Freemasons?

[Prudie]

I know very little about the masons but find it hard to believe that such a secret society still manages to be so powerful these days. For years at work there have been mumblings about people getting promoted because they are in the masons and several senior staff are reasonably open about being one. What is it that makes them look after each other, even defending what is morally wrong in some cases (so I'm led to believe)?

[Duncer]

You may be led to believe this, but by whom? Lots of clubs/societies look after each other. If there is a valid accusation of nepotism then I would suggest HR as a first port call.

Meanwhile, practically all you could ever need to know about Freemasonry is available on the net, so it is not really that secret any more.

[magsmay]

duncer wrote: // meanwhile, practically all you could ever need to know about Freemasonry is available on the net, //
...no its not! Just what they want you to know

[Duncer]

..................and you know this how?

[rsvp]

My take on the Masons is that it's not a secret society - it does have secrets but what society doesn't? Have been married to a mason and my FIL was in the chair at a lodge - in my opinion they did a lot of good within the community. Maybe it's like everything, the quality of the service is dependant on the quality of those serving.

[Wharton]

I was at a Freemasons versus Knights of Columbus football match. I can't tell you the score. It's a secret.

[Duncer]

Did you ref it?

[Wharton]

I'm not saying :-)

[croesus]

I myself am a member of 4 lodges but self employed, perhaps I should give myself a raise..?

[kawakiri]

Was the pitch level?

[Duncer]

You can belong to four lodges? That's an awful lot of secrets...........

[Wharton]

Just keep beavering away croesus :-)

[croesus]

As with all misconceptions regarding our craft, if people want to know ask someone who can tell them

[boxtops]

It's not that secret - it used to be, but much more open now. They do a lot of good work locally. Masons are not supposed to benefit from belonging to a lodge but inevitably people who know each other and belong to a "club" go to each other when they want to get something done.

[Prudie]

I'm well aware that they do good in the community as do lots of other groups. That's irrelevant. It seems there is an underlying brotherhood that looks after each other in a slightly sinister way. Those who have answered saying they're not secret just compounds my opinion and I'm not so daft as to think the AB masons are going to say anything different. magsmay you're right.

[rsvp]

then you've clearly got your answer before you asked the question.

[Prudie]

No I haven't rsvp, I was hoping someone would answer my last sentence.

[rsvp]

as you said Prudie ' so I'm led to believe' - is this an observation based on what you know for a fact or is this a supposition based on gossip and conjecture? Am not being provocative, I'm just basing my observations on what I know. I accept there is corruption everwhere but on basis, I think the masons are okay.

[giveup]

There was some remark about Masons being corrupt and the antichrist etc. My husband said "they must have been to more interesting lodges than ours". Its really like a big boys cubs. Good social life though.

[LazyGun]

I always thought they were something of a diminishing force, Prudie. Where they might once have been a secret organisation, they have, over the years, merely become secretive.

Not sure how much good they do within society for charity - I have never seen an analysis, so cannot comment on that, apart from the fairly basic observation that charity is generally a good thing but does have its faults.

There was, once upon a time, some entirely understandable concerns over the establishments connections to freemasons lodges - judges, police, lawyers, businessmen - and one can imagine that in such an environment, you might be tempted to do a favour for a friend.

Most of those fears seem to have been eased in recent years - Didn't it become mandatory that one had to declare your status wrt being a mason if you were in the police force, etc?

[Prudie]

Nice answer lazygun. I'm certainly aware of their previous influence in the police etc. I certainly wouldn't suggest anything about the antichrist! What good they may or not do is as I said irrelevant. Many groups do their bit for the community. I just know, working in a very grade orientated environment, that several people have had meteoric rises through the ranks who are known to be in, have a father or uncle etc in, the freemasons. I'm just wondering if the rumours are true about a connection.