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Original poster

What are the Freemasons?

22 replies

JustaQuickie · 22/09/2004 13:12

Can anyone enlighten me as to what this group is actually about? Someone I know has recently joined and it got me a bit worried, based on my hazy 'knowledge' of this group. I'd like to be told I'm wrong. Anyone know?

PS. I have changed my name for this thread and am a reasonably regular poster. Just paranoid my friend will find out I was so worried about him!

OP posts:

Papillon · 22/09/2004 13:54

The freemasons are quite into charitable acts like Rotary and Lions.

Freemasonery is an old organisation. They are non-religious but worship of a supreme God of any form is expected. This does necessary mean the christian God.

Therefore, Freemasonery is often considered to be demonic by some of the more religious organisations. It goes further than religious disapproval and there is also a history of conspiracy theories regarding freemasons, governments and so on. So it depends on what you believe I guess as to whether freemasons is just another kind of mens group like Rotary but with some old rituals attached. Or are an order starting from you everyday citizen right up to the upper echelon of society

MancMum · 22/09/2004 13:54

my dad and all his mates are masons and they are the most ordinary normal straight laced people you will ever meet - lodge meetings during week football matches at weekends...

It is a relatively secret society and so you get all sorts of conspiracy theorists making out all sort of nonsense about them... they raise a lot of money for charity and it is a social group as well.. there are ladies lodges as well

I am sure you get as much corruption and dodgy geezering in the Rotary sciety but as they are not so closed, you don't get the hysteria with it..

Kayleigh · 22/09/2004 14:00

My dad used to be one too. Nothing dodgy I promise you.

carla · 22/09/2004 14:02

Don't they all have purple pinnies or something?

OldieMum · 22/09/2004 14:24

My father was a member, too. It seemed to involve nothing more sinister than a good dinner now and again. However, it's often said that freemasons help one another out in business and professional matters and this is what people resent - it's a bit of a clique.

Original poster

JustaQuickie · 22/09/2004 15:07

Ok, thanks for that, I guess it's the possible 'clique' aspect that I don't like, I get a bit paranoid
Tyvm for the links too Papillon

OP posts:

fio2 · 22/09/2004 15:10

they used to have a 'round table' group where i used to live and it was always 'sleeze' on the front of the paper

topless waitress's at do's and stuff

pixiefish · 22/09/2004 15:13

just a group of men who get together and raise money quietly for charity. They do have ceremonies and things they have to learn and they have a hierachy which depends on time in etc. There is a grand lodge in london- nothing sinister I can assure you

Tessiebear · 22/09/2004 16:14

DH is a freemason and he is quite normal (I attend "ladies night" which is quite nice)

bundle · 22/09/2004 16:18

seems a bit weird to me, i pass the masons shop in covent garden every now & then and can't believe that someone would pay eg £60 for a dodgy looking tankard or tie..
a (long ago) ex of mine's mother said the masons caused her marriage break-up(!) but i can't help but laugh when i think of all the little rituals, handshakes etc, like when you were at school.

helsi · 22/09/2004 16:29

My DH is one and my dad is one, my uncle was one and I also go to ladies night just like you Tessie Bear. It really is nothing weird it really is just ways of raising money for charity. You cannot just join either you have to be recommended by a current member and I think that criminal checks etc are done so they really are "good people". It is an ancient tradition with a lot of history. I go to some really nice "do's".

ks · 22/09/2004 16:50

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Message withdrawn

helsi · 22/09/2004 16:58

No anyone can join more or less. self employed are members, employed people are members - even some civil servants, lawyers, financial advisors etc are members and that;s not a trade its a profession.
There really are so many myths about who and what Freemasonry is. They do have a websites in which all this will be clarified.

ks · 22/09/2004 17:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

KatieMac · 22/09/2004 17:27

It all started with 'Lodges'' of stone masons who went around building the catherdrals all over europe.

You could only work if you were approved by the head 'mason' and were often thought as the start of Trades union....

fio2 · 22/09/2004 17:31

at my earlier comment but it was true, but they are obv not freemasons!

helsi · 22/09/2004 17:33

I must admit - they do look out for each other if they can help each other they will but surely that is only a good thing - just like having a bunch of really good mates!!?

ks · 22/09/2004 17:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

bundle · 22/09/2004 17:39

sorry, this is quite an old article

jodee · 23/09/2004 15:01

DH's uncle is a mason and used to be high up in the police force and on occasions when he (uncle) was stopped in his car for being over the limit, it's been ignored. That is unacceptable in my book.

He also has a fear of the Internet and won't own a computer.

staples · 24/09/2004 09:22

It's a secret society and forbidden by the Catholic Church. My grandad was a copper and most coppers were masons - lots of back scratching & dodgy favours. He refused to join & his career didn't go as well as it could have....

jampot · 24/09/2004 09:31

jodee - i have a friend who's dh is a traffic cop and has police escorted her home in their car whilst she was over the limit. Also another friend whose dh was a detective - was out with his BIL one night, driving home blind drunk and got stopped. When they saw friends dh they escorted them home too ! think that may be a copper thing (not intending to offend any police or their families)

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