My last public thread about Freemasonry.

[Bill Cheetham]

Ryan,

In all my years in Masonry, I have never heard a word that combines 3 gods into 1. That is because Masons believe there is only one God, who created Heaven and Earth in six days, rested on the seventh, and created Man in His own image. Sound familiar?

[Chris Coletti]

Ok,
Not to reopen this can of worms but I do have a few questions that I would like both opinions on.
Please if these questions seem ignorant it is because I truly am when it comes to this topic. I could go look all this up but I am lazy.


1st. Is Masonry a club or religion? (Asking due to posts by Engin that people other than Christains are included).

2nd. How to you attain all these degrees that Ryan has posted against? (Again sounds like a club).

3rd. How are you contacted to join.(I have never been or met a Mason in person. I don't think.)

4th Is this more a Southern or western Group. (Maybe it would explain why I have no exposure to them being from up north).

Nicole,
If this is a topic you want ended just IM me and I will not post further. I love and respect you and don't need these answers.

[enginterzi]

Chris,didnt you write before that your father and your grandfather were masons?

[Chris Coletti]

Hey Engin,
Yes I did but I was talking about a different kind of Mason. My Father and Grandfather were brick Masons. They built homes. I was speaking about the occupation of building brick homes and such.
My entire family from the US and Italy were all that type of worker or somwhere in that field.
Sorry about the confusion.

[enginterzi]

it was funny ;D my mistake,sorry.

[enginterzi]

i believe that its not a religion but a powerful club,which is globally strongest in economic and political ways.i know mason club members from Christian,Jew and Moslem religion.but if you go and ask a moslem he wouldnt accept a moslem to be member of mason club.

i believe that club chooses and offers to important (to their understanding) people to become their member.

[Bill Cheetham]

Chris,

From my point of view:

Freemasonry is neither a club nor a religon; it is a fraternity, or brotherhood of men.

I'm going to go out of order of your questions, just because it will make the presentation more logical.

Today you will see lodges designated A.F. & A.M. (Ancient Free and Accepted Masons) or F. & A.M. (Free and Accepted Masons) Throughout history, there were guilds of craftsmen, comperable to todays carpenters, ironworkers or electricians unions, that trained and qualified apprentices, journeymen and masters. Only Master Masons were "free" to travel form country to country looking for work. From biblical times, stone structures were built by operative masons, those who actually worked with stone, or in today's world, brick and mortar. They met locally in lodges, comperable to today's union locals.

Fast forward to England in the late 1600's. The castles and cathedrals have been built. Mason's lodges began to admit non-stoneworkers, who were "Accepted" into lodges. After a while, the Accepted or "speculative" masons outnumbered the Operative masons. In the early 1700's several of these lodges got together and formed the United Grand Lodge of England. Symbols of architecture and tools of operative masonry were held over and used to help teach the lessons of the degrees. The Grand Lodge of England began to charter other Grand Lodges throughout the world.

Each of the 50 United States has its own Grand Lodge, which makes policy for its subordinate Lodges. There are minor differences in protocol between states, but the overall experience is the same. Being from Massachusetts, I'll speak from that perspective. Until just a couple of years ago, someone who wanted to join the Masons had to ask a Mason about joining. That way it was a completely free will act on the prospective candidate's part. Recruitment was nonexistent. A couple of years ago, Massachusetts changed the policy so that a Mason can ask someone if they would like to join, counting on their answer to be honest and of their own free will.

Degrees:

After the application process is completed, the applicant is balloted upon at a regular "blue lodge" meeting. Masonic lodges are called blue lodges by masons because of the blue trim usually worn around the border of the aprons they wear. (A holdover from operative masonry.)

There are 3 blue lodge degrees.

Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason.

Once a man receives these degrees, he can, if he chooses, join "appendant bodies". It used to be you had to join either the York Rite, consisting of Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, then Council of Royal and Select Master Masons, then the Order of Knights Templar, each with its own degrees that added to the information contained in the first three degrees, or the Scottish Rite, (which neither originated in nor has any affiliation with Scotland) consisting of Scottish Rite members meet in local or regional "Valleys" and are organized into four parts; Lodge of Perfection, 4° - 14°;Council of Princes of Jerusalem, 15° - 16°; Chapter of Rose Croix, 17° - 18° and Consistory, 19° - 32°.

The 33rd degree is an honorary degree awarded annually to Scottish Rite Masons for their dedication and work.

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts is the oldest Grand Lodge in North America, chartered in 1733 by the Grand Lodge of England.

You may start at www.glmasons-mass.org if you like, and keep clicking on links.

Bill

[Chris Coletti]

Thanks Bill,
This is pretty interesting. How do you move up in rank? (If that is the appropriate word). Is there one man who oversees all others (Like a 5 star general or president?).

It sounds like religion is not included as a priority here which makes me wonder what Ryan sees as a problem.

Do any of these groups offer anything to the community or do they do charitable work?

What is the main reason these groups exist? Is it more for fellowship among members?
Thanks again. This is very interesting. Just the fact that I am also born and raised in Mass and was never exposed is pretty strange. I will have to call my mom today and see if she ever heard of it.

[Bill Cheetham]

Chris,

Copying and pasting from the Massachusetts Grand Lodge site:

Freemasonry is the premier fraternal organization in the world, with lodges in almost every country in the free world. It is open to men of adult age of any color, any religion, nationality or social standing. The only requirement of its members is a belief in a Supreme Being. The goal of Freemasonry is to enhance and strengthen the character of the individual man by providing opportunities for fellowship, charity, education, and leadership based on the three ancient Masonic tenets, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. The Massachusetts Grand Lodge is a crowning legacy of this venerable heritage.

Our Masonic Home in Charlton, Massachusetts provides a secure environment for both men and women. The Masonic Home is a premier facility providing Rest Home, Long Term, and Short Term Care and Rehabilitative services. We also have a special care unit that specializes in the care of residents with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia.



Masons in the United States alone contribute about three quarters of a billion dollars per year for the benefit of their neighbors. Collectively, Masons are the largest donors of blood to the Red Cross. Some 80% of all blood donated in Massachusetts each year comes from Masonic blood drives.



Not all Masons are Shriners but all Shriners are Masons; the Shriners Hospitals for Children is a nationwide network of 22 hospitals that provide no-cost, state of the art burn and orthopedic care to children under 18.

The Masonic Child Identification Program or CHIP is the most comprehensive service of its kind anywhere. CHIP is provided free to the public and all identifying items generated during the events are given only to the child's family.

The Masonic Angel Fund provides direct assistance to children in need who do not fit the criteria for the usual social-service programs. Items such as a pair of eyeglasses, a coat, shoes, field trip fees or minor health services are provided directly to the child via confidential application from a concerned caregiver.

"That others may see," is the motto of The Knights Templar Eye Foundation. The foundation provides no cost assistance to those who face loss of sight due to the need for surgical treatment regardless of who they are and provides funding for research in curing diseases of the eye.

The Scottish Rite Children’s Learning Centers have accomplished remarkable results in treating profoundly dyslexic children, and Scottish Rite Masons founded the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Masons have conferred millions of dollars in scholarship aid over the past ten years.

Countless other charities are sponsored and performed by volunteers at local lodges in every community in Massachusetts and throughout the U.S.

[Chris Coletti]

My Grandfather lived in Charlton. On a big lake out there. I wonder if he was a member. He was a Mason (By Trade). My Cousins all live in Millbury and also do similar work. Pretty wild! How often do you meet and when you do is prayer involved? So jewish...Muslim...Christian and any other religion who believe in a supreme being are allowed? I would think that those meetings could get more heated than anything on this board.
Here is a loaded question...Does the supreme being have to be rightous?

My wife believes I am pretty Supreme! Just Kidding. She really doesn't

[Pete & Tim]

I vote for the Off Topic forum to be abolished. Because of Ryan Thames!!!!

It's all his fault.

[Bill Cheetham]

Chris,

Lodges usually meet once a month. A prayer is said at the opening and closing of the lodge. Discussing religon or politics is strictly forbidden during a meeting.

[Bill Cheetham]

Chris,

www.glflamason.org