Baronjutter posted:

If a ritual would be awkward to do with a woman maybe the ritual needs to be changed

CopRock posted:

I am all about the beaver, my good brother.

Snowy posted:

Is this a LARPing lodge?

7thBatallion posted:

But I'm only an EAM...
Oooooh!
http://www.customwaxnseals.net/masonic-1-entered-apprentic-mason/

It's not a ring, it's 1/6 the price, and is proper one with both ends of the compass under the bible.
I know what I want for my birthday. Along with an airlock. Actual several airlocks.

INTJ Mastermind posted:

Just a tip for the new guys. Be careful when riding the REDACTED. drat thing took a bite out of my new suit!

TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:

When joining the Scottish Rite, which is open to Christians only

Kurtofan posted:

Do some people join a Masonic order for influence or to gain connections?
Does it really work?

MrWilderheap posted:

So a few years back I read up on the secret rituals (purely out of curiosity) on some crazy fundamentalist MASONS ARE SATANISTS website. Would this be a problem if I tried to join a lodge?

Sub Rosa posted:

This is oft claimed but not to my knowledge true. Franklin is the closest, but more so in his youth, and he more often identified himself as a Christian with Deist leanings. It is also the case that Deism was sometimes controversial in those times. I actually think that Franklin stopped attending lodge after a Deist was kicked out for not believing in a God that rewards good and punishes evil.

John F. Lowe, Grand Master posted:

RE: Revocation of Any and All Recognition of, or Permission for Membership in, the Grand and Glorious Order of Knights of the Creeping Serpent (aka "Snakes") by California Masons.

[Some background info that basically says this group required one to be a Mason to join, but conferred degrees so that was not allowed. A referendum was voted on by CA Masons and 90.5% voted not to allow the group in. Instead, they formed a social club, which was allowed, so long as they didn't confer degrees.]

Over the past several months, I have received corroborated evidence that the same group, operating since 2009 as a social club, has in fact conferred a ritual ceremony upon candidates, which under their bylaws is prohibited. On or about September 8, 2012, an initiatory ritual was performed on some sixty candidates at a private residence, known to be the residence of the current president of the Social Club. This ritual activity included required actions and activity by the candidates that is not permissible under our California Masonic Code and Ritual.

The candidates were required to partially or fully disrobe, crawl upon the ground, and perform several physical actions that are, at a minimum, degrading. These actions required of the candidates, as well as the behavior of those members in attendance, can only be described as hazing; again, not permissible under California Masonic Code or Ritual. Holding this ceremony at a private residence instead of a Lodge hall further indicates that those in charge preferred keeping the ceremony clandestine.

[...]

Those who acted in charge of this occasion are now liable for charges of unmasonic conduct, having broken from a social club to a degree-conferring club or order without permission of the Grand Lodge. Those who were candidates at this event are also subject to charges; for as in civil jurisprudence, ignorance is no excuse for breaking laws. We all should ever be wary of any degree being held in a clandestine manner, particularly at a residence.

In consequence of the above, effective January 1, 2013, the Grand and Glorious Order of Knights of the Creeping Serpent (also known as Snakes, or Tribu) as a social club of any definition, or as an order or rite, whose prerequisite for membership is that of Master Mason, is no longer recognized or authorized by the Grand Lodge of California.

Any California Mason that is also a member of the GGOKCS, the GGOKCS Social Club of Southern California, or any other club, rite, organization or successor thereof associated with the GGOKCS must immediately terminate his membership in these organizations. This edict applies to all California Masons, whether residing in our jurisdiction or any foreign jurisdiction, as well as any Mason residing in California whose membership lies with another jurisdiction.

Any California Mason or Mason residing in California holding membership after January 1, 2013 is subject to charges of unmasonic conduct.

Paramemetic posted:

Sort of, yes, except there is no Grand Lodge of the United States and instead each individual State has its own GL, so it's not exactly fair to group the US together, as that would be roughly akin to grouping "Europe" or "the Commonwealths" together, which would probably give the latter a fighting chance.

Ari posted:

Long as we're talking about it - why isn't there a Grand Lodge of the United States? I remember reading something in a history book that they wanted to create one, but some events happened and the dice fell that now we have a Grand Lodge for each state (plus DC and I think one for each territory).

It would make things quite a lot easier with regard to internal politics, if a bit harder to manage.

Very Nice Eraser posted:

Gotcha. I don't want to spoil this thread and the information is just a Google away. But I do have some questions regarding the spiritual overtones of the rituals. To be vague, how do those Masons whose religious beliefs don't include an afterlife or resurrection deal with the relevant rituals?

quote:

On a different subject, earlier in this thread a few people posted that no man has the authority to change the underpinnings of Masonic tradition: men only, no atheists, etc. That argument makes sense in religion because there's typically a belief in a supernatural power that establishes the rules of the universe, but how does that work in the lodge? In other words, since the traditions aren't backed by fear of spiritual repercussions, do you foresee a day when they'll adjust to appease modern sentiments on equality?

Galaxy Pig posted:

Ari posted:

I challenge any Mason in this thread to say that he has never once broken his obligations or violated the charges given to him.

lord1234 posted:

Seems BMW is anti-masonic(or at least thinks we're similar to a satanic cult).

http://themasonicblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/mercedes-benz-super-bowl-commercial.html

Paramemetic posted:

Upon reflection, the only grounds I can see for Satan not being eligible for Freemasonry are that he can't really demonstrate that he is a man of good report. I'd have to wait for the investigating committee report. He was freeborn, he's certainly of lawful age, he undoubtedly believes in God, and he appears quite plainly to be male in this commercial, sooooo. . .

quote:

Mike PooleFebruary 4, 2013 at 11:25 AM

Mercedes USA Facebook page apparently indicates the commercial has been edited. An apology would be nice, but I doubt that will happen.

Mike Poole, PM
Urbana #157
AF&AM of IL

lord1234 posted:

I would definitely visit a few lodges and discuss this if you feel free to.

Local Resident posted:

Why are you guys pushing the price of buttcoins back down to below $30?

Flying Fortress posted:

I've been thinking about that original post for a few days now, and I have mixed feelings. While I agree with the poster who immediately responded that there should be no discrimination based on appearance, I also feel that a certain degree of decorum and respect for the craft must be observed. And a mohawk or piercings does not automatically negate that, either. If someone showed up with a yellow plaid suit I'd probably feel that was inappropriate, so I can see how some fellows may be put out by radical hairdos. Having not seen the gentleman in question I can't make any real judgement, and I mostly feel it's fine. I also feel, however, that the dignity of the lodge should trump any zany fashion choices. You can do that stuff every day, so maybe it wouldn't kill you to tone it down for meetings.
Am I making any sense, or am I way off? I'd be curious to hear more opinions.

Way back in the old thread someone was talking about how they wanted to display their Warhammer 40K badge things on their apron, and I thought that was really childish and inappropriate; much more so than a mohawk.

QPZIL posted:

I was reading through our Grand Lodge code and constitution, and found out that I'm not allowed to rock a baller apron at lodge meetings


That's kind of a bummer. I would love to pick up an 18th or 19th century apron and wear it to lodge.

WAFFLEHOUND posted:

Am I the only Mason in the history of the fraternity that finds degrees boring as hell at this point?

stubblyhead posted:

Wow, that's really neat. My great-grandfather was a Mason in Riverside at about the same time. Corona Lodge is no longer around, and as near as I can tell it merged with Pasadena Lodge #272 sometime around 1990.

stubblyhead posted:

He was a member of Evergreen Lodge #259. The GL down there was able to send me his degree dates, but that was about it. Evergreen's web presence is basically non-existent, so I haven't been able to find much else about his masonic career. Not that I've tried all that hard, mind you, but it would be cool to see his name on a list of past masters or something like that.

Carbolic posted:

I'm asking questions because I'm curious whether members of a particular fraternity (the Masons) see any parallels between a fraternity and a "whites only" organization,

quote:

and whether they think that posterity will view fraternities in the same light as "whites only" organizations are viewed by most of society now.

quote:

There have been a couple of mentions in the thread about a former "whites only" rule

quote:

as well as one mention of a former "no maimed man" rule.

TemetNosceXVIcubus posted:

For those that haven't been through the ritual, because you're either a woman or a non-mason. It can be weird reading this stuff, I think you should picture it like a scene from a movie. Like one of those WWII movies where everyone has volunteered to go and fight the Hun, and they're getting their medical done.

So everyone is lined up totally naked with their id in their hands and a guy in a white lab coat tells them to turn their head and cough. See they don't show you that at the same time as the guy is turning his head and coughing, the medical dude is cupping the guy's family jewels and checking for defects and injuries, and listens to their chest with a stethoscope.

In the initiation rite we do something similar, except because we're supposed to be builders, we don't use a stethoscope, we use a 24 inch gauge.

I'm having a prostate exam today, turning 50 this year, and I thought that maybe we should do that as part of the initiation. We have a few doctors in the Lodge, so getting a medical done at the same time would be a good thing.

Keetron posted:

Nope, it is not like that under the GOdN.

Sub Rosa posted:

Still not really getting it. I've only seen EAs in my home jurisdiction so maybe we do something different.

Yeah, nope. I was never bare-chested.

We put our candidates in clothing like this.



You'll notice there are flaps in the chest area which may be opened and all modesty be retained.

Mr. Maltose posted:

I've never met a mason who's had his affiliation aid in doing business, but otherwise you're exactly correct.

SimonChris posted:

Coming up next: Samwise Gamgee investigates mysterious masonic murders in "The Freemason".

I really have no idea what to think of this. It would help if their Photos section contained more than a single drawing of "A mysterious new symbol."

quote:

When Cyrus, a brilliant but eccentric freelance writer, is hired to investigate the mysterious murder of a wealthy banker, he suddenly finds himself thrust into the cryptic world of Freemasonry. Cyrus quickly learns the killer will strike again if not given an object shrouded by hundreds of years of arcane secrecy. He must embrace ideals extending beyond his natural senses or suffer the same grisly fate of the murdered banker.