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Drauntz
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since 2007-03-16
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0 posted 2007-06-27 11:47 AM



I do not know.

© Copyright 2007 Drauntz - All Rights Reserved
SEA
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1 posted 2007-06-27 11:52 AM


yes, it does. Many of my family members are free masons.
Edward Grim
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since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154
Greenville, South Carolina
2 posted 2007-06-27 11:56 AM


Why is this in the Alley? Do you not like the free masons Drauntz?

“Well all the apostles, they’re sittin’ on the swings, sayin’ I’d sell off my savior for a set of new rings.”

oceanvu2
Senior Member
since 2007-02-24
Posts 1066
Santa Monica, California, USA
3 posted 2007-06-27 11:58 AM


Certainly does! Three Cheers for De Molay!

No secrets from me.

  Jim

Drauntz
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4 posted 2007-06-27 12:40 PM


Something with great secrecy, right?  

Still all men club, right?

SEA
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5 posted 2007-06-27 12:50 PM


yes and yes
Drauntz
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6 posted 2007-06-27 02:14 PM


Sea, do your family members talk about things in front of you or you are not allowed to know anything about it?


SEA
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7 posted 2007-06-27 02:31 PM


some things are, but very vague general stuff. For the most part, no they don't. I don't mind that at all, they are supposed to keep it secret. I respect that.
serenity blaze
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since 2000-02-02
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8 posted 2007-06-27 02:52 PM


Actually there is a corresponding women's chapter. I was invited to join them once after I watched a jaw-dropping installation for my now deceased father-in-law, who was a master mason (of the 33 degrees) and he resided as "worshipful master" for two years. I think I was asked because I understood the symbolism. *laughing* I recall asking my father-in-law, later, if they knew what the heck they were doing! He smiled that secret mason smile, and said "Of course--and apparently so do you!" That's when I was asked if I was interested in becoming a "Daughter of the Light." Um, no thanks. I was already "Mother of Two" and that was quite enough for me at the time.
Drauntz
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9 posted 2007-06-27 03:13 PM


Sb. dear lady, do they ask you to go through special rituals? scary kind?

Sea, dear lady, do they wear swords, sometimes?


serenity blaze
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10 posted 2007-06-27 03:18 PM


D--I did not join, although I was privy to some select ritual at times. I did ask about the secrecy as well. I asked a lot of different people, as I had gone to quite a few different rituals, but I always got the same answer:

Mathew 6:1-4

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly" (Matthew 6:1-4)

Drauntz
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11 posted 2007-06-27 03:41 PM


Dear SB, is this the base of Mason? interesting!

serenity blaze
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12 posted 2007-06-27 04:03 PM


I just read your question again. I'd like to add that I had seen a ritual that revolved around that particular passage I quoted--which was a ceremony of some recognition for a particularly honorable act--and I noted that the left hand of those involved were bound. I noticed this because in the tradition of Wicca that I studied, there is similarity of binding of the Left Hand on Sabbat, as no magic must be performed during the observance of honoring the God/dess (depending on which particular Sabbat is observed)

And yes, I have seen at least one ritual with swords, which were used in a type of pantomine performance, that apparently was a welcoming of new members.

And yes, I "sat up interested" as is my not-so smooth habit. And no, I was never allowed to see such again.

I have no idea why I got to see as much as I did as it is...

There's some other interesting things.

My f-i-l's funeral service--the Rose Ritual was lovely, although it is rather a nightmare to try to schedule services for a man who was a retired Captain of the fire department, A Master Mason, Coast Guard, an auxilliary police officer, Catholic, a Shriner and I probably forgot some organizations--but just know that I gave the Masons and the Fire Department Honor guard the services at the "wake". Over 300 people had shown up too. All of whom (except immediate family) had to be asked to leave the viewing area whle this ritual was performed too. And yes, I goofed in quite a lot of ways. He wasn't properly attired apparently--so they had to put on the proper aprons and such. Also, as an homage to his very active community service life, there was a place to displace (<--heh, I came back to edit that, but it amuses me so I'll leave it) personal items--which I did, but it was a rather small table. So I placed the various hats of all of these different organizations on the ground, in a semi-circle, symbolizing, I hoped, the various roles he played. I was pulled aside by a Mason to say that a Mason leader's hat should normally never touched the ground, but that they understood what I was trying to convey, and appreciated the gesture. I didn't disappear after I did that, so I guess I was forgiven.

Also, all of my father-in-law's books and files had to be returned. Almost all of them were too.

My husband--who is not a mason--was also told he was allowed to wear his father's Masonic symbol--a gold necklace--but that if someone was to ask him anything about it--his reply was to be:

"This is the light of my ancestors."

Then they would know he was not attempting to masquerade as a Mason, but honoring his father.

*shrugging* Most of this stuff has been detailed in many "expose'" type books--just google, Mz. D.

I find it fascinating as well. Just not fascinating enough to JOIN.  

Christopher
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Member Rara Avis
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Purgatorial Incarceration
13 posted 2007-06-27 04:16 PM


I don't know as how if can be too secretive... there's a lodge (church?) near my house.
http://www.calodges.org/no206/

Drauntz
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since 2007-03-16
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Los Angeles California
14 posted 2007-06-27 04:22 PM


thank you very much, dear SB. very interesting stories.

do young generations like 20-30 years old still  join it today?

Do you think that this kind of "club" makes man more manly?

serenity blaze
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15 posted 2007-06-27 04:25 PM


Nodding at C. They are everywhere. The most interesting one I have been in though, was lost to Katrina. It was a replica of Solomon's temple...I was told that the innermost room, which in the Temple would be where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, was actually a library. I was also told that at one time, members must be nude to enter and leave. (They "tell" some weird stories--and my pop in law said that was done deliberately too, to leave us mere civilians in confusion.) But he told me that the room was indeed kept locked at all times, and a "Guardian" was a Masonic "station" as well--and that you had to be scheduled to enter to read the contents--necessary if you are to become "Worshipful Master."

So I dunno...I just considered it all anthropology. I find Catholic Mass equally intriguing. I respect it all, but I never felt a hankering to join Catholicism either.


Balladeer
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16 posted 2007-06-27 05:02 PM


makes a man more manly, Drauntz?

Out of curiosity, did you know anything at all about the freemasons when beginning this thread or just throw it out there for kicks?  Juct curious....

SEA
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17 posted 2007-06-27 05:46 PM


hey that's right Sen, I forgot...my aunt did that for a LONG time. My cousin's daughter was in Job's(good grief did I even spell that right?) daughters and then what was the woman's one, Northern Stars? There was a TON of kids I went to school with that did that stuff. I never got into it, my mom didn't either. My dad did his 33rd degree then later after he moved, fell out of it.  
Drauntz
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18 posted 2007-06-27 06:04 PM


My dear sir Balladeer,

I know nothing about it. I only know that it is for man only and they have some special ranks.  I learned this "Club"  from reading some people's biographies. Kind of mysteries to me.

I am  curious if it is still a fashion or something like that.

serenity blaze
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19 posted 2007-06-27 06:16 PM


Hey Sue! And yes, thank you for the memory jog there--"Daughter of Light" was a "rank"--the organization was Daughters of the Eastern Star.

Like, um, Venus.

"I coulda been a contendah... "



*wink*

serenity blaze
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20 posted 2007-06-27 06:23 PM


Here ya go, D!
http://www.sacred-texts.com/mas/dun/index.htm

That's how secret it is!

*laughing*

Drauntz
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Los Angeles California
21 posted 2007-06-27 06:46 PM


Thank you, Dear SB.

DO they go out uniformed as boy scout?

serenity blaze
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22 posted 2007-06-27 06:55 PM


D? Just read, and try to let the symbolism speak to you.

My last post on this subject is this:

When my father-in-law once asked me what it was I thought I knew about Freemasonry--after I had studied a bit about it, I told him this--

"It seems to me that each lodge or chapter of Freemasonry was akin to a brick in the whole of the "Temple". The individuals in each "brick" are akin to grains of sand."

Any questions answered by merely one grain of sand is merely a teensy bit of an incomprehensible whole. All of it is "reality" as it is perceived by the one, and yet none of it is truth in entirety.

Hope that helps.

Enjoy your reading, Mz. D!


Brad
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since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea
23 posted 2007-07-17 08:45 AM


I am not a free mason. I am a member of a secret society, a fraternity. We have secret rituals too. I have never told anybody those secrets.

I was president of my charge and a year later a member of the five member governing body that runs the whole thing.

I was told that if I ever told anybody these secrets, I was damned to the fiery depths of hell. I have always found that amusing.

PS My grandfather was a freemason.

Drauntz
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Los Angeles California
24 posted 2007-07-17 10:49 AM


My dear sir Brad, are you sure that you were not sitting in the wRONg chair?
be careful, young man.

Nan
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25 posted 2007-07-17 11:10 PM


I'm sorry that I missed this post earlier.  The masons are one of the largest and oldest fraternal organizations in the world.  The oldest masonic lodge on this side of the Atlantic Ocean is in Boston, Massachusetts.

My father was a Past Master of Montgomery Lodge in Milford, Massachusetts.  The masons are more a fraternal order with secrets than they are a secret order.  

I am the Secretary of my local Order of the Eastern Star - the organization sponsored by the masons (for both women AND men, btw).  Both organizations maintain simple rituals that comprise their meetings, but there is nothing included that anyone should wonder about.  Both are committed to brotherhood/sisterhood, belief in a higher being, and community benevolence.  Our Good Will Chapter will be celebrating its 100th birthday in about six months, while we coincidentally number approximately 100 strong.  Marine Lodge, our masonic counterpart, has about 400 local members.  Not bad for a small Cape Cod town, eh?

Any more questions?  Lay'm on me..  


LeeJ
Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296

26 posted 2007-07-24 10:41 AM


Hey Nan, long time, and I hope all is well in your neck of the woods....

are the Free Masons an extension of the Knights of Templar or King Arthur or both?  


Balladeer
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27 posted 2007-07-24 07:24 PM


....and do they really drink beer out of mason jars????
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