Freemasons

To claim Freemasonary is about helping people and holding Ladies Nights is rather misleading.

There appears to be a lot more to it than that.
I don't know what exactly but it's not just people raising money for others.
Is it open and transparent? Can I view their accounts on line?

lafergar

Crossstitchfan

lafergar

Why do they need all the secrecy and paraphenalia?

Why can' t they meet up in a coffee shop and do good deeds?

Oh for goodness’ sake! Now you are being ridiculous.

Not really? It was a reasonable question. Posters have claimed there is no secrecy so my question is valid.

Why do they need paraphenalia and ritual if they are just some bunch of blokes helping others?

That question could be asked of many organisations across the globe.

My answer would be tradition.

Traditions of all kinds, not just in Freemasonry, look at the church, parliaments etc., They can be traced back centuries, it’s a link with the past, some find comfort and reassurance in these things.

Crossstitchfan

lafergar

Why do they need all the secrecy and paraphenalia?

Why can' t they meet up in a coffee shop and do good deeds?

Oh for goodness’ sake! Now you are being ridiculous.

Not really? It was a reasonable question. Posters have claimed there is no secrecy so my question is valid.

Why do they need paraphenalia and ritual if they are just some bunch of blokes helping others?

I always remember an old Arch Deacon telling me that being a mason was incompatible with being a Christian. I didn’t ask for details of why he thought that.
Why has all this mystery and unease grown up around the masons - is it the case of no smoke without fire?
We have family members who are masons and from conversations I have heard the “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” ethos is alive and well! I appreciate they raise money for charities they feel are worthy.

lafergar

Why do they need all the secrecy and paraphenalia?

Why can' t they meet up in a coffee shop and do good deeds?

Why do we post behind the Paraphernalia of fancy pseudonyms on GN?
Maybe because it’s more fun that way.

Why do good deeds in secret rather than in a coffee bar?

Maybe because when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.
Or maybe just because that’s more fun too, like buying a surprise present for someone who needs it.

Mollygo

Eloethan

My uncle was a mason and he was horrible - just saying!
My next door neighbour in Liverpool was horrible, but he wasn’t a mason.
Just saying.

Well said, Molly! As ever!
You always say what I’m thinking, but you say it so much more eloquently!

lafergar

Why do they need all the secrecy and paraphenalia?

Why can' t they meet up in a coffee shop and do good deeds?

Oh for goodness’ sake! Now you are being ridiculous.

Why do they need all the secrecy and paraphenalia?

Why can' t they meet up in a coffee shop and do good deeds?

Plunger

They ran a private hospital near Chiswick W London. My sister did her nurses training there in the late '60s. The Freemasons were a lifeline for my Mum when Dad died at 47 leaving 4 children under the age of 12. She regularly had a visit from a member to check on her and was helped financially eg gave my sister an allowance when she went to college.
A lot of uniformed 'facts' made about them eg no Jews.

The Royal Masonic Hospital was next door to Queen Charlotte's Hospital in what was called Ravenscourt Park.
I did my midwifery training at Queen Charlotte's in the late 60s
I could have known your sister Plunger as the student nurses from the Royal Masonic spent part of their training at Queen Charlotte's to gain their Obstetric experience. I became friendly with a few of them.

Mollygo

Eloethan

My uncle was a mason and he was horrible - just saying!
My next door neighbour in Liverpool was horrible, but he wasn’t a mason.
Just saying.

I doubt that some of the horrible people, men and women, I came across in my life were Masons either.

Eloethan

My uncle was a mason and he was horrible - just saying!
My next door neighbour in Liverpool was horrible, but he wasn’t a mason.
Just saying.

JaneJudge

It’s not me, it’s my friend

It’s often hearsay, from a friend, or a friend’s neighbour, or the uncle of a friend’s stepbrother’s boss.

Eloethan

I think it's a horrible organisation, as would be expected when it is so secret. They used to infiltrate various organisations, including the police, to gain favourable treatment. I think they are banned in the police force now but I don't know about elsewhere. How benevolent of them to "welcome the ladies at certain times".

My uncle was a mason and he was horrible - just saying!

Another person talking through the back of his head! They do not infiltrate various organisations etc. You have been brainwashed! If you are not a Mason, or have a close connection to one, I don’t know how you can possibly comment, especially when what you are insinuating is totally incorrect.
Why do people who appear to know the least, pontificate the most? It amuses me that they must get some pleasure from being know-alls about something alien to them

My father and my grandfather were masons .Mum and Dad had lots of Masonic friends (couples). I went to several Ladies Evenings with them. It was lovely! They raise so much for charity.

I researched the Masonic Temple/Synagogue I visited. Apologies, I got some of it wrong. It was some time ago. The Masonic Temple was found in 1912 when renovations were done on the Great Eastern Hotel near Liverpool Street Station. The Hotel is now the Andaz Hotel. They were allowed to have a Temple in the Hotel because they funded part of the Hotel. At some stage, prior to 1912, it had been closed off behind a wall as no longer used. Builders, doing recent renovations, found the wall was false and were asked to investigate. Result was this rather grand, but small Temple. It is now used by a Lodge. Photos can be seen online if you google it. You can visit on Open London Weekends. Not sure if you have to book. It happens, usually, in September for anyone interested.

Jackiest

GrannyGravy13

Jackiest

Yes they do some good things for charity but still a sexist organisation, much like the WI.

Why are they sexist?

What is wrong with having a men only club?

What is wrong with having a women only club?

If you are excluding someone because of their gender then that is sexist. You may think it is acceptable sexism but it is still sexist.

I thought gender and sex were different entities these days? People can choose their gender but not their sex. The WI lets men (male sex) who identify as women (their acquired gender) join and in fact some transwomen hold quite senior positions.
When you google for definitions of sexism, single sex clubs and organisations haven't been given as examples in any I've seen.

Mollygo

I haven’t met any corrupt Masons, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
However, I can guarantee that there are more corrupt people who are not Masons, who are definitely secretive about their corruption.

Well said, Molly!

Jojo1950

Creepy!

No, it’s not! Where did you get that daft idea?

leeds22

Tell me, how much of the charitable work is for their own members and families and how much for the wider community. My impression is that men join this secretive society to get a leg up in their careers and also to have influence in wider matters such as the law, planning, etc. I have personal experience of this protection club which I can’t go into here. We call them the dodgy handshake club.

Another gullible person who believes the hype!
You say you ‘won’t ‘go into it here’. That says it all!

StoneofDestiny

Seriously dodgy to belong to a group with such rituals and secrets. They may collect for charities - but so do many groups and individuals. It was very clearly a ‘jobs for the boys’ and ‘who you know’ route to getting promotions and even to bypassing laws with influential friends.

What a load of unsubstantiated rubbish! Why make such a comment about something you clearly know nothing about! Laws are NOT bypassed! (Did you make that up to add credence to your accusations!)
Or can you prove it??

Whitewavemark2

The other weird thing is that they profess to be secular but apparently follow a “higher deity” Odd.

The Catholic Church has always banned membership - not that that is necessarily a recommendation.

But there is no doubt that institutions have not looked kindly onto them.

Why the secrecy?

There is no secrecy it is all out there if you look, even in libraries.

There are many catholic Freemasons.

Ignorance breeds fear.

Plunger I agree I can only assume that the so called facts (which they are definitely not) are made out of ignorance as opposed to knowledge.

The other weird thing is that they profess to be secular but apparently follow a “higher deity” Odd.

The Catholic Church has always banned membership - not that that is necessarily a recommendation.

But there is no doubt that institutions have not looked kindly onto them.

Why the secrecy?

Eloethan

I think it's a horrible organisation, as would be expected when it is so secret. They used to infiltrate various organisations, including the police, to gain favourable treatment. I think they are banned in the police force now but I don't know about elsewhere. How benevolent of them to "welcome the ladies at certain times".

My uncle was a mason and he was horrible - just saying!

Several points you have made are erroneous.

Freemasonry is not a secret nor are its rituals secret.

Police are definitely not banned from becoming Freemasons.

I imagine most Freemasons wives (like myself and others that I know) are more than happy that their husbands have a hobby which gets them out of the house, and enjoy the social get togethers.

Sorry your uncle was horrible, but I hazard a guess he was horrible before he became a mason not because he did.

They ran a private hospital near Chiswick W London. My sister did her nurses training there in the late '60s. The Freemasons were a lifeline for my Mum when Dad died at 47 leaving 4 children under the age of 12. She regularly had a visit from a member to check on her and was helped financially eg gave my sister an allowance when she went to college.
A lot of uniformed 'facts' made about them eg no Jews.