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TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:By the way, I see the little dots thingy everywhere and after a decade of masonry, I've still yet to figure out what they actually mean... I've seen it used in shorthand notes here in California (Blue Lodge), but it's not as prevalent as :: (in that unlike the latter it doesn't appear in our cyphers)
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May 3, 2013 01:09
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FreshFeesh posted:I've seen it used in shorthand notes here in California (Blue Lodge), but it's not as prevalent as :: (in that unlike the latter it doesn't appear in our cyphers) I've never seen :: personally.
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May 3, 2013 01:13
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I've always written it as something like H:.A:. or M:.M:.. I also like .'. but it's not a dot up top properly. It's actually much, much more prevalent in old cyphers and is also used by the Golden Dawn and some other Hermetic organizations. Most importantly, it's featured in our smiley.  Edit: QPZIL posted:In other news, I've been sort of put in charge of Masonic education at my York Rite meeting last night This is what happens when you literally write the book on something.
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May 3, 2013 03:52
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I'm really happy this thread exists. I've been thinking about joining the craft ever since I was of age (now 22), and this thread is only nudging me farther in that direction. What planted the seed of that idea in my mind was when I found out about my grandfather's degree of involvement with the Masons as well as many other Masonic organizations. He rose to the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite, and was a member of the Shrine as well as the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. I think he may have also been involved in the York Rite, because I remember seeing something about the Knights of Malta (?) in his papers and Masonic stuff. I may have tried on a fez of his. What impressed me so much about the man was his work, his passion, and his character. He was one of the most friendly, tolerant, and trustworthy people I have ever met. I can only say the same for the few other people I know who are Masons. The general impression I get from you guys is that the craft has helped cement the foundation of your character, grow morally, and that you wish you had joined earlier. Would you consider it better to join young, and would I learn more from the craft by doing so?
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May 3, 2013 04:41
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I wish I had joined earlier, but not 15 years earlier. That said, we've initiated a couple sons-of-Masons when they turned 18, and I haven't seen them "stick with it"... Really varies from person to person
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May 3, 2013 05:04
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A man died tonight. Suicide. I'll never know what went through his mind, nor how long he has planned this. Odds are I know him maybe in passing, maybe he's one of my drinking buddies. All I know is it was in my neighborhood. If I can get time off work, I plan on attending his funeral. A suicide is a sad thing, and even if I'm the only person there, even if I can't say a single thing about him, he was someone I've no doubt run across, and by that, it is my duty to pay my respects. When I was initiated, I was told that I was to wear my Apron, my symbol of purity throughout a honorable life until the day I pass from this realm to that house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Is there any reason whatsoever I cannot wear it there?
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May 3, 2013 08:57
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Next week will be 2 months from my EA. For whatever reason there hasn't been someone assigned to work with me on proficiency, I'm hoping that may happen at the next meeting. I went to the April meeting, but left when all the MM's went upstairs, so we'll see how this month goes. I think I'll chat up the brother cooking and see what help he needs, if nothing else I'll have more to do than just eat and talk. I've gotten some help from other people I know, so I think I have most of the proficiency ready to study, but I want to make 100% sure so I don't mis-memorize. Here's a question though, when you are tested on proficiency, is it with the person who helped you learn? I think they may be slightly overwhelmed with new EAs oddly enough, every time I've been to a meeting there's been a petition being turned in, so the mentors may be over booked so to speak. I guess that's a good sign for the health of the lodge, but its keeping me anxious over learning it all.
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May 3, 2013 11:09
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7thBatallion posted:A man died tonight. Suicide. I'll never know what went through his mind, nor how long he has planned this. Odds are I know him maybe in passing, maybe he's one of my drinking buddies. All I know is it was in my neighborhood. If I can get time off work, I plan on attending his funeral. A suicide is a sad thing, and even if I'm the only person there, even if I can't say a single thing about him, he was someone I've no doubt run across, and by that, it is my duty to pay my respects. Two things on this, there was a similar situation in my apartment complex a few months back. 1. Ask the family if they would appreciate your presence. Cannot contact any family, just go. 2. Get a lapel pin and wear that on your suit. You will have the brotherhood with you without distracting the people who are wondering why you have a white square in your crotch at a funural. 2a. Go, you will not regret the effort put into honoring a stranger. Did you receive the full work on paper? Use a voice recorder or Audicity or something to record the parts from the other guy and then practise in solitude. Keetron fucked around with this message at 11:14 on May 3, 2013 |
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May 3, 2013 11:11
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Keetron posted:Did you receive the full work on paper? Use a voice recorder or Audicity or something to record the parts from the other guy and then practise in solitude. Cipher, but I've walked through it a couple times.
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May 3, 2013 11:48
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Perhaps a penguin posted:I'm really happy this thread exists. I've been thinking about joining the craft ever since I was of age (now 22), and this thread is only nudging me farther in that direction. What planted the seed of that idea in my mind was when I found out about my grandfather's degree of involvement with the Masons as well as many other Masonic organizations. He rose to the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite, and was a member of the Shrine as well as the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. I think he may have also been involved in the York Rite, because I remember seeing something about the Knights of Malta (?) in his papers and Masonic stuff. I may have tried on a fez of his. I wish that I had made contact earlier, and by our jurisdiction since I'm the son of a mason I could have been initiated at 18. However, reflecting on that now, despite my wish to have entered the craft earlier, I'm not sure if I was mature enough back then. I'm also glad that this thread is helping, if there is advice you're looking for or a question to ask (within reason, of course) then ask away, because as you may have seen in previous posts and/or previous iterations of this thread, the guys here are more than willing to not only answer questions, but to also give support to those goons going on the path - 7th is a prime example. Edit : You only get out of the craft in equation to what you put in. Spend time learning lectures, ritual and suchlike, spend time with guys in the lodge, take part in social events and charitable drives / occasions, and you'll see what it is really all about. Iymarra fucked around with this message at 14:43 on May 3, 2013 |
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May 3, 2013 14:41
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7thBatallion posted:A man died tonight. Suicide. I'll never know what went through his mind, nor how long he has planned this. Odds are I know him maybe in passing, maybe he's one of my drinking buddies. All I know is it was in my neighborhood. If I can get time off work, I plan on attending his funeral. A suicide is a sad thing, and even if I'm the only person there, even if I can't say a single thing about him, he was someone I've no doubt run across, and by that, it is my duty to pay my respects. Is the funeral going to be a masonic funeral? If not it would be, I think, inappropriate. I also agree with two of Keetron's points being that you should contact the family to see if you'd be appreciated there, or if you can't contact them, show up, pay your respects, and bounce. I do not think, however, that you should wear an apron, because that is generally reserved for lodge functions and Masonic funerals, and also because if I'm not mistaken you're an Entered Apprentice. In the US it is generally true that you cannot "appear in public" as a Mason until you've been raised to the third degree. That may be different in your jurisdiction, so refer to local protocols. This also applies to lapel pins and rings. If you want to go to a funeral to pay your respects, you should do so, and I applaud that decision. But do so as yourself. I see no way in which wearing the badge of a Mason should change that experience except to make everyone else there aware of it, perhaps uncomfortably, and to, in the worst case, create the impression that Masons are creepy dudes who crash funerals. Even in a better case, it would merely lead to people asking about your apron, or asking about Masonry, or asking about you, and that does a disservice to the deceased and his family.
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May 3, 2013 15:29
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Perhaps a penguin posted:I'm really happy this thread exists. I've been thinking about joining the craft ever since I was of age (now 22), and this thread is only nudging me farther in that direction. What planted the seed of that idea in my mind was when I found out about my grandfather's degree of involvement with the Masons as well as many other Masonic organizations. He rose to the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite, and was a member of the Shrine as well as the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. I think he may have also been involved in the York Rite, because I remember seeing something about the Knights of Malta (?) in his papers and Masonic stuff. I may have tried on a fez of his. I joined when I was 19 and I am very glad that I made that decision. You would have to judge for yourself whether or not it is something that you would like to spend your time doing and whether or not you enjoy hanging out with (generally) a bunch of older people. You can benefit from joining younger. If you are interested in becoming an officer, memory work is going to probably come a lot easier, you probably also have a lot more time to concentrate on it... Other members will take an interest in you and be very helpful... this list goes on and on. 7thBatallion posted:When I was initiated, I was told that I was to wear my Apron, my symbol of purity throughout a honorable life until the day I pass from this realm to that house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Is there any reason whatsoever I cannot wear it there? I'll echo what others have said. I would also add that most bylaws state that you are not to wear your apron (or other regalia [rings and lapel pins excluded]) at any function that is not officially sanctioned, so if this is not a Masonic funeral where a Masonic service has been requested, no, it would not be appropriate to wear. Straithate fucked around with this message at 16:40 on May 3, 2013 |
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May 3, 2013 16:33
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I did a thing, heh
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May 9, 2013 13:11
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QPZIL posted:I did a thing, heh Awesome. I'm thinking about getting a third degree tracing board, but don't know for sure... For I am a wimp, you see. Any other masonic tatts??
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May 9, 2013 18:09
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just chiming in the thread here to say that I contacted my local lodge and asked for petition papers. the secretary of lodge said he'd mail them to me and call me next week so we can meet over coffee and talk. My wife thinks it's silly but I like the idea of learning how to be a better man than I am. I just worry that my work schedule will prevent me from participating as much as I would need to. I work till 8 four nights a week. anyway, wish me luck. maybe one day I'll get to call you all brothers.
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May 10, 2013 03:38
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Colton posted:just chiming in the thread here to say that I contacted my local lodge and asked for petition papers. the secretary of lodge said he'd mail them to me and call me next week so we can meet over coffee and talk. My wife thinks it's silly but I like the idea of learning how to be a better man than I am. I just worry that my work schedule will prevent me from participating as much as I would need to. I work till 8 four nights a week. If your work schedule is predictable then just look for a lodge that has meetings at a time that works for you. Most do meet in the evenings, but daylight lodges that meet during the day are not uncommon. Regardless, the fraternity will never ask you to put itself ahead of your career or your family. If you've only got a few free nights a month to participate then that's fine and no one will think less of you for it.
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May 10, 2013 09:13
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Colton posted:just chiming in the thread here to say that I contacted my local lodge and asked for petition papers. the secretary of lodge said he'd mail them to me and call me next week so we can meet over coffee and talk. My wife thinks it's silly but I like the idea of learning how to be a better man than I am. I just worry that my work schedule will prevent me from participating as much as I would need to. I work till 8 four nights a week. I'd possibly suggest that after you've had a chat with the secretary to have him speak with your wife - perhaps there are some basic things that he can answer which would address any 'silly' quibbles she has. In my experience, it is better if significant others are on board, as they are not only more likely to get benefit from social events and such, but also feel like a contributing factor to the lodge in their own way. This is my feeling, and your mileage may vary, but if any Brother wishes to comment on this in any way, go ahead.
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May 10, 2013 15:52
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I talked to my wife about this last night and she said that she doesn't mind me wanting to join a social club, she just thinks it's silly because of the requirement that you believe in a supreme being. She thinks that means jesus, and both of us are pagan. I told her i'd investigate how jesus-y it is and she seemed to relax. We live in portland, so my assumption is that the local lodges would be a lot more accepting of non christians than the lodges in new orleans, which is where we moved from. Anyone here a portland/ hillsboro area mason? Can you comment on this?
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May 10, 2013 16:36
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If the investigating committee is made up of decent guys, they won't ask you anything about your religion at all. You will be asked in whom you place your trust, to which you'll have to answer "god". Whatever your definition of that god is, that's totally your business. If it's Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Vishnu, The Green Man, whatever... as long as there's a force greater than yourself that you believe punishes evil and rewards good, that's what matters. There's no discussion of politics or religion in the lodge.
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May 10, 2013 16:45
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QPZIL posted:If the investigating committee is made up of decent guys, they won't ask you anything about your religion at all. You will be asked in whom you place your trust, to which you'll have to answer "god". Whatever your definition of that god is, that's totally your business. If it's Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Vishnu, The Green Man, whatever... as long as there's a force greater than yourself that you believe punishes evil and rewards good, that's what matters. There's no discussion of politics or religion in the lodge. An ammendment to that in our lodge is work, at dinner sure, in the lodge, nope.
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May 10, 2013 17:09
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QPZIL posted:If the investigating committee is made up of decent guys, they won't ask you anything about your religion at all. You will be asked in whom you place your trust, to which you'll have to answer "god". Whatever your definition of that god is, that's totally your business. If it's Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Vishnu, The Green Man, whatever... as long as there's a force greater than yourself that you believe punishes evil and rewards good, that's what matters. There's no discussion of politics or religion in the lodge. Unless, of course, you live in Florida.
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May 12, 2013 06:42
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4. Profess a belief in God. See it's this one that made me not join up when my Grandfather wanted me to. Athiest and all, wouldn't feel right pretending otherwise. Question is, do you think many Freemasons are actually non religious and just pretend otherwise to stay in the order?
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May 12, 2013 13:17
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Pope on fire posted:Question is, do you think many Freemasons are actually non religious and just pretend otherwise to stay in the order? I can't speak for anyone but myself, so I'll speak for myself. That does not apply to me. You don't have to be religious to be a Freemason, just have a belief in a Supreme Being. That said, frankly if you didn't believe, our ritual would be very boring, so there would be no reason to stay.
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May 12, 2013 13:56
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Pope on fire posted:
I'm sure that over the years the belief system of any brother is either challenged or changes somewhat. I don't know of masons who pretend, but then again nobody probably would unless the brother made it public knowledge (remember no discussion of religion) I'm sure that for some members in these circumstances, the comeradrie and friendships forged over many years would be too important to give up. I creates quite a quandry. Tell the truth and leave the group, or remain quiet and stay as involved as everyone else. I don't know about the others in here, but it would be a hard decision for me have to choose what to do.
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May 12, 2013 14:10
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Just curious about something after reading about how to petition. All of my friends who have known me for years are out of state. Would they still call them? Is there any criteria for the references (years known, all men, etc)?
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May 12, 2013 17:52
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I participated in our Scottish Rite Valley's spring reunion this weekend, so uh... Master of the Royal Secret checking in! All I have to say after going through all that is  I could spend the rest of my life studying those degrees and would still not get even remotely close to mastering them. At this point, I don't think I could explain what I went through even if I was allowed.
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May 12, 2013 22:49
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imac1984 posted:I participated in our Scottish Rite Valley's spring reunion this weekend, so uh... Master of the Royal Secret checking in! All I have to say after going through all that is You might see if your Valley offers a Master Craftsman program, or something similar. There are a few excellent courses you can take to learn more about the rituals.
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May 12, 2013 23:11
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Pope on fire posted:4. Profess a belief in God. I'm a deist. I'm as non religious as it gets. I don't believe in prayer, I find man endlessly fallible and as thus I avoid church, and if I have to go I usually argue with the pastor over the 'gays are evil, Muslims are the enemy' sermons I somehow always walk into. I was made a Mason, and although I don't get half the bible references, I still enjoy it. I know Masons that practice Islam, a Buddhist, one Catholic, which is funny for its own reasons, I know many liberals, I know a tea partier. We come from all beliefs and walks of life. Politics and religion are off limits during lodge events and generally frowned upon when with fellow Masons. Only when it involves lodge matters should it be brought up. (Such as the Florida monotheism debacle) Harmony is our strength, and nothing should disrupt that. I also miss lodge all the fricking time. At this rate I'll go three times a year thanks to an unforgiving work schedule. I'm far from an ideal Mason. So take what I say with a grain of salt. Kilo147 fucked around with this message at 02:32 on May 13, 2013 |
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May 13, 2013 02:27
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We're back to the why no atheists in freemasonry part of the thread. If I remember correctly the previous part was why can't women join freemasonry. So, I'm guessing that we're due for the "what happens if a freemason joins then has a sex change" part of the thread. How come no one ever asks why Americans get to wear hats in blue lodge, and nobody else does? I find that to be a divisive subject. (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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May 13, 2013 06:57
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TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:We're back to the why no atheists in freemasonry part of the thread. If I remember correctly the previous part was why can't women join freemasonry. So, I'm guessing that we're due for the "what happens if a freemason joins then has a sex change" part of the thread. Only The WM gets to wear a hat! At least in my part of the country.
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May 13, 2013 07:32
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TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:How come no one ever asks why Americans get to wear hats in blue lodge, and nobody else does? I find that to be a divisive subject. Who's a what now? At least in California only the Worshipful Master may wear a hat, and it must be a hat that dignifies the position.
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May 13, 2013 07:33
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My proposal is to be careful with the hat discussion, lest we not repeat the schism that occurred in Belgium in 1987 when the vote on Top Hat vs Bowler basically ripped the already irregular Grand Lodge apart into three camps. Now you think I am joking, but if you look into masonry in Belgium, you'll see it is not that far from the truth. Now in all seriousness, if you deny any form of Higher Power then Masonry will offer you nothing you cannot find at other places such as the Rotary. If you call yourself an Atheist but in fact you despise organized religion such as the catholic church but you do in fact think there is something out there, you are more of a deist and welcome as a brother. In general, it would be wise to focus on reasons why one can join instead of reasons why one cannot join.
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May 13, 2013 09:26
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Keetron posted:My proposal is to be careful with the hat discussion, lest we not repeat the schism that occurred in Belgium in 1987 when the vote on Top Hat vs Bowler basically ripped the already irregular Grand Lodge apart into three camps. Hey now, I never said despise. I just avoid.
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May 13, 2013 10:04
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Colton posted:Just curious about something after reading about how to petition. All of my friends who have known me for years are out of state. Would they still call them? Is there any criteria for the references (years known, all men, etc)? If it's all you got, it's all you got. A handy thing about joining a Lodge is making a whole lot of new friends.
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May 13, 2013 12:25
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7thBatallion posted:Hey now, I never said despise. I just avoid. Good thing I was not talking about you but about actual religion hating atheists who confuse "don't believe in a God" with "gently caress you church". The more passionate the atheists, the more of a believer they are. It is the agnostics you should worry about, the ones who don't know and don't care.
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May 13, 2013 13:19
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TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:So, I'm guessing that we're due for the "what happens if a freemason joins then has a sex change" part of the thread. Not to bring this around, but can you point me to a post that defines what the solution here is?
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May 13, 2013 16:27
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lord1234 posted:Not to bring this around, but can you point me to a post that defines what the solution here is?
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May 13, 2013 17:33
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I read the OP, freemasonry is pretty shocking and I'm surprised such an institution is allowed to exist in this day and age. What can the average person do about this?
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May 15, 2013 15:53
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Crankit posted:I read the OP, freemasonry is pretty shocking and I'm surprised such an institution is allowed to exist in this day and age. What can the average person do about this? What is it you're shocked about, and why is it you'd like to see it dismantled?
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May 15, 2013 16:19
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There's nothing you can do. We're too deeply embedded in the workings of governments and society. We have our fingers in everything. It's too late. It's... too late.
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May 15, 2013 16:22
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