Ignorance, Fanaticism and Tyranny--the 3 enemies of Freemasonry.

[Finder]

The History channel had two segments on the other night that were more accurate than any other documentaries I have seen in the last decade. That combined with ads I have seen on television and flyers in newspapers(which I found interesting since they do not usually recruit) makes me wonder if they are in the process of rising up again in defense of liberalism.

My local lodges have had a rise in interest the last couple of years which they attribute to books and movies like DaVinci Code and National Treasure...

How do you all feel about the Masons and would you support them today?

[trotsky]

1. They won't have me.

You have to believe in a supreme being to be a Freemason. So there's a few things they aren't quite liberal about.

[Matariki]

6. They won't have me because I'm a girl

and that's how i feel about *them* - otherwise I like them. I think they're a fine organization, but i prefer the 'spin-offs' that have allowed women.

[Finder]

9. Co-masonry...

although most I have looked into were more new age centers than actual masonic lodges. If you are interested, contact your local Grand lodge and they will refer you to legitimate CoMasonic lodges.

[Matariki]

17. i'm already in a masonic style group

2 in fact and that's more than i can stand already ;-)

[lvx35]

18. That's why I wouldn't join.

Masons are fading into history with their insistence that "no woman shall be a mason" and relegating them to eastern star. Its a shame they are not relevant anymore, but because of this they aren't

[Matariki]

19. i like your name, lvx35

[Finder]

20. Eastern Star is only for relatives of Masons...

there are lodges that accept males and females in Europe but only a handful in the US. Only time will tell as far as how viable coed lodges are.

I personally agree with some of the non-misogynist reasons they have for staying separate.

[Finder]

8. The definition of supreme being can be physics, nature, etc...

so they are inclusive. There are some lodges that have a theological bent though.

[trotsky]

12. The one that ran an Ident-a-Kid campaign near our home

had "belief in God" written as their one requirement. I later learned about the supreme being bit, but clearly that lodge might have their own agenda.

[stepnw1f]

2. My Brother Knows a Freemason

and the guy HATES Bush.

[Warpy]

3. I neither support nor deny them

In fact, the dullest 4 hours of my life was spent watching my ex FIL be installed as the grand master of his Masonic lodge. It's hard to think of any group that stiflingly boring to be all that big a threat to mom, apple pie, and democracy.

I find them mostly harmless, in other words.

The only problem comes in bidness, when lodge brothers are given preference over any outsiders, especially women.

[LaurenG]

4. I know several Free Masons

They are all very nice people, always willing to give "liberally".

[Taxloss]

5. Hitler persecuted the Freemasons.

To me, that means they can't be all bad. (Interestingly, Hitler did so because he feared they were undermining Christianity. Tha was his stated reason, at least.)

I also have several relatives who are Masons. Certainly organisations like this invite a degree of corruption - members doing favours for members - but that is true of any exclusive organisation, be it a country club or top university or street gang.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. I certainly agree with their 3 enemies list. They were part of the

Enlightenment and so could be useful.

[peacetalksforall]

10. Free masonry is broad, but in general, I am against secret societies and

many of our barons - those who prefer to contain us and make profits at our expense and have us fight their wars - appear to have Mason history. But, because masonry is so vast, there are too many aspects to accept and reject. They are definitely non-inclusive. They wear (or used to wear) a Middle Eastern fez, and rituals are highly Egyptian in origin, but how many have joined in on the growing Muslim hate?

There are many words written by them and about them, but there are still some secrecy alive and thriving, possibly less than in the days of secret handshakes and rituals, but who knows because they are a secret society at the core.

Haven't people written that Skull & Bones members are usually also Masons?

Our founders included very active Masons.

[Finder]

11. Shriners still wear the Fez and are all Masons...

but not sure what that has to do with hating Muslims. Handshakes and rituals are still part of masonry but is far from being sinister.

[peacetalksforall]

13. You asked what we thought and whether we could support Masons.

My first reason is obvious - I oppose secret societies.

My second is a comment - there are many Christians in this country who have come to oppose and condemn all Muslims. As far as I've learned, Masons are mostly Christian. It would be nice to know that Christian-Masons have not joined in the ranks of the haters. Especially in light of their inclusion of Middle East objects (pyramid, fez), images, and heritage in their own founding, including words/names - Zuhrah, for one.

But, I should not have opened my mouth because I cannot know. I cannot know since it is all secret. But, if I do speak, what I say is as correct as the person who opposes what I say since we can't prove that either is right since it is secret. And a member who does know can't speak since it is secret. Or a member who does know can deny an accusation and there is no court cince it is all secret.

[peacetalksforall]

14. Maybe your questions should be prefaced. You can tell us what is

known and safe to reveal and we can then comment on that alone.

Sorry, secret societies ruffle my opinionated nature.

[Finder]

15. Well the big secret is there is no secret.lol

Then again, I am not a Mason so can only state what I have learned from studying them.

[Book Lover]

16. I fully support Masonic principles

And although they will not have me, for I am an atheist female, I would love to join them and be able to call myself a Mason. Someday...

[TallahasseeGrannie]

21. My dad and his dad were Masons and my

grandmother Eastern Star. I know absolutely nothing about it. I know they are reviled by some and revered by others. Can somebody enlighten me?