Free masons

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[QUOTE]Originally posted by FISBEY:
Who are these people and what exactly do they do?
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They are a shady and manipulative organisation who meet in Dracula's castle. Members include Krusty the clown, Mr. Burns and Doctor Hibbert. They control everything that happens in Springfield

Fisbey - As you obviously are not a member, then I am afraid I can't tell you.

Many of my family have been Freemasons, my father included. I can tell you that is the most closed rank throwback to a thankfully bygone age of gentlemans clubs that still unfortunately exists. It consists of a congregation of people invited to join, who may be of value to those existing members to earn them money, close some deals, and generally watch each others backs. Once associations are acknowledged, some very unjust outcomes can come about for no visable reason. People actually do get away with murder (remember Lord Lucan in the 70's who managed to disappear - that was stagemanaged by the Freemasons in a Harvey Keitel type of role. They are very good at that). A closed community at the highest level to ensure that those on top stay on top. It's the last bastion of the class thing.
It stinks.
I have a personal story about them involving my father that I don't want to go into, but don't believe the smokescreen that it is about charity. They do raise money for charity, but those char

Perony I ´fink it's

" Hip To Be Square"


JAIL MASONS innit

Frisby,
try to get your hands on a book by
Stephen Knight called The Brotherhood and all will be revealed. The paper back edition is by Panther its identity No ISBN 0-586-05983-0.He also wrote another book about the same subject that unfortunately I loaned to someone, some time ago and unfortunately it was never returned.Steven Knight died just after the publication of the second book, in somewhat strange circumstances, not that I would sugest that there was a connection of course.I was invited many years ago by a Friends Father to inquire about joining his lodge [ aparently you are not asked to join you have to make the first move/inquiry]
Can you imagine it , me a life long Active Trade Unionist, Socialist,Anti Royalist and atheist to boot, in short,I stand for just about everthing the "Masons" find abhorrent.
some how I don't think a rolled up left trouser leg ,open shirt,Dagger/knife at my breast and a hemp neck tie would suit me.Do you remember the incident with the Banker found hanging with bricks in his pockets under Black friers Bridge in London a few years ago well that was allegedly [if you'll excuse the pun] tied up with the Vatican Lodge of the Free Masons
oldie

I seem to be the only male in my family NOT in the masons. My Dad was not either, both his brothers and the their offspring are/were.My in-laws are as well and several of my uncles on my mothers side.
Secret societies was all my old said to me. Seemed if he was not playing then neither would I.

Howard

According to Poe, just buy yourself a trowel and you're good to go:

quote:

He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not understand.
I looked at him in surprise. He repeated the movement --a grotesque one.
"You do not comprehend?" he said.
"Not I," I replied.
"Then you are not of the brotherhood."
"How?"
"You are not of the masons."
"Yes, yes," I said; "yes, yes."
"You? Impossible! A mason?"
"A mason," I replied.
"A sign," he said, "a sign."
"It is this," I answered, producing from beneath the folds of my roquelaire a trowel.
"You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces.

(excerpted from "The Cask of Amontillado")

...Or we could be boring, forget the conspiracy theories and see what the Masons say about themselves:
United Grand Lodge of England

Some historical perspective.

" Freemasonary today is a wholly reactionary gathering of corrupt policemen, businessman and politicians greasing each others palms behind a veil of secrecy. It was not always so. In the eighteenth century Freemasonary stood in the camp of reform and progress against reaction and the worst aspects of existing society. Mozart was an active Freemason. Much of his music and one of the greatest of his operas are intimately concerned with the ideas of Masonary.
Freemasonary began in Britain, where the grand lodge of England was founded in 1717. That its birth should come in England, where the bourgeoise was firmly entrenched in power is no surprise. Freemasonary was basically a movement which reflected (albeit in an often confused way) the developing consciousness and ideology of the bourgeoisie.
From England, it spread rapidly throughout the continent and drew in those who had at least some commitment, however vague or rhetorical, to a more rational, enlightened world. The membership of the masonic lodges included many from the existing ruling order, including reforming rulers like Fredrick the Great of Prussia and countless nobles across Europe. But its core membership and certainly its ideas were of the Bourgeoisie. Many of the great philosophers of the Enlightenment were also Masons, Voltaire, Montesquieu and Helvetius. It would be a mistake to see all Masonic lodges and their members as active in any political sense. Often they were little more than social clubs with strange rituals. But many did articulate and push for decidely reformist, in some cases revolutionary, demands. In France many of the future leaders of the revolution cut their teeth in Masonic lodges.
The masons drew on the rituals and symbols of medieval guilds. But they promoted ideas which clashed with the established order of political absolutism and religious orthodoxy imposed by state and church. A cult of reason was at the centre of much Masonic ritual and thought. They stood against the arbitrary and irrational nature of the existing order and its ideology. The masons soon, therefore, clashed with the catholic church, the bastion of reaction throughout Europe."

Paul McGarr. Mozart; Overture to Revolution.

Yes, this page is interesting.

Be careful what you are saying, you never know when they are around!

My mate Dave smacked a judge once, he did cry though whils't doing it ?


Fritz Von Well that's allright then innit

Strangely here in the US of A you have to apply to become a Mason, it is illegal or 'summat' to approach people to become a Freemason.

Check the various websites if you wish for more information than you ever wanted.

Regards

Andy

Yes, I have two acquaintances in Masons. they think they are a dying race.

quote:

Originally posted by Lomo:
Yes, I have two acquaintances in Masons. they think they are a dying race.

There was a documentary about the New Zealand lodge a few months ago. Apparently they have been talking of admitting women to build the numbers up .

quote:

Check the various websites if you wish for more information than you ever wanted.

But be aware that most of these website's are written by disgruntled ex freemasons. They are often misleading and designed to stir up trouble.

To fully understand freemasonry you need to see it from the inside. Most Freemasons are honest decent upstanding gentlemen but like all walks of life, a small minority portray the wrong image. In the same way that football fans are likened to the small few that turn up for a punch up.

From the Grand Lodge Website:

"It is one of the world's oldest secular fraternities"

And:

"The essential qualifications for admission is that you have a belief in a Supreme Being."

Is it just me, or can anyone else detect a slight inconsistency here?

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Danaher:
From the Grand Lodge Website:

"It is one of the world's oldest secular fraternities"

And:

"The essential qualifications for admission is that you have a belief in a Supreme Being."

Is it just me, or can anyone else detect a slight inconsistency here?

The term "secular" does not imply atheism. Nor does it imply an absence of religion. If an organisation is secular it is not under the control of a religion.

Deane

quote:

Originally posted by NB:
Most Freemasons are honest decent upstanding gentlemen but like all walks of life, a small minority portray the wrong image.

Totally agree.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Danaher:
"It is one of the world's oldest secular fraternities"

"The essential qualifications for admission is that you have a belief in a Supreme Being."

Is it just me, or can anyone else detect a slight inconsistency here?

I asked Froggle, whose supreme presence I am delighted to host (now on a bookcase rather than a Naim amp), and he explained that since he wasn't a god it was perfectly reasonable for the Masons to call themselves a secular society (just as long as they believed he was the only supreme being).

Adolf was shit scared of them, and said so pubically, though not in quite those terms, and he spelt it right too, not going for the cheap larf like mesen, innit.


Fwitz Von Teutonic Efficiency

Believe our very own Mickmaster P. is a Mason his own self. He's scarce 'round here these days, otherwise he may have had some insights for us.

quote:

Originally posted by jayd:
Believe our very own Mickmaster P. is a Mason his own self. He's scarce 'round here these days, otherwise he may have had some insights for us.

I'd be very suprised if he and others weren't they'd get no bloody pocket money work on the side otherwise I suspect ?


Fritz Von Fair Business market for all

Jayd

Yes I am a Mason and this thread is somewhat melodramatic and wildly inaccurate.

I have been in the craft for 22 years and hold Provincial Rank, Last year I was ranked 15th out of 2680 Masons in Wiltshire, so I hope you will believe me when I say I know something of the subject.

Masonry in the UK was very public up until the 1930's. It was common, for instance, for local newspapers to announce who was joining up etc.

The movement went "underground" during the 30's when Hitler made it clear that he was out to get them. It was during this period that the culture of secrecy evolved.

The element of secrecy is still there but it is once again becoming more open. That will take time.

The old Masonic conspiracy tales are in the main fiction.

Calvie who was found hanging from Blackfrairs bridge belonged to P2, which was not a legitimate lodge. He was therefore not a Mason.

Oldie mentioned Stephen Knights book, Inside the Brotherhood. That book was fiction from begining to end. Nearly every fact he quoted was wrong. Even he admitted he got it wrong.

He died because he had terminal cancer of the brain and not because of any "masonic plot". He was operated on by a surgeon who was a Mason, hence the wild tales.

The craft has near a record high membership but overall, numbers have dipped slightly over the last 3 years but seems to be increasing again.

The womens Masonry is known as Co Masonry and, yes it is taking off fast in London and is spreading to the provinces. This is a trend I personally welcome and support.

The main purpose of Masonry is charity. For instance, we are in the top league supporting the Asian earthquake appeal, and also are the biggest contributor to the restoration of Salisbury Cathederal. I thought I would mention Salisbury for obvious reasons.

In Swindon, we are the second highest contributor to the local Hospice. This is deliberately kept quiet as a matter of policy.

As regards to personal behaviour, the level of exclusions (our word for kicking out) is fairly low, because the standard of behaviour is high.

I know of one Mason who was excluded because he beat his wife to the extent she had to be hospitalised. Not many clubs would do that.

The main reason for joining the craft is that is it somewhere for like minded men to meet, to talk to each other and enjoy each others company.

I hope I have gone some way to persuading you that it is a force for good.

Regards

Mick

Thanks Mick. I wasn't siding one way or the other; I just recall a comment on another forum that suggested to me you might be a member, and therefore probably had some info. Always best to get both sides of every story.