To not understand Masonic lodges

[Bearbehind]

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?

Tbh I’ve no idea about all that, my dad was part of a lodge in a small rural town. I think one mason had an affair with another wife and got thrown out but that’s possibly as far as any scandal went for them lol

I grew up with the masons throwing lovely summer family bbq, throwing balls etc all for charity, my dad used to say he was going to brownies because I was usually going to brownies.

I’m sure the bigger ones are corrupt etc not denying that but I think a small lodge In a small farming town where everyone knows everyone is perfectly nice and Fine.

Ooh, we haven’t had a Mason bashing thread for ages. That bored are you, OP? I know plenty about it but wouldn’t waste my time explaining it. It’s something that doesn’t need to be justified to anyone, especially people taking the piss to draw attention to themselves.

Doesn’t need to be justified to anyone? Tell that to families who have had lives destroyed by police corruption stemming from freeemasonry. You’re the one taking the piss surely?

I know plenty about it but wouldn’t waste my time explaining it

Aye - right!

They raise a lot of money for charity. My dad was a mason

Aw well, at ease everybody. All must be ok then 🤣🤣

"If they had to declare their membership it would at least give more transparency and they wouldn’t be able to get away with nefarious behaviour quite so easily"

How?

It doesn't need to be a secret. Obviously they should be entitled to a private life but many wear rings anyway. I think the ignorance of many on here shows why they may not make a point of telling everyone they're Masons.

"Someone on this thread has admitted on a public forum someone they know had a reduced sentence due to Masonic connections."

I have 4 PhDs, live in a mansion and each one of my 12 DCs is exceptionally gifted and talented.

By the way, saying you know something followed by the "fact" doesn't make it so.

"is by the the very nature a conflict of interest if it’s kept secret"

No. Fact.

Either you misunderstand what a conflict of interest is or you misunderstand what a secret is. It is only a conflict of interest if you have a competing professional or personal interest. I judge would have to declare if they knew someone involved in a trial personally but not for being Masons in general. How about going to the same school but not knowing each other or supporting the same football team.

"But I think it has no place dominating police force/CPS."

Do you have any evidence it does? One anonymous poster doesn't prove "domination".

"Tell that to families who have had lives destroyed by police corruption stemming from freemasonry."

Are you the poster who clearly needed mental health support in the other thread. The one who said Masons had compiled a huge police record on her all of which was apparently falsified. Proper conspiracy theories that would have been laughable if her mental state wasn't so sad.

declaring club affiliations....how active a member do you have to be?
does being a member of the local beekeeper's club count, how about with a national or international membership?
beekeepers wear a special gown with head cover....and are familiar with the waggle dance.
lets start a conspiracy theory

The local lodge tried to recruit me last year. I declined but I've kept the flyer for shits and giggles. It's on my kitchen noticeboard.

Beekeepers wear a special gown with head cover

So do the Klu Klux Klan - let’s not pretend all people wearing special outfits are the same! I think you’ll find beekeepers wear their special clothing to prevent being stung, and are not required to take a secret oath or perform rituals of allegiance to fellow brothers.

Welsh Assembly members are supposed to declare if they are Freemasons and one of them has it on his official profile on the Assembly website.
Should be the same for all elected politicians.

"They raise a lot of money for charity. My dad was a mason. Why be so hateful about something that you don’t need to join or care about move on"

Have you actually read the thread?
There are lots of other groups men can join to socialise and raise money for charity. The Masons is more than just charity and friendship. Read and think and don't let your family loyalty cloud your judgement.

""You have to have a well paid job to be invited as you’re expected to pay your way in"

Not true in the slightest. Membership is little over £100 per year. "

Is it the same in every lodge?
Did you read my post about what I saw in Belgium. One of the city's lodges was known as being quite elite - an architect which is generally not considered a low status job - was rejected.
The orders are different in Belgium so it's possible that the 100 a year is right for the main order here.

Computional in have no idea what your ranty post is trying to argue, other that accusing me of having mental health issues . I’m another poster who had a family member pursued by a group of men (drug dealers/police/right up to CPS), who tried to actually have a judge moved to a different trial because he wouldn’t look favourably upon their non case. They happened to all be masons. Of course I have a file of paper work/ letters that prove exactly what they tried to do and they had to withdraw the case in the end, not before it had ruined my relatives life. What we could never understand was why a DC with zero evidence for his ‘theory’ from a regional force would hold any sway over a crown prosecutor. It’s all a mystery until you work out the Masonic ‘connection’ . There’s endless cases of police corruption (Daniel Morgan/ Stephen Lawrence are high profile ones) and it always seems to be police with Masonic connections involved, so yes I might make the conclusion that it facilitates corruption. I honestly think you don’t know what you’re on about having had no experience from the other side, and as I’ve already said, you can’t see the wood from the trees. And how on earth do you know the other poster wasn’t telling the truth? Look how they deliberately tried to smear the Lawrence family. If I told you some of the things the police officer involved in our case did you’d laugh, it was like something from a film it was so bizarre/ludicrous. If you really, honestly believe that no Freemasons act nefariously or have done in the recent past you are the one with a serious case of delusion.

The fact that you dismiss anyone as telling their true experience as having mental health issues says a lot more about your argument I’m afraid.

@Rumpledfaceskin

I got to the end of the second sentence before having to give up. No, I didn't suggest you had mental health issues.

Yep well done. You’re so clever and amazing but rather than actually read a reply you mock me for not using paragraphs? It’s an Internet forum I’m not writing a fucking PhD. I’m sure you know lots and lots of things, so many more things that every one else, and anyone who argues against you is totally crazy.

calm down.

Practiced at shutting down debates on the subject? I see.

and ?

Grapes thank you for actually putting forward a sensible point of view. I have no doubt that what you describe is in fact the case. Freemasons aren’t all bad by nature, I’ve never thought that. But the network facilitates some who are willing to corrupt/be corrupted, and makes it much easier for them to get away with. More so than being part of a normal social club or organisation because, as you state, of its history of this type of behaviour. I still think if you work within the criminal justice system you should declare membership for full transparency. Yes of course only the cases where things go wrong (and people find out) are reported on. But one case of corruption within the CJS is too many. It ruins individuals lives. If any members of lodges are responsible for the corruption as an organisation they should be working towards eradicating them from the organisation. Not promoting further secrecy. It’s a poor excuse to say they have to remain secretive behaviour because of prejudice.

So are the normal rules judges and what not have to follow not enough because, what if your a mason you must be less honest then a normal person?

Grapesaremyjam - my DP is similar to yours. In our region they are very actively trying to recruit younger members to try and change the perception of freemasonry, it’s far more of a social thing than people seem to think and of all the masons I have met over the years at various events I think there has been a solitary policeman among them - the rest are just working to get by the same as the majority of people do. If anything it’s almost become something to be more secretive about due to people’s attitudes. Never did I think I would be asked if my husband was a racist or sexist but I have been. He is a thoroughly decent man (so I’m told by others, I don’t like to give him too much credit ) and people seem to think just because he is open about being a mason they have the right to question his character in a way they wouldn’t to others! It really is quite bizarre how they are perceived by those who don’t know any!

Needs. You’d like to think so but clearly not always as in my county there was a network of corruption invoving criminals, police, and crown prosecutor. Being a mason doesn’t make you less honest but some exploit the connection for corrupt purposes. So it follows that if your a person in a postion where you can not (should not) be morally compromised it makes sense to lay all cards on the table and declare membership. As pps have said, it’s time that they recruited younger members that haven’t been born into it and have a fresh approach to working to improve the image of freemasonry. I’m glad some lodges are working toward this, although I remain slightly uncomfortable with the whole idea of societies dominated by men. That goes for all similar ‘clubs’ such as the livery companies. It’ just seems so antiquated and it’s all about male dominance ultimately.