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What Masonry means to people
Their thoughts on the Meaning of Masonry
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Turning The Hiram Key
Find out what Masonry means to Robert by reading his latest book,
Turning The Hiram Key.
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By Mayor Curley |
I always thought freemasonry was interesting. I know freemasons do a lot of charity work and are monotheistic. I have the impression it is somewhat built on the teachings of Christ, but is more interested in His wisdom/charity teachings and putting them in to practice and not the religiosity that many groups get involved in.
I know there is also a lot of negativity and claims of it being evil -- probably a lot stemming from the secrecy of it all. I have read a lot of these claims and think they are nonsense.
I am Catholic so I can't join but have always had an interest in free masonry and thought it would be good for me to help me a better person (and have a better network of people I know).
But we can't join as Catholics for whatever reason -- and since I love my faith I just leave freemasonry alone from a membership standpoint. |
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By Bro. T.J.C. |
I began learning about freemasonry through reading about other subjects that I was interested in. My Grandmother is a Rosicrucian as was my Grandfather. Myself, being naturally curious, was always asking her questions about things of a philosophical and esoteric nature and borrowing books from the family library.
It was among these treasures that I came across the writings of Manly P. Hall. who wrote many good books about the Great Arcanum. His writing on biblical and masonic subjects I found to be particularly illuminating.
At the time that I was studying the Secret Teachings of All Ages (which is now being reprinted in soft cover) I learned that a good friend of mine was a Mason. Naturally I began pestering him with questions about speculative Masonry, which he answered cryptically. My wife and I were invited to attend a Ladies night festive board where we enjoyed a great meal and were very well treated (even though I won the draw). Eventually I asked him about joining a Lodge and he gladly produced an application to join.
After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only two months, I was summoned to be investigated by some of the lodges officers. The waiting period was a fairly anxious time for me as it would be for many prospective candidates who are unaware of how the process unfolds.
Finally I was sent a letter inviting me to my initiation ceremony. I had a pretty good idea of what to expect would occur because I had read the Hiram Key. This is something that I regret having done because I believe the intended psychological effect that the ceremony had on me was diminished to some degree, like reading the ending of a great story first. In retrospect it would have been much better to have waited untill after being raised to read it, however if I had not read it in the first place I may have never asked the question that needed to be asked.
It is very difficult to articulate my feelings associated with my initiation. Without a doubt it was among the most significant and emotionally charged experiences of my life. The best advice that I received beforehand was that it was important to open up and enjoy the experience.
I worked hard on my passing degree and found it to be a rewarding acheivement. Although the energy seemed very different and less emotive in the second degree, I felt that I gained a better awareness of the effects that Freemasonry has on me.
I am currently studying the material for my raising ceremony, which is to take place next month. Candidates are brought through the three degrees of Craft Masonry much quicker than I would have thought. It is as though all the answers are provided and our job as Freemasons is to discover the proper questions. |
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By David |
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As a practising Magickian I have seen that the Masonic Initiation is one of the few valid initiations a man can take in this day. Other than the preisthood, which is far to much of a commitment. I have seen sevreral of the hidden messages in the ritual. Especially in the Royal Arch where I have found a lot of Qabbalistic symbolism hidden in the words. |
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By Jim |
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Freemasonry has different meanings to each man who has experienced the degrees and then has moved forward with the contemplation of each of its tenets. As for me, in the 44 years since I was raised to the 3rd Degree, I have tried to enhance my knowledge of the Craft, from its earliest times to present. This search has convinced me that the majority of members of the Fraternity have not really given much thoughr to the organization of which they claim membership. I truly believe this is the reason they hesitate to discuss the Fraternity with their friends and asociates, fearing that they will divulge something which they shouldn't or believing they do not know enough about Freemasonry to openly discuss it. As a result, they even tend to hide their relationship with the Craft in hopes they will NOT be asked what it is. Thus, they make it impossible for men who really wish to be informed, to learn of our beliefs. |
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By Joe Marschall |
Should Freemasonry be secret, or should we be more open about it? - Aboslutely open, and only controlled to the extent of avoiding uneducated ridicule.
What does Masonic ritual mean to you? - A key to life.
How do you feel when you were made a Mason? - Ignorant, as I joined out of curiousity.
And what role has Masonic ritual played in your life since? - Fantastic way of guiding my thinking.
Do you feel it is something which can not, or perhaps should not, be put into words - absolutely NOT - we should be amonst society's ethical guardians! |
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By YK |
I understand what I say here may offend or even appear 'devilish' to some. However, may I emphasize again that this is nothing more than a personal opinion, with which this window is for. I'm a believer of a GOD, in which it doesn't fall prey to 'gender' differentiation or belong to anyone.
Freemasonary to me is a consequence of ideals and knowledge evolution which may have began from the dawn of history, passed through hands of ancient civilisation, scholars, priests, kings, knights, scientists and 'politicians' of the past. Indeed, to all cause we would like to believe that a 'carrot' awaits us, yet, the 'stick' in which had been used to direct the cause could be more deluded than we would like to believe if it is to be trapped in selfish pursues. In extreme cases it would have caused the fall of entire village, race, ciivlisation and errosion of hopes and beliefs. This is very sad.
In the age as of our own, perhaps freemasonary should never again be for the 'elite' few, but for anyone who seek sincere understanding, peace and wisdom. Perhaps more is at stake here than some would like to admit, but if it is truth and justice that society seeks, wouldn't it be a tragedy if the house remains delusive. |
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By Bro N P Smith |
The meaning of masonry is the self improvement,moral personal and spiritual.It is an amalgamation of many earlier paths, some ancient some more recent. It follows the style of the 'mysteries' of Egypt, the Druids,Greeks etc where there was an outer mystery ie a literal interpretation of the ledgends,and an inner mystery, a more enlightened and science based
view. Christianity had the Gnostics, sunni Islam the sufis, shia Islam the Ismailis and Judaism
the Kabbalah.
For me FM is of the same ilk. It is an inner mystery tradition of great importance and a fusion of many ideas as mentioned above.
Unfortunately the vast majority of masons do not think like this. Their integrity,charity and honesty are beyond reproach. Their devotion to the craft is never in question but they never think beyond the next promotion. For the craft to continue it is vital for some brethren to progress in rank I accept that, but a Bro can become master, get provincial honours ,learn the ritual perfectly,know all the complex proceedures for visiting high fliers and never once thought any deeper about the craft than which toast goes where at the festive board !
I may well upset some brethren with the above comments. I am proud to be a bro in a fraternity of such high moral and charitable standards but I feel the craft has become a very
worthy gentlemans club full of men of the highest calibre,and a great advantage to society in general but ultimately a club.
Am I the only 'esoteric' mason out there.
My best wishes to all, masons or not |
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By Sissy |
I have had several encounters with perple who were either members or prior member the Masons.
In one incidence, it involved my uncle. We were never close, infact his whole family treated me with great distance. I was raised a Catholic and they were Protestant. I always thought that my Catholic faith was the reason for the coolness. It was not until my uncle's death did I learn he was a Mason. Both my brother and I were not invited to the family dinner just prior to the funeral. It was at the cemetery, that I finally saw the Masonic sign and learned my uncle had been a Mason for many many year. I had always been thought that Masons with the higher degrees definitely were anti-Catholic.
In the second incidence, I joined a parish that had a priest who was a convert from the Anglican Church. In a conversation with the priest, I learned one day, that he had been a Mason while an Anglician priest. He saw nothing wrong it his having been a Mason. I really don't know if he had left the Masons when he became a Catholic priest.
As time when by, I started to see this priest exhibited more and more strange behavior that certainly didn't add up to the actions of any of Catholic priest I had ever known.One example was he remodeled the church by painting the ceiling blue and having stars painted on it. The walls were painted a rust and green. I seemed to have read somewhere that the Masons used blue ceilings and stars at their places, but I never could find that information when I became concerned. I have never seen a Catholic Church look like that in all my 65 years before of since then either.
If you can tell me about how Mason places are designed, maybe that could help me better understand if my suspecions were correct. At any rate, I left the parish several years back and have never returned. I have since met others who have left as well and they too felt something was very wrong, but just couldn't put their finger on it.
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By Cristina, Gavrus |
I am a 21 years old girl and I come from a country that allows people to do what they want, only to criticize them after that. We like to gossip. So the Freemasons are regarded as some twisted secret society that, even if people don't have a clue about what you are doing, is simply bad. It's wrong and, hey, what's with the rituals? Some people say that it's a religious cult; some say that it's a political movement acting in the shadow of the social scene. I really don't know what to believe. I've heard about your books from my dad, who loves history and has a pile of books on different civilizations and their impact on modern society. One day he showed me The Hiram Key and from that day on I've been more than interested by this subject. I didn't read it yet, because my dad kept on lending it to different people, but now it's in my hands and I can't wait to begin. If my introduction bored you, I apologize, but I feel the need to explain my opinion, because you may find it lacunar and simple or simplistic.
Well, being a woman doesn't help me much, because a lot of people told me that women aren't allowed in the Freemasonry and I was disappointed by this |
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By Richard |
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For most of my life I considered FREEMASONRY (FM) to be a secret dark society formed for the purpose of manipulating others for the benefit of the members of FM. Today I think it is largely a defunct organization a mere remenant of what it once was and that it was at best one layer of the oinion known as the Illuminati. FM itself was formed as an oinion to reflect the design of the larger and more secrative Illuminati. FM still has the same purpose but is less important and usfull as it has become too familiar to be a powerfull organization, however I believe it still has some influence in some area's so it still exists today. |
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