What is the meaning of the masonic rituals?

Factual Questions
21

I have just taken a job, (for a friend, as I live very near by), ‘house sitting’ the Masonic Temple. I’ve lived here 10 yrs and never knew there was a resident couple in the building! Occasionally they both need to leave the building. Apparently the Masons, (2 lodges use the facility), need access 24/7. Who knew?

The labyrinth like building will be in darkness, I will likely just sit in the library and read for a few hours. I’ve had a quick tour, it’s a very, very interesting building. Should anyone ring the bell, (at the concealed entrance in the back), I am to let them in. That’s it. And they pay me in cash!

I know it sounds like the first chapter of a cheesy novel but I swear every word is true!

(If you never hear from me again, be afraid!)

22

Boy is this thread a tease. You have a number of people claiming to be affiliated with the Masons, and yet I don’t feel that anyone has really answered the OP, other than to chime in regarding what is not true about Masonic rituals. But what is true about them? What’s up with the silly-sounding pretense (“Worshipful Master”? “Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret”?)? Is it tongue-in-cheek? What do they get out of the rituals? Without more explanation I have a very difficult time accepting that it is anything other than some immature form of ego masturbation power structure. That said, I am ignorant, and I would welcome knowing more if anyone here would go beyond “check out your local lodge” (seriously? this isn’t scientology is it?).

23

The OP’s question is exceptionally vague. The Masonic rituals do not have one specific “meaning” - they are filled with many different meanings, and they teach a variety of teachings. I’m not just going to spill out all of the details of the rituals here on the internet - it cheapens the meaning of Masonry. There’s a Wikipedia article on Freemasonry, you know - you can always look at it.

The title of Worshipful Master is just an old-fashioned form of addressing an important person with a title; like many other things, it comes from British English. I don’t really think it’s silly sounding. I do think the Scottish Rite titles, like “Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret,” are kind of silly sounding, and kind of pretentious; those titles are not part of Blue Lodge Masonry.

It’s not a form of ego masturbation; many members of any given lodge may serve as Master during their time in the lodge, and there are times when two different brothers might serve as Master during the same degree (one during the first half, one during the second half.) No member of the lodge is ever considered to be superior or inferior to anyone else, under any circumstances.

And yes, if you’re interested in Masonry, you should check out your local lodge. What’s wrong with suggesting that? Masonry is absolutely nothing like scientology.

24

Ok, what is the meaning of the Blue Lodge Masters’ Degree ritual?

25

It brings the candidate fully into the brotherhood of Masonry, building on concepts learned during the previous two degrees; it teaches the methods (grips and words) whereby one Master Mason can indentify another; it also explains the historical mythology of Freemasonry. But it’s really a dramatic and memorable experience to go through. It’s possibly comparable to a baptism, although Masonry is not a religion.

26

Thanks. I’ve always thought that the Masonic All Seeing Eye was a representation of Osiris.

27

I’m skeptical of something that always falls back on “come and see” rather than using words to articulate. There is nothing wrong with saying one should check out a local lodge, but it does feel like a calculated dodge. Why so secretive? I still feel like I haven’t learned anything about what the purpose is of these rituals, or of Masonry in general. The wikipedia article really doesn’t help. Can you give an example of a life lesson, a spiritual experience, an important insight, anything that is a goal of these rituals or even of just of Masonry?

28

There comes a point where it becomes impossible to articulate something in words. One is forced to fall back on “Come see with your own eyes.” I occasionally make sculptures of animals with clay, that everyone who’s seen one thinks are remarkably realistic. In fact, the last one I made was done with leftover epoxy putty from a home repair I was doing. I got the thing fixed, but here was this little bit of leftover putty, already setting up. OMG! What do I do with it? I don’t want to waste it!

I made an inch-long “dog” that looks just like a terrier mix mutt. It’s literally 1 inch from nose to tail, and looks realistically like a dog. My mother loves it. She keeps it on the counter above her kitchen sink. It reminds her of her dog that died a few years ago. If you asked me how I do that, I couldn’t possibly describe it in a text based forum like this. The only thing I could tell you is “Watch me do it, and form your own conclusions.” You are asking about something like that. It can’t be described, it has to be seen and experienced.

Masonry is the same. I speak as someone who isn’t one, and never will be. But I didn’t decide it wasn’t for me until I actually looked. You are asking the impossible. Just like if you had insisted I describe in a text-based forum, like this one, how I make my little critters look so realistic. It can’t be described, it must be seen. And you’re still not likely to “get it”.

[QUOTE=iamnotbatman]
There is nothing wrong with saying one should check out a local lodge, but it does feel like a calculated dodge. Why so secretive?..
[/QUOTE]

Maybe because they are a “secret society”? If you asked about the rituals of my college fraternity, I’d tell you to go pound sand. It’s a common impulse among humans to reserve your best deals to only those who are in your “tribe”. Masons have their “tribe”, so do such ridiculously obscure groups like “Democrats” and “Republicans”. Them Masons are really ridiculous in their tribalism. Umm, yeah. I’m thinking I should start hating them, maybe tomorrow… Or maybe I should join them… Or not.

[QUOTE=iamnotbatman]
I still feel like I haven’t learned anything about what the purpose is of these rituals, or of Masonry in general. The wikipedia article really doesn’t help. Can you give an example of a life lesson, a spiritual experience, an important insight, anything that is a goal of these rituals or even of just of Masonry?
[/QUOTE]

Maybe you should go ask at your nearest lodge, eh? You know, the “go ask them” option?

29

I don’t think I’m violating any oath by saying that goal of the Masonic fraternity is to make good men better by the teaching of profound moral truths by means of allegory.

30

I’m not buying it. Anything can be explained in words. It may be difficult, but you can always try, using your words towards an approximation. The better writers (those who accomplish great literature or poetry) are surely evidence of the ability to articulate the ‘ineffable’. Hell, even I (not a great writer) can at least try to articulate my experience of being on psychedelics or having a panic attack or being in love or feeling profoundly depressed, and I can at least come to some approximation of the truth that can be empathized with by many. And frankly, I don’t think it is likely that Masonry’s level of ineffability approaches any of the above examples. I think hiding behind “you can’t possibly understand without seeing” is utter baloney. That kind of secrecy sets off all kinds of BS detectors. There are many, many rituals in the world whose experience are difficult to describe. Only some select groups like the Masons seem intent on actually not attempting to describe them, or pretending that they are somehow so inaccessible as to preclude a reasonably intelligent layperson from even being given the opportunity of possibly understanding its purpose from afar. Because, surely they couldn’t possibly understand without first being brought under the fold (perhaps some lodge dues along with). The unwritten psychological game seems to be a well-worn manipulative tactic, that of a luring appeal to some ineffable mysterious special symbolic deepness, that of course only can be accessed by acts that get you more involved and invested in the structure of the organization. A variation on the ol’ bait-and switch, though of course in this case I’m not exactly sure what the ‘switch’ is because no one seems willing to say. My guess is a combination of further bait, with further promises of mysterious yet ever-evasive truths, an ego-massaging power structure, coupled with strange, emotionally manipulative rituals. And of course, the further you go in, the more psychologically defensive you will be of having made a mistake, when you start to realize that some of the meaning of the symbology is rather mundane, you will try harder and harder to convince yourself that it is not. I’ll just keep filling in gaps of my understand with guesses until someone goes ahead and fights my ignorance here.

I’m not sure comparing the Masonic rituals to those of your college fraternity are going to paint the Masons in a good light. I happen to agree that they are probably similar in their motivations and effects.

31

Now we are getting somewhere. So are these ‘profound’ moral truths written down anywhere in non-allegorical form?

32

I wish you’d just believe me when I say I can’t really put it into words, instead of assuming I’m trying to deceive or manipulate anyone. The Master Mason degree is a once in a lifetime experience, very much unlike anything else the average person is likely to go through. A big part of it is to bring the newly-raised Master Mason closer into the fraternity by having him go through an admittedly dramatic and strange ritual, and by knowing that every other Mason he might meet anywhere in the world has gone through the same ritual, he will feel an immediate bond with that Mason. That’s one of the purposes of the rituals - to provide a shared experience for all Masons. The details of the Masonic rituals are not anywhere near as important as its overarching goal, which is to provide a framework whereby men all over the world can sit down and say, “hey, maybe our religious/ethnic/political differences aren’t all that important - let’s focus on the things we have in common instead of the things we don’t.” In terms of human history, this is a remarkably unique, groundbreaking concept. Freemasonry is essentially a humanist society.

33

Thank you for the articulate response. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought you were consciously disingenuous, but I do think that there is something disingenuous about the prescription of secrecy. For example, not being forthright with the description you just gave of one purpose of the rituals (to provide a shared experience). Why beat around the bush other than to perpetuate the implication that there is something profoundly more than what you described? Your description makes sense to me, and is a perfect example of something that can be articulated without actually going through the experience, because in fact we all can to some extent empathize with the concept of a bonding or unique shared experience, whether through ritual, friendship, love, death, war, and so on. I’m not sure from your description that what you’ve described is really so unique and groundbreaking. The philosophy you describe is not, but perhaps the organizational implementation is, I don’t know.

34

So, can you describe to me how I make those little clay animals? And make them look realistic? Every time…

Thank you, so much for telling me how I do it… Oh, wait. You didn’t.

35

If you want me to describe how you do it from your perspective, then well, I’d have to be you. If you want me to describe it as an observer, then you’d have to show me. Either way, your post seems to be missing the point.

36

The closest I can come is to say that the Masonic fraternity stands for liberty, equality and fraternity. After that, you either get it or you don’t.

37

Also strictly prohibited durng Knights of Columbus meetings.

Last year, the Knights donated over $154 million to charitable needs and projects and volunteered more than 70 million hours of their time to charitable causes.

Does this information cause you to rethink your statement?

38

Although I can understand why people might be confused about K of C and alcohol: though the Knights don’t allow alcohol to be served at their meetings, some branches rent their halls out to other organizations and allow it to be served during those events. One example, K of C #3700.. A while back I was at a post-funeral lunch at a Knights of Columbus Hall in Western New York and was quite surprised to see that there was an adjoining bar! What would Father McGivney (a long-time crusader against alcoholism) have thought?