# What does it cost to become a Freemason? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783 "2003-11-06T21:15:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/21 "2011-11-01T11:32:53Z")
Just out of curiosity, if you were rejected by one lodge, are you forever blacklisted? Could you apply at a different lodge elsewhere? Never been a mason, never applied, but know a few. Just curious as to how this all works. ---
**Author:** ![humanafterall](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/humanafterall/32/19654_2.png) [@humanafterall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/humanafterall)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/22 "2011-11-01T14:26:22Z")
I have a lifetime Endowment, courtesy of my Grandfather, so I don’t have to worry about dues, but i will have to pay dues if I decide to join any of the appendant organizations. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/23 "2011-11-01T15:12:17Z")
Do you have to buy your own go-cart for use in parades, or does one get assigned to you? ---
**Author:** ![cemab4y](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@cemab4y](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cemab4y)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/24 "2011-11-02T05:58:08Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Just out of curiosity, if you were rejected by one lodge, are you forever blacklisted? Could you apply at a different lodge elsewhere? > > Never been a mason, never applied, but know a few. Just curious as to how this all works. If an individual is rejected by a lodge, there is no “blacklist” in the traditional sense of that word. An individual could apply for a lodge in maryland, get rejected, and then move to Oregon. He could apply to a lodge in Oregon. There is a space on the application form where you are asked “have you applied for membership in any other lodge?”. If he answered truthfully, the Oregon lodge would probably reject him. If he was deceptive, and concealed his prior rejection, he might slip in. ---
**Author:** ![cemab4y](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@cemab4y](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cemab4y)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/25 "2011-11-02T06:00:11Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Do you have to buy your own go-cart for use in parades, or does one get assigned to you? Freemasonry does not have the parades and go-carts. You are thinking of the Shrine ( see [www.shrinershq.org](http://www.shrinershq.org) ) . The Shrine is a club of men who are Masons. All Shriners are Masons, but not all Masons join the shrine. If you join the Shrine, you must join the masons first. If you choose to be a motorcyclist, or a go-cart rider, or any of the motorized units, you must purchase your own vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Consensus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@Consensus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Consensus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/26 "2011-11-02T06:21:57Z")
Believe in a supreme being lol The great architect. He’s as great as he is undefined. Pretty sure they introduced this rule to not exclude believers of all kind from their club. Smart move, silly rule. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/27 "2011-11-02T07:22:44Z")
Food costs can be very expensive. My grandmother was elected Worthy Matron of her Eastern Star Lodge. At one time or other she held all the various titles in the local lodge. Almost every month she was cooking a large ham and a large roast for the lodge’s meals. All the members contributed dishes but grandmother always provided the main meat course. There were other lodge expenses too. After granddad retired my grandmother became less active in the lodge. They didn’t have the extra money to waste. Typically the man will join the Masons and his wife will join Eastern Star. ---
**Author:** ![cemab4y](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@cemab4y](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cemab4y)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/28 "2011-11-02T09:49:17Z")
> [@Consensus](#): > > Believe in a supreme being lol The great architect. He’s as great as he is undefined. > > Pretty sure they introduced this rule to not exclude believers of all kind from their club. Smart move, silly rule. Freemasonry only excludes atheists. (as well as felons, women, men under the age of majority). Men from many different and wildly divergent religious backgrounds all participate in Freemasonry, as brothers and equals. ---
**Author:** ![Consensus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@Consensus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Consensus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/29 "2011-11-02T15:53:28Z")
Ofcourse atheists are excluded, I mean it would be unacceptable for the supreme being and all the religions it stands for… ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/30 "2011-11-02T17:45:34Z")
My dad was a mason. His dues were not high. His main expense was that he bought tuxes to wear to the meetings, and as it turned out, he really enjoyed tuxes. It was sort of fun, because normally he wore jeans & flannel shirts & fisherman’s gear - we used to give him new tux shirts & cufflinks & stuff like that for christmas & birthdays. He cleaned up nice. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/31 "2011-11-02T17:55:12Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Do you have to buy your own go-cart for use in parades, or does one get assigned to you? You have to build your own as part of the process of becoming a full member. Its like with Jedi and lightsabers. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/32 "2011-11-02T23:09:36Z")
> [@Consensus](#): > > Believe in a supreme being lol The great architect. He’s as great as he is undefined. > > Pretty sure they introduced this rule to not exclude believers of all kind from their club. Smart move, silly rule. This post is essentially thread shitting. No one forced you to read or respond to this thread, or to agree with anything stated within. But courtesy tends to dictate that you don’t walk into a thread to badmouth the people in it or the subject being discussed. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/33 "2011-11-02T23:16:10Z")
I’m not sure what he’s actually getting at, but whatever it is, it’s far from the worst things that are said about Freemasons. Yes, you have to believe in a supreme being, and no, atheists aren’t going to want to be part of it. But it is essentially a humanist organization. All religions are welcomed. In this regard, it is historically a milestone - being one of the first organized groups to say, “the things we have in common are more important than our religion.” ---
**Author:** ![Consensus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@Consensus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Consensus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/34 "2011-11-03T01:25:48Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > This post is essentially thread shitting. No one forced you to read or respond to this thread, or to agree with anything stated within. But courtesy tends to dictate that you don’t walk into a thread to badmouth the people in it or the subject being discussed. I’m not badmouthing anyone, I think it’s great that the freemasons can rise above religions. I just pointed out that the way they do this is kind of silly and under normal circumstances would be absolutely unacceptable for all religions involved. Freemasons are basically a non-religious organisation with a religious dogma that is not open for debate. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![cemab4y](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@cemab4y](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cemab4y)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/35 "2011-11-03T05:48:55Z")
> [@Consensus](#): > > I’m not badmouthing anyone, I think it’s great that the freemasons can rise above religions. I just pointed out that the way they do this is kind of silly and under normal circumstances would be absolutely unacceptable for all religions involved. > > Freemasons are basically a non-religious organisation with a religious dogma that is not open for debate. Go figure. ==not exactly. Freemasonry is a secular, man-made organization. There is no religious dogma or doctrine in Masonry. There is no “Book of Mason”. no claim to divine origination, no theology. We accept men of many different religious backgrounds and faith practices. Only an avowed atheist may not become a Freemason. Our principles of religious freedom and toleration, were used as an example, during the crafting of the constitution, and our bill of rights. Masonry is like the ink-blot test you take in the psychologist’s office. You see what you want to see. Some people see all types of weird conspiracy theories. Some people see bizarre rituals, and drinking wine from human skulls, and self-mutilation, and human sacrifices. The more weird, the more people want to believe it. Here is an excellent website: [http://www.masonicinfo.com](http://www.masonicinfo.com) ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/36 "2011-11-03T06:15:28Z")
> [@Consensus](#): > > I’m not badmouthing anyone, I think it’s great that the freemasons can rise above religions. I just pointed out that the way they do this is kind of silly and under normal circumstances would be absolutely unacceptable for all religions involved. > > Freemasons are basically a non-religious organisation with a religious dogma that is not open for debate. Go figure. Masons are cautioned to never substitute Masonry for religion. Discussions of religion and/or politics are prohibited in a Masonic building. ---
**Author:** ![Consensus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@Consensus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Consensus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/37 "2011-11-04T00:09:05Z")
I understand that this subject of a supreme being and it’s acknowledgement within the freemasons is not what this thread is about. If this is not allowed or appreciated I’d be more than willing to take this discussion elswhere. It is not my intension to hijack this thread, it’s just that I find this far more interesting than the financial aspect of membership. I just can’t make any sense of the presence of a supreme being without it being a religious statement of some kind. There is no factual proof of this supreme being making it by definition a religious statement because you have to believe it. But why would it stop there? You’d think that the supreme being has something usefull to say. But no, it’s not about its teachings or even the worshiping of the being. It’s not even allowed to talk about it, what’s that all about? This is why I personally have come to the conclusion that the supreme being is only there to satisfy those who deem it to be so. In other words it’s not about the supreme being at all, it is all about those who need to believe in one. γνῶθι σεαυτόν ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/38 "2011-11-04T17:34:57Z")
I can’t speak for the Masons, but I’m an member of the Order of Elks, and we have similar membership requirements, one in particular being the belief in a Supreme Being. Our rationale is that we require members to swear an oath as part of their initiation. If the new member is not a believer in any sort of God, then the oath is devoid of meaning and worthless. ---
**Author:** ![cemab4y](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@cemab4y](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cemab4y)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/39 "2011-11-15T08:40:03Z")
Precisely. All masons are required to take a sacred oath, and agree voluntarily to perform certain tasks. These are all harmless, and involve certain standards of morality, and personal ethics. The oaths are similar to an “enlistment” oath when you join the military. Because the oaths are taken on a volume of sacred law (the Holy Bible or the Holy Qu’Ran, etc) the applicant must believe in the Supreme Being, or else the oath is meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783/40 "2011-11-15T13:29:29Z")
> [@cemab4y](#): > > Because the oaths are taken on a volume of sacred law (the Holy Bible or the Holy Qu’Ran, etc) the applicant must believe in the Supreme Being, or else the oath is meaningless. This is the part that **Consensus** , and myself, find ridiculous and (in my case) more than a bit offensive. My oaths and promises are just as binding, and just as meaningful, as someone who professes belief in a “supreme being”. Especially when you consider that to a Christian an oath by a Hindu should be just as meaningless, right? I mean, I’d never want to be part of a secret society that would have me as a member anyway, but it does rub me the wrong way to get lumped in with convicted criminals just because my belief in the reality of the world doesn’t include a supreme being. Claiming to be secular, but the banning atheists is a bit contradictory, no? Where do Masons draw the line - are Satanists allowed? Followers of the FSM? Adherents of Bob? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-cost-to-become-a-freemason/211783.md?page=3)