From watching my boyfriend become a Mason, evidently it’s about making thin men fat. Unfortunately, he was just installed as Steward, so the trend may reverse. Word to the wise - the people at Dentsville 398 are really nice, but after the new year I suggest you stop off at Arby’s first.
National Lampoon, circa 1971. That’s where I first heard it.
For the record, I’ve never heard of a Masonic Lodge (in the States, that is) that served alcohol. The Shrine I joined had a bar, but they’re a different sort of fellers and exist not to compete with the Blue Lodge.
Not much of a debate, is it? I guess we can all agree that Freemasonry is indeed the shining star in the history of mankind.
Them Knights of Columbus are ok too… I guess 
Yeah, maybe, but those vicious little thugs in DeMolay, that’s a whole 'nother story! And the Rainbow Girls! Don’t get me started…
Bill Clinton was a DeMolay.
'nuf said
Jacques DeMolay, thou art again avenged!
Well, I don’t know how (or if) this will liven things up in here, but I just got an invitation to private masonic-invite-only showing of the new National Treasure movie. Not a pre-screening, alas, they probably reserved that for the next degree up from me.
It’s a Disney movie after all, and Walt was another DeMolay
So they say to justify their usurpations! I’ve heard of many Masonic lodges that serve alcohol in the states.
Absolutely.
Bloody Papists
An interesting note regarding the Druze. After I went to see that lovely Masonic Opera Die Zauberflaute, a friend of mine who is knowledgeable in such things said that he heard that the Druze practiced a rite that had some very Mithraic tendencies to it, and heard that they claimed it was taught to them by Templars during the Crusades. He had not confirmed it, and was wishing he could get the funding to go find out whether or not this had any validity.
Well, with 52 or so independent Grand Lodges in the States, I guess it’s possible. I’ve never run across one that serves. Not like an Elks Lodge, that’s for sure!
Of course I’ve never been to Lodge in Wyoming. 
So . . . does Freemasonry have a connection with the Knights Templar, or does it not?
It’s the other way around.
That’s ok, we’re used to it.
Depends on who you ask. There is definitely a philosophical connection. Whether Freemasonry was spawned by Templars is a hotly contested debate. I suggest “Born in Blood” by John J. Robinson on the subject.
That was what I kept reiterating to the gentleman throughout our flight, but he was firmly entrenched in his belief that my ring represented a goat’s head, and that I was part of a cult.
To him, we are a threat and a menace.
We didn’t get into his background very much, as I tried to ignore him after 30 minutes of griping. The odd thing was he was such a nice guy on the ground- I have had occasion to fly seated next to men of the cloth in the past, and since. I usually make the “Glad I’m sitting next to you!” icebreaker, and we have great conversation for the trip. I did the same thing in this instance; we chatted about flying, baseball, and random things for 15 minutes before he noticed. It was one of the more bizarre instances I’ve had in my travels.