Masonic Lodges

Yea I think I changed it after I made the post. Not long now. I can't wait to get there and be done with it.

Some things you will find is totally true, but its the so called inside info that you can come across that you should be sceptical about.

Like Traveller said above, if you are really interested go to a lodge if someone if there and ask some questions. That I know of Masons are good people. You heard of the Shriners or Childrens hospital? well the shiners are masons also. I also have heard that Masons help in funding the shriners or either the Childrens Hospital which is a very respectable thing because its such a good hospital and they don't charge the families that go there for the services.

Since I am not a Mason and waht I know is from digging on the net and asking questions this will be all that I add. Maybe traveller can add more but that I know of they are limited on what they can talk about.

My dad has been a Mason for over 50 years, but he has not been a "practicing" member for over 40 of those years, yet, he kept current with membership dues or whatever. They are a secret organization, as I believe are the Shriners.

RT

They're into 'community service'. Jews have something called 'mitzvah'. Boy scouts 'do a good turn every day'. That sorta thing.

X

Josh,

I am both a Mason and a Shriner. Great organizations. Send me a PM or email and we'll find you a location to petition to as Traveler has recommended.

Lynn

My future father-in-law is an active mason and is pretty highly placed, from what I gather.

I'm catholic, so I don't think they want me... I'd have to settle for the Knights of Columbus instead :)

-- Gary F.

Pardon my ignorance, but what do Masons actually do ?

Drink, and play, and sing "we do" ? oh, wait... ;)

I am a Mason and a Catholic...they don't have problems with Catholics.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me!

I am a Mason, and proud to say so.
The organisation here in the UK has been under attack over the last few years.
The secrecy thing is often the stick that is used to beat us - "if its not sinister, why is it so secret" They rarely mention all the charitable work that is done:rant:

In my opinion, if the rest of Society lived its life by Masonic principles, then we would have an infinately better world!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by x5150x

I am a Mason and a Catholic...they don't have problems with Catholics.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me!

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I think it's the other way around. Masons don't have problems with Catholics (at least not anymore - a membership requirement is that you believe in a higher power or whatever, though, right?). Catholics, or at least "The Church", however, have problems with the Masons.

Under the 1917 Code of Canon law, becoming a Mason resulted in automatic excommunication. There was some thought that when the 1983 Code was released and didn't have that provision, that it was okay for Catholics to be Masons, but apparently the Vatican (in the person, I believe, of then-Cardinal Ratzinger) has come out and said that's not right, and that if you're a Mason, you shouldn't receive communion. I'm not entirely sure of the reasoning behind it, I think part of it had to do with the secret oaths Masons supposedly swear.

Anyway, take that all for what you will. I'm sure there are Cathlic masons, just like there are Catholics who support abortion and all sorts of other things.

Edit: This site seems to offer some elucidation - http://www.freemason.org/cfo/march_a...1/catholic.htm You have to read the retraction, too, though, because the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, ahem, changed its mind.

My dad is a Mason too and I've only asked him a few vague questions, nothing specific. My main question was "What kind of people are Masons" and he said they are good people who live by certain principles, do good works and look out for each other and their community. That's enough to interest me. I know my dad and I respect him immensely for how he lives his life and the moral convictions he has.

There are too many people in this world who don't seem to live by any decent principles. If Masons do, and those principles align with mine, it might be very nice to spend time around people like that.

One thing that I'd like to know about Masons is if they are politically inclined in any direction or if, like the religious aspect, they are tolerant of differing political beliefs. My political beliefs aren't very mainstream...but they probably would have been considered more mainstream about 200 years ago.