This makes me feel more middle aged than my first clump of gray chest hair, but I’ve just petitioned to join the Masons. My dad was one, and seemed to find it worthwhile. I read some serious background stuff (well into “Morals and Dogma”, believe it or not…) and it seems interesting. I’m hoping to join the lodge in a small town, and don’t know what to expect. Anybody care to comment?
I have wanted to join. I know a guy who is a Mason and I mentioned my interest to him. He gave me some materials, but did not follow up afterwards. I mentioned it to him a few times, but decided that he just didn’t want to sponsor me.
My progenitors back to my great-grandfather were all Freemasons. My father was master of the local lodge and an officer in the Colorado Grand Lodge. He’s a Knight Templar and in the Scottish Rite, and when he dies he will be buried with full Masonic honors (and these guys really put on the dog for a departed brother!) When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to turn 21 so I could become a third Degree Mason. So, I did. Initiated in Washington State, passed in Germany, raised in my hometown. And then one night I realized that, after attending lodge meetings for two years, that a pattern emerged: We’d open lodge, dispense with business, close the lodge, all the while talking in lofty terms about fraternity and circumscription, living on the level and by the square, yadda, yadda, yadda … then we’d all gather for coffee an doughnuts and tell nigger jokes and bitch about the way the Mexicans were marrying local white girls. I had the temerity to point this out during a lodge meeting one night and ask the bretheren if they could refrain from their bigotry at least in a building devoted to brotherhood. That night the worst offender (an electrician by trade) stood directly behind me with a cup of bad coffee in one hand and a chocolate doughnut in the other and brayed to all who would listen about the nigger who was found dead at the bottom of the river after obviously trying to swim across with 100 pounds of stolen chain. It was the last time I ever entered a Masonic lodge.
Consider carefully your brethern.
You might be interested in this thread.
Could we compromise and have Free-SDMB?
Himself is 24, has no gray hairs that I’ve yet found, and is a Mason. (Of course, he and his buddy are the youngest guys there by, oh, forty years?) Those have got to be the nicest guys in the world, for what it’s worth. It’s great that Himself joined, because he asked my dad to sponsor him and it’s gotten my dad to be really active, and he really enjoys it. Make sure you join a good active lodge - my dad called the Grand Lodge secretary to ask which one in the area my boyfriend should go to. (My dad’s actually technically a member in Florida, but the guys here just made him an honorary member, which was very touching.)
Yeah, Sunrazor and I have differing opinions. The Lodge is frequently a reflection of the community - if you live in a racist shithole you may find the members of the lodge are racists pricks. Millions of Freemasons around the world, and more than a few are not white (visit a Prince Hall Lodge some time). Freemasonry is not what Sunrazor described, although I don’t doubt for a second that his description of that lodge is accurate. There’s an unfortunate history in the United States regarding minorities, and even Masonry wasn’t free from that illness.
AF&AM, A&ASR (sj)
When it comes to the racism question - there’s none of that in Himself’s lodge, but when he went to an initiation at another lodge (I’ll tell you outright that it was the one at the local military base) there was some talk that he felt really uncomfortable with, but he was a guest there and didn’t know what to say about it. He’d certainly say it if it were in his lodge, and it is most certainly not. The younger guys want unity with Prince Hall, but I guess there would have to be a mass die-off first - not to mention that Prince Hall isn’t all that interested. They’ve got tons of young guys over there, and they’re crazy active - why would they want to join up with all the white guys?
You are so very, very right, and to prove your point, I’ll add that every Freemason I’ve ever asked in this community has pointed out that Prince Hall lodges “aren’t really Masonic lodges” – rather, the prevailing mythology is that the founder was a part-time janitor who stole ritual codes and paraphernalia from a lodge, then set fire to the place to cover up his crime, all so he could start a lodge for his people. I’m not kidding – otherwise sane and seemingly reasonable men in my community believe and pass on that account. And don’t get 'em started on how the Elks got started, or the REAL purpose of the Knights of Columbus! I think my hometown is beginning to suffer the effects of in-breeding. At any rate, such is Freemasonry in my town, and thus my need to stay away from it. It’s a shame, too, because it could be so different.
Yes, I am a Mason.