What do you think of the Masons?

[catbert836]

My father is a Master Mason, and by going to the meetings with him I've learned to brush off all the conspiracy theories around them. But I want to know what you guys think. BTW, are there any masons here?

[Book Lover]

1. Well, they had one or two good albums early on...

Seriously, though, there are Masons around here who have done the "I'm a Mason, ask me anything!" thing. I don't think there are a lot of the conspiracy-pushers around here...

[catbert836]

3. That's ok, just wanted to make sure there wasn't a requirement

that Good Democrats hate masons or anything like that. The reason I asked is I want to join when I'm old enough.

[Book Lover]

11. Ah, you meet the, ahem, member requirement

Possessing only the uterus of life, I'm not allowed to join. Does this mean I have apron envy?

[AllegroRondo]

2. Arent Bush 1 and 2 both Masons?

scary

[catbert836]

4. No, at least not Bush 2. n/t

[Melodybe]

5. Almost all of our presidents have been masons

and skull and bones

Scary indeed.

[Spider Jerusalem]

12. The Bushes are the only Presidents who were in Skull and Bones.

And, yes, many US Presidents HAVE been Freemasons, but then so were Samuel Clemens, Ocsar Wilde, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Voltaire, Richard Pryor, Jack Johnson (the 1st black heavyweight boxing champ) and literally MILLIONS of others...it is not "scary", it is in fact quite understandable that men wishing to get ahead in politics would join what is and has been arguably the foremost fraternal organisation in the world for at least two centuries...the idea of a Masonic "conspiracy" is rather silly. Do you believe the one about the Jewish bankers, too?

[Zuni]

15. bUT THE REAL POWER IS IN THE HANDS OF THE iLLUMINATI

[catbert836]

17. Masons, but not Bonesman

The Bushes are the only ones who were Bonesmen. But the coveted "33rd degree" of Masonry is awarded to presidents and people who give the order a lot of money.

[FeelinGarfunkelly]

6. uh.. Truman was a mason

I consider him one of the least scary presidents. right after franklin pearce.

[Zuni]

16. He was also in the KKK for one day

He went to one meeting out of curiosity, as he was a southerner at a time when the Klan dominated the south in the early 1920s. He was so disgusted he resigned at his first meeting and became a sworn opponent of the Klan for the rest of his life.
Apparently the Klan had a campaign against him and even took a contract out on himn in the 1920s

[skygazer]

7. I don't really know anything about them

Didn't you originally have to be a mason (as in someone who works with stone) to be a member? When did it turn into a social society or whatever it is now?

I'd rather be a lumberjack...

[jdots]

8. I have never understood about the Masons real secrets

Why do people think Perry Mason ,James Mason and Marsha Mason had anything to do with Kennedy's death ?
i have read every book i can can find one secret societies and realize they were just away for guys to get out of the house before there was bowling.Just bought 4 books on Skull & Bones ,frat boys with richer parents,naturally thier is and old boy insider mentallity and nepitism but people give these clubs way to much credit,which is what they want.Hey it's still better than watching t.v. and maybe DU should start a cult/secret society with decoder rings and cool robes.

[jackelope72]

9. Marsha is okay, don't really care for Jackie. n/t

[Love Bug]

10. I always thought being a Mason was just an excuse for men

to play cards and drink beer without the wimmin folk around.

[oneold1-4u]

13. The surgeons

When one has studied the history of masons and the shrine, they are very learned people and they are supposed to do this to become members. Perhaps many gain membership through money and family in masons, but they have nothing to do with how to plaster or pour cement.

[slestak]

14. I think that's the Shriners

My brother-in-law is a Mason. He said he would sponsor me if I wanted him to. I passed on it.

[catbert836]

18. And eat tasty dinners for free, once you subtract the dues.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

19. They're just a fraternial organization.

My dad's a Mason (and a Shriner).

Never thought anything bad of them. Had a former friend tell me to my face that the Masons are trying to bring about the antiChrist, and that they're pure evil. I asked him "You've met my dad. My dad's a Mason. Does that make him evil?"
Without hesitation, he said "Yes."

He wasn't kidding, either. We don't talk anymore.

[Burma Jones]

20. They did a real nice job on my brick house......................

[guitar man]

21. "Vomit in My Yard"

Was a pretty cool cut, but the rest of the Plymouth Rock album was just kind of avarage sounding.......:)

[hyphenate]

22. Masons are like any other group

It has good people and bad people. Nothing secret about that. They've been around for centuries--supposedly the original masons were literally "masons" who worked on building Solomon's Temple. (They're the "Juwes" that are supposed to have something to do with Jack the Ripper.) However, the first Grand Lodge in England was built in 1717.

Like most fraternal organizations, they have been deeply involved through the centuries with a lot of charitable work, and in the present day, they are more like the other groups--the Shriners, the Elks and other various and sundry organizations.

Alexander the Great was allegedly a mason as well.

They have managed to keep some of their secrets for a very long time, but those secrets are mostly confined to rituals and traditions of the organization. If they have a "secret agenda" it's mainly to do good deeds and seed hope for the future. Indeed, that is their main goal nowadays, to be good "Christians" and spread the good work.

There are three other groups affiliated with them: Daughters of the Eastern Star is for women, Demolay is for boys, and the Order of the Rainbow is for young girls.

Google Freemasonry and you will come up with tons of references and information. They're not evil, and they're not necessarily bad guys.