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Cuda
10-10-2009, 11:40 AM
Is there any Masons on the board? My dad has been a 32nd degree Mason since before I was born. I'm thinking of joining. I asked my dad many years ago why he wanted to be a Mason. He said it was to better mankind.




http://www.trowel.com/flamason/what.htm

MOP
10-10-2009, 01:00 PM
My grand dad was a Mason, he wanted me to join. It is an interesting and powerful group with like you say good belief and high values!

oledawg
10-10-2009, 01:21 PM
Got one, Blue Lodge and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite for over 30 years. Great organizations, but truthfully I haven't actively participated in a long time. Pay my dues every year, etc. but not a lot more. In fact I never even moved my home lodge from Greenville, SC where I joined to any of the cities that I have lived in since. Just didn't take time to do it. Probably am one of the most senior members that many of my fellow lodge members have never even seen! Now that I am retired I need to do so!

Joining is something that you have to decide on your own, no one will ever ask you. You have to ask them. Takes a lot of time and study but is quite interesting. Takes a couple of years to go through it all. Now for fun, you can join the Shriners after getting your 32nd degree, good fun for a good cause. In fact all of the Masonic organizations support charities.

Again, joining is a personal decision that you have to decide to pursue on your own. :cool!:

Cuda
10-10-2009, 03:39 PM
Got one, Blue Lodge and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite for over 30 years. Great organizations, but truthfully I haven't actively participated in a long time. Pay my dues every year, etc. but not a lot more. In fact I never even moved my home lodge from Greenville, SC where I joined to any of the cities that I have lived in since. Just didn't take time to do it. Probably am one of the most senior members that many of my fellow lodge members have never even seen! Now that I am retired I need to do so!

Joining is something that you have to decide on your own, no one will ever ask you. You have to ask them. Takes a lot of time and study but is quite interesting. Takes a couple of years to go through it all. Now for fun, you can join the Shriners after getting your 32nd degree, good fun for a good cause. In fact all of the Masonic organizations support charities.

Again, joining is a personal decision that you have to decide to pursue on your own. :cool!:
I know that a Mason is not allowed to ask you to join. Mom and dad were at the Blue Lodge this morning for breakfast. My dad can speak the rites although they are written in code. One longtime member said he'd never seen anyone repeat the rites like dad, without looking at notes. The lodge dad belongs to helps cerebal palsy. My mom has been working every Thursday with her "kids" as long as we have lived in Florida. Dad only became very active after he retired from the Navy.

gold-n-rod
10-10-2009, 04:01 PM
Masons = CULT!!!

Cuda
10-10-2009, 04:24 PM
Masons = CULT!!!


That shows how little you know about Masons. If it's a secret society, it's the worse kept secret in history. There are Masonic temples all over the country, and listed in the phone book. The Mason's main decree is for the betterment of man. They doh't preach any religion whatsoever, and I think it's again Masonic law to preach a religion. Masons came from Freemasons, which means that a man if free to make his own decisions.

A cult? Not hardly.

RedDog
10-10-2009, 04:34 PM
I don't really know much about Masons. One son is named Mason (not intended to be related to Freemasons), my dad was a 32nd (or 33???) degree whatever that means, and I have a bunch of his old books on Mason ritual, dogma, rites, history, etc. Been thinking about selling them on e-bay.

He was a B-17 pilot in WWII and a I sold some of his old flight manuals on e-bay for some tighty funds a few years back

oledawg
10-10-2009, 06:38 PM
Yeah, yeah, and the Rotarians, and the Lions, and Knights of Columbus, Junior League, Young Life, etc, etc, are all cults too if that is your definition of a cult. Get a life and lighten up, or maybe you were actually joking with that comment about Masons = Cult. It is all good, so let's keep it that way!

Cuda
10-10-2009, 06:49 PM
As are the Boy Scouts a cult.

Cuda
10-10-2009, 06:52 PM
I don't really know much about Masons. One son is named Mason (not intended to be related to Freemasons), my dad was a 32nd (or 33???) degree whatever that means, and I have a bunch of his old books on Mason ritual, dogma, rites, history, etc. Been thinking about selling them on e-bay.
He was a B-17 pilot in WWII and a I sold some of his old flight manuals on e-bay for some tighty funds a few years back
Usually Masonic books are given by fellow Masons.

RedDog
10-10-2009, 07:56 PM
Usually Masonic books are given by fellow Masons.

well if you become one maybe I'll give them to you

I don't see me becoming a Mason

gold-n-rod
10-10-2009, 08:10 PM
Yeah, yeah, and the Rotarians, and the Lions, and Knights of Columbus, Junior League, Young Life, etc, etc, are all cults too if that is your definition of a cult. Get a life and lighten up, or maybe you were actually joking with that comment about Masons = Cult. It is all good, so let's keep it that way!

Yup... all of the above are indeed cults. They get so wrapped up in their "beliefs" that they can't see the big picture. :popcorn:

Ghost
10-10-2009, 08:14 PM
Yup... all of the above are indeed cults. They get so wrapped up in their "beliefs" that they can't see the big picture. :popcorn:

I gotta start by making it clear I know very little about these, and am making no claims at all.

That said, I was wondering if you could expand on what you mean here to some specifics. (Their beliefs, and the big picture that they don't see because of those.) Your note has me very curious to learn more.

Regards,

Mike

Cuda
10-10-2009, 08:40 PM
Yup... all of the above are indeed cults. They get so wrapped up in their "beliefs" that they can't see the big picture. :popcorn:
The only belief of a Mason, is the belief they are in charge of their own destiny, and they will do what benefits mankind. I don't know how you consider that a cult. If certain people go to the same grocery store on Saturdays, are they a cult? By your definition if more than two people believe in the same thing,they must be a cult.

oledawg
10-10-2009, 09:01 PM
Obviously there are some seemingly VERY narrow minded bigoted folks on this forum that don't know what they are talking about, ie per gold-n-rod's comments, and choose to try to use this forum to try to further propagation of ignorance. Lots of good people are/have been Masons, including the majority of the fathers/founders of our country. Peace to all. Let's talk about boats instead of something that some on the board know nothing about.

oledawg
10-10-2009, 09:44 PM
"In our modern world of the new millennium, the word "cult" has become largely overused and is now a catch-all for any group, religion or lifestyle which someone doesn't understand, or with which they happen to disagree. This is a dangerous trend, as many of the organizations labeled a cult by dissidents are truly legitimate groups. Once the taint of the term "cult" is applied to a particular group, it is often difficult to change that image to the public.




To avoid careless labeling which could be harmful to a group and its adherents, it is important to know just exactly what a cult is, and how it is defined. A cult, by modern standards, is any group that incorporates mind control to deceive, influence and govern its followers. Although most people think of cults as being religious, they can also be found in political, athletic, philosophical, racial or psychotherapeutic arenas.





The mind control, or brainwashing, exerted by cults often take the form of at least several of the following elements:


A totalitarian control over the lifestyle and time of its members - Many cults tend to dictate exactly what its followers should read, eat, how and with whom they should spend their time, and even what they should do in off hours. This totalitarian control is necessary for the leaders to indoctrinate the followers in everything they do, and is also an attempt to separate them from anything not associated with the cult. This is why cults often live together in groups.




A charismatic, self-appointed leader with complete authority - Cult members are taught not to question the teachings, practices, or ideas of the leader. Many cult leaders truly are charismatic people, and are able to influence people to believe them. It is common that a cult member is not told everything up front when joining the group, but that they are taught increasingly controlling ideas and teachings as they go. In the case of some of the more well-publicized cults that have come and gone, it is also common that the leader's ideas and demands evolve over time, becoming increasingly controlling and restrictive. One very clear identifying element dealing with the leader of a cult is that the leader will always focus the attention and veneration of the members upon himself or herself. At the heart of a cult usually lies a very self-centered and self-seeking person.



A focus on withholding truth from non-members - Many cults teach their followers to be completely open and truthful within the group, while at the same time they are encouraged to be secretive and evasive when questioned by people outside of the group. This is another form of mind control-instilling guilt in the members if they hold anything back within the group. The members are taught that outsiders wouldn't understand or that they would only make fun of the ideas and practices and requirements for living within the group. Only specially-commissioned members are appointed to recruit members from outside. New members are usually encouraged to keep silent or even lie, especially to their families and close friends.



The three elements listed above are very successful ways to create a group mentality, an us-against-them way of looking at things. This is essential for any cult that wants to keep its members. The more afraid of the outside world the members become, the more strongly and faithfully they will keep within the safe fold of the cult.


In our modern world of the new millennium, the word "cult" has become largely overused and is now a catch-all for any group, religion or lifestyle which someone doesn't understand, or with which they happen to disagree. This is a dangerous trend, as many of the organizations labeled a cult by dissidents are truly legitimate groups. Once the taint of the term "cult" is applied to a particular group, it is often difficult to change that image to the public.



To avoid careless labeling which could be harmful to a group and its adherents, it is important to know just exactly what a cult is, and how it is defined. A cult, by modern standards, is any group that incorporates mind control to deceive, influence and govern its followers. Although most people think of cults as being religious, they can also be found in political, athletic, philosophical, racial or psychotherapeutic arenas.


The mind control, or brainwashing, exerted by cults often take the form of at least several of the following elements:


A totalitarian control over the lifestyle and time of its members - Many cults tend to dictate exactly what its followers should read, eat, how and with whom they should spend their time, and even what they should do in off hours. This totalitarian control is necessary for the leaders to indoctrinate the followers in everything they do, and is also an attempt to separate them from anything not associated with the cult. This is why cults often live together in groups.



A charismatic, self-appointed leader with complete authority - Cult members are taught not to question the teachings, practices, or ideas of the leader. Many cult leaders truly are charismatic people, and are able to influence people to believe them. It is common that a cult member is not told everything up front when joining the group, but that they are taught increasingly controlling ideas and teachings as they go. In the case of some of the more well-publicized cults that have come and gone, it is also common that the leader's ideas and demands evolve over time, becoming increasingly controlling and restrictive. One very clear identifying element dealing with the leader of a cult is that the leader will always focus the attention and veneration of the members upon himself or herself. At the heart of a cult usually lies a very self-centered and self-seeking person.



A focus on withholding truth from non-members - Many cults teach their followers to be completely open and truthful within the group, while at the same time they are encouraged to be secretive and evasive when questioned by people outside of the group. This is another form of mind control-instilling guilt in the members if they hold anything back within the group. The members are taught that outsiders wouldn't understand or that they would only make fun of the ideas and practices and requirements for living within the group. Only specially-commissioned members are appointed to recruit members from outside. New members are usually encouraged to keep silent or even lie, especially to their families and close friends.



The three elements listed above are very successful ways to create a group mentality, an us-against-them way of looking at things. This is essential for any cult that wants to keep its members. The more afraid of the outside world the members become, the more strongly and faithfully they will keep within the safe fold of the cult."

Cuda
10-10-2009, 10:46 PM
What's a Mason?
That's not a surprising question. Even though Masons (Freemasons) are members of the largest and oldest fraternity in the world and even though almost everyone has a father or grandfather or uncle who was a Mason, many people aren't quite certain just who Masons are.
The answer is simple. A Mason (or Freemason) is a member of a fraternity known as Masonry (or Freemasonry). A fraternity is a group of men (just as a sorority is a group of women) who join together because:

There are things they want to do in the world.
There are things they want to do "inside their own minds."
They enjoy being together with men they like and respect.

Cuda
10-10-2009, 10:46 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ5SVDYBNrY

Cuda
10-11-2009, 08:38 AM
Here's an example of a cult.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/10/sweat.box.deaths/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn