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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not understand Masonic lodges

314 replies

Bearbehind · 04/02/2018 20:50

Just been talking to a friends who's husband is a head honcho mason.

He's called the Grand Master or something equally ridiculous.

Apparently throughout a masons 'career' they get to fill in certain blanks in the book and only at the top level do you get to fill in all the blanks.

AIBU to think WTAF?

What is the point in this seemingly childish behaviour in grown men?

OP posts:
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onwardsonwards · 04/02/2018 20:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chantico · 04/02/2018 20:54

Just think of it as Scouts for grown ups. Uniforms, badges and a fair amount of charity fund-raising, plus networking opportunities. Though in most towns, they're not that exciting/influential.

Redglitter · 04/02/2018 20:54

They do a lot for charity.

My friend is very involved in a Lodge and it just seems to be primarily an excuse for an evening out something to eat and a few drinks

Abracadabraapileofbollocks · 04/02/2018 20:55

They never grew out of sticker books and giggling at using rude words in code.

Original poster
Bearbehind · 04/02/2018 20:55

I get the charity and networking bit but what's with all the weird rituals?

OP posts:
Julie8008 · 04/02/2018 20:57

what's with all the weird rituals

Human beings like rituals, whether or not they are formalised its a normal part of our nature.

PancakeInMaBelly · 04/02/2018 20:57

If they were all about charity they would just join a Rotary club.

All of the Masons I know are self-applauding misogynistic mansplaining arses.

Redglitter · 04/02/2018 20:59

It's not all about charity though but anyone I know who's a Mason certainly doesn't fit that description - thankfully

Thischatnameisalreadyinuse · 04/02/2018 20:59

I don't understand what the masons are or how someone becomes one. One of my friend's is next door neighbours with a man who is the masons. I don't know what that means at all.

Thischatnameisalreadyinuse · 04/02/2018 21:00

Who is the masons?

Who is IN the masons*

Sorry

Redglitter · 04/02/2018 21:01

You become one by being recommended by someone already in the Lodge.

Original poster
Bearbehind · 04/02/2018 21:01

Human beings like rituals, whether or not they are formalised its a normal part of our nature.

Hmm

Most of us manage without following a weird cult where information is only divulged at certain levels.

OP posts:
PancakeInMaBelly · 04/02/2018 21:02

Masons also love to let you know they're masons. In a goady way :I'm going to tell you Im a Mason in a "you wouldn't understand if you haven't been a Mason" kinda way
I just want you to know that you don't know some stuff that I know

Playground nonsense.

athingthateveryoneneeds · 04/02/2018 21:02

A lot of policemen are masons, from what I've been told.

PancakeInMaBelly · 04/02/2018 21:04

Yeah policemen, firemen etc.
Apparently it was the done thing
But it's not now
And female police offers had to get by without being in the Masons

TheLionQueen1 · 04/02/2018 21:05

I've been to a Ladies night with them and it's very odd! They toast the women then a representative for the women has to do a speech back. They made a fortune for charity in that one night alone though and do a lot.

Have you been watching hunted?! That guy has been using his mason network pretty well Grin

Sweetpea55 · 04/02/2018 21:06

At the initiation they have to bare a breast to prove they aren't a woman

Cherrycokewinning · 04/02/2018 21:09

“All of the Masons I know are self-applauding misogynistic mansplaining arses.”
I would find the whole thing hilarious but I’m also sure it’s full of twats like this ^^

Police officers, firefighters, civil servahts etc now have to declare their membership not sure if that affects them particularly though

Original poster
Bearbehind · 04/02/2018 21:10

PMSL- do men have different nipples to women? How do they differentiate between flat chested women and man boobs?

It's completely insane.

OP posts:
PancakeInMaBelly · 04/02/2018 21:10

A lot of the charities are charities for masons: Masonic nursing homes etc (VERY luxurious gated properties)

It's the Rotary that help out our local food bank, not the Masons

Julie8008 · 04/02/2018 21:12

Most of us manage without following a weird cult where information is only divulged at certain levels

Um your describing most religions/cults there, how many people follow them? Lets just say a magic spell, turn this liquid into blood and drink it, doesn't get much weirder than that. And they are practised on a daily/weekly basis by millions/billions of people, with the full 'truth' never being divulged until after you die.

The same could be said of families withholding sex education, and the information only divulged when you are older. Santa. Universities. Pretty much every area of life has its rituals and only reveals knowledge as you get more experienced.

DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 04/02/2018 21:14

It’s really just a boys gang for boys who didn’t grow up to feel as important as they think should feel. Perhaps mummy didn’t hug them enough.

PancakeInMaBelly · 04/02/2018 21:15

If you're one of the posters who think it's all harmless altruism and a bit of harmless ritual: what do you think it was like for women, and some men, who had to work in Masonic professions but couldn't be masons?

Original poster
Bearbehind · 04/02/2018 21:15

julie the huge difference is Santa and Universities is a path most of us follow.

The masons seem to be a misogynistic closed cult that encourages men to behave like children.

Maybe you can't see the difference, but there certainly is one.

OP posts:
ParkheadParadise · 04/02/2018 21:16

Do they have a secret handshake?