# Free Masonry **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 14, 2018, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328 "2018-09-14T10:05:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Constitution](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@The\_Constitution](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Constitution)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/1 "2018-09-14T10:05:05Z")
regarding Freemason presidents – George Washington was a mason. The incredibly beautiful masonic lodge in Alexandria, Virginia is dedicated to him. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/2 "2018-09-14T16:49:06Z")
Aha! “The Constitution” really IS a living document. See? Here it is, talking to us! 😃 (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.) You might want to ask a mod to change the thread title to “Freemasonry”. “Free Masonry” sounds like it should be in the Marketplace forum. My son and I have visited the Masonic Temple in Alexandria. It’s pretty cool, actually. ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/3 "2018-09-14T17:01:22Z")
mumble mumble…conspiracy…mumble mumble…illuminati ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/4 "2018-09-14T17:04:58Z")
I’ve got some projects that I could really use some free masonry work. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/5 "2018-09-15T07:40:37Z")
I was going to start a thread on the the Free Mason question. But I guess I will just have to respond to this one:). BTW, you forgot the to add a link: [this](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/836/whats-the-story-on-freemasonry/) one, specifically. (It’s helpful if people know which column you are referring to:).) You beat me to the George Washington one. I also recently saw on the _History Channel_ possibly, that Washington was encouraging many of his men to join the Masons. It’s high ideals were apparently very attractive to some people then, in the young country. Also, about the Roman Catholic thing. Are Catholics still forbidden from joining the Masons? I know about the automatic excommunication thing. In the Catholic Church it is called being excommunicated _latae sententiae_–by the very act itself. (You can learn a lot, growing up Catholic;).) It is usually reserved for the most grievous offenses. But are Catholics still forbidden from joining? And BTW, didn’t the Church set up a similar brotherhood, for Catholics? I want to say it was the Shriners, or something like that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/6 "2018-09-15T16:27:41Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Also, about the Roman Catholic thing. Are Catholics still forbidden from joining the Masons? I know about the automatic excommunication thing. In the Catholic Church it is called being excommunicated _latae sententiae_–by the very act itself. (You can learn a lot, growing up Catholic;).) It is usually reserved for the most grievous offenses. But are Catholics still forbidden from joining? And BTW, didn’t the Church set up a similar brotherhood, for Catholics? I want to say it was the Shriners, or something like that.🙂 You may be thinking of the Knights of Columbus. (Shriners are a Masonic spinoff) The 1983 Code of Canon Law no longer prescribes the automatic excommunication for joining a lodge \*\*\*but \*\*\*it _ **still forbids** _ doing so and declares it a mortal sin to be active in Freemasonry. Under the same Code those who become officials or promoters of any forbidden organization are subject to “[interdict](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdict)”. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/7 "2018-09-15T20:59:28Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I’ve got some projects that I could really use some free masonry work. 🙂 By the title I thought the thread was going to be like if the Masons were having a sale or a discount on memberships. 😉 That was because I was aware of the fall in membership seen recently. > **[Adapt or Die: On the Decline of Membership in the Masonic Fraternity -...](https://www.hardingfile.com/adept-or-die-on-the-decline-of-membership-in-freemasonry/)** > > A discussion on membership decline in the masonic fraternity and how to embracing to needs of today's modern man could reverse the trend. In essence, a lot of younger folk are not interested in joining civic minded organizations, it is not only a problem with masons, but with churches, other types of clubs, etc. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/8 "2018-09-15T21:27:55Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > In essence, a lot of younger folk are not interested in joining civic minded organizations, it is not only a problem with masons, but with churches, other types of clubs, etc. Indeed. And in the specific case of Freemasonry, I’m sorry, but the ritualistic mystic elements can’t be helping. I can very damn well see Millennials, GenXers and late Boomers like me saying “WTF, Dude? Get outta here! If I wanted this sort of bulldada I’d join a religion.” ---
**Author:** ![Turki-lurki](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turki-lurki/32/7168_2.png) [@Turki-lurki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turki-lurki)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/9 "2019-09-21T03:54:46Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Indeed. And in the specific case of Freemasonry, I’m sorry, but the ritualistic mystic elements can’t be helping. I can very damn well see Millennials, GenXers and late Boomers like me saying “WTF, Dude? Get outta here! If I wanted this sort of bulldada I’d join a religion.” I kind of get this and felt the same way for years. When I finally joined the Craft it turned out that learning the ritual is part of a transformative process.Most of us would tell you that the degree process makes you feel differently about yourself and the world. It’s not for everybody, but for some of us it was a landmark event. Not religious, but definitely moving. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/10 "2019-09-21T08:45:41Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > You might want to ask a mod to change the thread title to “Freemasonry”. “Free Masonry” sounds like it should be in the Marketplace forum. > [@DCnDC](#): > > I’ve got some projects that I could really use some free masonry work. I was expecting hidden charges - complementary bricks, just pay $29.95 shipping and handling. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/11 "2019-09-21T09:52:47Z")
If anyone needs me, I’m gonna Go Off Alone & Partake Joyously of a Hot Dog. ---
**Author:** ![ntcrawler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@ntcrawler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ntcrawler)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/12 "2020-01-03T20:27:46Z")
I am a Mason. I was disappointed to discover that none of my lodge brothers actually work as bricklayers or stone masons. ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/13 "2020-01-08T18:12:17Z")
> [@ntcrawler](#): > > I am a Mason. I was disappointed to discover that none of my lodge brothers actually work as bricklayers or stone masons. Well if they worked at those jobs, they wouldn’t be free. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/14 "2020-01-09T10:32:30Z")
Oddly, Jerry Ford was our last Masonic president. Men seem to have better things to do nowadays. Mostly television and the internet. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/15 "2020-01-09T15:55:39Z")
I inquired about joining, but when I was told it wasn’t a ticket to the Illuminati and I wouldn’t be working toward world domination I begged off. All the hocus pocus and good deeds doing didn’t seem worth it without an evil payoff. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/16 "2020-01-09T17:58:37Z")
Doing good is its own kind of subversiveness. Or so I’m told. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/17 "2020-01-10T03:39:13Z")
I know some Shakespeare deniers who exceed the usual amount of looniness by tying their preferred candidate (usually Neddy Oxenford, of course) to the Masons (even though Freemasonry hadn’t been invented yet). ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/18 "2020-01-10T04:01:43Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > You may be thinking of the Knights of Columbus. (Shriners are a Masonic spinoff) > > The 1983 Code of Canon Law no longer prescribes the automatic excommunication for joining a lodge \*\*\*but \*\*\*it _ **still forbids** _ doing so and declares it a mortal sin to be active in Freemasonry. Under the same Code those who become officials or promoters of any forbidden organization are subject to “[interdict](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdict)”. I always thought it funny (Or maybe ironic?) that there is a building in Morristown NJ that said it was the George Washington memorial chapter of the Knights of Columbus. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-masonry/821328/19 "2020-01-10T23:31:00Z")
> [@ntcrawler](#): > > I am a Mason. I was disappointed to discover that none of my lodge brothers actually work as bricklayers or stone masons. If Umberto Eco is to be believed, Freemasonry started when idle but curious gentlemen in 18th century Europe began joining guilds of actual, working masons - who were more like master builders and architects - and took advantage of the secrecy to discuss Enlightenment ideas.