Freemasons VS Prince Hall Mason's

[GBuck]

I haven't bashed anything. All I've done is quote from classic Masonic documents, and express my curiosity at why you prefer to keep it a secret.

And your questions have been answered multiple times, and you keep trying to bring things up to be argumentative and point out what you are trying to manipulate as "scary" things about Masonry. That is, IMO, bashing. I'm done with it.

 

[rambone]

"The true Mason is not creed-bound. He realizes with the divine illumination of his lodge that as a Mason his religion must be universal: Christ, Buddha, or Mohammed, the name means little, for he recognizes only the light and not the bearer. He worships at every shrine, bows before every altar, whether in temple, mosque or cathedral, realizing with his truer understanding the oneness of all spiritual truth." (The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, Manly P. Hall, 33o, p.65, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Co., Richmond, VA., 1976.)

I don't see how I could ever reconcile that with my faith.

 

[teddy12b]

I haven't bashed anything. All I've done is quote from classic Masonic documents, and express my curiosity at why you prefer to keep it a secret.

The last time I read a thread on Masonry on INGO there you were bashing and making your remarks about it. You're free to do and say whatever you please, but I don't think it says much for your character to go out of your way or look for the opportunity to make your little comments in a thread about freemasonry. If you don't like and don't want to be part of it that's fine, but I don't understand why you seem to enjoy mocking the oldest fraternity on earth.

To each their own. Haters are going to hate.

 

[GBuck]

I don't see how I could ever reconcile that with my faith.

Masonry is not for everyone, however, you should read my reply to his question before passing judgement. What he quoted is a small excerpt. Masonry focuses on the man, not the man's religion. We are about taking a good man and making them better through the idea that if you get a group of good men together, they will naturally improve eachother. As iron sharpens iron so to speak.

ETA: Also, as previously mentioned, Masonry only requires you have a belief in a higher power, it does not require it to be "all" higher powers, as steveh would have you believe through reading this.

 

[steveh_131]

The last time I read a thread on Masonry on INGO there you were bashing and making your remarks about it. You're free to do and say whatever you please, but I don't think it says much for your character to go out of your way or look for the opportunity to make your little comments in a thread about freemasonry. If you don't like and don't want to be part of it that's fine, but I don't understand why you seem to enjoy mocking the oldest fraternity on earth.

Just spreading some truth.

They say it sets you free.

 

[GBuck]

Just spreading some truth.

They say it sets you free.

Again, you're spreading "truth" about something which you clearly know nothing about. What you are doing is called propoganda.

 

[steveh_131]

We are about taking a good man and making them better through the idea that if you get a group of good men together, they will naturally improve eachother. As iron sharpens iron so to speak.

This is explicitly and completely incompatible with the Christian faith.

If anyone would like to know why, feel free to PM me.

 

[steveh_131]

Again, you're spreading "truth" about something which you clearly know nothing about. What you are doing is called propoganda.

The man asked some questions about Freemasonry.

I simply answered them with some excerpts from the classic texts on the subject.

You are welcome to rebut the ones that you choose to rebut and ignore the ones that you choose to keep secret. This is not propaganda.

 

[jsharmon7]

So, is it possible to go to a meeting and see what it's all about? Or does it not work that way?

 

[GBuck]

This is explicitly and completely incompatible with the Christian faith.

If anyone would like to know why, feel free to PM me.

PM sent, don't worry, I'll wait......

The man asked some questions about Freemasonry.

I simply answered them with some excerpts from the classic texts on the subject.

You are welcome to rebut the ones that you choose to rebut and ignore the ones that you choose to keep secret. This is not propaganda.

Correct, you answered with EXCERPTS from "classic texts". I have responded to everything you have said and yet you continue. You trying to answer questions about Masonry is like me trying to tell you the function of a proton accelerator. I know nothing about it, but I can find plenty on line about it. I can snip small pieces here and there to make it look like I know what I am talking about. When you are giving half truths while trying to influence the opinions of others, it is known as nothing other than propoganda.

 

[GBuck]

So, is it possible to go to a meeting and see what it's all about? Or does it not work that way?

There are many ways to learn about Masonry. You can meet people, myself included at a lodge any time you wish. I will answer any and all questions to the best of my ability. You would not be permitted into a meeting. Again, the secrets we keep are to help identify another mason, going to a meeting you would learn these "secrets".

 

[steveh_131]

PM sent, don't worry, I'll wait......

Done.

Correct, you answered with EXCERPTS from "classic texts". I have responded to everything you have said and yet you continue. You trying to answer questions about Masonry is like me trying to tell you the function of a proton accelerator. I know nothing about it, but I can find plenty on line about it. I can snip small pieces here and there to make it look like I know what I am talking about. When you are giving half truths while trying to influence the opinions of others, it is known as nothing other than propoganda.

Well I can't very well quote the entire work, now can I?

Understanding freemasonry isn't all that difficult if you do a little research. Certainly nothing like a proton accelerator.

 

[Doug]

There are public gatherings, but the actual meetings are private and for members only, as are most organizations of similar type: The Lions club, International Order of Oddfellows, Knights of Columbus, The Rotary Club, etc.

The Masons have never been a secret organization in the sense that they hide their existence or their identities.

The traditions say that a Mason should not publicly defend the organization because of the belief that more harm would be done by disputing with ignorant and/or argumentative people than by not answering false charges.

Again, if you want to know about masonry, meet privately with a mason.

 

[Westside]

There are public gatherings, but the actual meetings are private and for members only, as are most organizations of similar type: The Lions club, International Order of Oddfellows, Knights of Columbus, The Rotary Club, etc.

The Masons have never been a secret organization in the sense that they hide their existence or their identities.

The traditions say that a Mason should not publicly defend the organization because of the belief that more harm would be done by disputing with ignorant and/or argumentative people than by not answering false charges.

Again, if you want to know about masonry, meet privately with a mason.

^^^^ This is great advice.

 

[GBuck]

There are public gatherings, but the actual meetings are private and for members only, as are most organizations of similar type: The Lions club, International Order of Oddfellows, Knights of Columbus, The Rotary Club, etc.

The Masons have never been a secret organization in the sense that they hide their existence or their identities.

The traditions say that a Mason should not publicly defend the organization because of the belief that more harm would be done by disputing with ignorant and/or argumentative people than by not answering false charges.

Again, if you want to know about masonry, meet privately with a mason.

Agreed. That is why I'm TRYING to avoid being defensive and rather put out the good information being asked about and in an acceptable manner. I COMPLETELY agree that meeting with someone is a much better idea.

 

[Sylvain]

I think that Freemasonry is less secret in the US than it is in other countries like in Europe.
I have seen buildings with huge Freemason symbols on them in the US that are clearly Freemason temples, the address is publicly known.
On the other hand I have never seen a Freemason building like that in Europe (besides the very well known temples like in Paris and London).
Big cities must have temples as well but they dont advertise for them.
Same way it looks easier to meet Freemason in the US than it is in Europe.
I know many people and have family in several countries in Europe and I never heard any friend or family talking about being a Freemason or even knowing one.
In the US, where I know fewer people, I actually know about more people being Freemasons.
Maybe that's just a cultural thing and it has nothing to do with Freemasonry, maybe the rules are different in each country, I dont know.
I would be curious to know if US Masons have contacts with foreign Masons.

 

[Mr. Habib]

Correct, you answered with EXCERPTS from "classic texts". I have responded to everything you have said and yet you continue. You trying to answer questions about Masonry is like me trying to tell you the function of a proton accelerator. I know nothing about it, but I can find plenty on line about it. I can snip small pieces here and there to make it look like I know what I am talking about. When you are giving half truths while trying to influence the opinions of others, it is known as nothing other than propoganda.

As someone who knows a lot more about proton accelerators than about the Free Masons, that makes sense. BTW, if you want to come and see a proton accelerator sometime, PM me and I'll see what I can do.

 

[Westside]

 

[GBuck]

I think that Freemasonry is less secret in the US than it is in other countries like in Europe.
I have seen buildings with huge Freemason symbols on them in the US that are clearly Freemason temples, the address is publicly known.
On the other hand I have never seen a Freemason building like that in Europe (besides the very well known temples like in Paris and London).
Big cities must have temples as well but they dont advertise for them.
Same way it looks easier to meet Freemason in the US than it is in Europe.
I know many people and have family in several countries in Europe and I never heard any friend or family talking about being a Freemason or even knowing one.
In the US, where I know fewer people, I actually know about more people being Freemasons.
Maybe that's just a cultural thing and it has nothing to do with Freemasonry, maybe the rules are different in each country, I dont know.
I would be curious to know if US Masons have contacts with foreign Masons.

I know some from England, they actually came over to a lodge in Indy to show us some of the differences in the way things are done, it was quite cool.

 

[GBuck]

As someone who knows a lot more about proton accelerators than about the Free Masons, that makes sense. BTW, if you want to come and see a proton accelerator sometime, PM me and I'll see what I can do.

I would be very interested in this!!!