Are black people allowed in this? I always thought is was some racist thing but I don't know why...
Like lots of super old organizations, there used to be separate masonic groups for black people. Now anyone can join, and have been able to for quite a while.
Are black people allowed in this? I always thought is was some racist thing but I don't know why...
Like lots of super old organizations, there used to be separate masonic groups for black people. Now anyone can join, and have been able to for quite a while.
I actually know the answer to this. It varies by jurisdiction, which is usually a state or sometimes a city. Some states have integrated others have not. So whether or not membership is segregated depends on where you live.
Like lots of super old organizations, there used to be separate masonic groups for black people. Now anyone can join, and have been able to for quite a while.
I actually know the answer to this. It varies by jurisdiction, which is usually a state or sometimes a city. Some states have integrated others have not. So whether or not membership is segregated depends on where you live.
This is not what I have heard/witnessed/heard in my involvement in the masonic family at all. From my knowledge a black person should be able to join a Prince Hall lodge, or a "regular" blue lodge anywhere. You just can't be a member of both? I would think any lodge that prevents a person from joining becuase of their race would be because of racists members of the lodge, not because they aren't accepted per rules?
And, I believe it used to exclude African Americans, way back. I understand they were/are/have been welcome for some decades now.
7 generations of Masons in my family, you'll find all races acceptable and all religions. You must have a belief in a "supreme being" to belong.
They are not a secret society. They are a group with secrets - handshakes, passwords, etc. Many clubs and fraternal groups are the same. I'd guess Knights of Columbus, Moose, Elks, etc all have some sort of initiation and they don't open that to the public. I'd guess, but can't swear to it, that these groups also limit their meetings to members only. Most Masonic lodges open their installations, dinners etc to family and guests.
To be one, ask one. Those stating that you must be invited to join are incorrect. In fact YOU have to ask. They may leave open ended conversations to get you to ask the question but you must ask. Mostly this is because Masons are expected to be honorable in all conduct. Are they all honorable at all times of their lives? Not all but those who aren't will lose their membership.
13 signers of the Declaration of Indepence, 8 or 9 Presidents and many, many famous people from all walks of life have and are members.
There are a lot of appendant organizations (you must be a Mason or related to a Mason to belong to them) and they all do a LOT of charitable work. At one point it was about a million dollars PER DAY through all the various charity work. Most well known would be the Shriner's hospitals for burned and crippled children where they are leaders in developing new treatments and there are no fees. Masonic groups are also involved in all kinds of other charity work: raising funds for cancer, heart, eye treatments, Learing Centers where they treat dyslexic children for free (if you know a dyslexic child that needs one-on-one help, find your local Shriner's and let them know) as this is an EXCELLENT and recogonized program.
It can be a great source of connections for business, for life but it is a brotherhood. Years ago every state also ran a children's home that were all top notch. You don't find children's homes any more but almost every state runs their own nursing homes, mainly for their members and spouses but they wil accept non-members and these are great places.
Going back to the race issue. While there is 1 Free & Accepted Masons and affiliated groups (Shriners, Grotto, Eastern Star, Amaranth, etc - the later 2 accept men and women as members), "black" or "Affrican Americans" have over 30 similar Masonic Lodges. The most well known is Prince Hall. They did not accept white members or any other race other than their own. Starting 30 or more years ago the groups started working together, having social and community service events together. Both the Free Masons & Prince Hall (and some of the 30 or so other African American groups) accept people of all races. They have a common goal, they want the best people to be members and to serve their community.
While there are so many things you can be involved in with a lodge - whether it's a meeting, social event, community service - they do expect you to be involved in your faith and your community. This is not to be your life but a facet of your life that helps you be a better person.
One topic that is off limits in a Masonic Lodge building - politics. Masonic Lodges are not to be about politics and everyone is expected to honor other brother's beliefs and work together
Do they have secrets? Yes. Are they a secret society? No. Are all members infallible? No and neither are any humans. You are not a member for life, you can quit at any time.
I know hundreds and hundreds of Masons. I believe it is a a great organization with great purpose but also they have a lot of fun. If you want to know about a lodge, ASK a MASON. Ask them to tell you whatever they can, ask questions, see if you can visit a Masonic Lodge to see where they meet.
And, I believe it used to exclude African Americans, way back. I understand they were/are/have been welcome for some decades now.
7 generations of Masons in my family, you'll find all races acceptable and all religions. You must have a belief in a "supreme being" to belong.
They are not a secret society. They are a group with secrets - handshakes, passwords, etc. Many clubs and fraternal groups are the same. I'd guess Knights of Columbus, Moose, Elks, etc all have some sort of initiation and they don't open that to the public. I'd guess, but can't swear to it, that these groups also limit their meetings to members only. Most Masonic lodges open their installations, dinners etc to family and guests.
To be one, ask one. Those stating that you must be invited to join are incorrect. In fact YOU have to ask. They may leave open ended conversations to get you to ask the question but you must ask. Mostly this is because Masons are expected to be honorable in all conduct. Are they all honorable at all times of their lives? Not all but those who aren't will lose their membership.
13 signers of the Declaration of Indepence, 8 or 9 Presidents and many, many famous people from all walks of life have and are members.
There are a lot of appendant organizations (you must be a Mason or related to a Mason to belong to them) and they all do a LOT of charitable work. At one point it was about a million dollars PER DAY through all the various charity work. Most well known would be the Shriner's hospitals for burned and crippled children where they are leaders in developing new treatments and there are no fees. Masonic groups are also involved in all kinds of other charity work: raising funds for cancer, heart, eye treatments, Learing Centers where they treat dyslexic children for free (if you know a dyslexic child that needs one-on-one help, find your local Shriner's and let them know) as this is an EXCELLENT and recogonized program.
It can be a great source of connections for business, for life but it is a brotherhood. Years ago every state also ran a children's home that were all top notch. You don't find children's homes any more but almost every state runs their own nursing homes, mainly for their members and spouses but they wil accept non-members and these are great places.
Going back to the race issue. While there is 1 Free & Accepted Masons and affiliated groups (Shriners, Grotto, Eastern Star, Amaranth, etc - the later 2 accept men and women as members), "black" or "Affrican Americans" have over 30 similar Masonic Lodges. The most well known is Prince Hall. They did not accept white members or any other race other than their own. Starting 30 or more years ago the groups started working together, having social and community service events together. Both the Free Masons & Prince Hall (and some of the 30 or so other African American groups) accept people of all races. They have a common goal, they want the best people to be members and to serve their community.
While there are so many things you can be involved in with a lodge - whether it's a meeting, social event, community service - they do expect you to be involved in your faith and your community. This is not to be your life but a facet of your life that helps you be a better person.
One topic that is off limits in a Masonic Lodge building - politics. Masonic Lodges are not to be about politics and everyone is expected to honor other brother's beliefs and work together
Do they have secrets? Yes. Are they a secret society? No. Are all members infallible? No and neither are any humans. You are not a member for life, you can quit at any time.
I know hundreds and hundreds of Masons. I believe it is a a great organization with great purpose but also they have a lot of fun. If you want to know about a lodge, ASK a MASON. Ask them to tell you whatever they can, ask questions, see if you can visit a Masonic Lodge to see where they meet.
I like this all, but - my H was asked. In a very off-hand, "would you ever be interested" way. Our lodge is extremely family-friendly, and very community minded. We spent most of Thanksgiving weekend alternating between having informal philanthropic event meetings and drunk off our asses playing CAH.
Last Edit: Dec 7, 2015 18:48:37 GMT -5 by Ohhmm(bligo)
"You. You and your crazy life. You and your geographic anomaly. You and your drunken lesbianic ways and terrible navigational skills." - ProfArt and her holy baby
I have nothing to add to this thread...except I keep reading "What do you know about freesomes" and I think - is that a new fangled relationship thing? Like a free for all thing?
Aren't they connected somehow to the knights of templar?
I just know that when you die, you get a mark on your tombstone or a little thingy-do by your grave with the symbol. Also, the freemason building where I lived down South had whited out windows. Couldn't see it, or out. Nice.
And they do a closed door ritual before your casket is closed and you're taken to the cemetary.
My exwas considering it before we split, not sure if he ever went for it.
This is not true. You can choose to have a Masonic funeral service, it's about 15 minutes and it takes a few of the brothers to conduct it. It is open to everyone present and by that I mean, it usually is at the funeral home (can be graveside) and is before what people around here call calling hours, others may call it "the viewing". It's sort, it's nice, it's meaningful to those who are members but it is not a secret. They may close the casket if asked but I have NEVER heard of that and I've been to a lot of them including my grandfather's and my dad's. NOTE this little service does NOT take the place of a regular funeral service. lots of groups have these kind of memorial services -heck even a lot of yacht clubs do (mine doesn't). KofC, Moose, Eagles, Elks - they all have a memorial service they can and will do if the family asks.
we used to call my dad the Grand Poobah, too. He had a bunch of fancy fezzes.
Then he was a Shriner. Every Shriner is a mason but not every mason is a shriner. The Shriners are the partiers.
Could also be a member of Grotto, they where fez but most likely he was also a Shriner. These guys really like to have fun, they have groups of guys who are clowns (many with registered faces - which "real" clowns do), they drive the funny little cars in parades. They also put on a huge football game for invited senior college football players that is a fund-raiser for their hospitals.
Catholics aren't supposed to join the masons. I know that much. I think you can be literally excommunicated for it.
This. It's because you aren't supposed to join any group you can't talk to your priest about in regards to Reconciliation. It prevents people from confessing sins and therefore effects their salvation (and ability to partake in communion).
If you go back centuries in history almost all popes were Masons. I'm not up enough on the history to know what changed. Part of it was because Masons, and affiliated groups, support the free public schools and that was a divide in that (and we're talking a LOOONG time ago) Catholics supported Catholic schools. Remember - this was all along time ago. I know the (now deceased) Bishop of Toledo for the Catholic church told a friend of mine he would rather have Catholic girls belong to Rainbow than not because they provide good teachings to the girls, have them involved in community service etc.
One of my highschool boyfriend's father was/is a Mason. The main Hall of the lodge was often used for community events but then there was the super secret upstairs. My bf told me he'd been up there but he couldn't take me because girls weren't allowed. I've been indignant ever since
He was jerking you around. You can go up there. There isn't any place that any non-member can't see.
Another thing about Catholics and belonging. Masonic lodges accept Catholics and have, there are a LOT of Catholics that are members.
As far as secrecy, non-members or those who don't have family members who are members seem to care a lot more about it and really try to make it an issue. It's based on tradition, these "rituals" were written centuries ago. The wording is often old-fashioned but beautiful in their own way. You could write them so they are more current but I don't think they'd be as beautiful. I belong to Eastern Star which accepts men and women both. I was a Rainbow girl. There are so many good teachings and life principals that these organizations provide, it is up to the member to absorb and live them. It is also up to the member to balance their activity in these organizations with family time, time for their faith, work, community. It is to be a PART of your life but only a part. What you learn in Masonic groups, though, should help you to be a better person.
I don't have a problem with same sex organizations. I don't have a problem with sororities, women's groups that help other women try to get ahead in business, Red Hat Society for older women - whatever. Sometimes it is just nice to sit around with other women. I just don't have a problem with a same sex group. Plus their meetings that are limited to just them - last an hour, maybe 2 if they are taking in a new member.
People get so up in arms over this. Oh and you can actually buy the books that contain the services (ritual) that any of these group in used bookstores, a lot of libraries hold them. As far as the code, some of the stuff in the Masonic ritual books are in code but not all. I'd guess you could find a source for the code if you look, possibly even online. I've just never cared what they say in their meeting, there is just so much else more important to me as to what they say to open or close a meeting.
One of my highschool boyfriend's father was/is a Mason. The main Hall of the lodge was often used for community events but then there was the super secret upstairs. My bf told me he'd been up there but he couldn't take me because girls weren't allowed. I've been indignant ever since
He was jerking you around. You can go up there. There isn't any place that any non-member can't see.
Yep. I've been up there numerous times when I was a child. I even got to sit in the grandmaster's chair!!!! (Hey...to an 8 year old that was cool!)
Rak - there's the big ancient Masonic mansion in Hunt Valley (I think you are in MD?). They do rent out parts of it for weddings and other events. DH went to an event there. Don't know much about the organization (sorry not helpful).
"Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enrol in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion."
I understand that but I know a LOT of Catholic Masons, all over the US and not just where I live. How they reconcile that with their church is between their conscience and their church. It is a choice they make.
"You. You and your crazy life. You and your geographic anomaly. You and your drunken lesbianic ways and terrible navigational skills." - ProfArt and her holy baby
Post by Chuppathingy on Dec 8, 2015 14:53:03 GMT -5
carfar The problem is that some jurisdictions are integrated, while others are merely affiliated. Also, with the way they vote to accept new members one asshole can block someone without being identified.