Is anyone here a Mason or know of a Mason

Member 354643 · 03-07-2009, 9:00 PM

Hi all this is a bit of a strange post but...... Im sat here with some friends having a drink and the subject of Masons came up. one of my friends dad is a mason but he dont know anything about it as its all a bit secritive so i thought id post this to see if anyone could shed any light on the subject as its a bit intriging

FishDUDE · 03-07-2009, 9:03 PM

Nope but I know 1, its basically a fantastic way of networking - in a business sense, try here

Freemasonry - Home

ROBIN50N · 03-07-2009, 9:04 PM

like a plasterer?

willykatie · 03-07-2009, 9:26 PM

What's a Mason?

Dancook · 03-07-2009, 9:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willykatie

What's a Mason?

A stone mason, builds things with stone, walls, fire surrounds etc..

The Late George Mason, helped save LA from a nuclear bomb.

My Dad's partner in business is a stone mason, they do a range of things including building house extensions, my Dad is a carpenter / kitchen fitter by trade.

blackrod · 03-07-2009, 9:40 PM

It's a bit like a business club, but old school. I've been to a masons do as a guest but it was full of old people trying to keep up apperancies. Within 1 or 2 generations the masons as we know it will be long gone...

Member 354643 · 03-07-2009, 9:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackrod

It's a bit like a business club, but old school. I've been to a masons do as a guest but it was full of old people trying to keep up apperancies. Within 1 or 2 generations the masons as we know it will be long gone...

from what i can make out its a group of wealthy people that own their own companies that pass work around and the odd back hander and apparently well known people in the area i know of.......but this is why i started this thread as i dont actually know lol

Mr Incredible · 03-07-2009, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Install.Com

from what i can make out its a group of wealthy people that own their own companies that pass work around and the odd back hander and apparently well known people in the area i know of.......but this is why i started this thread as i dont actually know lol

Wrong
Wrong
and
Wrong

Some are lorry drivers, others teachers, doctors. You cannot generalise like you have.

Member 354643 · 03-07-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Incredible

Wrong
Wrong
and
Wrong

Some are lorry drivers, others teachers, doctors. You cannot generalise like you have.

id just like to add a sorry to anyoine if i have offended anyone but actually have no idea? so whats involed because it all sems a bit secretive!

Mr Incredible · 03-07-2009, 10:25 PM

I don't think you've offended anyone, but lets put it this way, it is a secretive society, not a secret society.

United Grand Lodge of England.....
The United Grand Lodge of England - Home Page

"Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas, which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons' customs and tools as allegorical guides. "

http://www.ugle.org.uk/ugle/whos-who.htm

The Duke of Kent is the Grand Master.

Member 354643 · 03-07-2009, 10:28 PM

shahedz · 04-07-2009, 12:03 AM

one of the guys i work with is a mason. He doesn't own his own company or is wealthy, but regulalrly goes on dinner events. It is a fantastic way of networking as he has picked up a shedload of business contacts from it but beyond that i don't know much.

Deadringers · 04-07-2009, 1:51 PM

the guy who lives next door to us is a grandmaster as well.

my grandfather was a mason as well but i am unsure what "level/status" he was given.

Saggy · 04-07-2009, 2:04 PM

one of my dads friends is mason and he invited my dad to join but he declined.... plonker. If he asked me I would of joined.

Mart

didsmith · 04-07-2009, 2:09 PM

my departed dad was a mason for many years...he was a school teacher by trade and i've been to a couple of their ladies nights as a guest...which was a great way to dress up in a tux..doll up the missues and mingle with some nice people....my dad was a little bit quiet about the whole matter but it wasn't a great secret in the family....i'll tell you what though...he was well proud of the money raised for charity done by the masons as a whole and his lodge in particular....i believe the money raised is a very serious sum indeed...enough for them to operate a few old peoples homes and hospitals for masons and their families let alone what was given to the needy...fair play i say

dunks517 · 04-07-2009, 2:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Incredible

I don't think you've offended anyone, but lets put it this way, it is a secretive society, not a secret society.

United Grand Lodge of England.....
The United Grand Lodge of England - Home Page

"Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas, which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons' customs and tools as allegorical guides. "

The United Grand Lodge of England - Whos Who

The Duke of Kent is the Grand Master.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1 Install

id just like to add a sorry to anyoine if i have offended anyone but actually have no idea? so whats involed because it all sems a bit secretive!

A bit like the Custom Installer's Private Forum then?

FZR400RRSP · 04-07-2009, 3:53 PM

Scottish refereeing is full of Masons.
There are also large oil companies up here that seem to favour masons.
I know several people who are convinced they were passed over for promotion, in favour of other people, just because of lodge connections.
Of course, it could be they just weren't as good at the job as they thought they were.

Mr Incredible · 04-07-2009, 3:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saggy

one of my dads friends is mason and he invited my dad to join but he declined.... plonker. If he asked me I would of joined.

Mart

Generally Masons do not invite people to join: it's not the "done" thing. If asked, Masons are quite happy to talk about the work they do and about any lodge, but some things are not mentioned outside of the lodge. It is expected that if anyone is interested in Masonry they will make an approach to a member or lodge; not the other way around.

FZR400RRSP · 04-07-2009, 4:01 PM

Isn't it the masons that are supposed to cut the throat of anyone talking about it/them?
Load of horlicks, honestly.

But don't say I didn't warn you all......

Mr Incredible · 04-07-2009, 4:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowfer

Scottish refereeing is full of Masons.
There are also large oil companies up here that seem to favour masons.
I know several people who are convinced they were passed over for promotion, in favour of other people, just because of lodge connections.
Of course, it could be they just weren't as good at the job as they thought they were.

....

YouTube - gay funny referee

FZR400RRSP · 04-07-2009, 4:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Incredible

....

YouTube - gay funny referee

I don't quite get the connection there at all, TBH.

Still, funny video, if nothing to do with Scottish refereeing or Masons....
Unless you're saying Scottish referees/masons are gay?
Good luck with that one.

krish · 04-07-2009, 4:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dancook

The Late George Mason, helped save LA from a nuclear bomb.

... unless he does a Tony

Mr Incredible · 04-07-2009, 4:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowfer

Isn't it the masons that are supposed to cut the throat of anyone talking about it/them?
Load of horlicks, honestly.

But don't say I didn't warn you all......

Q Why do your 'obligations' contain hideous penalties?
A They no longer do. When Masonic ritual was developing in the late 1600s and 1700s it was quite common for legal and civil oaths to include physical penalties and Freemasonry simply followed the practice of the times. In Freemasonry, however, the physical penalties were always symbolic and were never carried out. After long discussion, they were removed from the promises in 1986.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowfer

I don't quite get the connection there at all, TBH.

Still, funny video, if nothing to do with Scottish refereeing or Masons....
Unless you're saying Scottish referees/masons are gay?
Good luck with that one.

Er, unusual hand signalling? Bare legs? Just a laugh anyway!

FZR400RRSP · 04-07-2009, 4:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Incredible

After long discussion, they were removed from the promises in 1986.

So they took until 1986 to decide cutting the throat of anyone who dares mention them should be removed from their oaths?
Marvellous!

Mr Incredible · 04-07-2009, 4:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowfer

So they took until 1986 to decide cutting the throat of anyone who dares mention them should be removed from their oaths?
Marvellous!

Quote:

In Freemasonry, however, the physical penalties were always symbolic and were never carried out.

So it was just aligning the words with the symbolic practice.

mark1080p · 04-07-2009, 5:49 PM

This thread about the secret society of Masons, reminds me of....

The Simpsons - Stonecutters episode with Patrick Stewart as the Leader who went on to create the "no homers club"

One of the best simpson episodes ever

hopeless · 05-07-2009, 1:53 AM

the fella who lives below me, is a 30th degree mason - with his lodge in covent garden

Boris Blank · 05-07-2009, 7:41 AM

I had a mate that was/is a mason, he told me (by way of demonstrating the power of the Masons) that Hitler's biggest mistake in WWII was in persecuting the Masons and that from then on he was doomed. Hmmm, I suppose the millions of Allied troops and civilians that fought against him weren't really needed then.

I'm also aware of a few folk that got jobs/promotion because they were masons - we all look after our own in some way shape or form, its not unique to the Masons but in this day and age its probably one of the things people object to most about the Masons (another being protecting their own).

Having said that, they are involved in many, many positive areas in charity and doing good for the community.

I suppose its like any organisation, there are good bits and bad bits.

"Its not a secret society" I was told, "its a society of secrets". Yes, but are the secrets worth knowing? I very much doubt it unless of course you are a Mason.

Bill Hicks · 05-07-2009, 9:19 AM

My brother is a freemason. You have to be invited to join by another freemason. It costs a little over £200 to join but you have to be accepted by your lodge members before you finally get in. There are members from all walks of life, from road sweepers to captains of industry. They partake in charitable work, holding fund raising dinners etc. If a member falls on hard times he can receive financial assistance from his lodge.
It is worth getting involved in if the opportunity arises, and yes there are certain coded words that would only be understood by fellow freemasons.

Napoleon88 · 05-07-2009, 2:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowfer

Scottish refereeing is full of Masons.
There are also large oil companies up here that seem to favour masons.
I know several people who are convinced they were passed over for promotion, in favour of other people, just because of lodge connections.
Of course, it could be they just weren't as good at the job as they thought they were.

YouTube - United Cheated in Glasgow - again