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Freemasonry ... cult or a boys club?

All I'll say is this -- I joined a Masonic lodge looking for philosophy and spirituality, and found a dying old boys' club in which the philosophical and spiritual aspects have been very much downplayed. At least here in the Northeastern US, it attracts a very right-wing crowd who care much more about preserving a (real or imagined) social order in which being a white male carries inherent privilege, than they care about any kind of personal inner transformation.

Bottom line, I'm highly supportive of Freemasonry in theory and principle. But until I run across a lodge full of kindred spirits (which I'm still hopeful exists somewhere), I'm rather jaundiced on it in actual practice. The organization has a lot of work to do and revisions to be made if it's to meet the social (to say nothing of philosophical, ethical, or spiritual) needs of the younger generation in the US. If it does not meet these challenges soon, it is moribund.

The UK may be a whole different cup o' joe. Freemasonry is, after all, indigenous to Britain, and has doubtless played a very different role in your society than mine. I would not be surprised if the group attracts a fundamentally different crowd in Britain than the US or other British diaspora countries.

I've never gotten a straight answer on Masonry's connection to atheism. On the surface, no, the Masons do not accept people who come to them as unbelievers. But at the same time, Masonry is clearly a product and champion of Enlightenment values and principles, and its theology has been described as Deist. I wonder if maybe (at least originally), the reason the Masons did not accept atheists upfront, was because atheism or something close to it was actually the central revelation of Masonry, and the specific way in which the former believer was lowered gently and comfortably into a state of unbelief was what the Masons had to offer, such that being an atheist from day one would render the whole transformative process rather underwhelming. This theory also offers an interesting perspective on why Masonry is dying out -- its "secrets" are no longer uncommon, shocking, or even that controversial anymore, now that secularism is popular.
 
The rosy cross pisses all over freemasonry - all the cool kids are getting into the h--mon--k-i these days - catch up!
 
MyDoorsAreOpen said:
The UK may be a whole different cup o' joe. Freemasonry is, after all, indigenous to Britain, and has doubtless played a very different role in your society than mine. I would not be surprised if the group attracts a fundamentally different crowd in Britain than the US or other British diaspora countries.

I've never gotten a straight answer on Masonry's connection to atheism.
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It is so different in the states because we have abandoned much of the traditions that are the formula of Freemasonry, the greatest cause being not communicating with the Grand Lodge, altering degree rites, and altering degree ceremonies which are designed to have a specific lasting effect on the psyche and soul.
 
I got pushed to join by a family member, but fuck those guys. Blinding white hair, myopia, xenophobia, and beer bellies. Does that sound like something you want to be a part of?

There is absolutely 0 chance I would be accepted, also. My life is so different from those guys, I don't even know what they would think.
 
muvolution said:
I got pushed to join by a family member, but fuck those guys. Blinding white hair, myopia, xenophobia, and beer bellies. Does that sound like something you want to be a part of?

There is absolutely 0 chance I would be accepted, also. My life is so different from those guys, I don't even know what they would think.
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i think you should give it a try. if youre being pushed to join then you must be acceptable. do your own think and let us know how they react to you
 
Has anyone seen Serial Experiments Lain? No? Anyway - that guy who wants to join the Knights.



Regards,
King Knight!

Create your own religion! Be the leader!
 
"Freemason" was originally "free my son".
In its original conception, it was intended to facilitate the removal of "free men" from "men" (i.e. the general public)

Of course, the modern day "freemasons" have it all backwards - due to a lack of imagination. The older freemasons - especially the most high and noble order of the kings sacred red garter - did not have such a lack of imagination.

All understanding is therefore enharmonic - contrary to previously reports which stated the same misspelling - and contained hidden references for those in the know - who know who they are. The rest, unfortunately, are left to wonder. This is the order of things.

As above
So below.
Masonic initiates will appreciate the numeric symbolism in this post.

in equal measure
always.
 
Lain is my namesake actually. Her's, though, is a retelling of the story of Christ, cast in a technologic and neospiritual context, and incorporating elements of archetypal symbolism and gnosis.
The series is actually the topic of a dissertation I'm writing.
 
I see them as the representation of Church. An organization originally meant to safeguard the path and help along the way (almost like Templars), but has fallen victim to their own agenda. The Knights are like the builders as well. They help Lain find her way through constructing events that she must face. She is the only one who can make the choices and destroy the old system, but the Knights still try to direct her without actually interfering.

I can't go too in depth, because honestly I need to watch the series through every time I work on the paper lol. It's such a complex series, and it's so difficult to grasp everything when it's all so vague.
Plus I also sorta got distracted and have been working on something else for the past bit, so it's been pushed out of my noggin. But now I'm interested again, and am probably gonna watch the series tomorrow and get back to work. (:
 
!!4iV4HF9R34g said:
I see them as the representation of Church. An organization originally meant to safeguard the path and help along the way (almost like Templars), but has fallen victim to their own agenda. The Knights are like the builders as well.
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Sssshhhh! We are all here to ensure a complete restoration of the rosen-cross, but please try to be less less explicit in laying down the foundations of the thrice-rejuvenated lain - the wheel turns for all the same. Behind the scenes the gears are uneven r4d\
 
my experience so far here in aus differs greatly from mdoa and muvo. sure the majority are aged, but everyone here is genuinely from all walks of life, with no common political agenda (which is never discussed anyway). i have met a lot of masons and not one has been a person i don't like. that and always have great fun.

so if you're worried about joining, don't, because you can always seek out another lodge or simply leave.
 
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