Would You Join a Masonic Lodge?

PhiPsiRuss · #1 01-19-2004, 04:57 PM

Related to this thread: http://GreekChat.com/gcforums/showth...threadid=45382

Would you join the Masons? Why?
If you are a Mason, why did you join?

_________________________________________________

I know very little about the Masons, and no one who I know, that I'm aware of, belongs to the Masons (except for friends who live over a thousand miles away.) I really have no desire to join, especially because it would take away time that spend with friends, and working on fraternity matters.

ISUKappa · #2 01-19-2004, 05:04 PM

It is discouraged by our church (the entire Synod of the church, not just my sigular church) to join fraternal organizations such as Masons or Shriners but other charitable orgs such as Lions Club or Kiwanis are okay (I think it has to do with the ritual/heirarchy of the Masons). No one I know personally is a member of a masonic organization. But if it's what you want to do, then, hey, more power to you.

DeltAlum · #3 01-19-2004, 05:09 PM

As I said in the other thread, my Grandfather, Father and late uncle are/were Masons.

I'm not, and have no real interest -- but also have nothing at all against the organization.

aephi alum · #4 01-19-2004, 08:39 PM

I lack one of the main qualifications...

My family is very anti-Masonic, as well as anti-greek. (My going greek went over real big with the fam.

)

My husband, however, is a Mason, as is his father.

I've been thinking about Eastern Star, but haven't gotten around to making any serious inquiries yet.

AlphaSigOU · #5 01-19-2004, 09:02 PM

I am a very active Mason (and along the same line, a 32-degree Scottish Rite and a Shriner), as well as the chaplain for my local Order of the Eastern Star chapter.

To me, I found the sense of fraternity as close or even closer than being an undergrad in a GLO. Hardest part was memorizing the required ritual work (which is not written) necessary to prove to another brother Mason that you're 'on the square'. But don't let that discourage you from considering membership. "You get out of it what you put into it" rings very true to any organization and how one gets involved.

AchtungBaby80 · #6 01-20-2004, 12:00 AM

I might consider joining if I were a man...

PhiPsiRuss · #7 01-20-2004, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
I might consider joining if I were a man...

You can always get a sex change!

The_Nash · #8 01-20-2004, 03:53 AM

i would like to, it all seems very interesting to me

LXAAlum · #9 01-20-2004, 04:44 PM

I'd like to join - but don't have the time for the commitment - it would be yet ANOTHER fraternal organization for me. But I've always been intrigued by Ritualistic stuff, and Masons have the most "degrees" of any order I can think of.

But, I'm content with LXA and the Loyal Order of Moose that I already belong to - I would only join if I could also guarantee my commitment, which would not be easy with everything else I have in life right now.

My church doesn't frown on Masonic affiliation like other churches do - I think there is still a lot of historic mistrust of the Masons after the satanic accusations from a hundred years ago or so - from what I've seen of their Rituals, I don't believe it to be true.

sigtau305 · #10 01-20-2004, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by russellwarshay
Related to this thread: http://GreekChat.com/gcforums/showth...threadid=45382

Would you join the Masons? Why?
If you are a Mason, why did you join?

_________________________________________________

I know very little about the Masons, and no one who I know, that I'm aware of, belongs to the Masons (except for friends who live over a thousand miles away.) I really have no desire to join, especially because it would take away time that spend with friends, and working on fraternity matters.

I have of couple of friends who are masons and they say it 's pretty cool. I'm thinking about joining one.

AlphaSigOU · #11 01-20-2004, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LXAAlum
I'd like to join - but don't have the time for the commitment - it would be yet ANOTHER fraternal organization for me. But I've always been intrigued by Ritualistic stuff, and Masons have the most "degrees" of any order I can think of.

But, I'm content with LXA and the Loyal Order of Moose that I already belong to - I would only join if I could also guarantee my commitment, which would not be easy with everything else I have in life right now.

My church doesn't frown on Masonic affiliation like other churches do - I think there is still a lot of historic mistrust of the Masons after the satanic accusations from a hundred years ago or so - from what I've seen of their Rituals, I don't believe it to be true.

Actually, there's no higher degree than that of Master Mason; all the other side degrees such as the Scottish Rite and York Rite are entirely optional.

Scottish Rite degrees are usually held over the course of a weekend or two; some jurisdictions will conduct the ceremonies in one day by exemplifying the five mandatory degrees (4th, 14th, 18th, 30th, 31st and 32nd) and communicating the degrees in between via a short explanatory lecture.

York Rite degrees are usually held during a weekend.

Glitter650 · #12 01-20-2004, 11:20 PM

I would probably join if I was a man... but instead I'm a member of eastern star...

PhiPsiRuss · #13 01-20-2004, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Glitter650
I would probably join if I was a man... but instead I'm a member of eastern star...

What is Eastern Star?

AlphaSigOU · #14 01-21-2004, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by russellwarshay
You can always get a sex change!

Believe it or not, there are female Masons. Officially they are not recognized by any of the 'mainstream' Masonic grand lodges. In the United Kingdom, there are two women's Masonic organizations: the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons (HFAF) and the Order of Women Freemasons (OWF). However, these are strictly women's organizations, unlike our Order of the Eastern Star which is co-ed. (British (but not Scottish) Masons are prohibited from joining OES.)

More information on co-ed Freemasonry: http://www.co-masonry.com/ .

AlphaSigOU · #15 01-21-2004, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by russellwarshay
What is Eastern Star?

The Order of the Eastern Star is an organization composed of Master Masons, their wives, widows, mothers and other immediate female relatives. The Order was founded in the mid-1800s by Rob Morris and its ceremonies are based on the heroic feats of five women of Biblical times: Adah, Ruth, Esther, Martha and Electa.

More information at www.easternstar.org .

I am currently the Chaplain of Plano Chapter #703 OES, Plano, Texas.