Free Masons

[Scolopendra]

I read that even Females can join know

Only in Co-Masonry, which is considered "irregular" because it breaks the unbreakable rule of "no girls allowed." There's no real reason we're male-only nowadays; it's just traditional. Personally I think Co-Masons are just fine but I'm still not allowed to talk SEKRITS!zomg with them.

[Grave_n_idle]

So there we have it. No damn Hentai! No damn sex parties!! Just a Fraternity with some cool shirts!!! Dammit!!!

That's a collar. He's got a level (the T-shaped thing) so that makes him a senior warden (not a secret!).

EDIT oooohhh I see. The semi-military regalia suggests he's probably also in the York or Scottish Rite; they like those sorts of things.

EDIT 2 Or maybe George just happened to go around like that most of the time? This'll teach me to look at the details of pictures.

What are the requirements to become a Free Mason?

Requirements? Pretty easy.
1) Be male.
2) Believe in some sort of supreme being or higher power.

Absolute requirements may vary from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge.

Hell, I'll even throw in how you join.

Step 1) Find a Mason. If you're in the United States, this isn't very hard seeing how we tend to quietly advertise this fact through rings and bumper stickers and the like.
Step 2) Ask.

Ah. Scottish... so that's a kilt, not a skirt?

and also. Doh. Once again, the Atheists are discriminated against.

[Mad hatters in jeans]

I read that even Females can join know

Only in Co-Masonry, which is considered "irregular" because it breaks the unbreakable rule of "no girls allowed." There's no real reason we're male-only nowadays; it's just traditional. Personally I think Co-Masons are just fine but I'm still not allowed to talk SEKRITS!zomg with them.

what would happen if one of the guys has a sex change and also said he wanted to have a womans name like sarah?

[Scolopendra]

Ah. Scottish... so that's a kilt, not a skirt?

and also. Doh. Once again, the Atheists are discriminated against.

It's a highly stylized apron, and remember that Freemasonry's basic rules were set down in 1717. Atheists weren't much in vogue, even among the humanist thinkers of the time. Deism is perfectly acceptable, though, and it's pretty close to atheism.

what would happen if one of the guys has a sex change and also said he wanted to have a womans name like sarah?

That's a matter for Grand Lodges to figure out among themselves.

[Altergo]

I read that even Females can join know

Only in Co-Masonry, which is considered "irregular" because it breaks the unbreakable rule of "no girls allowed." There's no real reason we're male-only nowadays; it's just traditional. Personally I think Co-Masons are just fine but I'm still not allowed to talk SEKRITS!zomg with them.

what would happen if one of the guys has a sex change and also said he wanted to have a womans name like sarah?

He/She/whatever the Hell it is would be kicked out into the streets and would be made fun of for the rest of it's life

[Mad hatters in jeans]

He/She/whatever the Hell it is would be kicked out into the streets and would be made fun of for the rest of it's life

wow that's harsh.

[Scolopendra]

He/She/whatever the Hell it is would be kicked out into the streets and would be made fun of for the rest of it's life

Again, not necessarily. These are the sorts of issues Grand Lodge deals with; I wonder if it's not been dealt with already anyway in California, what with it being California...

[Altergo]

He/She/whatever the Hell it is would be kicked out into the streets and would be made fun of for the rest of it's life

wow that's harsh.

If that's harsh then you should see what countries are doing to gays

[Grave_n_idle]

It's a highly stylized apron,

Ah, an apron. That would make sense.

and remember that Freemasonry's basic rules were set down in 1717. Atheists weren't much in vogue, even among the humanist thinkers of the time. Deism is perfectly acceptable, though, and it's pretty close to atheism.

In what way? Atheists don't believe in any gods - how are you supposed to wrangle that?

[Mad hatters in jeans]

He/She/whatever the Hell it is would be kicked out into the streets and would be made fun of for the rest of it's life

wow that's harsh.

If that's harsh then you should see what countries are doing to gays

I know, i'd say that's harsh too. Pretty harsh world really.

[Scolopendra]

It's a highly stylized apron,

Ah, an apron. That would make sense.

and remember that Freemasonry's basic rules were set down in 1717. Atheists weren't much in vogue, even among the humanist thinkers of the time. Deism is perfectly acceptable, though, and it's pretty close to atheism.

In what way? Atheists don't believe in any gods - how are you supposed to wrangle that?

Deism is "well, something started everything then wandered off." It's pretty much the God of the Gaps taken to its logical conclusion, and as it precludes miracles or divine intervention in reality, it's not much of a religion at all--more like a philosophy that presupposes a prime motive force for convenience and emotional sake. It's not much of a stretch to transit from that and say "nah, there wasn't a watchmaker either."

Masonry (was) full of Deists. Co-Masonry allows atheists. While we don't talk SEKRITS to each other I don't imagine we're too different.

[Free Outer Eugenia]

Modern Masonry has it's share of deists too.

[Scolopendra]

Modern Masonry has it's share of deists too.

I know. I'm one of 'em.

[Free Outer Eugenia]

I mean it's "god the architect" not "god the super."

[Scolopendra]

I mean it's "god the architect" not "god the super."

Oddly appropriate, neh?

[Calvinsjoy]

Dude, I'm a Freemason and I never get invited to any of these crazy snuff sex death orgy parties.

Freemasonry essentially exists as a pro-Enlightenment club that uses relatively simple tools that any working man can understand to generate a convenient vocabulary for discussing moral and ethical philosophy. When the movement was officially founded in Britain in 1717 it basically served the purpose of moving intellectualism and philosophy down from the upper classes and moving egalitarianism up from the working classes, which did establish the a subcultural mindset supportive of democracy and equality (which, if you recall from history, were rather in vogue during the Enlightenment). Seeing how Freemasonry in general was a democracy club at the time, it's not overly surprising that anybody interested in making a democratic country would either be members or influenced by them.

As a society with secrets, we also have fun with the old "I know something you don't know" trick. Unlike some other Masons, I do tend to think that all of the geometrical curiosities you see in the planning of Washington D.C. and the $1 bill were intentional. Unlike conspiracy theorists, though, I don't think it particularly means anything beyond "we were here and therefore awesome." It's just a Kilroy daub or a graffiti tag applied to institutional design is all. The MASON anagram hidden in a hexagon is a good indicator; when the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (you know, the old guys with the little cars in parades) was formed, it was pretty much a kick-back-and-have-fun group made up of people with an interest in Orientalism and drinking; rearrange the letters in AAONMS and you get, tada, A MASON.

Sometimes we like to think ourselves clever that way.

I say "we," but Masonry really isn't organized in one super group. Each geographical location in "regular" ("orthodox," sort of) has a Grand Lodge which standardizes how Masons do their thing in their area: I'm a member of the Grand Lodge of California; there's a Grand Lodge of England, a Grand Lodge of Mexico, so on and so forth. These Grand Lodges communicate to each other and those which are 'close enough' to original Masonry (essentially following the rules "no girls allowed," "ritual secrecy," and "members must believe in a supreme being of some sort") are considered regular; this intercommunication is the closest thing that exists to a worldwide Masonic 'structure.' There's no shadow Pope/king/twelve that rule in majesty, and 33° Masons are just members of a related "appendant body" who have been given a title of respect; they don't get to order anyone around.

The reason why I bring this up is because there are "irregular" lodges which break some of those rules and are considered too heterodox to be part of the bigger whole. Co-Masonry, which started in France before the Revolution, is one of those irregular bodies: they allow women and atheists (I've got no problem with that; clubs can let whoever they want join) but are otherwise broadly identical. The Bavarian Illuminati were likewise irregular, if really related to Freemasonry at all. It was also an Enlightenment society, probably influenced by Freemasonry, which was a bit more aggressive and humanist in its standards. The Catholic Church took a dim view of it, sure, but more importantly, Duke Karl Theodor took a dim view of it and had it banned. It used to operate in the open.

Recall that the Revolutionary Period in Europe was a shocking game-changer; with the Enlightenment rolling around and royal heads rolling off, people wondered who was pulling the strings in the background. The Catholic Church was the status quo, and for something to stop it, obviously there had to be conspiracies afoot. Just like 9/11 conspiracy theorists today, a lot of royalists at the time pointed the finger at Freemasons and similar sorts since they happened to like, oh, everything the Church was against (religious tolerance, egalitarianism, democracy, and so forth). Admittedly, Freemasons didn't do much to dispel this, what with being secretive and all, and quite possibly a few lodges were used as local cabals and planning places due to their emphasis on secrecy. They shouldn't have, of course, but they did--the same thing happened in the modern world with Propaganda Due (which has to be the coolest name for a lodge ever, which is unfortunate since the Grand Lodge of Italy correctly declared them irregular and then they got mixed up in trying to take over the Republic of Italy). Some sort of world-wide conspiracy though is patently unlikely for more-or-less the same reasons that a worldwide conspiracy now takes a bit of faith to believe in.

There's no doubting that we've been influential through the years, but more due to the spread of ideas and philosophy rather than some sort of secretive control.

Since you seem to be the only one who actually knows anything about Masonic orders, can you tell me if the lodges are still segregated by race? That is what kept me from joining several decades ago.

[Greed and Death]

Seraiouly all masons ever do is hang out, practice rituals, and run charities. that is all.

[Scolopendra]

Since you seem to be the only one who actually knows anything about Masonic orders, can you tell me if the lodges are still segregated by race? That is what kept me from joining several decades ago.

Nope, no segregation.

[Greed and Death]

Since you seem to be the only one who actually knows anything about Masonic orders, can you tell me if the lodges are still segregated by race? That is what kept me from joining several decades ago.

Nope, no segregation.

Wasn't the last too lodges to recognize each other in the 1990's in Virgina ?

[Scolopendra]

Since you seem to be the only one who actually knows anything about Masonic orders, can you tell me if the lodges are still segregated by race? That is what kept me from joining several decades ago.

Nope, no segregation.

Wasn't the last too lodges to recognize each other in the 1990's in Virgina ?

I don't know that part of history, but I know Prince Hall Lodges are fully regular and no lodge I've ever seen or been in has been segregated. Just in our lodge alone you can name a non-white ethnicity and we have 'em somewhere.

[Greed and Death]

Nope, no segregation.

Wasn't the last too lodges to recognize each other in the 1990's in Virgina ?

I don't know that part of history, but I know Prince Hall Lodges are fully regular and no lodge I've ever seen or been in has been segregated. Just in our lodge alone you can name a non-white ethnicity and we have 'em somewhere.

To my knowledge the big issue was not segregation so much as mutual recognition. Because in the 19th century America's segregation lead to two lodges/grand lodges being formed in the same territory.
So we often ended up with two lodges of the same rite covering the same town and refusing to recognize each other.

[Scolopendra]

Makes sense. As far as I know Prince Hall lodges are still primarily black but they're considered perfectly regular nowadays and recognition is mutual--sort of like the Ancient/Accepted split.

[KaIashnikov]

from what I watched on the History Channel if you place the 6 pointed star symbol on the unfinneshed pyramid it points to 5 words: A,S,N,O,and M. if you flip these words around you get MASON.

I'm sure it could say Manson, too. As in Charles Manson. Are you saying we a psychotic Nazis? Your out of line. If you want to find out so bad go to Harvard join the Free Masons. Or go down the street join the localized groups ask around or google it. The internet always has the answers, just look harder.

[Iron Chariots]

It's a highly stylized apron,

Ah, an apron. That would make sense.

and remember that Freemasonry's basic rules were set down in 1717. Atheists weren't much in vogue, even among the humanist thinkers of the time. Deism is perfectly acceptable, though, and it's pretty close to atheism.

In what way? Atheists don't believe in any gods - how are you supposed to wrangle that?

Why would you want to join a group that apparently considers you inferior anyway? (And yes, Scolo, that was a joke and not a serious accusation of bigotry on the part of you or any other mason.)

My grandfather was a mason, and I know one guy who is (well, one that I know of. I suppose that I might know others and the subject just hasn't come up). He enjoys it, so that's cool, but I can't really be bothered to join and I'm not eligible anyway, though if I ever have some burning desire to I'll just lie and say I've become a deist. Assuming, of course, that nothing has happened in the meantime to actually change my mind about religion.

[Scolopendra]

Why would you want to join a group that apparently considers you inferior anyway? (And yes, Scolo, that was a joke and not a serious accusation of bigotry on the part of you or any other mason.)

Oh, I know it's a joke. Still, it must be said: it's not a statement that theists are superior; at this point, it's merely traditional.