Comments by "Realist The" (@TheRealist2022) on "Inside The Freemasons' Oldest Grand Lodge" video.
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@owaissaiyed01 Good morning Owais. Please accept my apologies for the lateness of my response.
Our agenda is to take good men and make them better. To serve our communities. To exhibit kindness and charity to those that may need a helping hand.
I really don't inderstand your question about funding our buildings. Some Masons meet in places that need little to maintain them, some are more expensive. My annual dues for one of my Lodges, part of which is used for building maintenance, is just under £200 per year. That's not a lot of money.
As Will Derby said, the last POTUS who was also Mason was Gerald Ford. Out of the 43 others, only another 13 were Masons. Probably much less than you imagined.
I never said nothing was secret...I said hardly anything. But they are merely modes of recognition and are easily found on the net and in books. They are unimportant, but as we have taken an obligation not to reveal them, purely as a symbol of our integrity, you won't get them from me.
The star if which you speak is a symbol. Many different people use the same symbol, but have vastly different meanings for them. For example, the swastika. You immediately think of Nazis, right? Well for well over 1000 years, it has been a Hindu good luck symbol. The pentagram...a demonic symbol, yes? Well why is there 50 of them on the flag of the usa? See where I'm going with this?
Nope...we're not hiding anything, (apart from the modes of recognition) hence my invitation for you and anyone else to ask me whatever you or they want.
You say "the facts" say different. Well, you have all your "facts" wrong, my friend. You don't HAVE facts...you sir, have misconceptions.
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@michaelmccaffrey2731 Good morning Michael. It is not widely known, but Freemasonry uses archaic language in a lot of it's work. The word "Worshipful" in a Masonic context, does not mean that he is worshipped. In a Masonic context, "Worshipful" means "worthy of respect". It is used in the same way as a Judge..."His Worship, Judge Smith". Or perhaps, a Mayor, "His Worship, Mayor Jones".
By the way, every single Brother who has been Master of a Lodge, is then called "Worshipful Brother XXXX" as opposed to "Brother XXXX" BEFORE he reached that office. So, even though I am no longer Master of my Lodge, I am still called "Worshipful Brother Cxxxxxx".
Make no mistake, a Mason must have a belief in a single supreme being that created the universe. The identity of that being, we leave up to the individual Mason and the vast majority are Christian.
Being a Mason is not sinful, so there is nothing to repent for. We all believe in whatever deity we believed, in before we were Freemasons, nothing changes. There are no further religious requirements when a man joins Freemasonry or at any time he is a member.
Please feel free to come back to me if you have any further questions.
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@magyy8727 Margaret...secrecy is not necessarily a bad thing. For example, do you tell everyone your PIN for your ATM card? What about the alarm code for your house? Tell everyone? Do you invite passing strangers in to your house so that they can listen to your family business? When people work for corporations, they are bound by confidentiality agreements... secrets! When I was in the Royal Navy, my security clearance was Top Secret because I handled very sensitive material, which, if leaked to any potential enemy would put us at a disadvantage.
So you see, although yes, there can be things of a nefarious nature that are kept secret. But it doesn't mean that because they are secret, they are nefarious. Or do you subscribe to "Politicians Logic"? All cats have four legs. My dog has four legs. Therefore, my dog is a cat!
I've been a Mason for 23 years and have visited Lodges in 22 countries all over the world. Never once have I witnessed anything like you say.
Madam, you are speculating over something of which you know nothing!
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@TheRenekruse God evening. Please accept my apologies for the late response.
Why do I use a pseudonym? Why does Spiderman wear a costume and a hood? Protection from the bad guys.
There are some nasty people out there and by the power of the internet, they can easily find where I live and where I work. This happened a while back when I did use my real name. I was stalked and abused. I don't care about that, I can take care of myself, but it got close to my family. I will not risk their safety.
Our meetings are about as "secret" as the confessional box. They are as "secret" as a board meeting of a corporation. They are as secret as your house when your family are having conversation. If someone knocked at your front door and asked to come in and watch what you guys get up to, would you let them? Of course, not. You'd tell them to mind their own bloody business! So what's the difference between the confessional, the boardroom your house and a Masonic meeting? NOTHING. In fact, In Masonry' we're a darn sight more open than YOU are. Would YOU be happy for a complete stranger to have a tour of your home? Of course not! At any other time than when we meet, it's perfectly fine for anyone to come in and have a look around and we'll answer any and all questions. Those that attend a Masonic meeting have earned the right to be there. You have not. So why on Earth should we let any Tom Dick and Harry in when we meet?
When you consider that Freemasonry has been around for at least 1000 years and is a global organisation. When you consider all the world leaders that have been around over the years and all over the world, the number of world leaders that have been Freemasons is microscopic compared to the number of ORDINARY me who have been. You are VASTLY mistaken. But let's look at some of our members. you say we are all villains?
Buzz Aldrin, Mozart, Joseph lister, Ernest Shackleton, Rick Wakeman, Duke Ellington, Oliver Hardy, Sir Alexander Fleming, Paul Revere, George Washington, Ben Franklin, Simon Bolivar, Sir Christopher Wren, Sir Winston Churchill, General MacArthur. More than 200 British and Commonwealth servicemen have received the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the UK armed forces.
And you think people like these are not good people? You have NO idea and your comments are laughable.
Where do you get the ludicrous idea that we want to oppress anyone? We purposefully distance ourselves from religion and politics.. we have no interest at all in oppressing anyone. If you ask me, YOU are the oppressor of Freemasonry! Practice what you preach sir!!!
I served in the Royal Navy for 25 years. In all that time, I saw much action around the world, defending the weak from those who wish to oppress them. I was involved in disaster relief, helping people in areas where there have been natural disasters. When based at various USN bases, I developed outreach programmes between British and US naval Masons, and the poor of the local area. And you say we OPPRESS PEOPLE! You have NO IDEA. HOW DARE you speak of me and my Brethren in such a manner. You are a stain on humanity and it is people like YOU who should look in the mirror with a sense of shame. You disgust me.
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@old_redlk3319 Good afternoon, Stephanie. You are completely correct. Freemasonry is nothing like a religion. All discussion of religion and politics is prohibited when we meet. Why? Because those are the two subjects that have the potential to cause hostility, even among friends and family members. Two words...civil war! Brother killed brothers, friends killed friends... over politics. Freemasonry is about unity and harmony... not division and discord.
Also, a religion needs a central figure of belief, like a god of some sort. Freemasonry has no god. It needs sacraments. Freemasonry has no sacraments. It needs a promise of salvation. There is no promise of salvation in Freemasonry. There is no religious teaching and no worship of any kind. To be clear, though, you may have heard that the head of a Lodge is called the "Worshipful Master". The word "Worshipful, in this context, is taken from the old English and means "worthy of respect". You may have heard of the term used like "His Worship, the Mayor"....or perhaps in a court, "His Worship, Judge Smith".
Masons are expected to follow their own respective religions, be that Christianity, Islam, Hinduism etc. and indeed they retain their religious preference even when meeting... but the discussions should be left to outside the Lodge room!
Also, there are many members of Freemasonry who are ordained members of their own Church. A Freemason Brother of mine, performed my wedding and baptised my children. He also performed the funeral service for my father, even though my Father was not a Mason.
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@amalpv5600 There are different interpretations of various symbols within Freemasonry, some of which, differ between Freemasons themselves. For me, the pentagram reminds me of geometry. the geometry required to make such a shape. The science of the universe.. the planet, the solar system, the galaxy and the universe could not exist without geometry. It also reminds me of the five points of fellowship explained to a Mason when taking his Third Degree. Here's an explanation.
The central bonds that hold Freemasonry together are found in the obligations we have taken and the commitment to which we honor them. The word fraternity has its origins in the Latin word "Frater," which means "Brother." Thus, our Fraternity is a Brotherhood, or sacred band of Brothers, committed to mutual support, understanding, and affection. The symbol which best communicates our commitment is the Five Pointed Star, presented in the Master Mason's Degree. Each point of the star represents a point of fellowship and reminds us of our obligations to each other. As a group of equals, the Five Pointed Star should guide our actions toward one another.
With the first point of fellowship, we are instructed to go by foot to answer the needs of others, including that of a Brother Freemason. This is not to say we ignore others in our benevolent acts. We look carefully not to ignore our Bothers in need. Beyond helping with Masonic instruction and guarding a Brother's fidelity, we should strive to insure our Brethren reach their potential and serve the Order to the fullest. Helping them to improve themselves helps us be better Freemasons.
Within the second point of fellowship, we find the power of our devotion, especially as directed for the benefit of a fallen Brother. When we kneel to pray, we call upon the most powerful force to bring about good. Acknowledging our dependence upon The Most High can lead to the wisdom to see His path, the courage to choose that path above all others, and the strength to carry out His will. Clarity of action and concern for the welfare of our Brethren makes Freemasonry a stronger Fraternity.
With the third point of fellowship, we are reminded of the responsibility of trust. Holding in our heart the secrets of our Brother Freemason is a sacred responsibility. We do have some discretion with those secrets, but our honor requires treating them with the utmost respect. When communicated to us confidentially, a Brother's words are to be securely guarded, as we would wish our own words to be properly guarded. We earn the trust of others by giving trust, and our Brother is our most trusted friend.
In the fourth point of fellowship, we are charged to support the character of our Brother, either before his face or behind his back. In an age when people eagerly seize rumors concerning the conduct of others, we must guard the character and integrity of our Brethren on all occasions. As Freemasons we are charged to erect our Masonic edifices, not tear them down, and a careless word can do more harm than good.
With the fifth point of fellowship, we are encouraged to give wise counsel to our Brother Freemason and to support him in his time of need. In Ancient Craft Masonry, the hand symbolized the support, while the whispered counsel, if found worthy, was equally common. The key is to see the responsibility of communicating good advice and providing support and help in implementing that advice. No matter who we are, we will need some help at some time, and, as Freemasons, we should strive to be available to offer our assistance to others when needed.
Thus the Five Pointed Star reminds us to extend love and affection to our Brother Freemasons, doing for each of them as we would wish done for each of us. Each point carries an important lesson and responsibility found within the teachings of the Third Degree. Never forget that five-pointed ritual and the bonds that unite us into a sacred band of friend and brothers who strive to emulate the love of the Supreme Grand Architect of the Universe.
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@Prince Velkan While it is true that we have men of very high achievement in Freemasonry, the vast majority are ordinary working men, struggling to pay the bills, just like anyone. But you comment that we can use the knowledge and skills of these men... well that's what they do anyway.. for 8 hours or more per day every working week. I'm an Engineer by trade and served as a Deputy Marine Engineering Officer on British warships. I am now a director of an engineering training company that provides hands-on training for young people who may not be academically gifted, but are good with their hands. We then try to find them placements with various companies. But when I attend my Lodges (I'm a member of several Lodges) the last thing I want to talk about is work! Yes, I enjoy my job and I believe it helps others tremendously... but there has to be a separation. It gives me a chance to do something different, enjoy the company of men I would not otherwise get to meet and to help those who may be less fortunate than we are.
And we're NOT a secret organisation. Our Lodges all have websites these days. Masonic halls have our logo outside. Our HQ in London, England is a huge building in Covent Garden which runs free tours of the place for anyone for free, several times a day, most days of the year. Here's our website.
www.ugle.org.uk
So we're hardly a secret organisation, are we?
We don't do something great? Well, the answer is.. we do! In UK, w have an air ambulance service, getting to casualties in places where normal ambulances can't go, to provide life saving-care. Without support from Freemasonry, most would not be able to fly. We provide cash for disaster relief throughout the world. We have given MILLIONS to the Red Cross and the Red Crescent to save the lives of those poor souls to whom mother nature has not been kind.
My local cathedral needed a lift (elevator) to be installed so that the disable and elderly could explore this magnificent gothic building.. guess who paid for it?
https://www.freemasonrytoday.com/more-news/provinces-districts-a-groups/freemasons-continue-over-a-century-of-support-for-liverpool-cathedral#:~:text=The%20installation%20of%20a%20new,Masonic%20support%20for%20the%20Cathedral.
In the USA, the Shriners built and continue to finance 22 hospitals for the FREE treatment of all children.
https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/shc
And the smaller but no less vital things. We made sure that in a dozen hospitals around my locality, those who could not be visited by family and friends due to covid, were given tablets to keep in touch. Free.. to keep.
https://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/18473605.south-wales-freemasons-donate-100-tablets-hospitals/
Myself and a few of the Brethren of my Lodge, recently renovated a kids playground because it had been closed due to being unsafe. The local council said it had been scheduled to be refurbished, but due to budget cuts, the renovation had been shelved. We paid for materials and did the work ourselves. now, the local kids can play in safety.
I hope this makes things clear.
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@evanssamuelbiju4315 I joined because I found that men I respect hugely, were members and my best friend was too. I thought that anything these men are involved with must be a good thing. I hope to improve every day and to learn lore about myself and I think I achieve that. I'm also hugely aware of the great divide in society... the "haves" and the "have nots". We work to try to make the lives of the "have nots", a little better. The men of whom I spoke, were (and are) pillars of the community, involved in charitable works, with long happy marriages and well adjusted kids. I hope I am regarded as such by those I respect.
Normally, the route in to Freemasonry is to approach someone you know is a Mason and ask them. You will never be invited... that's strictly forbidden. If that man thinks you qualify, he will propose you for membership.
If you do not know anyone in Freemasonry, you may look up the website of your local Grand Lodge and apply that way. it will take longer, as nobody will know you... and they will need to get to know you before they are willing to propose you.
Qualifications for membership are:-
1. Must have a belief in some sort of supreme being that created the universe.
2. Be male.
3. Have no criminal convictions.
4. Be able to afford the fees, without undue stress on the family budget.
5. Have the support of the family.
If you have all the above, you will be invited to an interview. If successful, after a time, when you have paid the joining fees and lodge dues, you will be Initiated and take your place in the Lodge.
It is worth stating that, if you do not take to it, you are free to leave at any time.
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@whatsupbato It is forbidden for any Mason to invite a man to join. Those that wish to be Freemasons need to approach us. It's actually in the ritual, that a man must "come of his own free will and accord".
You most certainly do NOT have to be rich or white! I have already stated that we do not care about a man's background, his colour or his creed. We are interested in the mans CHARACTER and INTEGRITY rather than anything else. However, you MUST be male.
The worlds premier Grand Lodge, is the United Grand Lodge of England. It has set a series of principles and tenets in order to achieve "Regularity". Any Grand Lodge wishing to achieve Regularity and to be recognised by the UGLE, MUST adhere to these principles and tenets. Consequently there are many Grand Lodges around the world. The USA has a Grand Lodge for every state. Every Grand Lodge is independent of every other one, but all work on the same principles.
It has to be said that there are other groups, notably on the continent of Europe, that STYLE themselves as "Freemasons" but do not adhere to the aforementioned principles and tenets and as such, are not recognised by the UGLE. They are often those responsible for the more risible actions which have taken place around the world, for which we REGULAR Masons are often blamed.
All Regular Masons around the world are regarded with the same respect and regard, regardless of what Grand Lodge they belong to and what rank they have attained.
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@00st307-m That's a very good question and illustrates that you have thought about it and presented it well. It's refreshing to have an intelligent question, rather than have some jerk calling us devil worshippers or criminals.
The answer is....I don't know. These things were formulated well before I became a Mason.
I DO remember the first time I became the Master of my Lodge. I had the Holy Bible opened before me with the square and compasses resting on it. And then I rested a piece of A4 paper on it, with some notes to aid me for the rest of the evening. Straight away, an older and wiser Mason pointed out (discretely) that I should remove that paper. Probably, for the reasons you stated.
Jesus never told us about the square and compasses, because they hadn't been invented in his day! The S&C are allegorical...but don't forget, many of the teachings of Jesus were too! And in any case, it scarcely matters what Jesus said or did....we are a non-religious group..and have men from all the worlds faiths.
I give you my word, though, that placing the square and compasses on the open book, is not meant disrespectfully at all. Quite the reverse, in fact. But as to why we do it?...not a clue.
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@nowankersallowed2115 I do know that some Lodges (mainly american ones) do keep more in-depth family records, again to contact those men and women far and wide from American families so that they may seek assistance from/offer assistance to those members. I don't know where you live, but if you live in the USA, you may have some luck.
What was the name of the book? Very very few books are "official" Masonic ones. The fact you felt sick and started to have dreams says more about you than it does about the book!
If he was an Atheist, he was NOT a Freemason. He may have joined, gone to the meetings etc etc. but the obligation a man takes is taken before his God... if he doesn't have a God, he has lied during that Obligation and so it is void and so is his membership.
You don;t have to be "good at" Christianity. Freemasonry is not a religious society. In fact, all discussion of religion (and politics) is forbidden. We have members of every major religion on Earth and quite a few of the minor ones too. you don;t even have to have a religion....I do not......just a belief in a Supreme Being that created the universe.
In Freemasonry, you do certainly have the freedom to chat and float about. nobody cares what your beliefs are... in Freemasonry, aside from supplying the relevant holy book for you to lay your hand on when taking your obligation, we don't even wish to know your beliefs. As I said.. for religious matters, a man should go to his place of worship..for Masonic matters.. he should go to his Lodge!If you were interested in joining, unless you know someone in Freemasonry, you should Google your local Grand Lodge and click the relevant button to join. They will take you through the process and if it works out, then great.. you're a Mason.. if not, at least you've tried.
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@Stephanie Denny Good morning Stephanie. The answer to that question is in the video!
But to put some meat on the bones, as it were. Freemasonry is worldwide and it is the worlds oldest fraternity. Nobody knows for sure how old it is, but the best guess so far is that we emerged around the 11th Century in Scotland. It's aim, generally speaking, is to take good men and make them better by encouraging them to take a long hard look at themselves and to build themselves in to the best version of themselves they can be in terms of morality, integrity, citizenship. We value integrity, kindness, and selflessness very highly.
The by-product of this desire for greater integrity and moral uprightness is charity. Freemasons give millions and millions of their own cash to charities. They also donate millions of man hours of their own time in community projects, all to try to make the world a slightly better place.
In order to apply to be a Freemason, a man has to satisfy the following.
1. Be male. no ladies in "Regular" Freemasonry, although there are organisations of "Lady Masons"...doing almost the same as us....dressing the same... care for others, charity etc.. but we do not officially recognise them. We are completely friendly and cordial... but we can't join their Lodges and they can't join ours.
2. Have a belief in some sort of Supreme Being that created the universe. We do not care what you call this being... you don't even have to follow a specific religion.. just have that belief that one entity created the universe.
3. Be free from criminal convictions. If a Man comes to us and he has been in prison.. he will not be admitted. If a Mason, no matter how distinguished, or how long he's been a Mason, is convicted of a crime, he is immediately expelled.
4. Be able to afford the fees. It's not expensive to be a Freemason, but if a man is struggling to make ends meet at home financially, the extra financial pressure of paying fees would almost certainly cause undue pressure at home and we don't want that.
5. Have the support of the family. Again, we value the family unit very highly. If a man is regularly going to his Lodge, once a week or maybe even more, and his wife thinks that would be too much time away from the family.. we don't want him to join.
It is not a religion, nor a substitute for one. Each man must believe in what HE regards to be the Supreme Being. He is not required to take on any further beliefs at any time. We have no Masonic god, there are no sacraments, no promise of eternal life. ALL discussion of religion (and politics!) is forbidden at Masonic meetings as those are the two subjects that cause discord and division. We are about harmony and unity.
If a Mason were to pass away and the family have not been adequately provided for, Freemasonry will very discretely look after the widow and the family. Children's school fees are taken care of and the welfare of the widow is also taken care of. We have the "Broken column" brooch worn by the widow of a Mason. If a Mason sees a lady wearing this, he will make himself known to her and let her know if any assistance is required, she may call on him.
I hope I have, to some degree, answered your question. I created this account for this very purpose....to let people know what we are about and also to debunk the crazy conspiracy theories out there.
Many people think that everything in Freemasonry is secret. however, that is completely untrue. Almost everything in Freemasonry can be discussed openly with non-Masons.
Please come back to me if you wish to know more. I'd be happy to answer any more questions you may have.
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@Ramiro C So many rituals? Pure ancient Freemasonry consists of only three Degrees plus the Royal Arch. Why do we do them? They are allegorical lessons on morality and are designed to help us to improve as men. In the Scottish Rite there are 29 other Degrees and these may easily be achieved very quickly. At each ceremony, several Degrees are conferred at a time. In theory, a man may take his First Degree and be a 32nd...in less than a year. This is also true of the York Rite which has only ten Degrees.
Why can't we talk about it? Er.. WE CAN! It's only the conspiracy theorists that tell you otherwise and people take what they say as true... it really isn't. The ONLY things in Freemasonry we cannot divulge, are the sign, grip and word of the Degrees. Everything else is completely open for discussion. And even the "secrets" I just described, are plastered all over the net. We don't CARE if you know, but we keep our word not to divulge them as a symbol of our integrity.
Why so much symbolism? It is thought we emerged from the stonemasons guilds of the middle ages. At that time the vast vast majority of men, including these craftsmen, were illiterate. Their trade was taught to them, by including symbols in their training as stonemasons on the site. We use symbols to get across lessons of morality. For example, the most famous Masonic symbol is the square and compasses. A stonemason would use the compasses for scribing a perfect circle. We use them to remind us to limit our passions, prejudices and excesses in life.
I proudly wear a couple of rings with Masonic images on them. Why? Well why does anyone wear anything with images of things that they are proud of? Why do guys wear football shirts and baseball caps with their teams logo? Why do some cars have vanity plates? Why do people fly flags in their back yard?
If you have ANY more questions, please just print them here and if YT plays the game and alerts me to them (sometimes that doesn't happen) I'll be happy to answer them.
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@DENNIS MAGARE Good morning, Dennis. Firstly, it is important to know that Freemasonry is not a religion NOR a substitute for one. No worship of anyone, or anything happens at our meetings.
Secondly, you need to know that there are many Christians in Freemasonry, of various sub-denominations, as well as men of other religions. Indeed, we have many members of the clergy among our numbers! We have members of all of the worlds major religions and some men (like me) who have a belief in some sort of supreme being, but do not necessarily subscribe to an organised religion. Belief in some sort of supreme being is the first requirement for membership.
When a man comes to interview for Freemasonry, the FIRST question that must be asked, is "do you have a belief in a supreme being"? The man must answer "yes" for the interview to continue. After that, there is NO more mention of religion... as it is not relevant.
At our meetings, we do not allow the discussion of religion or politics. Not disrespectfully, but because religion and politics are the two subjects that cause the most trouble in the world. They can cause division and discord. Freemasonry is bout unity and harmony. But just because a man comes to a meeting, that doesn't stop him being a Christian and supporting the XYZ party... it's just that we mustn't discuss it at meetings.
I am fortunate in that I have travelled to many regions of the planet. I have attended meetings and dined (we always have a dinner after our meetings!) where Arab and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Sunni and Shia sit together. These men would normally be at each others throats, but at meetings, they meet as equals, friends and Brothers. It is a sight to behold! Now you tell me any other place on the planet where that happens!
So in conclusion, there is nothing in Freemasonry which is incompatible with Christianity or any other religion you care to mention. Questions? Please feel free to ask me anything you like!
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@j18i319 Please explain what you mean by "scope".
How big? There are currently in excess of 6 million Freemasons spread over the globe.
Who is involved? Well, it's men only. Women are not allowed to be Freemasons, despite there being several different groups of women who CALL themselves Freemasons. The vast majority of Freemasons are just ordinary men who you would see walking down the street any say of the week. Some Masons are well known but most are not. We are from all echelons of society. For example, I was a meeting last week, where the Master of the Lodge, was a butcher. The Lodge was Initiating a new member, who was a neurosurgeon. So the most senior member of that Lodge is a butcher and the most junior is a neurosurgeon! What a man does for a living is of zero importance. How much cash he has in the bank, of zero importance. What IS important, is a man's character and that is how he is regarded, within Freemasonry.
How does it connect to society? It does so, by means of all of the members, being part of it. Freemasons try to improve themselves from a standpoint of integrity, kindness and good character. As we interact with all the other members of society, we try to be the best examples we can be, of citizens of the world.
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@Ruslan Mamadaliyev You'll no doubt be surprised to learn, that almost nothing in Freemasonry is deemed to be secret. In other words, we can tell you almost anything you like.
The "secrets" are simply, the sign, grip and word of the Degree being worked. But in truth they are all over the internet and the library. They are insignificant... so we don't care if you know them or not, it's just that we have made a promise not to reveal them..and that's as a symbol of our integrity. After all, if we can't keep something as unimportant as our "secrets" to ourselves.. what would our word really be worth?
It is thought that Freemasonry stemmed from the craft of the stonemasons of the middle ages... think gothic cathedrals etc. The building site of these cathedrals was run by a Master stonemason, well skilled in all aspects of the building trade. He was in charge of fellows of the craft and apprentices and they were paid according to their skill level. So for example, when an apprentice got better in his craft, he naturally wanted to get promoted and so earn more cash. He would go to the Master and show his work. If the Master thought he had improved enough, he was promoted.
Now, if that man's work was finished on that site, he'd travel to another one looking for work. He'd go to the Master and tell him his qualifications so that he could be put to work on the appropriate job AND be paid accordingly. But how did he PROVE his skill level? When he reached the next level of skill, the man's previous Master would take him to one side and give him a grip and a word.... naturally these were kept secret because if anyone else found them out, they could travel to any site claiming to be of a skill level and be paid more than they were worth.....so they are kept secret. the man sees the Master of his new site... gives him the word and the grip.. and he was paid for his skill level. That's the origin of OUR secrets.
I hope I have explained this adequately.
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@ruslanmamedaliyev3912 If you don't come to the table with an open mind, in other words, you have made your mind up that I will lie, why bother to ask the questions? That, to me, looks more like the type of stance a conspiracy theorist comes from. Conclusion first, evidence later.
But... in the interest of friendship and to defend my much-maligned Craft, here goes.
1. No one man is in charge of all the worlds Masons. Each Grand Lodge has it's own Grand Master. Each one is independent of the rest. However, in order to be an official Grand Lodge (we say a Regular Grand Lodge) all must maintain the basic principles and tenets of the United Grand Lodge of England, largely thought to be the worlds oldest Grand Lodge.
The HQ of the United Grand Lodge of England is based behind Covent Garden, London, England. It is open to the public and runs free tours for anyone, of the building, and the library, the museum, several times a day, most days of the year. you may also visit our shop and purchase anything that we wish to.. ritual books, regalia, jewellery, clothing etc etc.
www.ugle.org.uk
2. Men join for different reasons. Some because they wish to be involved with philanthropy, some because it is a social thing, some use it to get in to comminity work, some because it recreates a cameraderie they no longer (or perhaps still do) enjoy in the armed forces, the police, the ambulance service etc etc. I myself an ex-Royal Navy and consider my Brethren similar to my shipmates when I was at sea.
Most men are of average income and status in society. Don't believe it when people say only the wealthy join... that is not true. Yes we do have wealthy members, but not an inordinate amount.
If a man's aim IS wealth power and world domination, why would he have to join the Freemasons to do it? He could just do it anyway. we have been going since probably the 11th century. If our aim was world domination.. don't you think we'd have done it by now?
I happen to know a few "high flyers" in this world who are prominent in business etc.. and they come to their Lodge to get away from all that stuff.. to a haven of peace and friendship without all the high pressure stuff they deal with in their day-to day dealings at work...so your contention is the polar opposite of reality!
3. Freemasonry has a policy of non-interference in politics, religion, commerce etc etc. I'd be interested to see these documents you mention... because they do not exist. If any Masonic movement did get involved in those things, it would not be a "Regular" (I explained what "Regular" was near the top) Lodge... ie a non-authorised one, of which there were a few over the last few centuries.
4. If you are going to make accusations about "sacrificing children" and "bad things", you should come up with evidence. For example, the fact that you have brought this up, tells me that YOU are in to sacrificing children. Now.. prove to me that isn't so.
Why WOULD we sacrifice children? We run 22 hospitals in the USA for the FREE treatment of children... ANY children... if their parents cannot pay. If we were to do all that.. why on Earth would we want to sacrifice them? And who to? We are a secular fraternity and have nothing to do with religion of any kind. Again.. if we were in to all that, why would we have to join the Freemasons to do it? We wouldn't!
5. Satan? Are you crazy? Yes! you are! The last question and this one proves to me you are incapable of reasonable thought and I'm loathe to carry on on... however...
It's a similar thing to question 3 and 4. Why on Earth would we have to join Freemasonry to do that?
It is a requirement that any man who applies to be a Freemason MUST be asked..as the first question.. "Do you have a belief in a Supreme Being"? And by that, we mean whatever it was that created the universe. Any way you slice it, that aint Satan! If the man says "yes", the interview continues. If he says "no" the interview ends and he is sent in his way.
Many people who believe in God (by whatever name you call it) believe there has to be a Devil of some sort. I do not. Yes there has to be a builder.. who created the universe...that many term God, Yaweh, Allah etc etc.. but there does NOT have to be a "Satan"..or a "Devil".
Now you can believe that or not. I'm past caring. I know I'm a good man and that I want to improve myself on a daily basis and help others along the way... and that's all that matters.
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@2handsandwiches When people hear "The Crown", they automatically think of the King and Queen. When they hear "London" or "The City", they instantly think of the capital of England in which the monarch officially resides since London's expansion absorbed the City of Westminster.
"The City" is in fact a privately owned Corporation - or sovereign state - occupying 677 acres in the heart of the 610 square mile "Greater London" area. The population of the City is 5,000 whereas Greater London has 8 million.
"The Crown" is a committee of 12-14 men who rule this independent sovereign state known as London or "The City". "The City" is not a part of England and is not subject to the Sovereign nor under rule of Parliament. It is an independent state, like Kowloon City in Hong Kong, which belonged to Communist China. It's the Vatican of the commercial world.
The City is ruled by a Lord Mayor elected for one year. When the Queen visits the City she's met by the Lord Mayor at Temple Bar, the symbolic gate of the City. She bows to him and asks permission to enter his private, sovereign State. He grants permission to enter by handing her the sword of State. During such State visits, the Lord Mayor with his robes and chain, his entourage in medieval costume, outshines the Royal party, which can dress-up no further than service uniforms. The Lord Mayor leads the Queen into the City of which he is the monarch and she is his subject.
The Rothschild-controlled Bank of England, Lloyd's underwriters, London Stock Exchange, leading international trading concerns are located here. The small clique who rule the City dictate to the British Parliament, Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Until the middle of the seventeenth century, the British Monarch was truly sovereign. Britain was prosperous. Indeed, for 280 years there was no inflation. The average man worked for only 150 days of the year, and lived well. (In Australia today, its said that we work for about 150-days to pay our taxes, and the rest of the year for the usury on our houses). Conditions went down-hill ever since the privately-owned Bank of England was established to finance the profligate ways of William III. Two separate empires operated under the guise of the British Empire, all white-skinned colonies: South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (representing 13% of the people who made-up the British Empire) were under the Sovereign and under British law. All the other colonies like India, Egypt, Bermuda, Malta, Cyprus, the colonies in Central Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong and Gibraltar comprised the hidden empire that belonged to the Crown of the City of London. These were not under British rule. Parliament had no authority over them. They were private enterprise, owned and ruled by The Crown of the City of London whose representatives had the power of life or death over the people. And there was no appeal to British law - not even for a British citizen.
As the Crown also controlled the British Government, there was no problem getting the British taxpayer to pay for naval and military forces to maintain the Crown's supremacy. Any revolts were met with terrible retribution by the British navy at no cost to the Crown who reaped fantastic profits. This was not British commerce or British wealth, and the average Briton became poorer. It was "The Crown's" commerce, and "The Crown's" wealth.
The International Bankers of the City of London today control the available resources of the world at any moment. "The Crown of the City" still own and control their former colonies, financially and materially, only today the United Nations uses American military forces supplemented by the forces of other nations and paid for by the taxpayers of member nations (The Empire of "The City", by E. C. Knuth). And today they control the politics and economies of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and . . . the USA.
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@kenny832 I suppose you're right. That to anyone who was interested enough to observe us, it might seem a little old fashioned... but then Freemasonry has a strong strong sense of tradition. And traditionally, stonework was the work of men... Freemasonry embodies their tradition. Yes although there exists female Lodges, they are not formally recognised as bona fide Freemasons (although they have the same principles, wear the same regalia and perform the same rituals!) but have a good working relationship with Regular ("Regular Freemasonry" is that which adheres to the principles and tenets of the United Grand Lodge of England)Freemasonry.after the civil war,
PH Masonry was formed so that black men, denied entry to Regular Freemasonry, could become Freemasons. Happily, the Lodges still exist, although the restrictions on colour from both sides no longer exist. We have "evolved".
It is true to say that men of a certain religion to collect together and form Lodges, but it's never to the exclusion of men of other faiths.
Mixed gender Freemasonry is also not regarded as bona fide to Regular Freemasons, because one of the Principles of Regular Freemasonry is that only men can be Freemasons. There exists an organisation called "Le Droit Humain" who see themselves as Freemasons but in LDH, women are admitted and no belief in a Supreme Being is required.
I should point out that there are some Freemasons who are perhaps a little "dyed in the wool" and shun anyone that says they are a Mason but do not adhere strictly to the principles of Regular Freemasonry. Most, however are perfectly happy to consort with anyone who regards themselves as such, but it's also important to realise that there can be no cross membership. I am a Regular Freemason but I am not allowed to join another order, say LDH and vice versa, but tbh, I have no desire to, and I suspect the same is true of most, if not all, Regular Freemasons.
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@MattCrawley_Music Good evening, Matt. The traditional method is to approach someone you know who is a Mason and to ask them to propose you, but even to be proposed, you must satisfy some conditions.
1. Have a belief in some sort of supreme being that created the universe.
2. Be male.
3. Have no criminal convictions.
4. Be able to afford the fees without too much strain on the family budget.
5. Have the support of the family.
If you do not know a Mason, you may apply via the web site of your local Lodge. It will take a little longer, as a lodge member has to propose you. He will want to take his time to get to know you before he is happy to propose you for membership.
Every member must take part in an Initiation ceremony that we call the "First Degree". Then there's the Second a while later and ultimately the Third or Master Masons Degree. These Degrees are to encourage you to learn about yourself and the way in which you interact with society and other humans in general, in order to make the world a better place. It is hoped that the Candidate will take it upon himself to study further such of the liberal arts and science as may lay within the compass of his attainment.
At a meeting, we may have a business meet to discuss the finances of the Lodge, we may have a degree ceremony, we may have a visiting lecturer or a Masonic lecture. We will consider any communications to the Lodge and address requests for charity. there may be outside events we need to decide upon, visits we may do etc.
Almost nothing is secret in Freemasonry. It's just the conspiracy theorists that will tell you that our lips are sealed. The ONLY things in Freemasonry that we take an obligation not to reveal are the modes of recognition. The sign, grip and word of the Degree being worked,. All else is open for discussion.
So.. if you have specific questions, please feel free to ask.
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@dalebattaglia Completely incorrect. We don't swear "blood oaths" (whatever THEY are) to cover up any wrongdoing by other Masons. If a Freemason commits a crime, he is morally (not to mention legally) obliged to confess. Indeed, it is part of the Initiation, that a man is told that he must obey the laws of anywhere he resides and also to "strictly obey the moral law".
There is a famous case, the Frederick Seddon case, where the accused, on trial for murder, used a Masonic sign to the Judge in court, in order to secure an aquittal. The Judge, himself a Freemason, acknowledged the signal and said in court...
"It is not for me to harrow your feelings – try to make peace with your Maker. We both belong to the same Brotherhood, and though that can have no influence with me this is painful beyond words to have to say what I am saying, but our Brotherhood does not encourage crime, it condemns it".
The rest of your post is so ridiculous, I have not the time nor the inclination to address it.
Now go away and polish your tinfoil hat.
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@Baron of Haste Better than that. I'm a Freemason and have been for almost 23 years. We're very very open and I'm happy to answer anything you care to ask. I can tell you 99.9% of it.
But to answer your original Q., We are a worldwide fraternity of some 6.5 million men, dedicated to moral self-improvement and philanthropy. We only take men who have a belief in a supreme being, doesn't matter what religion they follow, if any, are free of any criminal conviction and do not expect any special privilege as a result of their membership. Contrary to popular belief, we do not recruit. If a man wishes to join, he must approach us. This can be done by speaking to a Mason you know, or by contacting us via a website.
Each Grand Lodge is separate from the rest, but the United Grand Lodge of England is the worlds oldest in existence. Here's our website which should help answer any immediate questions you might have.
www.ugle.org.uk
If you have any more questions, please let me know and I'll do my best to answer you.
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@Jay Workman not sure exactly what you are referring to. There is most certainly no sacrifice involved in any Degree of Freemasonry. However, there is a death.
The story of the Third Degree, is of the principal architect of King Solomon's temple, Hiram Abif. When the temple was almost complete, three Fellowcraft workers accosted him and demanded of him, the secrets of a Master Mason. He had promised not to reveal them to those who are not qualified, so did not tell them. They murdered him because he decided to keep his word, his integrity being so important to him. It's symbolic.. allegorical...it never really happened, but it is hoped that the message of the Third Degree is communicated to him, that death holds no terrors for honourable men.
So there you go.. it's a death, but not a sacrifice. And it confers on men the highest Degree there is.. the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason.
More questions? Please feel free to ask.
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@jayworkman747 Not at all, Jay. I'm certain that it goes on. And it is a disgusting business. All involved should be jailed for life. But ask yourself this. If someone wanted to get involved in human trafficking, why would they need to join Freemasonry to do it?
Jay, perhaps I should explain my qualifications for saying what I do. I was initiated in to a Lodge 23 years ago, when I was in the Royal Navy. As a result of my service, I am well travelled and have visited Lodges in 22 countries around the world. I am a Past Master of TWO Lodges and am now a Grand officer of the United Grand Lodge of England. When on an exchange with the USN, where i served for a total of 6 years, I joined the Scottish Rite and in 2018 was invited to the 33rd Degree. I have served on boards and authorities within Freemasonry at the highest levels. I KNOW Freemasonry intimately and can say with hand on heart, Freemasonry does NOT sanction such things and in fact the opposite is true. As men of integrity, we condemn such actions. I'm not saying that all Freemasons are sweetness and light... I'd certainly cross the street to avoid some of them...but the vast, vast majority are.
Now, out of the two of us, who do you think is more likely to know the truth about what you say concerning Freemasonry.
Fine, you can say I'm lying. I cannot prove anything that I have said unless, of course, you were to join, but based on the balance of probability and with the application of common sense, I feel anyone with half a brain cell knows that I am telling the truth. That's good enough for me. so as we have got to the stage where all you are going to do is to call me a liar, I see no point in continuing this exchange. I will no longer reply to your posts. I will let those who view the exchange, judge for themselves, who is telling the truth.
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@evanssamuelbiju4315 We meet to discuss some financial transactions, like applications for Masonic charity, but a lot of the routine payments are decided by the Treasurer.
The truth is that some men, DO reveal the secrets. If they are caught, they are expelled, with no chance of readmission. Every Mason takes an obligation not to reveal them, as a symbolic gesture of his integrity. If he breaks his word, we don't want him as a member.
Why do we never hear of it? It's because the "secrets" are completely unimportant outside Freemasonry. It's not like something massively important has been revealed. They consist of the sign, grip and word of the Degree....they aren't worth reporting. Now, if a secret was, say, how to run your house on a teaspoon of water yes anyone finding that out would broadcast it to the world...but as I say...the secrets WE have are, to non-Masons, pretty lame.
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@old_redlk3319 It's purely a traditional thing, from two aspects.
Some say we stem from the guilds of stonemasons of the middle ages. Naturally, in those days, there was no machinery or power tools, so only men were strong enough to work the stone. There were no women stonemasons back then.
Another viewpoint, is that speculative Masonry...the kind I'm in now...emerged from the idea of the guilds....probably around the early 17th century, men were the boss and women looked after the home and children. Either way, things are very different now, but that tradition continues.
That said, although we do not OFFICIALLY recognise them, there are two splendid Grand Lodges for ladies in England. Thr Order of Women Freemasons and The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons. They wear the same regalia, do the same ceremonies and have, broadly speaking, the same aims and principles. We have an excellent working relationship with them and in fact there are many couples who are both Masons.
There are ladies Lodges, of varying description all over the world...but they are not "official" Masons.
For what it's worth, if there ever arose a proposal to allow ladies to join OUR Lodges, I'd be very much in favour.
I hope I have answered your question adequately. If you have others, please feel free to ask
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@michaelmccaffrey2731 Nobody in Freemasonry is asked or required to serve anyone but their own deity. Obviously for Christians, it is God. So all this serving two masters...does not apply.
No Freemason seeks to publicise the good works we do to the public, it's kept very much "in house" and always has been. Often, the events that we attend and assist have non-Masons there too, and it is their choice to publicise as they wish. We have no power to do otherwise. I congratulate YOU on your charitable nature. There should be more like you.
Now the "oath" thing. There we must disagree. If you think about it, armed forces personnel, police officers, doctors, surgeons and all manner of professional people take oaths. Are you saying that you'd never ever require the services of a surgeon if you need it, just because he or she took an oath? If your country is being invaded and you had the power to stop the armed forces from defending your country because they took an oath.. would you? And...would you denigrate your parents (or perhaps even yourself) because of MARRIAGE? Every married couple has taken an oath. I think this might be one area in which the Holy Bible may need to be update, or at least not taken TOO literally.
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@erinjacobs3159 Of course you may ask a question. It's exactly why I created my account... to enable anyone to ask me anything.
What god do the Masons serve? Well, Freemasonry is not a religious organisation so as a body, we don't serve anyone....we're not like a church of any kind. However, each Mason is encouraged to serve whatever god he believes in and this is the one he believed in before he was a Mason. No extra religious beliefs are ever required of any Mason. So a Christin Mason serves God, a Muslim Mason serves Allah etc. It's important to know that we do not require anyone to believe in any other god as well as his own. So, for example, the Christian Mason does not believe in Allah....the Muslim Mason does not believe in God and so on. We tolerate each others beliefs without necessarily sharing them.
It's important to realise that symbols are interpreted differently to different groups or even individuals. The pentagram, for example..... the "five pointed star"...yes, in Satanism, I understand it has some significance, although I do not know what. I also know that it has been in use by other groups, centuries before Satanism existed! Now where else have you seen five pointed stars? On the flag of the USA. Does that mean the USA is a Satanic country? NO! You also see them on the uniform of armed forces personnel..Navy, army and air force. Does that mean all those service people are Satanists? And what about the swastika? you think of that, what pops in to your mind? Nazis! but did you know that for thousands of years before the Nazis got their greasy little paws on the swastika..it was a Hindu and Jainist good luck sign? Also, many Christian groups use the pentagram as a reminder of the five wounds of Jesus Christ on the cross.
The pentagram in Freemasonry, most often refers to the five points of fellowship that a man is raised on when he becomes a Master Mason. Here are the five points taken from the Master Masons Degree ceremony.
Hand to Hand, Foot to Foot, Knee to Knee Breast to Breast, and Hand over Back.
"Hand to hand, I greet you as a Brother. Foot to foot, I will support you in all your laudable undertakings. Knee to knee, the posture of my daily supplications shall remind me of your wants. Breast to breast, your lawful secrets, when entrusted to me as such, I will keep as my own. An Hand over back, I will support your character in your absence as in your presence".
There is no direct reference to the Owl in Freemasonry, although there once existed (I think it's defunct now) the "Order of the Owl"...some obscure side Degree which never lasted very long...concerned with "wisdom" as the owl is often associated with wisdom.
I absolutely promise you, that in Freemasonry, there is nothing that can be construed as "anti" any religion whatsoever.
More questions? Bring 'em on! Just please "like" this post..I don't get alerts of responses to my posts... only "likes" and that's the only way I'll know you have answered me.
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