Inspired by another thread on ‘Ask the Freemason’ - I wondered if there are any ex-Freemasons (is there such a thing?) who are willing to spill the beans on what all the secrecy is about - or is there anyone who has a very good idea what it could be about?
I’m not inclined to believe The Holy Blood and Holy Grail and more recently the rip-off Dan Brown novel - that they hand on the information of who is the true heir to Isreals royal family.
IANAFM, but find the book Big Secrets by William Poundstone. He goes into Freemasonry at length, but it’s really not all that shocking.
Disassociating myself from that other thread for a moment - It’s speculated by some that only a very few at the top really know the secrets. So your run-of-the-mill Master Mason knows what you could find online or in Duncans Ritual and Monitor available at Amazon A 32 degree would know more, but only a 33 degree is fully aware. One can’t apply for that 33rd degree, it must be bestowed upon you by other 33’s.
But then the Illuminati shows up.
Wouldn’t you know
There’s one of these.
Another link here.
Dagnabbit Paul, how the heck did I miss your thread? I wouldn’t have started babbling over in that other one if I’d noticed. :smack:
I am a former Freemason. I was also a 32° Scottish Rite mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine (a Shriner.) I’m not sure what you’re hoping to find, but I think you’ll be disappointed.
The secrets of Freemasons come down to the password and grip (handshake) of each degree and a sign of distress. If you cared to pretend to be a Mason, these things would only get you into meetings. Aside from the initiation rituals (which you can find out from previously cited sources,) the stuff that goes on in a meeting is quite mundane. It’s the same day-to-day stuff you’ll see in Kiwanis or Rotary meetings.
What do they teach the new brother? I’ll paraphrase and condense a bit.
Be a good man, because it’s the right thing to do.
Help other people, especially widows and orphans.
Have faith in your religion, whatever that may be.
There are some things a good man should know. If you aren’t hip to geometry, architecture, math, and ethics, study them.
If you see somebody in dire trouble, try to help, unless the effort will cause your death.
That’s really about it. No magic, no Illuminati, no location of the Templars’ gold. You get to meet regularly with other guys who are also good men.
As for the 33rd° guys, they’re mostly men who have served the lodge for years in various offices. I know a few of them, including one who is a past Master of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. He’s an ordinary guy, and when I last spoke with him he was still working for a living. Now, if he ruled the world, do you think he’d still be working?
How come the Moose lodge never got attached to all this mystery? Nobody thinks the Odd Fellows run everything.
The guy from McHale’s Navy, Ernest Borgnine is (was?) a 33 Degree guy. I think it would better if he rules the world than that evil Ned Flanders.
A few questions; I atternded a masonic installation ceremony (Scottish Rite)-they had guys dressed up in kilts who escorted people around the room-what do the York rite people do>
-the room has the 4 cardinal points-but they only mention S,E, W-what’s wrong with North?
-what ahppens to the assets of lodges that have to shut down?
Okay, so much for the Freemasons. Now, how about the Jews?
JUST KIDDING!!! 
Wear poofy hats
The North represents darkness, since north of the equator the sun never passes through the northern heavens. To bring light we strive, mmm yes.
They probably go to the Grand Lodge, I’d guess. I’ve only seen lodges merge, never shut down.
I know you are kidding, but I was very interested to see two Jewish guys being initiated (obvious from their skull caps).
From my experience, the whole lot was harmless, quite a pleasant guys only dining club with a few rituals thrown in.
Hmm … with some rather good principles.
My grandfather and one of my uncles were supposed to be pretty senior Masons in the UK - they were nice guys, and had done well, but there was nothing that special about them.
I’m going to offer an educated guess here, since the issue is probably similar for my fraternal order.
A Knights of Columbus council is an unincorporated association. My guess would be that a Masonic lodge is, also. As such, neither entity can effectively acquire and hold real property. In order to own land and a building, the members of the local council will form a separate corporation, with the by-laws usually providing that any member of the council is, by virtue of that membership, a voting member of the corporation. The corporation then elects its officers in accord with whatever bylaws it has established. If the council were disbanded, the assets of the corporation would be distributed according to the bylaws as well.