Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

only odd men join organisations like the Masons

221 replies

GoodGriefSunshine · 19/11/2019 19:22

Maybe I have just been unfortunate but the only men I have ever met that belonged to the Masons (...Rotary etc) have been kind of odd. Let's just say, not attractive to women types. Mummy's boys, odd-bods who are into train spotting and sci-fi in too big a way. The kind of men you feel may be a little on the boring side. What sort of men join these predominantly men's clubs and what is appealing about wearing aprons and performing bizarre rituals?

OP posts:
Solihooley · 19/11/2019 20:28

Oh... and I am a woman in technology and I have never been disadvantaged due to a Freemason.

Not that you know of anyway...

AcrossthePond55 · 19/11/2019 20:28

The Masons are heavily involved in charity work, at least here in the States. Have you never heard of Shriner's Childrens Hospitals or the Masonic Homes?

If you think of men (and women as Eastern Star is involved, too) who devote hours and hours of personal time and give vast sums of money to help others as 'odd', then I think you need to think again.

Malteserdiet · 19/11/2019 20:31

@Cailleachian

My sister had a rare type of epilepsy where she couldn’t stop herself fitting and used to eventually stop breathing. Most of her fits happened during the night while she was asleep. The mason’s donated a nighttime sleep mat that detected the very beginning of a fitting episode and alerted my parents with an alarm so they could administer the necessary drug to stop her fitting. The drug was available on the nhs but not the mat. It was the first time my parents could actually sleep through the night at the same time in about 4 years when they delivered that mat!

lborgia · 19/11/2019 20:33

Masons have done a good job of covering their nepotism. There's at least one London hospital where I know it makes a difference to how easily doctors progress in their careers, and even has Masonic silverware in one of the doctors messes.

I have close family who are masons, and they think they're above the law. And they are.

MumsFirst · 19/11/2019 20:35

My hubby of 32years is a freemasons. After 23 years in the Army, doing tours of various war zones and peace keeping ops, he is certainly no mummysboy, geek, nerd, or train spotter
He simply enjoys raising money to help those who need it.

WTCT · 19/11/2019 20:36

Oh... and I am a woman in technology and I have never been disadvantaged due to a Freemason

Not that you know of anyway

If that’s what I meant, I would have said it.

I have never been disadvantaged.

I have got every promotion I’ve ever gone for.

I’ve been offered promotions that haven’t been widely advertised in my company.

The only person that ever got a job I thought I should get absolutely, 100%, most definitely wasn’t a Mason.

I have not been disadvantaged.

mynewusernamenow · 19/11/2019 20:36

@Cailleachian
What like parliament per chance?

KittenLedWeaning · 19/11/2019 20:39

The two masons I've known seemed perfectly normal, pleasant men.

Ragwort · 19/11/2019 20:41

So what is your opinion of the hundreds of Adult Leaders (men & women) who give up their free time to run Scouting for young people? Do you think they are ‘odd’ too?

Any organisation can seem a little ‘odd’ to those not involved in it, but I have made many Scout Leaders, Round Table, Masons & Lions members over the years and the vast majority are kind, community focused individuals.

What do you do in your spare time Op that makes you so interesting?

Divebar · 19/11/2019 20:41

So are people honestly saying that the masons exist purely to raise money for charity? In which case why have “ temples?” Why the different ranks among the members? Why the initiation ceremonies and services? Why the secrecy? Please answer with something other than “ my neighbour is a Mason and is a nice guy”.

Sarcelle · 19/11/2019 20:42

I thought masons were odd. I grew up near their massive temple (hq)or central masonic hall in central London so there were always lots walking around with their big briefcases (with their apron in I am guessing). I also worked somewhere where we hired their main hq for filming and had a walk around. It felt a bit eerie but that was because I had been brought up being told they were oddballs.

However, a friend on my DHs family was one. He was the nicest and kindest, most generous and sociable man I have ever met. When he died it was literally standing room only in the church, they were crammed in, he was much loved and is greatly missed. One of his neighbours (he lived in the Cotswolds) was a traffic person on local radio, she used to report from a flying eye plane. She used to sometimes be flying in the vicinity of the village and say I am flying over X's house, best neighbour in the world. He really was a lovely human being.

minesagin37 · 19/11/2019 20:43

I just remember when I was 17 my boyfriends dad being a Mason. He got done for speeding and my boyfriend said the cops let him off because he was in 'their club'!

Arnoldthecat · 19/11/2019 20:43

So is Freemasonry an exclusive club? I mean if you dont know one you cant get invited to join can you??

Ohgee · 19/11/2019 20:50

It is people like you who cause trouble in our world !!! Talking nonsense about topics that you probably have very little knowledge of. Well done

steff13 · 19/11/2019 20:51

I mean if you dont know one you cant get invited to join can you?

Here, you just apply. They used to advertise for new members on television.

UrsulaPandress · 19/11/2019 20:53

Seriously? Folk are stressing about the Masons and someone has criticised knitters? And the WI?

steff13 · 19/11/2019 20:53

What's the WI? I'm a knitter, and I belong to the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution).

SemperIdem · 19/11/2019 20:58

The replies on this thread are the most wholesome take on Free Mason’s I’ve ever seen.

Bigredumbrella · 19/11/2019 21:01

A few years back I was facing Christmas with my 3 kids in a refuge after leaving my violent Ex H. The wk before Christmas There was a party.at the refuge & all the kids were asked to write down a wish list of gifts. A few days later the gifts were delivered to the families along with £50 gift card for food. It was all funded my the local Masonic Lodge. There maybe some odd bods amongst them but I will never forget the kindness & generosity they showed to me & my kids.It made a difficult situation 100x better.

ChibiTotoro · 19/11/2019 21:35

OP are the women in the Rotary Club odd too in your opinion or is it just the men?

I live in a commuter town and clubs like this provide opportunities for people new to an area to meet others. I can't speak for all of the clubs that you are tarring with the same brush, but the members in one club that I have met have various occupations; lawyers, photographers, social workers and labourers. I think they were all married as well so they're evidently attractive to some people. They put on good social events for the community in order to raise funds for charities such as children's hospices, autism charities and social therapy.

Maybe you could take the time to find out more about these organisations and the activities that they are in. Chances are you've probably attended some of their events anyway as for some reason people seem to think their events are organised by the council rather than people who volunteer their time, energy and expertise.

justcly · 19/11/2019 21:38

The only thing I know about the Masons is that they funded the playgroup that my eldest DS attended - without which there would have been no free childcare in our village. Seems they get a lot of "they're a bit weird" publicity and very little "they do a lot of charity work" publicity. And frankly, if somebody wants to be a member of a club, I don't consider it to be any of my business.

Thehop · 19/11/2019 21:38

My uncle was a mason and he was absolutely magnificent. Handsome, successful and funny.

Sadly my opinion of them is coloured because my brother also joined and he’s a massive tosspot

Likethebattle · 19/11/2019 21:42

My grandad, uncles and dad were all masons. None of them were anything like your description. They all had decent jobs and families. There is actually a good network that you are connected through via your lodge and you have to be approved to join, they doesn’t happen if you have no social skills etc.

Original poster
GoodGriefSunshine · 19/11/2019 21:43

Do you have to be religious to be accepted? I thought you had to be some kind of religious but not any specific religion. So Jewish, Christian, Muslim....but not atheist. What about Humanist or Pagan? Would they be ok? Are there really no non-religious atheists amongst them?

OP posts:
Slp40 · 19/11/2019 21:43

You need to get your facts straight first. The masons and all other organisations like them do a hell of a lot for charity and a lot of work behind the scenes. Its family,work and then masons or whatever organisations your part of. That's how it's always been and a lot of prime ministers and influential people were masons and have always been held in high regard. Most are not rich and do not live in luxury. The wives and partners also play a very important part too . Hospitals and many charities couldn't do what they do without the masons. People are ignorant and think they know all about these organisations when in reality they haven't got a clue.