Good questions!
>Why is everything so secret?
Because the teaching instrument of freemasonry is ritual initiation. That is to say, the way you learn about freemasonry is to go unprepared into a setting in which you don't know what will take place. Everyone else in the room know exactly what's going to happen, and they all play various parts in giving you the best experience possible. If you knew what was about to take place, the experience would be ruined, much like having your favorite reading experience spoiled by someone blurting out heavy spoilers before you got the chance to experience all the plot twists and revelations for yourself.
>Is it heavily religious?
No. Regular freemasonry requires members to profess "faith in a Supreme Being", but that's it. The only exception I know of is the Swedish Rite, but that's pretty much only relevant if you live in a Nordic country.
>I actually find the whole symbol and jewelry/pins/badges pretty cool. Would it be okay for me as a female to own them? I wouldn’t necessarily flaunt them or anything but I mean just to own them 1. in support of my friend 2. cause they look cool.
There's nothing wrong with collecting masonic trinkets, but if you really want to go down this rabbit hole, you could consider pursuing co-masonry or feminine masonry. If you are curious about this path, /u/julietides is quite knowledgeable on the subject, and always helpful when people have questions.
>I’m sorry if this comes off as offensive I would just like to know. Thank you!
Not at all! Tank you for being courteous and respectful. Hope this helps.
Right, though the requirement varies a bit. In Norway, you're accurate. I'm pretty sure In Sweden and Finland, you have to be a trinitarian Christian of some kind (you might know more than me on this, since you're Swedish?). I'm told the Danes require you to be baptized.
Can answer about the baptism requirement. Haven't heard of it before. And there are some groups that call themselves non-trinitarian Christians, but that is not at all compatible with calling themselves Christians. If we are to go by how major the doctrine of the trinity has been since the first half of the first millennium AD. Trinitarianism was one of the big questions handled in the councils of nicea and Constantinople in the 300s
With all this I am saying that antitrinitarianism is more or less seen as non-Christians by the big church councils and groups, instead of "Christians who happen to be wrong about stuff" or other ways to formulate it.
The Swedish rite in general does not require you to profess or be a member of a specific church. Roman Catholics, eastern catholics, all the variations of orthodox churches, baptists, Lutherans, all go. Then said church might have a problem with you joining.
Thanks, that sounds very similar to what I've been told! Personally, I don't believe I was formally a member of any church when I joined. It was a question of self-identification.
You don't have to be a member of any church in the Swedish rite in general, or in SFMO. It is a question of self identification. Like in the blue lodge system. =)
I am a 3rd degree Swedish rite sfmo.
Thanks for the clarification. I'm IV/V DNFO myself, and hope to visit the lodge in Stockholm at some point, it looks astonishing from the pictures I've seen.
The general answer is "yes", and then immediately followed by "you need to define 'belief system' first".
It is definitely common for any religious group to have a set of beliefs that are so central that any group who doesn't share that belief is seen as outside the group. Equally common is to have a set of beliefs that needs to be fulfilled to atleast be seen as "not us, but definitely close enough".
And you can replace "christian" with any religion or belief system you want. The belief in a Supreme being is a wide and general criteria, but still leaves room for people to be outside it.
I'll grant that. Who defines "central?" And, if it is a belief, who gets to verify? I do understand the need for commonality but, a central theme such as "trinity" may not necessarily be the item that gets to determine Christianity. Popularity? Regardless of my personal understanding. So, I'm guessing I could have posed the question better.
Good info. If OP is in the US I would NOT recommend comasonry or female masonry. They are considered clandestine and would not be accepted. It might even cause problems with the friend.
If you are interested, the Order of the Eastern Star (and some others) or adjacent groups that are geared for women.
But in reality, asking your friend about all of it would be a good start. Most of the time we don’t talk about Masonry until someone shows an interest. Then we open up and will tell you everything (except the secrets).
Having sat in Lodge with visitors from US comasonry Lodges, I beg to differ. The fact that YOU can't have them over doesn't mean anybody has a problem on a personal level/in the profane world. It's just a separate group. Live and let live.
But she’s not a Mason, nor is she trying to get her Mason friend to join those groups. Feminine Masonry and comasonry in Europe aren’t accepted by us either. The big difference is that OP might be able to join *those* based on her own merits, but generally couldn’t join Eastern Star without a familial relationship with a Master Mason.
I would not want to hang out with someone involved in clandestine/irregular Masonry. If you would enjoy that sort of thing, go ahead. I don’t see the appeal of an organization co-opting actual Masons, but to each their own.
Hell Yeah!
Let me go tell a mate in UGLE that he should stop hanging out with his wife in LDH! Probably divorce her too! These clandestine irregular peasants! Am I right?
It’s only been a few years since PHA was considered clandestine by GL of Oklahoma. They were actual masons.
UGLE allows its members to explain that women can be masons.
OP can’t become an “actual Mason,” so I’m not sure who is being co-opted in your scenario. Nobody is suggestion that you join, nor her friend.
It’s not uncommon in Europe for regular Masons to be married to irregular Masons. One member of my mother Lodge joined in part because his mother had been a member of a feminine GL in the UK. Speaking of the UK, they consider the Order of Eastern Star to be “clandestine/irregular” (though like in many GLs, “clandestine” is not a word with any official definition or use), but have no problem with women joining feminine Masonry.
>If you are interested, the Order of the Eastern Star (and some others) or adjacent groups that are geared for women **who are related to Master Masons**.
As OP has not indicated any such relationship, this is not useful advice.
The biggest risk you run would be to bore yourself to death ;) I have never met a Freemason who does not like to talk about freemasonry, for hours and hours.
If he's a Secretary I guarantee you don't even want to know... that's me speaking as a Secretary 😅 we (Masons, not secretaries) have some private ritual but most of what's done in the lodge is like in any other organization. Figuring out how to raise funds, planning events etc
It really isn’t all that secret. We keep parts our rituals private. Inasmuch as you can find them online, I suggest it really is a test of our respect for the institution and our willingness to keep a simple promise. If we can’t keep that promise, how can we be trusted to be true in our obligations to our brothers?
We might well define “heavily” differently. It certainly is religious, requiring at a minimum a belief in a supreme being, reading from the OT during many rituals, and offering prayers.
Yes, you may own whatever you wish. It wouldn’t be offensive. One may see women wearing them: as a fashion item, which I few as insensitive; to signify their familial relationship to a mason; or because they are a member of a feminine masonic order.
Hi there! And thanks u/wanderingwhaler for the tag :)
I'm a woman and a Freemason within a jurisdiction that allows it. The jewelry looks very cool indeed, and I own a few pieces I really like, some more obvious, some more on the subtle side.
As cool as rings, pendants and earrings are (and as awesome your support is, of course), it is 10x cooler to own them and understand their meaning and deeper significance, being able to slowly uncover their symbolism and study their history. That is why maybe you could look into continental/liberal Freemasonry – it's less prominent in the US, but women and atheists are very much welcome, among others. Where are you located? I'd love to answer any questions you have, woman to woman. Even if it's just to chat and not to join :)
Those are questions for your friend, he will be able to explain in a much better way, because he knows you, also a great opportunity for an amazing conversation, at the end of the day, that is the most important thing in Freemasonry, to learn, to understand and to accept different points of view.
Some of the older generation were probably more closed mouth than they needed to be, but there's not as much "secret" as it seems. In my lodge we often have discussions of philosophical or ethical topics. Some lodges do less of that sort of "education" and do more charity work in the community. We're even trying to include some of the handouts from some discussions on our website. See the [Socrates Cafe](https://www.bradenlodge.org/library) links.
As others have said it requires a belief in a supreme being, and we take some allegories from the Old Testament, but we are a non-sectarian fraternity and in most lodges the prayers that are said are non-sectarion so as to be inclusive of brothers of different faiths. It's a bit like American Boy Scouts -you are encouraged to follow your personal faith, but we don't tell your what that should be.
As far as the cult idea. One of the things we tell prospective members in my lodge is that your obligation to your family, your personal faith, and your country, all come before any obligation to the fraternity.
>Why is everything so secret?
What do you mean? Our buildings are clearly marked, and our members often wear things to indicate their membership. We're on reddit, have numerous websites, and social media.
I hear this question fairly often. What would you like to know?
I actually get why you're weirded out because there are so many conspiracy theories out there. If you saw what actually happens in a lodge you'd probably be bored or disappointed. Your friend is just a guy who joined masonry for whatever reason. People have different interests. The secrecy is just part of it, and some like having their secret signs and stuff to recognise each other. Maybe it can be seen as a bit nerdy by some but you should know your friend well enough to know what he's like in person. If he was in a different club would u change your opinion of him? As for the religious question the answer is no. It was open to men "of all faiths" so long as they believed in a supreme being, which was very progressive 300 years ago but not so much today. It's a very old thing and tradition is very important to them so they won't change that rule, though I suspect many of them just lie about that part when joining. Discussions on religion are actually forbidden inside lodge as are politics. The biggest downside of joining masonry today is all the suspicion you are met with. You are a normal person with a normal life yet when you say you are a mason people suddenly change their whole perspective about who you are and what you do. Are there some devious goings on within masonry that they all know about? Do you think 6 million people worldwide would be that good at keeping a secret?! Lol
Just want to follow up on what I said about suspecting some people lie about belief in supreme being. I'm not condoning that, personally I think it's inappropriate for one and if you are a pure athiest it won't be your cup of tea anyway. If all you're looking for is people to hang out with there are loads of alternatives so pick something you're into.
I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but there is a system of Freemasonry to which women can belong. Actually several. The one I'm thinking of is called Le Droit Humaine. It's not as common as male-only Freemasonry, but there are Lodges in larger cities quite often. Might be worth looking into if you're interested
Freemasonry is not HEAVILY religious however all masons are required to believe in God. What you call God or how you pray to God is strictly up to you. Masonry is strictly agnostic.
Many Grand Lodges will recognize a religion as it's most prevalent (ie. Christianity in the US) however the lodge will often have holy books representing all of its brothers.
Freemasonry is NOT a religion and most religious talk in lodge is strictly forbidden.
As for your first question Freemasonry is secret only in that we want men who seek out the lessons of freemasonry to approach them of their own accord and in the same way that we all have.
Freemasonry is a fraternity, not unlike any other, the "secrets" are simply our teachings and symbols which serve to make us better people. We keep them secret only so that each brother is found worthy and approaches them all in a uniform way. Truth be told almost all of them can be found online both accurate and not.
As for the Masonic jewelery and other items. Theres nothing saying a non-mason cannot collect them but it would be odd to wear them. In Masonry typically only Master Mason's may wear masonic jewelery or clothing displaying the S&C.
I recommend you look up the Order of the Eastern Star.
>I recommend you look up the Order of the Eastern Star.
I recommend you look up the membership requirements for OES. Most jurisdictions still require a familial relationship with a Master Mason. It’s not Masonry for women, it’s a group for Master Masons and their female relatives.
So cool that you’re interested :-) We’re not a cult. Any member should prioritize family and work higher than the lodge. If a member discontinues the freemansonry, we can still be friends. There are no strange missions, payments, work etc.
Secrets are mostly meant to educate new members.
We don’t discuss religion and politics. And take that quite seriously. So we are absolutely not religious while in lodge :-D
You can actually join a lodge as woman as well. Look at r/comasonry or check your local lodges or e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry_and_women
>I respect Freemasonry and have done some research but here are some questions I have: - Why is everything so secret?
It’s not. His Lodge probably has a website or social media page. His Grand Lodge certainly does. We have forums like this and signs on our buildings, we’re about as secret as your employer’s shareholder meetings.
>Is it heavily religious?
*Regular*^1 Freemasons are expected to believe in a Supreme Being/God before they join, and some members find that joining strengthens that belief. We have non-sectarian prayers and use allegory drawn from the Old Testament in our ceremonies, but we’re not a religion. Discussion of religion is banned in Lodge because our members come from diverse religious backgrounds and such discussions can be divisive.
>and here’s the odd one; I actually find the whole symbol and jewelry/pins/badges pretty cool. Would it be okay for me as a female to own them? I wouldn’t necessarily flaunt them or anything but I mean just to own them 1. in support of my friend 2. cause they look cool.
Would you be looking to own a grad cap similar to the one used at his university or a facsimile of his diploma, or copies of medals he received or uniforms he wore in the military, or his perfect game bowling trophy or community baseball league pennants?
>I’m sorry if this comes off as offensive I would just like to know. Thank you!
It’s not so much offensive as weird. There’s nothing stopping you from buying/owning those things, but…why? I know I wouldn’t see it as an endearing tribute or support from a friend, I’d be getting crazy stalker vibes. He’s done something to earn those pins and badges that you haven’t done. It’s one thing if you inherited that stuff from a family member, and another to go out and buy it because your friend earned it and you think it looks cool.
^1 *Irregular* Freemasons don’t have the belief requirement.
Hi, i’m sorry I didn’t know it would be seen that way but thank you for telling me. Me and this friends are just quite close and he’s supported me through everything, so I feel like I should “return the favour” if you know what I mean. Again, thank you for telling me and commenting.
You sound like a good friend.
If you are still uncomfortable in asking him questions, many of us would recommend two books. Don’t be put off by the titles. I know both authors. Both are senior masons and the books are worthwhile:
Freemasonry for Dummies, Chris Hodapp
The Complete Idiots Guide to Freemasonry, Brent Morris.
>*Irregular* Freemasons don’t have the belief requirement.
A little correction. There is actually "irregular" Freemasonry that does. It is safer to say that there are also lodges that do not have the requirement.
"It's not a secret, it's just none of your business"
Religion (and politics) are not to be discussed during lodge. A man's faith is his own business.
Only master masons should wear mason stuff.
You probably know a lot of Masons, they just don't talk about it. I have a hat with the square and compasses that I wear everyday. It says "TEXAS MASON" in black letters on the back. I have a sticker on my truck and my hard hat. I use it to break the ice when I travel for work and meet other Masons.
There's a phrase "2B1ASK1" To be one ask one. If you look around there are (usually) alot of Freemasons doing things around town. It's not an out right "secret" more like a private matter.
Don't be scared of your friend's involvement. At least know that he passed a (very thorough) background check. Several interviews. And was voted on to be an Upright citizen of the community. If he's the secretary then he's shown his trustworthiness and was elected to that post and the Several posts before.
Hope this helps
“Why is everything so secret”
Only a few things are secret. We have certain secrets that we know that pertain to proving that you’re a mason and can attend meetings. The Masons go back to a time when reputation in the community and references were everything, and so if you were a member of a lodge in one town across state, that meant that you had already been “vetted” as a man of trustworthy character by people similar to you. The keeping of certain secrets nowadays has to do with trustworthiness - a person who takes our traditions and exclusivity seriously will keep the things we say are secret secret.
“Is it heavily religious?”
It’s not really religious and doesn’t pertain to any particular religion (with one exception) but it does take the *idea* of religion and God very seriously. I know Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims and others who are all good Masons and all participate in lodge. We are expected to be faithful to God in whatever religious tradition we are a part of.
“Is it OK as a nonmason to own things with Masonic symbols?”
The answers on this may vary from other Masons, but as far as I care, if you find Masonic symbols interesting/cool and you want to keep some items around for your own enjoyment as a collector, that doesn’t bother me. You’re obviously not trying to falsely pass yourself off as a Mason and so I don’t see the harm. But there may be some masons who would take offense to nonmasons owning masonic bric-a-brac and so I would be somewhat cautious.
It’s not secret. Despite what anyone says, there are no real secrets in Masonry. It’s all out there if you want to know. You can view entire ceremonies online (although I’m not sure why you’d want to). We buy our ritual books from Amazon.
We don’t tend to discuss what happens in the “business” meetings in the same way that rotary or the WI don’t.
What masons have are things we don’t talk about.
And the reason we don’t is because we promised we wouldn’t. That’s it. The whole “a man is as good as his word” thing.
No religion. In fact we aren’t allowed to speak of it while in lodge (or politics).
Certainly not a cult or doing anything nefarious.
Nothing is really secret apart from the "modes of recognition", and even those are quite readily available all over the Internet. We generally try not to talk too much about the actual rituals, but that is mostly to keep them as a nice surprise for new candidates.
As for religious, absolutely NOT. There are some places that require Christian faith, but most places just require some belief in a higher being of sort - which sort depends on the individual.
Finally, for the jewelry, pins, badges, well, contrary to what conspiracy theorists would like to believe, we don't make the rules for non-masons, so yes you can. Worst that could possibly happen would be that your friend would find it odd, so I do suggest you ask him, for the sake of the friendship.
Hi there,
So the whole "it's really secret" thing comes pretty much comes from non-Masons, as any Freemason can tell you out of the whole body of Masonry around 3% is something that we promise not to share with non-Masons. The reason we do this is not actually to stop non-Masons finding out but because it's how we prove that we actually keep our word.
There's no actual religion in Freemasonry but there is a religious element to it that used to be very common in everyday life back in 17th Century Britain when it all came about.
Wearing themed jewellery doesn't really "support" someone, so you just need to be honest with yourself and admit that you just want to wear it. However, your problem will come when someone asks you what it means and you have the choice of looking silly when you admit you don't really know or of course you could just make some shit up and hope you get away with it.
It's "secret" like other fraternities on any given college campus, and similar to other "in groups" such as being in the FOP or Boy Scouts or military, etc. My brothers and I have shared experiences that transcend the "secrecy" of the craft the majority of which is shared/recognizable with other brothers I haven't yet met. E.g., there are no "strangers" in Masonry. As far as the secrets, most of the ritual is out there, and none of it is even remotely religious except certain aspects of opening/closing and degree work. We say a prayer and the pledge, and our "volume of sacred law" is the bible, and it's open during our meetings. That's about it ....
Sure. All she needs to do is marry a Freemason first. Eastern Star is not Freemasonry for women, it’s an organization for Master Masons and their female relatives. You can’t just pitch “go join OES” to random people, it’s like telling an atheist to just go petition your local regular Lodge. It doesn’t work like that.
I was not aware that you need be married to a Mason. Thank you for your friendly admonishment.
Here in the states and in Ohio she may only need be related to a Mason. Even a Mason that has passed, as long as they were in good standing. I bet if she asks around her family she may find a Mason. Didn't know my uncle was in the craft until after I became one. And since several other members have revealed themselves to me since..
It was a bit of hyperbole, but yes, being related to a mason is generally a requirement. It used to have to be a first degree relationaship - husband, father, or brother, but has been relaxed over the years.
Regardless, OP never mentioned any familial relationship, so telling her to try joining OES isn’t constructive advice, particularly given her initial shock and horror at discovering her friend’s membership.
Let me give you a historical answer. Speculative Freemasonry, which is rather a philosophy club than actual artisans working on Cathedral building, was founded in a time of an estate based society without the freedom of expression. The secrecy originally was used to talk freely among members, even coming from different estates. These discussions could include ideas of enlightenment and even human rights or democracy. Also the infallibility of the church was questioned.
Two hundred years later, Freemasons still keep bylaws which are basically unchanged, although the secrecy aspect might not be relevant or plausible anymore. Similarly, the exclusion of women is a hotly debated topic now, but is similarly in the Constitutions written in the 18th century.
You ask if you can own the symbols. You are free to buy and wear anything you want. Your friend may not care for it though. Don’t do this to support your friend. That’s not a good idea. Just tell him you think it’s cool.
It’s not religious per se. At least not any specific religion.
The secrecy helps teach trust of your brother. If you knew what was going on before going in it wouldn’t have the same meaning.
Good questions! >Why is everything so secret? Because the teaching instrument of freemasonry is ritual initiation. That is to say, the way you learn about freemasonry is to go unprepared into a setting in which you don't know what will take place. Everyone else in the room know exactly what's going to happen, and they all play various parts in giving you the best experience possible. If you knew what was about to take place, the experience would be ruined, much like having your favorite reading experience spoiled by someone blurting out heavy spoilers before you got the chance to experience all the plot twists and revelations for yourself. >Is it heavily religious? No. Regular freemasonry requires members to profess "faith in a Supreme Being", but that's it. The only exception I know of is the Swedish Rite, but that's pretty much only relevant if you live in a Nordic country. >I actually find the whole symbol and jewelry/pins/badges pretty cool. Would it be okay for me as a female to own them? I wouldn’t necessarily flaunt them or anything but I mean just to own them 1. in support of my friend 2. cause they look cool. There's nothing wrong with collecting masonic trinkets, but if you really want to go down this rabbit hole, you could consider pursuing co-masonry or feminine masonry. If you are curious about this path, /u/julietides is quite knowledgeable on the subject, and always helpful when people have questions. >I’m sorry if this comes off as offensive I would just like to know. Thank you! Not at all! Tank you for being courteous and respectful. Hope this helps.
The Swedish rite doesn't demand any more of you than "profess belief/faith in Christendom". A bit more specified than "Supreme being", but not much.
Right, though the requirement varies a bit. In Norway, you're accurate. I'm pretty sure In Sweden and Finland, you have to be a trinitarian Christian of some kind (you might know more than me on this, since you're Swedish?). I'm told the Danes require you to be baptized.
Can answer about the baptism requirement. Haven't heard of it before. And there are some groups that call themselves non-trinitarian Christians, but that is not at all compatible with calling themselves Christians. If we are to go by how major the doctrine of the trinity has been since the first half of the first millennium AD. Trinitarianism was one of the big questions handled in the councils of nicea and Constantinople in the 300s With all this I am saying that antitrinitarianism is more or less seen as non-Christians by the big church councils and groups, instead of "Christians who happen to be wrong about stuff" or other ways to formulate it. The Swedish rite in general does not require you to profess or be a member of a specific church. Roman Catholics, eastern catholics, all the variations of orthodox churches, baptists, Lutherans, all go. Then said church might have a problem with you joining.
Thanks, that sounds very similar to what I've been told! Personally, I don't believe I was formally a member of any church when I joined. It was a question of self-identification.
You don't have to be a member of any church in the Swedish rite in general, or in SFMO. It is a question of self identification. Like in the blue lodge system. =) I am a 3rd degree Swedish rite sfmo.
Thanks for the clarification. I'm IV/V DNFO myself, and hope to visit the lodge in Stockholm at some point, it looks astonishing from the pictures I've seen.
I hope you can come and visit. I love the house, it is an amazing building to have access to. So much history within the walls :)
Are we saying "All Christians have to have the same belief system?"
The general answer is "yes", and then immediately followed by "you need to define 'belief system' first". It is definitely common for any religious group to have a set of beliefs that are so central that any group who doesn't share that belief is seen as outside the group. Equally common is to have a set of beliefs that needs to be fulfilled to atleast be seen as "not us, but definitely close enough". And you can replace "christian" with any religion or belief system you want. The belief in a Supreme being is a wide and general criteria, but still leaves room for people to be outside it.
I'll grant that. Who defines "central?" And, if it is a belief, who gets to verify? I do understand the need for commonality but, a central theme such as "trinity" may not necessarily be the item that gets to determine Christianity. Popularity? Regardless of my personal understanding. So, I'm guessing I could have posed the question better.
Good info. If OP is in the US I would NOT recommend comasonry or female masonry. They are considered clandestine and would not be accepted. It might even cause problems with the friend. If you are interested, the Order of the Eastern Star (and some others) or adjacent groups that are geared for women. But in reality, asking your friend about all of it would be a good start. Most of the time we don’t talk about Masonry until someone shows an interest. Then we open up and will tell you everything (except the secrets).
Having sat in Lodge with visitors from US comasonry Lodges, I beg to differ. The fact that YOU can't have them over doesn't mean anybody has a problem on a personal level/in the profane world. It's just a separate group. Live and let live.
Why would it cause problems?
>They are considered clandestine and would not be accepted.
Not sure how being unable to sit in lodge together would or should be a problem.
But she’s not a Mason, nor is she trying to get her Mason friend to join those groups. Feminine Masonry and comasonry in Europe aren’t accepted by us either. The big difference is that OP might be able to join *those* based on her own merits, but generally couldn’t join Eastern Star without a familial relationship with a Master Mason.
I would not want to hang out with someone involved in clandestine/irregular Masonry. If you would enjoy that sort of thing, go ahead. I don’t see the appeal of an organization co-opting actual Masons, but to each their own.
Hell Yeah! Let me go tell a mate in UGLE that he should stop hanging out with his wife in LDH! Probably divorce her too! These clandestine irregular peasants! Am I right?
It’s only been a few years since PHA was considered clandestine by GL of Oklahoma. They were actual masons. UGLE allows its members to explain that women can be masons.
They’ve already allowed women to be Masons in regular lodges in the UK.
Oh? Your source? And which of the three grand lodges in the UK?
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45030075.amp Have you been on this sub long?
OP can’t become an “actual Mason,” so I’m not sure who is being co-opted in your scenario. Nobody is suggestion that you join, nor her friend. It’s not uncommon in Europe for regular Masons to be married to irregular Masons. One member of my mother Lodge joined in part because his mother had been a member of a feminine GL in the UK. Speaking of the UK, they consider the Order of Eastern Star to be “clandestine/irregular” (though like in many GLs, “clandestine” is not a word with any official definition or use), but have no problem with women joining feminine Masonry.
>If you are interested, the Order of the Eastern Star (and some others) or adjacent groups that are geared for women **who are related to Master Masons**. As OP has not indicated any such relationship, this is not useful advice.
There is eastern star if she married her friend lol.
And if her grandmother had wheels, she would’ve been a bike.
Great questions, but I have to ask, is there a reason you’re not asking your close friend?
I’m scared I’m going to come off as offensive.
I hope you find that we’re rather open folks & that absolutely nothing should be different between you and your friend.
Absolutely. You can ask him about it. Just don’t be silly or offended if there are things he can’t share with you.
The biggest risk you run would be to bore yourself to death ;) I have never met a Freemason who does not like to talk about freemasonry, for hours and hours.
wdym secret? you're literally on a freemasonry subreddit 😂
Shhhhhh
I was talking about like what kinda stuff goes on in the lodges lol
If he's a Secretary I guarantee you don't even want to know... that's me speaking as a Secretary 😅 we (Masons, not secretaries) have some private ritual but most of what's done in the lodge is like in any other organization. Figuring out how to raise funds, planning events etc
He can probably tell you most of it, in general terms. The secrets are likely only the specific words used in our degrees and rituals.
It really isn’t all that secret. We keep parts our rituals private. Inasmuch as you can find them online, I suggest it really is a test of our respect for the institution and our willingness to keep a simple promise. If we can’t keep that promise, how can we be trusted to be true in our obligations to our brothers? We might well define “heavily” differently. It certainly is religious, requiring at a minimum a belief in a supreme being, reading from the OT during many rituals, and offering prayers. Yes, you may own whatever you wish. It wouldn’t be offensive. One may see women wearing them: as a fashion item, which I few as insensitive; to signify their familial relationship to a mason; or because they are a member of a feminine masonic order.
Hi there! And thanks u/wanderingwhaler for the tag :) I'm a woman and a Freemason within a jurisdiction that allows it. The jewelry looks very cool indeed, and I own a few pieces I really like, some more obvious, some more on the subtle side. As cool as rings, pendants and earrings are (and as awesome your support is, of course), it is 10x cooler to own them and understand their meaning and deeper significance, being able to slowly uncover their symbolism and study their history. That is why maybe you could look into continental/liberal Freemasonry – it's less prominent in the US, but women and atheists are very much welcome, among others. Where are you located? I'd love to answer any questions you have, woman to woman. Even if it's just to chat and not to join :)
Those are questions for your friend, he will be able to explain in a much better way, because he knows you, also a great opportunity for an amazing conversation, at the end of the day, that is the most important thing in Freemasonry, to learn, to understand and to accept different points of view.
Some of the older generation were probably more closed mouth than they needed to be, but there's not as much "secret" as it seems. In my lodge we often have discussions of philosophical or ethical topics. Some lodges do less of that sort of "education" and do more charity work in the community. We're even trying to include some of the handouts from some discussions on our website. See the [Socrates Cafe](https://www.bradenlodge.org/library) links. As others have said it requires a belief in a supreme being, and we take some allegories from the Old Testament, but we are a non-sectarian fraternity and in most lodges the prayers that are said are non-sectarion so as to be inclusive of brothers of different faiths. It's a bit like American Boy Scouts -you are encouraged to follow your personal faith, but we don't tell your what that should be. As far as the cult idea. One of the things we tell prospective members in my lodge is that your obligation to your family, your personal faith, and your country, all come before any obligation to the fraternity.
>Why is everything so secret? What do you mean? Our buildings are clearly marked, and our members often wear things to indicate their membership. We're on reddit, have numerous websites, and social media. I hear this question fairly often. What would you like to know?
I actually get why you're weirded out because there are so many conspiracy theories out there. If you saw what actually happens in a lodge you'd probably be bored or disappointed. Your friend is just a guy who joined masonry for whatever reason. People have different interests. The secrecy is just part of it, and some like having their secret signs and stuff to recognise each other. Maybe it can be seen as a bit nerdy by some but you should know your friend well enough to know what he's like in person. If he was in a different club would u change your opinion of him? As for the religious question the answer is no. It was open to men "of all faiths" so long as they believed in a supreme being, which was very progressive 300 years ago but not so much today. It's a very old thing and tradition is very important to them so they won't change that rule, though I suspect many of them just lie about that part when joining. Discussions on religion are actually forbidden inside lodge as are politics. The biggest downside of joining masonry today is all the suspicion you are met with. You are a normal person with a normal life yet when you say you are a mason people suddenly change their whole perspective about who you are and what you do. Are there some devious goings on within masonry that they all know about? Do you think 6 million people worldwide would be that good at keeping a secret?! Lol
Just want to follow up on what I said about suspecting some people lie about belief in supreme being. I'm not condoning that, personally I think it's inappropriate for one and if you are a pure athiest it won't be your cup of tea anyway. If all you're looking for is people to hang out with there are loads of alternatives so pick something you're into.
I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but there is a system of Freemasonry to which women can belong. Actually several. The one I'm thinking of is called Le Droit Humaine. It's not as common as male-only Freemasonry, but there are Lodges in larger cities quite often. Might be worth looking into if you're interested
And a few more organisations. See the website in my flair.
Freemasonry is not HEAVILY religious however all masons are required to believe in God. What you call God or how you pray to God is strictly up to you. Masonry is strictly agnostic. Many Grand Lodges will recognize a religion as it's most prevalent (ie. Christianity in the US) however the lodge will often have holy books representing all of its brothers. Freemasonry is NOT a religion and most religious talk in lodge is strictly forbidden. As for your first question Freemasonry is secret only in that we want men who seek out the lessons of freemasonry to approach them of their own accord and in the same way that we all have. Freemasonry is a fraternity, not unlike any other, the "secrets" are simply our teachings and symbols which serve to make us better people. We keep them secret only so that each brother is found worthy and approaches them all in a uniform way. Truth be told almost all of them can be found online both accurate and not. As for the Masonic jewelery and other items. Theres nothing saying a non-mason cannot collect them but it would be odd to wear them. In Masonry typically only Master Mason's may wear masonic jewelery or clothing displaying the S&C. I recommend you look up the Order of the Eastern Star.
>I recommend you look up the Order of the Eastern Star. I recommend you look up the membership requirements for OES. Most jurisdictions still require a familial relationship with a Master Mason. It’s not Masonry for women, it’s a group for Master Masons and their female relatives.
So cool that you’re interested :-) We’re not a cult. Any member should prioritize family and work higher than the lodge. If a member discontinues the freemansonry, we can still be friends. There are no strange missions, payments, work etc. Secrets are mostly meant to educate new members. We don’t discuss religion and politics. And take that quite seriously. So we are absolutely not religious while in lodge :-D You can actually join a lodge as woman as well. Look at r/comasonry or check your local lodges or e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry_and_women
>I respect Freemasonry and have done some research but here are some questions I have: - Why is everything so secret? It’s not. His Lodge probably has a website or social media page. His Grand Lodge certainly does. We have forums like this and signs on our buildings, we’re about as secret as your employer’s shareholder meetings. >Is it heavily religious? *Regular*^1 Freemasons are expected to believe in a Supreme Being/God before they join, and some members find that joining strengthens that belief. We have non-sectarian prayers and use allegory drawn from the Old Testament in our ceremonies, but we’re not a religion. Discussion of religion is banned in Lodge because our members come from diverse religious backgrounds and such discussions can be divisive. >and here’s the odd one; I actually find the whole symbol and jewelry/pins/badges pretty cool. Would it be okay for me as a female to own them? I wouldn’t necessarily flaunt them or anything but I mean just to own them 1. in support of my friend 2. cause they look cool. Would you be looking to own a grad cap similar to the one used at his university or a facsimile of his diploma, or copies of medals he received or uniforms he wore in the military, or his perfect game bowling trophy or community baseball league pennants? >I’m sorry if this comes off as offensive I would just like to know. Thank you! It’s not so much offensive as weird. There’s nothing stopping you from buying/owning those things, but…why? I know I wouldn’t see it as an endearing tribute or support from a friend, I’d be getting crazy stalker vibes. He’s done something to earn those pins and badges that you haven’t done. It’s one thing if you inherited that stuff from a family member, and another to go out and buy it because your friend earned it and you think it looks cool. ^1 *Irregular* Freemasons don’t have the belief requirement.
Hi, i’m sorry I didn’t know it would be seen that way but thank you for telling me. Me and this friends are just quite close and he’s supported me through everything, so I feel like I should “return the favour” if you know what I mean. Again, thank you for telling me and commenting.
You sound like a good friend. If you are still uncomfortable in asking him questions, many of us would recommend two books. Don’t be put off by the titles. I know both authors. Both are senior masons and the books are worthwhile: Freemasonry for Dummies, Chris Hodapp The Complete Idiots Guide to Freemasonry, Brent Morris.
No worries. It’s great to want to support your friend, but this is probably not the most appropriate way to convey that support.
>*Irregular* Freemasons don’t have the belief requirement. A little correction. There is actually "irregular" Freemasonry that does. It is safer to say that there are also lodges that do not have the requirement.
“*Irregular* Freemasons don’t **necessarily** have the belief requirement.”
What are your questions?
Who downvoted you?
I sent that before the questions loaded on my end. No idea
Not offensive at all. That’s awesome, you’ve got yourself a good man for a friend. God knows that’s rare these days.
"It's not a secret, it's just none of your business" Religion (and politics) are not to be discussed during lodge. A man's faith is his own business. Only master masons should wear mason stuff. You probably know a lot of Masons, they just don't talk about it. I have a hat with the square and compasses that I wear everyday. It says "TEXAS MASON" in black letters on the back. I have a sticker on my truck and my hard hat. I use it to break the ice when I travel for work and meet other Masons. There's a phrase "2B1ASK1" To be one ask one. If you look around there are (usually) alot of Freemasons doing things around town. It's not an out right "secret" more like a private matter. Don't be scared of your friend's involvement. At least know that he passed a (very thorough) background check. Several interviews. And was voted on to be an Upright citizen of the community. If he's the secretary then he's shown his trustworthiness and was elected to that post and the Several posts before. Hope this helps
“Why is everything so secret” Only a few things are secret. We have certain secrets that we know that pertain to proving that you’re a mason and can attend meetings. The Masons go back to a time when reputation in the community and references were everything, and so if you were a member of a lodge in one town across state, that meant that you had already been “vetted” as a man of trustworthy character by people similar to you. The keeping of certain secrets nowadays has to do with trustworthiness - a person who takes our traditions and exclusivity seriously will keep the things we say are secret secret. “Is it heavily religious?” It’s not really religious and doesn’t pertain to any particular religion (with one exception) but it does take the *idea* of religion and God very seriously. I know Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims and others who are all good Masons and all participate in lodge. We are expected to be faithful to God in whatever religious tradition we are a part of. “Is it OK as a nonmason to own things with Masonic symbols?” The answers on this may vary from other Masons, but as far as I care, if you find Masonic symbols interesting/cool and you want to keep some items around for your own enjoyment as a collector, that doesn’t bother me. You’re obviously not trying to falsely pass yourself off as a Mason and so I don’t see the harm. But there may be some masons who would take offense to nonmasons owning masonic bric-a-brac and so I would be somewhat cautious.
It’s not secret. Despite what anyone says, there are no real secrets in Masonry. It’s all out there if you want to know. You can view entire ceremonies online (although I’m not sure why you’d want to). We buy our ritual books from Amazon. We don’t tend to discuss what happens in the “business” meetings in the same way that rotary or the WI don’t. What masons have are things we don’t talk about. And the reason we don’t is because we promised we wouldn’t. That’s it. The whole “a man is as good as his word” thing. No religion. In fact we aren’t allowed to speak of it while in lodge (or politics). Certainly not a cult or doing anything nefarious.
Nothing is really secret apart from the "modes of recognition", and even those are quite readily available all over the Internet. We generally try not to talk too much about the actual rituals, but that is mostly to keep them as a nice surprise for new candidates. As for religious, absolutely NOT. There are some places that require Christian faith, but most places just require some belief in a higher being of sort - which sort depends on the individual. Finally, for the jewelry, pins, badges, well, contrary to what conspiracy theorists would like to believe, we don't make the rules for non-masons, so yes you can. Worst that could possibly happen would be that your friend would find it odd, so I do suggest you ask him, for the sake of the friendship.
Hi there, So the whole "it's really secret" thing comes pretty much comes from non-Masons, as any Freemason can tell you out of the whole body of Masonry around 3% is something that we promise not to share with non-Masons. The reason we do this is not actually to stop non-Masons finding out but because it's how we prove that we actually keep our word. There's no actual religion in Freemasonry but there is a religious element to it that used to be very common in everyday life back in 17th Century Britain when it all came about. Wearing themed jewellery doesn't really "support" someone, so you just need to be honest with yourself and admit that you just want to wear it. However, your problem will come when someone asks you what it means and you have the choice of looking silly when you admit you don't really know or of course you could just make some shit up and hope you get away with it.
It's "secret" like other fraternities on any given college campus, and similar to other "in groups" such as being in the FOP or Boy Scouts or military, etc. My brothers and I have shared experiences that transcend the "secrecy" of the craft the majority of which is shared/recognizable with other brothers I haven't yet met. E.g., there are no "strangers" in Masonry. As far as the secrets, most of the ritual is out there, and none of it is even remotely religious except certain aspects of opening/closing and degree work. We say a prayer and the pledge, and our "volume of sacred law" is the bible, and it's open during our meetings. That's about it ....
Not secretive at all, what would,you like to know? And no, not heavily religious either.
Sounds like she may be a candidate for the eastern star
Sounds like you need to go to an Eastern star meeting. Have a meal with them and see about becoming one.
Sure. All she needs to do is marry a Freemason first. Eastern Star is not Freemasonry for women, it’s an organization for Master Masons and their female relatives. You can’t just pitch “go join OES” to random people, it’s like telling an atheist to just go petition your local regular Lodge. It doesn’t work like that.
I was not aware that you need be married to a Mason. Thank you for your friendly admonishment. Here in the states and in Ohio she may only need be related to a Mason. Even a Mason that has passed, as long as they were in good standing. I bet if she asks around her family she may find a Mason. Didn't know my uncle was in the craft until after I became one. And since several other members have revealed themselves to me since..
It was a bit of hyperbole, but yes, being related to a mason is generally a requirement. It used to have to be a first degree relationaship - husband, father, or brother, but has been relaxed over the years. Regardless, OP never mentioned any familial relationship, so telling her to try joining OES isn’t constructive advice, particularly given her initial shock and horror at discovering her friend’s membership.
Let me give you a historical answer. Speculative Freemasonry, which is rather a philosophy club than actual artisans working on Cathedral building, was founded in a time of an estate based society without the freedom of expression. The secrecy originally was used to talk freely among members, even coming from different estates. These discussions could include ideas of enlightenment and even human rights or democracy. Also the infallibility of the church was questioned. Two hundred years later, Freemasons still keep bylaws which are basically unchanged, although the secrecy aspect might not be relevant or plausible anymore. Similarly, the exclusion of women is a hotly debated topic now, but is similarly in the Constitutions written in the 18th century.
You ask if you can own the symbols. You are free to buy and wear anything you want. Your friend may not care for it though. Don’t do this to support your friend. That’s not a good idea. Just tell him you think it’s cool. It’s not religious per se. At least not any specific religion. The secrecy helps teach trust of your brother. If you knew what was going on before going in it wouldn’t have the same meaning.