Masonry Thread

>I have no idea what a catholic

Ok, buddie.

You cant get invited

It's a philosophical and scientific brotherhood. Only petition if you're prepared to learn, and to do a shittonne of introspection. You'll be expected to memorise lots of catachisms and lectures, and often to write papers and give presentations on your own research.
Shrine is not Masonry. It's just a joke charity organisation. They do good work, but it's a travesty they're associated.
>What's it like being a Mason?
It's alright. Nice to always have somewhere to go and do when traveling.
>Why did you join?
Liked the cut of it's jib, and family legacy.
>Is it expensive?
Can be. The best lodges are.
>How did you get invited in?
You don't. Invitations are forbidden. If you're not ready to ask to join, you're not ready to join. It's to do with wanting to make a change in your life. Someone else can't do that for you.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Masonic_Party
Closest we've ever been to stopping their influence

Yeah, taking blood oaths on penalty of death is really fun stuff. Fucking mason.

>You don't. Invitations are forbidden.

Really? I thought invitations were the only way to get in?

>Only petition if you're prepared to learn, and to do a shittonne of introspection. You'll be expected to memorise lots of catachisms and lectures, and often to write papers and give presentations on your own research.

Introspection as in philisophical self-reflection, self-help, theology or another thing I havn't really thought of? Are the lectures and things about the history of the masons, masonic traditions or completely unrelated to the masons altogether? Do you do it to actually learn things or is it more of a 'memorization=discipline' type of thing?

>It's a philosophical and scientific brotherhood.

Would it be fair to call it a philosophically 'liberal' type of society?

Finally, what do you think about the conspiracy theories about it?

Anything you could add about the Masons would be awesome. Share what you want if your so inclined.

"A man cloaked in good deeds is well camouflaged"

The top masonic leadership look down upon most freemasons like a lord would look down on a peasant. Nothing more than useful tools to further their own ends.

The only ones allowed to the very top, piercing the veil so to speak, are carefully filtered over many years and selected to hold the same beliefs and ensure loyalty.

Blue lodger masons (those who remain for their entire lives the 1st to 3rd degrees of initiation) will be smug and believe they are above the common, non-freemason. At that exact same time the highest degreed masons look down upon the blue lodgers in the same way. Funny really.

Kinda like a "PYRAMID" SCHEME Amiright?!

...

(You)

Could the asshurt fundamentalists, /pol/acks and /x/ers please fuck off for just one thread?

Except we don't.

>Introspection as in philisophical self-reflection, self-help, theology or another thing I havn't really thought of?
All of the above.
>Are the lectures and things about the history of the masons, masonic traditions or completely unrelated to the masons altogether?
Both. As in, Masonry is only the rituals of the three degrees. Anything else is appendant or commentary. Doesn't mean it's not worth checking out, of course.
>Do you do it to actually learn things or is it more of a 'memorization=discipline' type of thing?
The former. The latter is true, but it's just one of many tools for learning. The Seven Liberal Arts & Sciences are the big things we study.
>Anything you could add about the Masons would be awesome.
Will do so as it comes to me.

So if I were to seek membership how would I go about doing it? What would be my first step?

First by asking any members you might know. If none, then check your phone book/internet for your nearest lodge. If you can't do that, then email your state/country Grand Lodge (ugle.org.uk/about/foreign-grand-lodges), and they'll point you in the right direction.
It will take a while, mind. Your name gets brought to the lodge, just to see if anyone knows you. This is in case the secretary stands up and says to the lodge, "We have as a potential aspirant a Mr Ted Bundy", someone else can say, "Oh i know that guy. He's a serial killer. That's a black ball from me."
But if there are no objections, the committee of inquiry will interview you to make sure you fit the requirements (mature age, faith in God, freeborn, and of good report) and in many places order a police background check.
After that, if it proves clear, they'll send to Grand Lodge for permission to ballot, and once received, at the next meeting there'll be a full ballot in open lodge. 1-3 black balls (varies per area) rejects, but all white cubes and they'll set a date for your initiation.

>uk
Is there a site you can recommend for somebody living in the States?
>Also
Are there any great schisms between Masons in North America and Masons in Europe that I should be aware of before I sign up?

>tread about jewmasonry
>expects one sided circle jerk

This

>Is there a site you can recommend for somebody living in the States?
Yea, that one. It has all the legit Grand Lodges on there. When it says Prince Hall, it means the primarily black version.
>Are there any great schisms between Masons in North America and Masons in Europe that I should be aware of before I sign up?
Not in regular Masonry, no. You chaps do everything different, but so does everyone.