I am a cynic but also know for a fact that a lot of money is raised for good causes by the Freemasons which is hard to knock. I just don't see where up until very recently pretty much every chief constable in history was a mason and pretty much every other copper above sarge needed to be too. Why if there was no benefit to the career would so many be members ? Far too many high ranking officials from all walks of life are also members although I think that as with the old bill transparency makes this much harder to conceal these days. Am I right that every president of the USA or very nearly has been a member ? I could go on but nothing will make me think that this is just a lads club who do a bit of good work on the side and have a few funny rituals that must be kept secret or else it would spoil the fun. I like to think I didn't come down in the last shower.
Hundreds of thousands of people in this country play football, all following exactly the same rulebook. Only a very select few play in the Premiership. The Masons i see as something very similar, on a far smaller scale. There will probably be a couple of very elite Lodges in London that contain very high ranking people, but for the vast majority around the country it will be just average joes, made up of office workers, tradesmen, cabbies, window cleaners etc. For the vast majority of them, it offers a hobby, being part of a group and the potential for a new social circle mainly at a time of life where it is difficult to achieve those goals.
i see the rituals and secrets as something dictated by its history, and maintained due to respect of the history. As for the secrets, its probably part of the attraction, and helps maintain its credence.
Its a private club anyway, so why should they share information with non-members ?
As for the invitation of new members, kinsella shorts will know more than me, but my thinking is in the vast majority of cases, the invite would go to friends who the member feels would have the personality to fit well into the existing group without changing the dynamics too much, rather than inviting people based on what they could potentially offer to the other members of the group.
If the truth about the CL Clique joining ceremony were ever revealed, i dread to think what would happen.
Are you speaking from experience BD because if so that was a quick elevation up the ranks, tell us more.
No - it's just what i heard - can't explain any more. The combination of letters i would need to put together on this board to reveal the truth has been blocked.
The list of really big knobs on a worldwide level now and past is really very impressive. Far too impressive for it to be a like minded jolly boys club. Just don't buy it.
i see the rituals and secrets as something dictated by its history, and maintained due to respect of the history. As for the secrets, its probably part of the attraction, and helps maintain its credence.
Its a private club anyway, so why should they share information with non-members ?
As for the invitation of new members, kinsella shorts will know more than me, but my thinking is in the vast majority of cases, the invite would go to friends who the member feels would have the personality to fit well into the existing group without changing the dynamics too much, rather than inviting people based on what they could potentially offer to the other members of the group.
Good job joining CL was not by invitation from my point of view then!
I think the ceremony is linked to the robes. When a member dies, a robe is freed up. If you are the right size, willing to adopt a set of somebody elses rules, haven't got many friends, are pretty unsuccessful generally and need to belong to something to give you hope - you're in. (truth is, i don't know but thats the thing with secrets, speculation is rife)
A Mason who got a dd charge dropped. ,! I can assure you that as well as being a drunk, he was also a liar. Masons who do business together have no commercial nous as to do business with someone just because he is a member of your lodge is ridiculous. I am a member of a printers lodge. Those who have joined for business reasons have soon left. Those who join to find some wonderful secret also soon leave. I do business with those who have something to offer me, not someone from the bloody golf club.....As previously stated, lots of crap spoken about what is only an amateur dramatic society that can give both charity and friendship. Anyone who claims to get some financial gain is a liar.
Thanks for your input everyone, and for some peoples honesty. If there's one thing to be learnt from a few of the above comments, it's that some people seem to be a bit petrified of the unknown.
Thanks for your input everyone, and for some peoples honesty. If there's one thing to be learnt from a few of the above comments, it's that some people seem to be a bit petrified of the unknown.
But what is it? A charity fundraising organisation? A men only amateur dramatics society? A club where you can have a drink and a meal with some like-minded males? A secret semi-religeous sect? None of the above? All of the above?
I don't think you can sum it up by just using the information given by some of the above posters Saga Lout, but I would say it's a bit of all the above......
A Mason who got a dd charge dropped. ,! I can assure you that as well as being a drunk, he was also a liar. Masons who do business together have no commercial nous as to do business with someone just because he is a member of your lodge is ridiculous. I am a member of a printers lodge. Those who have joined for business reasons have soon left. Those who join to find some wonderful secret also soon leave. I do business with those who have something to offer me, not someone from the bloody golf club.....As previously stated, lots of crap spoken about what is only an amateur dramatic society that can give both charity and friendship. Anyone who claims to get some financial gain is a liar.
masicat.....I can tell this has made you pretty angry and of course there's just no way I can prove this but I knew this fella and his family really well back in those days.......would see him four or five nights a week, he also owned a pub in Soho. Can only say that this is perfectly true, as unsavoury as you might like to think...... it honestly happened. You're just going to have to take my word for it......sorry!
I know quite a few Masons but none of them have ever asked me to join......
You need to ask them if you can join, if they are true Masons they will never ask you. You need to show you are willing to become one and one of the obvious ways is to ask.
I think the ceremony is linked to the robes. When a member dies, a robe is freed up. If you are the right size, willing to adopt a set of somebody elses rules, haven't got many friends, are pretty unsuccessful generally and need to belong to something to give you hope - you're in. (truth is, i don't know but thats the thing with secrets, speculation is rife)
Just to put things into perspective:
Think about a church wedding in England. The brides family sit in a certain place - the groom's on the other side. the bride wears a veil and carries a posy The bride's father walks her to the altar and a vicar moves her hand across to her new husband The vicar reads out a load of stuff. He asks if anyone knows of any impediment - rarely does anyone speak. The actual marriage is not complete until the couple sign the book etc, so the whole process is just for show. The marriage service has been done like this for centuries - no big deal.
When masons get together to meet,they walk around in certain dress, carrying bits and bobs, reciting various things, or sitting in certain seats.
No big deal.
As had been said before about hospices in Kent - I know local lodges have been very generous to Demelza and others. To think people raised this money in private so that they might, one day get off a DD charge or get to be President of the USA, is very wrong.
Comments
Hundreds of thousands of people in this country play football, all following exactly the same rulebook. Only a very select few play in the Premiership. The Masons i see as something very similar, on a far smaller scale. There will probably be a couple of very elite Lodges in London that contain very high ranking people, but for the vast majority around the country it will be just average joes, made up of office workers, tradesmen, cabbies, window cleaners etc. For the vast majority of them, it offers a hobby, being part of a group and the potential for a new social circle mainly at a time of life where it is difficult to achieve those goals.
Its a private club anyway, so why should they share information with non-members ?
As for the invitation of new members, kinsella shorts will know more than me, but my thinking is in the vast majority of cases, the invite would go to friends who the member feels would have the personality to fit well into the existing group without changing the dynamics too much, rather than inviting people based on what they could potentially offer to the other members of the group.
Can only say that this is perfectly true, as unsavoury as you might like to think...... it honestly happened.
You're just going to have to take my word for it......sorry!
Think about a church wedding in England.
The brides family sit in a certain place - the groom's on the other side.
the bride wears a veil and carries a posy
The bride's father walks her to the altar and a vicar moves her hand across to her new husband
The vicar reads out a load of stuff.
He asks if anyone knows of any impediment - rarely does anyone speak.
The actual marriage is not complete until the couple sign the book etc, so the whole process is just for show.
The marriage service has been done like this for centuries - no big deal.
When masons get together to meet,they walk around in certain dress, carrying bits and bobs, reciting various things, or sitting in certain seats.
No big deal.
As had been said before about hospices in Kent - I know local lodges have been
very generous to Demelza and others.
To think people raised this money in private so that they might, one day get off a DD charge or get to be President of the USA, is very wrong.