what do people know about Freemasons?

Answer 1

They wasn't 'Free' LOL

http://www.total-knowledge.com/~willyblues/

Answer 2

First off, thank you folks who are not Freemasons and have said kind things about us. May we always deserve such praise.

To those who stand outside the Lodge as wives and daughters, do know that there are Lodges of Orders that do accept WOMEN and MEN into the Rites, fully. We are called Co-Masons. While your masculine rite Masons may not know we exist or say we are not "real masons" we hold charter from the 1800s branching from the French Lodges. I will give you the link below to our Order.

Freemasonry has always been a mystery, even to its members. Our origins are shrouded in time since much was orally transmitted and at times old documents were destroyed lest they fall into the wrong hands. Some claim we came from the craft guilds on the continent of Europe, stone masons. Some say we sprang from the Knights Templar after Philip the Fair and Pope Clement arrested most, tortured and robbed them of their treasure. Some say we are the heirs of the Ancient Mystery Schools of Greece, Egypt and Persia. There is no hard proof, only speculation.

What is Freemasonry today? For some it is simply a social organization bent upon doing good works and making friends. That is laudable. Shriners (Freemasons everyone of them) raise millions each year to treat burned and crippled children in their hospitals. The children never have to pay a penny for that.

For others it is much more. It is a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. In my Order, American Co-Masonry, progress is slow, study is long, and testing is extensive. It changes a person and for the better. Even my rather cynical 22 year old daughter has noticed and commented upon it.

The secrets everyone goes on about are two-fold: those which may be communicated (and are truly not secret) and those which no amount of words will ever be enough to communicate. So, if you mean simple things like passwords to identify yourself to someone else as a Freemason, big deal! That was necessary in times when it was death to belong to any organization like Masonry. Hitler put Masons in concentration camps. Portugal fairly recently had laws against us, too. Not a good idea to carry ID cards in such situations, right?

What cannot be expressed is what changes happen inside an already good person in the company of other people who are likewise doing their best to become better.

We are not a religion but in most Orders of Freemasonry you must believe in some Supreme Being. We sit in Lodge with members of many different religious faiths, many different races, and (in American Co-Masonry) different genders. Somehow that does gall some folk. Not sure why, but it does.

In order to become a Freemason, YOU must ask. Do not wait for an invitation. The door is there but you have to knock, yourself. Feel free to contact me or any other Freemason. Have a look at the link below for more info, too.

Answer 3

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 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, Freemasons caution that they often lack the proper context for true understanding, may be outdated for various reasons, or could be outright hoaxes 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 4

There's a very good show about the Freemasons on the History Channel this month. Check it out.

Answer 5

My husband is a freemason. Its kinda like a fraternity but a lot creepier. I was once inside the lodge and it freak me out. They have like different levels, i think its up to 22, not sure.You are suppose to pay a fee every month to the lodge. They have a bunch of initiation rites that are supposed to be secret, at least thy are not suppose to talk about it. freemasons are supposed to be good people. They do fundrisers to support childrens hospitals

Answer 6

My dad is one, so is his uncle. I am currently going through a "trail" part of becoming a Freemason myself. Sorry but we aren't allowed to tell people what we do exactly, its an oath we take. All I can tell you is that we try to do things that have a positive impact in our local communities and worldwide.

Answer 7

they are NOT a secret society, they are a society/fraternity with secrets......like all society/fraternities.

Masons are famous for standing by there word and a masons word is always his bond.

Masons are NOT secret, if they were why would there temples be publically visible?

They are generally a like minded grp of men and women who do considerable charity work to benefit society.

Answer 8

we learned about it in school, but i dont remember exactly. there was a movie about them where one was going to be killed, but the man was a freemason (the necklace) and he wasnt killed. i dont remember the name of it though.

Answer 9

I personally know that it is a wonderful and philanthropic organization dedicated to people helping others.

My father is a Mason, as was my Grandfather.

http://www.freemasonry.org

http://www.tracingboard.com

Answer 10

what i know is that they're the protector of the riches that the knights templar sworn also to protect, just like they're the successors...i think...