My brother-in-law is a Mason and he is so secretive about it. Should I worry that he is in a cult or is that not what the Mason's are about?
2007-10-02 15:26:41 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
It isn't a cult - for a start although we raise a lot of money for good causes, most members do NOT donate large amounts of money - though some do choose to leave some in their will.
Freemasonry is not even "secret" really. About the only secrets we have are the grips, tokens and signs - basically the "handshake" people talk about, passwords and other bits and bobs we do with our hands.
Other than those three things (basically all forms of a password) there are no secrets - and indeed many lodges around the world conduct guided tours for people who are interested - either as a general curiousity OR if they are perhaps thinking of becoming a member.
As for other comments about religion, our rule there is breatakingly simple:
A member must have a belief in some form of Supreme Being.
That's it.
No nonsense about not allowing this religion, or insisting on the other. In actual fact, religion is one of the topics of conversation we do not permit in lodge - likewise politics - as these two topics cause more division and hatred amongst men all over the world than anything else.
So, we have Christian, Muslims, Hindus, Taoist, Mormon and folks from every other religion too.
I hope this puts your mind at rest a little, if not, then try finding your local lodge - and seeing if they do guided tours.
Mark
2007-10-06 11:53:48 · answer #1 · answered by Mark T 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you should not be worried. Freemasonry is a social fraternity that studeis morality, it has not secrets, but that doesn't mean every member will run around announcing to the world that he is a freemason and discuss everything that he studies/learns, etc... As you can see from some responses, there is a lot of animosity towards freemasons, mostly from a very small amount of religious fanatics who feel that if it isn't within their narrow view of the world it is evil.
freemasons also provide more charity than any other organization in the world in terms of free hospitals, schools, homes, scholarships, etc...several billion dollars per year world wide.
You could ask your brother about the Eastern Star (if you live in the USA). That is an appendant body of Freemasonry that allows women to join. You can probably attend on of their meetings or at least find out more information about it and that will help you understand better what your brother-in-law is doing in the Freemason Lodge.
if you have any other questions please let me know.
also, here are a bunch of site, please check them all out and determine for yourself which are accurate and which are just spread hatred. ALL of the anti-masonic claims have been proven many times to be false and many have even been admitted to be lies or hoaxes against freemasonry by those who started the claim.
masonic:
freemason.org
phoenixmasonry.org
http://www.ugle.org.uk/
anti-masonic:
freemasonrywatch.org
http://religion-cults.com/Secret/Freemasonry/Freemasonry.htm
responses to anti-masonic sites
masonicinfo.com
http://community-2.webtv.net/JohnFromHurst/WelcometomyMasonic/
to some other responses:
* if everything that is not "of christ" is "of the devil" than you should be posting your response to all of the people asking questions about who to start on their fantasy football roster this weekend...this is an absolutely absurd position that can only be held by a very small minded, completely irrational person; and has no basis or foundation in any teaching in the Bible. the requirement for a belief in a supreme being does NOT include Satan.
* freemasonry is not an Anti-Biblical organization and has not lost it's core beliefs over time. society has changed, not Freemasonry (and incidentally, freemasonry takes some knocks for not adapting itself to more modern soceity). just what of their dogma is "downright evil"? can you provide any proof or evidence of this? i would be very interesting to learn this and the source of it. please do talk to a pastor about freemasonry, many pastors (including catholic priests) are freemasons, despite the Church's ban on such groups - which if you read the actual edict put out by the Church was written out of political reasons and fear of losing control over the faithful and not because freemasonry, or any other organization, is evil.
* telling him "in the name of tubal cain" won't help at all...its not a secret, and its not used among 10th degree master masons; the 10th degree exists in the Scottish Rite which is an appendant body of freemasonry, it is not "higher" nor a "continuation" of the blud lodge degrees. statements like these come from folks who take as truth the lies spread by anti-masons with their own agenda that really has nothing to do with freemasonry.
2007-10-03 06:30:12 · answer #2 · answered by cl_freemason 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They are a secretive society of men that have roots going back to the founders of this country and further back. At one point in early American history, it was a very good and beneficial organization to network for jobs and business and a way of gaining power and political influence in early America but over time, has lost it's core beliefs and has been mutated into an Anti-Biblical organization although they profess to have Christian ideals. Many of their practices are held in secret rituals which is against church teachings and some of their dogma is downright evil.
Most men join the order to have fellowship and gain contacts with other tradesmen but it can be an unhealthy organization to be involved with.
I would recommend you go to a Christian bookstore and pick up some books on the subject....talk to a pastor about it.
2007-10-02 22:43:59 · answer #3 · answered by paul h 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It is a very old charitable organization, we teach moral principles and illustrate them through symbolic rituals. If you ask your friends and family you'll probably find fathers and grandfathers who have been members- probably they were fine churchgoing men as well. Does this sound like a cult?
2007-10-03 05:50:59 · answer #4 · answered by Eric S 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just tell him you want to know, in the name of Tubal Cain.
Tubal Cain is the secret word used in greeting among 10th Degree Master Masons.
2007-10-02 22:47:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
They are required to not speak of Christ and anything that is not of christ is of the devil. Plain as that.
They just need to have a belief in ANY "heighr-being" which includes the satanic
2007-10-02 22:33:55 · answer #6 · answered by in COGNITO * 4 · 0⤊ 4⤋