Just out of curiosity....

[the guitar butcher]

my father is a master mason my uncle is a head mason or smething and as soon as i turn 18/19 i'm joining

[TommyK]

Mason's don't like my kind of folk.

[RichCI]

What kind of folk is that, Tommy? Masonry accepts people from all backgrounds regardless of political or religious affiliation, race or nationality.

[Bowdiddley]

Actually' date=' Thunder had it right - "hey folks I wanna become part of this group." All you have to do is ask another Mason or contact a lodge, preferably locally as Masonry does not have a national or global governing body so some things can be different in various countries, states and districts. Traditionally, you have to ask three times but that's not always the case but, if the first time doesn't do it, ask two more times.

 

Joining Freemasonry

 

Thanks for the link Rich, lots of good info there.

[freak show]

I must say, I'm more than a bit surprised that so many members are "among us"...

 

I followed the link and surfed the site a bit. Among other things I found this:

 

If you're really interested in spotting a Mason, here's what to look for:

 

* He believes in a sumpreme being (God)

* He is most trustworthy

* He is honourable

* He holds a high and strict moral character

* He supports justice

* He has sound judgment

* He does not prejudge people based on their religious or political views

* He actively practises tolerance

* He has to be a man of mature age

* He has no criminal background

* He is a friend and a brother amongst peers

 

Since there are so many Freemasons here, I was just wondering, if you really feel that this is accurate.

 

"Just out of curiosity..."

 

EDIT: The above list was copied and pasted, but I assume "sumpreme" is a typo and not some secret message.

[Big Bill]

Actually' date=' Thunder had it right - "hey folks I wanna become part of this group." All you have to do is ask another Mason or contact a lodge, preferably locally as Masonry does not have a national or global governing body so some things can be different in various countries, states and districts. Traditionally, you have to ask three times but that's not always the case but, if the first time doesn't do it, ask two more times.

 

Joining Freemasonry

 

Rich, I live in Jersey too. So I'm approaching you to see about becoming a Mason.

[TommyK]

What kind of folk is that' date=' Tommy? Masonry accepts people from all backgrounds regardless of political or [b']religious affiliation[/b], race or nationality.

 

Not in my experience and that is all I have to say about that.

[Bowdiddley]

Mason's don't like my kind of folk.

 

 

Not in my experience and that is all I have to say about that.

 

 

Not trying to slam you Tommy but why do folks say something negative about a topic and then refuse to explain their thoughts? Very confusing!;)

[Big Bill]

Not trying to slam you Tommy but why do folks say something negative about a topic and then refuse to explain their thoughts? Very confusing!;)

 

 

Very good point Bo. That statement was unfair to the Masons.

[ShredAstaire]

No Athiests allowed eh? That's a pretty big exclusion i'd say...

[milod]

Actually, for what it's worth, I understand and sympathize with Tommy's comment.

 

It was not, as I see it, a "flame" of anything. If I thought so, I'd say it.

 

We all have had negative impressions of different "organizations" ranging from Guitar Center to other stores, local clubs, and even various local school teachers - at least I have.

 

The "trick" is to note we've been disappointed without being nasty. Tommy did that.

 

I will add that it seems we are in a time period when our communication technology lets us be very critical of all sorts of "institutions" that have human beings involved who fail to live up to principles most of us tend to agree with.

 

So as a culture, "we" highlight the worst aspects while ignoring the best. Schools, churches, clubs, businesses, political groups - even Gibson - have been targeted on its own forums ... and not always as kindly as Tommy's comment....

 

m

[Bowdiddley]

Actually' date=' for what it's worth, I understand and sympathize with Tommy's comment.

 

It was not, as I see it, a "flame" of anything. If I thought so, I'd say it.

 

We all have had negative impressions of different "organizations" ranging from Guitar Center to other stores, local clubs, and even various local school teachers - at least I have.

 

The "trick" is to note we've been disappointed without being nasty. Tommy did that.

 

I will add that it seems we are in a time period when our communication technology lets us be very critical of all sorts of "institutions" that have human beings involved who fail to live up to principles most of us tend to agree with.

 

So as a culture, "we" highlight the worst aspects while ignoring the best. Schools, churches, clubs, businesses, political groups - even Gibson - have been targeted on its own forums ... and not always as kindly as Tommy's comment....

 

m

[/quote']

 

I completely agree Milod. I didn't mean to infer that Tommy was even trying to flame.

 

I just think if you have a negative comment about a topic it should be kept private if there is not going to be an explanation given as to what caused the negative impression.

 

And again I wasn't trying to pick on Tommy.

[TommyK]

Denied admission due to my personal choice of a particular Christian religion.

 

Denied employment opportunities, due to not being in 'the club.'

 

It was decades ago, and I should be over it.

 

I probably shouldn't have even posted a comment. It was a knee jerk reaction.

 

Sorry if I offended some.

[yoda]

Denied admission due to my personal choice of a particular Christian religion.

 

Denied employment opportunities' date=' due to not being in 'the club.'

 

It was decades ago, and I should be over it.

 

I probably shouldn't have even posted a comment. It was a knee jerk reaction.

 

Sorry if I offended some.[/quote']

 

 

It sounds to me like the people you were dealing with should go back through their Masonic teachings to see the error of their ways.

[yoda]

I must say' date=' I'm more than a bit surprised that so many members are "among us"...

 

I followed the link and surfed the site a bit. Among other things I found this:

 

If you're really interested in spotting a Mason, here's what to look for:

 

* He believes in a sumpreme being (God)

* He is most trustworthy

* He is honourable

* He holds a high and strict moral character

* He supports justice

* He has sound judgment

* He does not prejudge people based on their religious or political views

* He actively practises tolerance

* He has to be a man of mature age

* He has no criminal background

* He is a friend and a brother amongst peers

 

Since there are so many Freemasons here, I was just wondering, if you really feel that this is accurate.

 

"Just out of curiosity..."

 

EDIT: The above list was copied and pasted, but I assume "sumpreme" is a typo and not some secret message.

 

 

 

 

For the most part, but there are bad apples in every bunch now and again.

[Blackie]

I don't buy that for a minute.........those may be things to aspire too............but come on........humans are some devious f-ckers

[milod]

Yoda...

 

Pardon the cynicism of an old man <grin>, but you pretty well nailed it:

 

"For the most part, but there are bad apples in every bunch now and again."

 

The sad thing for me in all kinds of human institutions is the frequency with which a person who's 98 percent "nice" will have a sore spot somewhere in his/her psyche that acts like a burr under the saddle; and he/she does nothing but buck and maybe try to bite somebody - and it stays sore even if the saddle gets removed.

 

I've found that unfortunately true in just about every organization, official or unofficial, I've ever seen. Darn it.

 

EDIT: Blackie... you put it more crudely than I would, but yeah, even the best of us can have a nasty side we don't even always see in ourselves. The difference is that some folks wanna be part of something that encourages their best side.

 

That's kinda like being in a band - and wanting to be in a band where everybody can work together and be friends, have an honest professional attitude, and a goal to bring out the musical best in fellow band members.

 

Yeah, that's idealistic for bands or anything else. But if you don't keep trying and hoping, it ain't ever gonna happen.

 

m

[Blackie]

.....OK yeah maybe having some other folks around for checks and balances leads to a mostly positive association benifiting the members and society as well..............can not argue with that.

 

But there is a lot of rampant fraud amongst members of a lot of holy so to speak clubs,....churches or whatever that occurs just because of the ........oh he is a so and so member he must be a man of his word.......and we all know how these things pretty muck mirror the same or more amount of fraud and double dealing pyramid schemes and such in the non club environment.

[Jeff-7]

I see more fraud in my area involving actual churches than with masons, shriners and the like.

[milod]

Well...

 

As I said, I'm kinda a cynical old man.

 

Whether you liked Ronald Reagan or not, this quote is pretty much worthwhile for a lotta stuff:

 

"Trust - but verify..."

 

m

[yoda]

People are imperfect that is why we need a framework to live by, something to guide us, for me that is Freemasonry.....for some it may be religion, family, hobbies, etc.

[RichCI]

People are imperfect that is why we need a framework to live by' date=' something to guide us, for me that is Freemasonry.....for some it may be religion, family, hobbies, etc. [/quote']

 

Exactly. Nobody is perfect, but we can still strive to be the best we can be.

[cookieman15061]

I see more fraud in my area involving actual churches than with masons' date=' shriners and the like. [/quote']

 

examples please.

[Bowdiddley]

examples please.

 

I'd like to hear those examples as well.:-

 

 

I don't buy that for a minute.........those may be things to aspire too............but come on........humans are some devious f-ckers

 

 

Speak for yourself sir' date=' as for myself and the people I hang around with that isn't the case at all. Maybe you should re-evaluate you life?

[freak show]

People are imperfect that is why we need a framework to live by' date=' something to guide us, for me that is Freemasonry.....for some it may be religion, family, hobbies, etc. [/quote']

 

That is true, but in the end, people usually end up corrupting the guidelines to which they are supposed to be adhering. At least that has been the fate of all of the "frameworks" (political, religious, ideological) that I can think of.

 

I asked my earlier question, because I was curious, whether any of you here thought that Freemasonry was an exception to this rule. The person, whose list I quoted, obviously does, but it seems to me that he has described an ideal person and not someone to be found in this world.

 

Too bad! Maybe someday...