Now I was randomly asked to join when I was 18 as I walked up to the hall and asked what they did, they said you would have to join and would I like to. I was like yeah man (young 18 year old in the masons illuminati and all that) but my now wife was pulling me away.
Now I clicked a mason link and put my name up thinking yeah I’m 33 now I need to do something with my life after finishing work. I then read about the money involved and if I was to take a family out I’d need to put etc and there are a few things that involve money which I pretty much cannot afford.
The head of the mason near me has rang me three times each my wife was in hospital and now she isn’t.
My wife isn’t *totally* against it but we are both not the type (we think) masons would like to have. Facial piercings, tattoos, I have long hair with shaved sides and a beard.
My question is wether it is actually worth joining? Will it make a difference to my life joining? Will they help me in life with work or anything? I know the masons is like a secret group and that but I’m curious to know.
Thank you
19 comments
My dad was a Mason for many years and I think he really enjoyed it. There was an element of pride too, I think, as only successful businessmen were generally invited to join.
If I were a man and I was invited, I’d join in a heartbeat.
Edit to add that I don’t know how much being a Mason influenced his career but he had a ton of contacts and his career only became more successful through the years. I owe my qualifications and my first couple of jobs to my dads contacts.
workmate is a mason, and a bit of dick but that’s irrelevant, from his chat I gather its mostly drinking and eating with a bit of charity fund raising thrown in, sounds harmless enough
Do you want to join?
It’s mainly socialising and fundraising. Socialising naturally leads to helping each other out etc.
It has some elements of secrecy but it’s a far cry from illuminati. It’s just traditions, which have good reasons in history.
Depends what you’re after really. It’s not for me.
If you are concerned about whether you can afford it but you want to do some good and possibly network a little, why not look into something like the Rotary Club? There is a branch near me that does charity work, public events (they run the Father Christmas sleigh around local towns and villages every December for example) so that might scratch your itch.
I would avoid the Masons for the religious element but that’s just me.
in my city the masons are linked to a lot of corruption, depending on your line of work it could be a great career move
There’s a three part documentary on the masons on bbc two. Should be on iplayer, why not give it a watch first. It’s basically a social club with a charitable element and some rituals
My dad is a pretty senior Mason so i’ve seen a bit about their services/events.. and it looks wierd and boring as hell. Like some greek street theatre. The average age is going up and up as their membership has dwindled (due to a general reduced level of people joining organised groups).
The main difference it’s made to his life has been to give him a decent social network, and some great friends. It’s probably not going to help you with work though.
btw, it’s a society with secrets, not a secret society.
They’re an ageing group generally speaking and are really struggling to attract younger members – but very keen to. That may be why they were quite persistent in recruiting you. One factor to consider is if you’re looking to socialise with a lot of people your own age, or if you’re happy to socialise with a mixture of ages, possibly skewed towards the older end of the age spectrum. On the plus side, they’ll probably be happy to help you out, mentor you etc. on the down side, they may be a little old fashioned for some peoples taste of your age.
The Masons are not a secret group, they are a group with secrets. Will it diffrence to your life, quite possibly, you can gain life long friends, a sense of belonging, a chance to do some good for society and improve yourself. But if you are seeking promotions and pay rises at work by joining, then you have misunderstood what being a mason is about
Speaking as a Mason myself I’d say go for it, with some caveats though. First is don’t let anyone try to pressure you into joining, take your time and research the Lodges near you. You might find one that’s closer or has members you gel with really well with.
Second is that it can be a bit of an expensive commitment, especially at first. The fee’s differ depending on the Lodge in question, so it’s always safer to ask the Lodge Secretary before committing to anything. Your first payment will usually be a bit higher since it covers the payment for your regalia, as well as your membership dues for the initial year. There’s a saying among members that “Nothing is free in Freemasonry”
Other than that, Freemasonry in my experience has been a good way to meet people, enjoy some nice food and have a drink (There’s a meal after every meeting called the Festive Board). On top of which you get to experience some interesting and mysterious ceremonies as well. There is a religious element to things, but I know members who only pay lip-service to it. (Myself included) I’m not religious but I’ve not found it so prevalent as to be off-putting.
I looked a bit like someone had run a rejected member of ABBA through the Bloodstock merch store when I joined, so I wouldn’t worry about looking the type. It’s a very welcoming group.
Sorry about the wall of text. It’s a subject I’m passionate about so I wanted to try and squeeze in as much detail as I could. 👍
Do you believe in God? I think you have to in order to join. I don’t think it matters much which one, but atheism isn’t an option IIRC.
If you want a cheap society/cult to join then try LinkedIn….
How about Jesus Christ?
They open up the lodge here around the same time as late night shopping. I went inside with a few friends last year. It was rather… gauche, if I’m honest. One too many golden thrones.
I think the average age was about 70, from what I could tell. Seemed harmless enough, like a Rotary club.
Yes. If you are in business, it will open up opportunities and put you in contact with money men.
However, there are some fees. Nothing is free in Freemasonry.
If you want to talk to some Masons, we’re over on /r/freemasonry. Mostly Americans, but quite a few Britons there.
The Masons isn’t a ‘jobs for the lads’ organization, but you’ll meet people you would never have encountered. Your appearance shouldn’t be an issue. Dues vary, but are usually in the low hundreds of pounds per year; its perfectly fine to ask about that.
If your wife is dead set against it, that’s an issue. Family is more important than Masonry.
If you can, see if you can watch ‘Inside the Freemasons’, a 2017 documentary series. I think in the UK its on Sky.
Whether you are “both” the type won’t enter into it. It’s a boys’ club. Your wife might as well forget about you on lodge evenings, as there’s no room in the lodges for the ladies, unless as secretaries, cleaners or waiting staff.
She’ll have to get used to evenings alone while you go to meetings, installations, and whatever else.
May as well. They do good dinners.