Has anyone been a Mason or been to the Masonic Temple? What do they do?

Question

My ex told me he was a Mason and had this locked briefcase and said there were secret things in there about the Masons. I think it was just girly magazines but I have to admit I am a bit curious to know if the Masons have some secret?

Answer 1

Freemasonry is a fraternal organization whose membership is held together by shared moral and metaphysical ideals and—in most of its branches—by a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being.The fraternity uses the metaphor of operative stonemasonry, and the tools and implements of that craft, to convey these ideals.
Freemasonry is defined in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica and the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia as: A peculiar (some say particular or beautiful) system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.This definition is illustrated in the 1991 English Emulation Ritual.

It is an esoteric society, in that certain aspects are private;Freemasons have stated that Freemasonry has, in the 21st century, become less a secret society and more of a "society with secrets." Most modern Freemasons regard the traditional concern over secrecy as a demonstration of their ability to keep a promise and a concern over the privacy of their own affairs. "Lodge meetings, like meetings of many other social and professional associations, are private occasions open only to members." The private aspects of modern Freemasonry deal with the modes of recognition amongst members and elements within the ritual.[

While there have been many disclosures and exposés dating as far back as the eighteenth century, they usually lack the proper context for true understanding, are soon outdated for various reasons, or are garnished with unfounded speculation on the part of the author.In reality, Freemasons are proud of their true heritage and happy to share it, offering spokesmen, briefings for the media, and providing talks to interested groups upon request.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Has anyone been a Mason or been to the Masonic Temple? What do they do?
My ex told me he was a Mason and had this locked briefcase and said there were secret things in there about the Masons. I think it was just girly magazines but I have to admit I am a bit curious to know if the Masons have some secret?

Answer 3

I am a 32nd degree Freemason, so I feel that I should be able to answer your question. While many people here have many facts straight, many also have things a little backwards. First of all, Freemasonry IS a fraternity. A fraternity is a brotherhood of individuals. Most greek letter fraternities have been based on Freemasonry, even though the members do not realize it. First of all, Freemasonry is not a cult or religion. There are members of my lodge that are Christian, Muslim, and Jewish. We do not discriminate against religion, or race. One must only be a man who believes in God to be a member. We strive to make ourselves better men in our homes, communities, and countries by emphasizing the tenants of our fraternity: truth, charity, and brotherhood. You may see many strange symbols that are associated with Freemasonry. You may have seen strange rituals depicted in TV shows, movies, or websites. I will try to briefly explain that. Freemasonry uses a legend about the building of King Solomon's temple to empart certain ideals to the members. We assign different items in that story with symbolic meanings. For example, stone masons use tools such as the square, compasses, ruler, level, chizel, etc. In Freemasonry, we use those symbols to convey an ideal. An example of this is that the square teaches us to square our actions. To deal squarely or fairly with others. Another is that of the level. Have you ever heard anyone say "I'm going to level with you." or "Are you on the level?". This comes from Masonic ritual, as the symbol of the level teaches us that everyone is on an equal plane, and we should treat each other thusly. Are you starting to get the idea here? None of this ritual, which has been spoken the same way for a long time, is written down, so members get together to teach it to others. It becomes a way of passing down an oral tradition. In the process of this, the members get to know each other, and many become good friends. We also like to get together after meetings and have dinner and drinks and do things that guys like to do. So the question about what Masons "believe" is twofold. First, religiously, we believe whatever faith we were raised to believe, since Masonry doesn't go into that area. Second, politically, we are not allowed to discuss in politics while in meetings. Third, ritually, we believe that if we remember the ideals behind the symbols of freemasonry, we will be able to improve our lives and through charity, we can improve the lives of others. I hope that helps answer your question.

Answer 4

I have attended a couple of lodges. Probably the nicest one I've seen is the main one on 23rd street in New York. They have some beautiful meeting halls in there, very ornate, and full of their symbolism. My ex was a mason and his somewhat secrecy was always more or less a problem. I don't think there is anything to worry about, though.
There are many sectors in the Fraternity and it seems the more involved masons are getting into these sectors, the more secretive they become. Your ex had probably a special aprin in that briefcase, and a little blue book that he was reading from, words that they use in special occasions/ rituals throught the year.

Answer 5

The only secrets we have are the means we have of indentifying ourselves to each other (handshakes, passwords) just like college fraternities. We also keep private our specific rituals. Our meetings are simply business mettings conducted by parlaimentary procedure, and open and closed in a ritual form. (this guy says this, this guy does that. always the same.) Sometimes we have meetings to confer degrees These are ceremonies of advancement that are generallys in the form of a play, in which the candidtae finds himself without a script. Finding himself in these situations makes a deep impression on him, as he struggles to say/do the right things. That is why we keep our rituals secret. So that the surprise will not be spoiled for the candidates. Some Masons like to pretend there's some big secret by saying things like your ex did. Very childish. If you want to really see what goes on in a Masonic lodge, get to know a Mason, and ask to attend his lodge's annual officer installation ceremony. Thsese are usually open to anyone, and although you will not see the exact rituals we practice in private, you will see how we operate, and the general manner in which our meetings are conducted. You will also hear lengthy expalanations of our symbols, and ceremonies. You will leave totally bored, knowing more about Masonry than 99 out of 100 people. Like one person on here already said, his briefcase probably contained his apron (we wear them during lodge) and his coded ritual book. It could be that in his state, the ritual isnt coded, and that is why he kept it locked up. Hope this helps. If you have specific questions email me, and I will answer anything I can, aside from the very few things I am obligated not to discuss. [e-mail]

Answer 6

Masonry is the world's first and largest fraternal organization. It is a body of knowledge and a system of ethics based on the belief that each man has a responsibility to improve himself while being devoted to his family, faith, country, and fraternity.

Masonry is the world's first and largest fraternal organization. It is a body of knowledge and a system of ethics based on the belief that each man has a responsibility to improve himself while being devoted to his family, faith, country, and fraternity.

As Masons, they lead by example, give back to their communities, and support numerous Masonic philanthropies. They invest in children, their neighborhoods, and and all our futures.

Masonic values
The masonic Mission is guided by the enduring and relevant tenets of the fraternity--Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth--and the core values, which include:

Ethics
Their lives are based on honor and integrity, and they believe that honesty, compassion, trust, and knowledge are important.

Tolerance
The fraternity values religious, ethnic, cultural, social, and educational differences. They respect the opinions of others and strive to improve and develop as human beings.

Personal growth
Their continuous pursuit of knowledge, ethics, spirituality, and leadership brings more meaning to their lives.

Philanthropy
They make a difference in our communities through charitable giving, community service, and volunteerism.

Family
They strive to be better spouses, parents, and family members and are committed to protecting the well being of members and their families, especially when they are in need.

Freedom
Masons value the liberties outlined in the U.S. Constitution and continually promote freedom of speech and expression, freedom to worship a Supreme Being in an individual way, and other important liberties. They believe it is our duty to vote in public elections and to exercise all of the liberties within due and proper bounds.

It really isn't secretive, although it sometimes has that reputation. Masons certainly don't make a secret of the fact that they are members of the fraternity. They wear rings, lapel pins, and tie clasps with Masonic emblems like the Square and Compass. Masonic buildings are clearly marked, and are usually listed in the phone book. Lodge activities are not secret - events are often listed in the newspapers, especially in smaller towns. But there are two traditional categories of secrets. First are the ways in which a man can identify himself as a Mason: grips and passwords. This is the same for any fraternity. Second are Masonic ceremonies, which are private (for members only) but are not secret.

Answer 7

Yes, the Masons have secrets. If your boyfriend holds it that deep you might want to just let it go.

Answer 8

One shouldn't talk about the Masons....they are listening.

Answer 9

There are numerous people who would make fun of the possibility of changing their destinies. This is due to the fact that it believes that nobody gets more that what is written in his destiny.

Answer 10

Here's one of the Mason's web sites. Take a look.

http://www.co-masonry.org/language/english/overview/default.asp

Have a look at this site where Mason's can purchace regalia and such.

http://www.masonicexchange.com/1/Category.aspx

Freemasonry


teachings and practices of the secret fraternal order officially known as the Free and Accepted Masons, or Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

Organizational Structure

There are approximately 5 million members worldwide, mostly in the United States and other English-speaking countries. With adherents in almost every nation where Freemasonry is not officially banned, it forms the largest secret society in the world. There is no central Masonic authority; jurisdiction is divided among autonomous national authorities, called grand lodges, and many concordant organizations of higher-degree Masons. In the United States and Canada the highest authority rests with state and provincial grand lodges. Custom is the supreme authority of the order, and there are elaborate symbolic rites and ceremonies, most of which utilize the instruments of the stonemason–the plumb, the square, the level, and compasses–and apocryphal events concerning the building of King Solomon's Temple for allegorical purposes.

The principles of Freemasonry have traditionally been liberal and democratic. Anderson's Constitutions (1723), the bylaws of the Grand Lodge of England, which is Freemasonry's oldest extant lodge, cites religious toleration, loyalty to local government, and political compromise as basic to the Masonic ideal. Masons are expected to believe in a Supreme Being, use a holy book appropriate to the religion of the lodge's members, and maintain a vow of secrecy concerning the order's ceremonies.

The basic unit of Freemasonry is the local Blue lodge, generally housed in a Masonic temple. The lodge consists of three Craft, Symbolic, or Blue Degrees: Entered Apprentice (First Degree), Fellow Craft (Second Degree), and Master Mason (Third Degree). These gradations are meant to correspond to the three levels–apprentice, journeyman, and master–of the medieval stonemasons' guilds. The average Mason does not rise above Master Mason.

If he does, however, he has the choice of advancing through about 100 different rites, encompassing some 1,000 higher degrees, throughout the world. In the United States, the two most popular rites are the Scottish and the York. The Scottish Rite awards 30 higher degrees, from Secret Master (Fourth Degree) to Sovereign Grand Inspector General (Thirty-third Degree). The York Rite awards ten degrees, from Mark Master to Order of Knights Templar, the latter being similar to a Thirty-third Degree Scottish Rite Mason.

Other important Masonic groups are the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, to which many African-American Masons belong; the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (the "fraternal fun order for Blue Lodge Masons" ); and the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Thirty-second degree Masons who, as the Shriners, are noted for their colorful parades and support of children's hospitals). There are also many subsidiary Masonic groups, including the Order of the Eastern Star, limited to Master Masons and their female relatives; De Molay, an organization for boys; and Job's Daughters and Rainbow, two organizations for girls. Many of the orders maintain homes for aged members.

Development of the Order

The order is thought to have arisen from the English and Scottish fraternities of practicing stonemasons and cathedral builders in the early Middle Ages; traces of the society have been found as early as the 14th cent. Because, however, some documents of the order trace the sciences of masonry and geometry from Egypt, Babylon, and Palestine to England and France, some historians of Masonry claim that the order has roots in antiquity.

The formation of the English Grand Lodge in London (1717) was the beginning of the widespread dissemination of speculative Freemasonry, the present-day fraternal order, whose membership is not limited to working stonemasons. The six lodges in England in 1700 grew to about 30 by 1723. There was a parallel development in Scotland and Ireland, although some lodges remained unaffiliated and open only to practicing masons. By the end of the 18th cent. there were Masonic lodges in all European countries and in many other parts of the world as well.

The first lodge in the United States was founded in Philadelphia (1730); Benjamin Franklin was a member. Many of the leaders of the American Revolution, including John Hancock and Paul Revere, were members of St. Andrew's Lodge in Boston. George Washington became a Mason in 1752. At the time of the Revolution most of the American lodges broke away from their English and Scottish antecedents. Freemasonry has continued to be important in politics; 13 Presidents have been Masons, and at any given time quite a large number of the members of Congress have belonged to Masonic lodges. Notable European Masons included Voltaire, Giuseppe Mazzini, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Franz Joseph Haydn, Johann von Goethe, Johann von Schiller, and many leaders of Russia's Decembrist revolt (1825).

Opposition to Freemasonry

Because of its identification with 19th-century bourgeois liberalism, there has been much opposition to Freemasonry. The most violent in the United States was that of the Anti-Masonic party. Freemasonry's anticlerical attitude has also led to strong opposition from the Roman Catholic Church, which first expressed its anti-Masonic attitude in a bull of Pope Clement XII (1738). The Catholic Church still discourages its members from joining the order. Totalitarian states have always suppressed Freemasonry; the lodges in Italy, Austria, and Germany were forcibly eradicated under fascism and Nazism, and there are now no lodges in China