DH is a Freemason and it makes me cringe

[YerJokin]

He takes it so seriously. He's always gone through hobby phases but he's done this for years now and takes it very seriously. He's currently on the phone discussing 'Bretheryn' and it gives me the major ick, I actually want to cry listening to it.

I've tried to stand by him as he takes it so seriously so i attend events and smile encouragingly but I can't bear it. Never knew when I married him that he wanted to do this. It's not the worst thing he could do of course but it's an old boys club and we're only in our 30s!

He has lots of friends and other hobbies so it's not even his only social outlet, no idea why he needs this in his life and treats it like a second job.

In a way we may as well be talking about the local council or the police, two organisations I personally accept are corrupt - I'm talking about the Met and Surrey County Council in particular. But there will be many belonging to both organisations who would protest otherwise and have no personal experience of any such thing. It's not like the foot soldiers get told anyway.

I almost feel the same way about it as the Church of Scientology, as bad as some say it is, it won't be as bad as the British State, which engaged in cover-up and counterattack re the Hillsborough families, the Contaminated Blood victims, the Grenfell victims, the Windrush generation, the postmaster generals, many of whom committed suicide due to the deliberate war of attrition carried out against them, I mean I can't see anything the Scientologists did being as bad as that, or the Freemasons for that matter, so what gives.

Finally, in the reams and reams of information provided about the Duke of Edinburgh after his death, often quite desperate acres of newsprint, there was nothing saying that he was the head of the freemasons! It was up to the local freemasons in Surrey to pay tribute to him in and mention it in the local Surrey Advertiser, which interestingly is oft keen to promote the charitable fundraising of the masons and that may not be linked to the fact that it has never ever printed any of my letters against Surrey County Council or adult social care, when the more competitive letters page at Metro have printed a good few. of mine over the years.

Now I think about it, and speaking from a male perspective, very possibly if there was a female-only organisation in which they could talk shop and career advancement at the expense of others, it would probably be shut down.

Wasn't there meant to be a law passed that would compel police officers to reveal they are masons, but Parliament wouldn't pass it, on the basis that quite a few of them were too?

It's good Mumsnet does discussions like this too, because the press very rarely cover it, there seems to be an omertà on the subject. Which again, is a bit odd.

Sorry, in many initiatory groups the initiations are aimed towards inner transformation and sometimes connecting to a tradition/energy (if a spiritual group) sometimes this inc an element of surprise. One of the reasons initiations should be secret is to ensure each person has an authentic experience for themselves as they go through it s as nd the person isn’t swayed by other’s experiences- there’s nothing sinister to it. - this is very generic and all diffferent initiatory groups will be slightly different . This is based on my first hand experience of various initiatory situations on second hand descriptions of other people’s experiences.

Curiosity has got the better of me. Could one of the freemasons explain how a member of the public becomes a freemason? Is the manner of recruitment the same for men as women? I had assumed that a potential member would be approached by a member, but that appears not to be the case.

I don't think that I would fit in as generally prefer my own company, I am just curious. I don't need to know any secrets, so if this is one then just don't answer the question.

Thanks fo the freemasons, or those with experience of freemasonary, for taking the time to give us all some interesting insights, despite the often negative responses. It makes for a fascinating read.

We were talking about the Catholic Church, as you well know 🤣
twisting my words

You seem to be making a lot of insinuations here. Can you be clear what you are trying to say in order to facilitate some proper debate around any points you’re trying to make. I recall quite a few comments about the Dike of Edinburgh and Freemasonry when he died. It certainly was t covered up
at all.

I don’t think anyone should be made to disclose membership of any group. Especially, as shown on this thread there is the potential for a lot of persecution - do you really think someone should have to disclose membership when they’re having accusations of pardophilla and sacrifice and God knows what else thrown at them. I think for their safety they should keep it quiet rather than leave themselves open to persecution by conspiracy theorists.

My ex worked in the banking sector, travelling the world as part of his employment. The employers made it clear at the start of his contract that it was them or the Masons, and as they paid very well he chose the job.
His father, uncles, grandfather and great grandfather had all been Freemasons and he had felt pressured to join as it was a family tradition.

Their websites set out how to become a member. Anyone of good character over 18 (think 21 with women’s FM) can apply - men to the men’s masons women to women’s masonry. There is also co masonry (although much bigger in the US).

https://www.ugle.org.uk/become-freemason/how-to-join-freemasonry

www.ugle.org.uk/become-freemason/women-freemasons

Freemasons are very anti Catholic. The two can't mix. I have read books on freemasonry in which anonymous accounts are given.

Forgive me for not remembering the exact details correctly but as one moves up the freemasonic ladder, they need to swear on the King James Bible. Catholics don't use this bible.

Secondly, a ritual further up the ladder encourages members to do something which is symbolically degrading to the pope.

And that's just a taste of the anti-Catholicism.

I think the only person comfortable revealing the 'secrets' would be someone on his deathbed. A high ranking mason risks all by disclosing what is going on.

Anything secretive can not be good.

Thank God they laid down those rules.

It's not a "cult", but one can get too involved in anything and ruin a marriage.

All religions and none are accepted.

This particular article is very interesting
It’s by a former worshipful master with 25 years in Freemasonry
He eventually left a few years after converting to Catholicism so may be biased. However what’s interesting is his insight and knowledge first hand of the Order

I can’t link I’m afraid and haven’t posted all of it. If another MN can link that would be helpful, should anyone be interested

Here’s the last question in the interview

Apologies I missed the title page

It’s not something I could tolerate.

I think you’d find the article I posted above interesting
You are, of course, quite right.

The ones I know just get drunk.

On Snakebite 😆

Careful… you will be accused shortly of persecuting the Freemasons, and comparisons will be drawn between you and Nazis!

But it’s fine, no one is trying to control any narratives of course 🤔

Thank God he saw the real light.

When you delve deeper, it appears as though they're obsessed with Catholics.

Very, very strange.

Like the song, Mary’s boy child? You can marry Jesus?

Cult

Well no it’s the opposite of childish, you are making a claim so one assumes you have some facts and figures. Other than more men die by suicide than women.

that’s not how normal conversations with adults go, if one person says something the other doubts or is interested in then the other adult asks the one making the claim for further detail. You don’t just say no I’m not answering you!

Wasn't there meant to be a law passed that would compel police officers to reveal they are masons, but Parliament wouldn't pass it, on the basis that quite a few of them were too?
I think it’s more to do with historic persecution of masons, they couldn’t justify forcing people to disclose membership which is understandable. There are so many checks and balances nowadays (PACE etc) you’d be hard pressed to do something illegal just to help other members (it’s also very explicitly not allowed within masons to use your membership for an unfair advantage).

Oh no. I’m assuming that’s aimed at me lol. @SavingTheBestTillLast thank you for posting the attached article it’s very interesting, it brings to light a number of points very worthy of discussion.

Firstly, it again, as has been set out numerous times on this threat that the issue re masons being Catholic has nothing to do with the standpoint of Masons it is the historical position of the Catholic Church. Freemasonary his open to all.

To understand Fremasonry you need to consider the societal backdrop against which it was created. Coming out of a couple of centuries of revival of Neoplatonism, Boehmes spiritual alchemy, Rosicrucianism revival of interest in the classical, hermeticism and Cabala and Luriac Kabbalah spreading throughout Europe with yet another Exile of the Jews in 1492. Together with the rise of scientific ideals Freemasonry drew from all these areas which were the talk of the intellectual and non conformist elite. The concept of a perennial philosophy had become very popular during the Renaissance. People started to question whether the Catholics or any of the Protestors had got the concept of Christianity right. People started searching for the Holy Grael, the true meaning of Christ. What it meant to be Christian started to become a lot more fluid

The Catholic Church, with its very limited view on Christianity of course does not like this as it challenges its views on God. So it’s of little surprise a Catholic doesn’t think this wider view of Christ that became popular during the Reformation.

There’s nothing really in the article that says anything other than perennial philosophy is incompatible with the doctrine of the Catholic Church- no surprises in this.

Of course the above is a very quick broad overview, there are lots of nuances there which need to be discussed in much more detail and many issues I’ve not touched on at all.

Any interest can be damaging to a marriage -cycling Mumsnet is looking collectively at you lol.