Free masons

quote:

Originally posted by NB:

quote:

Originally posted by long-time-dead:
I am amazed that this thread has not been protected by the obligatory handshake, raised trouser leg and commemorative "penny" ........

Then that shows how little you know about the craft!

Or alternatively, just how much I do !

My grandfather is on a Standard proudly displayed each 12th. and my mother is a PWM of the Eastern Star.

Need I add more ?

JeremyD

I'm also confused.

I think the National Secular Society is confused too. Perhaps the name: "National Anti-Religionist Society" was already being used?

Deane

I remember years back that my father was offered membership to the Freemasons and he turned it down flat.

I can't remember why though, although I guess he felt it may have compromised his notion of integrity in business.

Dating back to feudal times the Toy family has always been part of the freemen class - i.e: not peasants nailed to anybody's land.

I guess there is no need for any member of our family to wear (or hide) a badge to say that we are "free" - and possibly corrupt at the same time?

Our origins are but a huge knot of Protestants who fleed Catholic oppression in Southern France during the 17th century.

My dad was a member of the Masons. In fact he might still be, I don't know. I think it's...ummm a secret...?

Deane,

quote:

Originally posted by Deane F:
JeremyD

I'm also confused.

I think the National Secular Society is confused too. Perhaps the name: "National Anti-Religionist Society" was already being used?

Hmmm... I'd have called it the "National Secularism Society", since [at least according to my Chambers* dictionary] religionist has too many possible meanings.

* I've never had much faith in Chambers - I got this one because it's the Scrabble dictionary, and somehow I never got round to getting an Oxford one...

***

A family friend taught me a Masonic handshake when I was about eight by claiming he had to shake hands in a special way because of an injury! I didn't believe him for a moment but didn't guess the real reason until I was in my twenties, when Knight's book came out. I'm not even sure I had heard of the Masons before then.

Oxford Concise:

"secular"

3.concerned with the affairs of this world, not sacred or monastic or eccesiastical.

4.sceptical of religious truth or opposed to religious education etc: hence secular~ISM

How pedantic is that? I couldn't even drag the COD entry into the screen box and had to find my glasses to enter it in slow motion from something we once called "a book".

I do hope you appreciate the effort.

Nime

quote:

Originally posted by long-time-dead:

quote:

Originally posted by NB:

quote:

Originally posted by long-time-dead:
I am amazed that this thread has not been protected by the obligatory handshake, raised trouser leg and commemorative "penny" ........

Then that shows how little you know about the craft!

Or alternatively, just how much I do !

My grandfather is on a Standard proudly displayed each 12th. and my mother is a PWM of the Eastern Star.

Need I add more ?

Do I need to say anything

quote:

Originally posted by Deane F:
...people that have no sexual relations with anybody...

Is that the Clintonesque use of the term sexual relations?

quote:

Originally posted by MichaelC:

quote:

Originally posted by Deane F:
...people that have no sexual relations with anybody...

Is that the Clintonesque use of the term sexual relations?

It would certainly make for an interesting warning label on cigars - like the "Smoking causes lung cancer" labels on cigarettes...

quote:

Originally posted by JeremyD:
Tim,

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Danaher:
Deane F, JeremyD --

Oh dear,

Well it looks as if the National Secular Society has got it all wrong then.

I'm afraid you've only linked to their home page, so I have no way of knowing what point you're making. Would you please provide a link or explain?

Sorry, Jeremy -- been away, but others seem to have clarified for me: The NSS is big on atheism.

Tim (now desperately trying not to incur the Wrath of Froggle).

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Danaher:

Sorry, Jeremy -- been away, but others seem to have clarified for me: The NSS is big on atheism.

Oh! Duh! I think I was too busy smugly enjoying its atheism to notice it was atheism.

quote:

Tim (now desperately trying not to incur the Wrath of Froggle).

Froggle, in his finite but absolutely ginormous wisdom, knows no wrath. Unless, that is, you feed him the wrong kind of greenfly or suggest a visit to a French restaurant.