I'm seriously considering joining one of the Boston lodges. I've been exploring the topic a bit, not sure if I definitely will or not.

Massachusetts lodges are quite interesting; lodges have names only, but no numbers; i.e. Boston Lodge, and not Boston Lodge #1. They also have a district in what is now Panama, and once had several lodges in China, before the Commies took over.

Here's the official site for the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts: http://www.glmasons-mass.org/ .

If you have any questions about Freemasonry, please feel free to PM me. I'll try and answer it the best I can.

Yeah, I just realized this - and all the Boston lodges meet in the same building I guess, but on different floors. I'll PM you if I have any questions as I get further in my thought process of whether to do it or not.

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Does anyone know anything about Long Beach area lodges?

ETA: I have reason to believe that my great-grandfather (paternal grandmother's father) was a Shriner, and hence also a Master Mason, but I'm not aware of any other relatives who are/were Masons.

I'm Roman Catholic, so no.

I would consider Eastern Star. I have lots of people on my mom's side of the family that are/were Masons. They never talked about it much, but it is/was a big part of their lives.

I'm female, so I can't anyway.

Are there Jewish Masons? I can never remember.

Theres a "lodge" right across the highway from my house, I dont think its a lodge though. Its called "the Masonic home" and i think its like an old folks home. Its FREAKING HUGE.

I'm still thinking of joining; but I just don't have the time to commit to it right now. A buddy of mine is a member here in Boston and loves it. I don't want to go into it halfway though, I'd rather have the time to do it the right way.

So am I, baptized but not a practicing Roman Catholic. But then I am already at odds with Roman Catholic doctrine by being a Mason anyway, so it doesn't bother me at all.

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Check out the official web site of the Grand Lodge of California: www.freemason.org . Here's a list of lodges in the Long Beach area:

International City No. 389
5155 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90804-3311
(562) 597-3913

Pacific Rim No. 567
5155 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90804-3311
(562) 494-7979

Los Cerritos No. 674
3610 Locust Ave
Long Beach, CA 90807-3822
(562) 402-7734

Long Beach No. 327
3610 Locust Ave
Long Beach, CA 90807-3822
(562) 427-0821

Lakewood No. 728
5918 E Parkcrest St
Long Beach, CA 90808-2120
(562) 425-9123

Hope this helps.

It is. The Masonic Home of California has two campuses, one in Covina, the other in Union City.

Freemasonry requires only a belief in a Supreme Being in order to become a member. How one worships that Supreme Being is left entirely up to the member.

The majority of Masons in the United States are Christian, so most times you will see the Holy Bible on the Altar. But there are Jewish, Buddhist, and yes, even Muslim members. Our ceremonies are suitably revised to reflect the name of the Volume of Sacred Light on the altar.

Jewish Masons tend to gravitate towards the Scottish Rite rather than the York Rite, as the the Knight Templar orders (the highest degrees of the York Rite) are specifically for those of the Christian faith.

Been thinking about Eastern Star ever since they changed the rules to allow Rainbow Majority Members to join (I used to be ineligible b/c no family connections)...DH has no interest in Masons, so I don't know if I want to do it without him. All my former Rainbow Girl friends who have join OES are in the Dallas area.... Still thinking, but my daughter will be a Rainbow Girl, if they are still around when she is old enough.

Perhaps you could help to enlighten me as to why the Church objects to the Masons? They have the Knights of Columbus. To me, the organizations look very similar.