[BG_TRBL]

I really don't believe that we will ever have to come to terms with allowing women into the fraternity. We for one are a private organization and subject to our own by-laws and rules, provided that we do not break any laws of state or nation. As far as bringing the Order of Easter Star up to the same status as Blue lodge, you can not judge the two organizations on the same scale. Freemasonry has been around from time immorial, Freemasonry has millions of members with millions of dollars being donated to charities every day. O.E.S. does not provide the same (as of yet, we can only hope the organization will at some point in the future) How do you judge status anyhow?? I would beg to differ with anyone who can compare the two organizations. It truly is like comparing apples to oranges.

Just remember, this is only my opinion on the matter, I could be way off, or right on. Everyone has to make their own distinctions.

[rustybones49801]

Another thing to consider is that men and women are hardwired differently having women in the lodge would/could change the perspective of the degree work. IMO

[Ashlar521]

The Eastern Star in Ky . can open chapter and what not without a MM present and can even do initiation work with special permission from the Worthy Grand Matron . I still stand firm on my stand that OES is not subserviant to Masons . It's like comparing apples to oranges .

[Ashlar521]

I would like to add that ,no , the OES has no standard organization that they donate money to , but we do take up a collection every month and donate the money to the charity of choice of the Worhty Matron . Last month it was the local soup kitchen and the month before that went for breast cancer studies etc; ect .

[cemab4y]

There are many opportunities for women to participate in Freemasonry. The most popular way is to join a Co-Masonic group. More about Co-Masonry can be learned at the website:

Freemasonry: A Masonic Temple open for Men and Women

There are a number of co-educational groups, affiliated with mainstream Masonry. The largest and most visible is the Order of the Eastern Star:

General Grand Chapter OES

There is also the Order of the Amaranth.

Supreme Council

Also, you may participate in the White Shrine of Jerusalem

White Shrine of Jerusalem Home Page

There are other masonic orders for women, that are affiliated with the Appendant bodies of Masonry.

Among these are the Daughters of Mokanna (affiliated with the Supreme Council Grotto)

and the Daughters of Isis (affiliated with the Ancient Egyptian Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine)

http://doipha.org

There is the social order of the Beauceant

Social Order of the Beauceant

and there is the Heroines of Jericho

Welcome to Prince Hall Grand High Court of Heroines of Jericho, Texas Jurisdiction

and there is the Ladies’ Oriental Shrine of North America

http://www.ladiesorientalshrine.org

And this is only a partial list. There are opportunities to participate as an adult advisor for Masonic youth groups:

The Order of the DeMolay (young men 13-21)
The Order of the Rainbow for Girls (13-21)
The Job’s Daughters (13-21)

So, if a woman wants to participate in the masonic experience, and be of service to mankind, there are plenty of opportunities!

[mollyL]

I'm not really wanting to force anyone to justify the fact that Masonry as a fraternity chooses to remain male-only, I think that it is largely a matter based in tradition and I don't see anything on the face of it to make that wrong. But what I wonder about is how similar the Eastern Star is to the male Masons? Do the ladies undertake the same charity works? Is the requirement of membership basically the same in the two groups (good character, belief in a supreme being, etc.)?

[Ashlar521]

Yes , you have to be of good moral character , believe in a Supreme being , etc. to join the OES . We have a few charities we give to , we give to youth groups , there is the ESTARL (Eastern Star Training Awards for Religious Leadership) which is a scholarship fund for those who are going to school for the purpose of religious training and we have the Eastern Star Homes which are retirement homes for those in need . Plus we take up donations at every meeting and the Worthy Matron donates to the charity of her choice . And many also hold fund raisers for local charities in our hometowns .

[mollyL]

Yes, it sounds as though the OES is every bit as eager to do good and charitable works as the fraternity. My mom, who is a rather fundamentalist Christian, has long been put-off by the inverted pentagram insignia, she frets that it has to do with the occult. What can I tell her about why that insignia was chosen?

[Ashlar521]

It represents the Star of Bethlehem with each point representing a female biblical figure .There is Adah (Jephthah's daughter, from Judges) ,Ruth, the widow , Esther, the wife , Martha (sister of Lazarus, from the Gospel of John) ,Electa (the "elect lady", from II John), the mother . The white ray , or white star point , points downward toward the manger . That's why when looking at the Star , like a lapel pin or in a picture , the Star is upside down .

The pentagram has different meanings to different religions . It was once a Christian symbol representing the five senses of humans . To medieval Christians , it represented the five wounds of Christ . I could go on but only put this in to show that just because someone uses a star doesn't mean it is evil or a cult .

[cemab4y]

There are no Satanic symbols used in any aspect of Freemasonry, nor in any of the appendant bodies.

There are NO satanic symbols in Masonry.

You may find this link useful:

Masonic Symbols