad has never asked my DH to join I really thought he would have maybe he hasn't the 'power' to do that ?

You are not meant to canvas candidates.
You can make it pretty obvious they can ask you.

MissPerception · 14/09/2012 10:34

I think they are all brainwashed and I do know that it was big in police forces years ago (has it changed these days?)

All in all it sounds quite a pathetic interest. "Grown up" men with secrets.

valiumredhead · 14/09/2012 10:36

Not changed at all Miss and the same in any big organisation.

MissPerception · 14/09/2012 10:49

One good thing about discussions like this is the excuse to link .\

I can still do those dance moves.

OneMoreChap · 14/09/2012 11:05

MissPerception Fri 14-Sep-12 10:34:59
I think they are all brainwashed

Well you have one of they on the thread.
In what way do you suggest that I am brainwashed?

and I do know that it was big in police forces years ago (has it changed these days?)

Yes, some lodges had a lot of police in; most don't. Mixed membership is better and more interesting.

All in all it sounds quite a pathetic interest.

Good. I think an interest in football is pathetic. Nice we are all different. Smile

"Grown up" men with secrets.
Not all that secret!

MissPerception · 14/09/2012 11:23

OneMoreChap.
An interest in football is allowed to be discussed and debated in public. The masons aren't.

The masons are pathetic.

OneMoreChap · 14/09/2012 11:33

MissPerception Fri 14-Sep-12 11:23:02
An interest in football is allowed to be discussed and debated in public. The masons aren't.

Yet here we are discussing freemasonry, in a moderately public forum?

Aren't you a secret society?
We are not!

our ceremonies have been published in books and are freely available in libraries
our meeting places are known and often used for other purposes by the public such as blood donor sessions
members are free to speak openly about freemasonry
information can be found on the internet

The masons are pathetic.
Your opinion. In mine, as accurate as your previous statement

MissPerception · 14/09/2012 12:03

Onemore. This could turn out to be a heated discussion. I have worked in a culture where there were many masons - hence my "interest". I'm not going to say much more. I might be in lots of trouble if I do.

merrymouse · 14/09/2012 17:14

No, mumsnet is if anything more secretive than the masons OR the national trust because when you join nobody AT ALL has to know who you are. Again you could be right that potentially organisations like these are far more worrying than the masons because although there have NOT YET been any scandals, for instance, involving high court judges, the police and mumsnet, this is clearly because so far NOBODY HAS BEEN LOOKING!!!

Dan Brown should be alerted immediately.

(NB: clearly some members of mumsnet are also members of other covert organisations such as RSPB and WWFN)

ToothbrushThief · 15/09/2012 07:28

The mason that I know is far from pathetic. He is triathlete (iron man). He's also honest and has great integrity

Cherrypieplum · 15/09/2012 09:20

I was on holiday in Devon or Dorset and a lodge had an open day. There were lots of chaps and one youngish bloke, tons of badly painted symbols
and some regalia to look at upstairs.

One mason told us about and skeleton under the floor for ritual purposes but didn't go into massive detail. My then 12 year old sister gave them a grilling and told them off for the bones ("that's sick!").

My mum was just pleased they had free tea. My SF has been invited but turned it down as he felt conflicted with his religion.

LittleBarnOwl · 15/09/2012 09:52

My Grandpa had a Masonic funeral, he was quite high up. Members of a few of the lodges came to the funeral in full regalia and marched alongside the hearse, it was quite a sight to see and after they had paid their respects they went off to the local lodge for some sort of service of their own.

If I had got a chance to speak to my Grandpa about it I would have loved to have learned more, but I was only a teenager when he died.

Socknickingpixie · 15/09/2012 10:26

my friend was also not pathetic,during his life time as well as working full time he gave at least 1 day a week to different charities most often cab when he stopped working full time it was cab, sn scouts,victim support as well as driving people to hospital appointments. all this despite having cancer.

he was the kindest most thoughtful man i ever met who cared more about other people than his own ill health

SneakyNuts · 15/09/2012 13:25

My Grandad was one. It's all just business networking.

valiumredhead · 15/09/2012 13:32

It is indeed sneaky

TapirBackRider · 15/09/2012 13:44

Not a mason obviously (as I'm female) but was in a religion that uses the same ceremonies, handshakes and regalia as them.

It's quite fun to do a 'handshake' and see who reacts and who doesn't. Grin

merrymouse · 15/09/2012 13:54

What religion was that?

TapirBackRider · 15/09/2012 14:01

The same one as Mitt Romney - mormons.

merrymouse · 15/09/2012 14:24

Mormons have a handshake? And there I was thinking they just did pretty blogs with nice photos of their children!

TapirBackRider · 15/09/2012 15:55

They do those too!

The handshakes are the exact same as the masons, as well as the apron etc.

ddubsgirl · 15/09/2012 16:24

my grandad was i think my dads dad.

thegreylady · 15/09/2012 16:28

We once had a meeting in a masonic lodge-they rented out the hall-and there was a big wooden box in the corner-someone [not me] opened it and there was a skull inside!!! What was that about??

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