How do regular freemasons feel about co-masonry?

Question

I am curious how regular freemasons feel about co-masonry, is co-masonry officially recognized or is it considered renegade? Do they have the same degrees? It seems that in todays day and age it should be more accepted...Is it?

Answer 1

I will share what responses I have had, both in real life and online. First, I am a Master Mason in American Co-Masonry. Co-Masonry admits women and men. It is NOT Eastern Star or Job's Daughters although I am sure those are fine groups. Fact is, some of our female Brothers (yes, we call all members "Brother") are members of Eastern Star, as well.

You have read already that some Freemasons do not even know we exist. Reaction one. Co-masonry has been around since the 1800s but really grew when it got picked up by women and men involved with women's right to vote and racial equality. American Co-Masonry spread westward from 1912 onward.

Some regular Freemasons feel that it is a travesty that we admit women. They cite "landmarks" that say that no Mason should ever be where a woman is made a Mason. This is even though there are records of exceptions to their rules they acknowledge. The York Rite document from the 1600s has an instruction about "hee or shee should put their hande on the booke" but somehow that does not convince them. They say that what we do somehow cheapens and demeans Freemasonry and we should be careful to let people know that we are not "real Masons." You will notice that I try my best to let folks know I am a Co-mason so as to keep harmony with those Freemasons who have such passion about this issue.

The United Grand Lodges of England have said that they are aware of several lodges of only women and mixed and while they do not acknowledge Co-Masonry directly, they are in communication with us. That is something.

Some regular Freemasons think that women could belong in Freemasonry but worry that Lodges would be disrupted by having both men and women in them, that the Lodge would become a sort of dating place. I guess that they do not worry about that with their gay members or that question never comes up.

Some regular Freemasons (we call them "masculine rite", BTW) have actually joined American Co-Masonry. They are given the choice to affiliate as Master Masons or to come in as Entered Apprentices, actually starting over. What is interesting to me is that they have all (to my knowlege) started over. They have told me that they came seeking a deeper understanding of the ritual and wanted to experience it all first-hand.

Some masculine rite Freemasons would love to visit our Lodges but say that they would be reprimanded by their Lodges if it were known they attended any of our functions. That is sad in my mind. We are all Freemasons working toward what I hope is a common goal.

As far as degrees: our Order works the Blue Lodge (1-3rd degree) in a manner that would probably be very recognizable to most Freemasons. We do have some esoteric aspects and longer ceremonies. We tend to stress more participation in our Lodges, more singing, too.

We also work three York Rite side degrees. (Mark, RAM, HRAJ)

I understand that there are Scottish Rite degrees but since in our Order we work the degrees, not just watch them, I am not yet qualified to know about them.

Our American Co-Masonic Lodges are Just, Perfect, and Regular. If you are a Mason, you know what those words mean.

I shall be interested in reading the responses you get. Thank you for asking. I stand ready to answer anything else anyone wishes to ask that is within bounds. The link below gets you to my Order's webpage.

Heartiest Good Wishes,
Master Mason
Hiram Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)
Amon Ra Lodge (Los Angeles, CA)
Sapientia Lodge of Research (Larkspur, CO)

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How do regular freemasons feel about co-masonry?
I am curious how regular freemasons feel about co-masonry, is co-masonry officially recognized or is it considered renegade? Do they have the same degrees? It seems that in todays day and age it should be more accepted...Is it?

Answer 3

Co-Masonry is a clandestine organization that is not "Freemasonry" at all. They do not prescribe to the ancient landmarks, usages and customs of Freemasonry, do not believe in a Supreme Being and were never granted a Warrant of Constitution to operate as a Lodge of Freemasons anywhere in America. They simply "appropriated" the name "Freemasonry" in their effort to capitalize upon its reputation. The bottom line is that you can call yourself a King, a Priest, a Teacher etc....but that does not make it so. Neither is it so that these imposters are Freemasons.

Answer 4

The organizations are called:
Eastern Star - For adult women
Jacobs Daughters - For women under 18
Demolay - For men under 18

They are all held in the same building as the Freemasons just on different nights.

Answer 5

Well here is a question to your question. I have always wondered what exactly is a freemason? you can IM me