Full Member

[Bropreston]

my post was in no way ment to insult, if I have done so I apologise completely. It`s great to hear that you are so interested in becoming part of our wonderful fraternity. I was just trying to suggest that you not get carried away with all the rubbish which is out there about us. masonicinfo.com is a good website that answers many of the "anti ideas" far better than I. There are a great many mis informed people on the web who are so aggressive towards masonry so please dont be offended if some posters are cautious. If you do join I wish you all the best for the future. S&F

 

[AngelicHuman]

=). Does the average mason enjoy a game of chess? What about a poker night?

 

[Bob Franks]

The average mason?

=). Does the average mason enjoy a game of chess? What about a poker night?

The average Mason is much as the average citizen or resident of any area. I don't particularly enjoy chess or poker, my hobbies are muzzle loading and wire puzzles.
My friend in Lodge is a hockey fanatic, complete with season tickets. Many are amateur radio operators (hams), others are active in Scouting (Boy- and Girl-), county school board, hunting, euchre, camping, brewing, traveling, having the perfect yard, theatre, novel writing, woodworking, grilling out...just about anything you might imagine.
Look around you, the things you see common, every day average people doing are the thing the average Mason enjoys.

Are we supposed to be somewhat different? We are neither supermen or monks.

 

[Duncan1574]

=). Does the average mason enjoy a game of chess? What about a poker night?

Chess, Go, checkers, horseshoes, couch surfing, lately I have started playing Tomb Raider on my Wii...
As Brother Bob said we are just men with a common purpose, we are tied togehter by common values.

 

[Bob Franks]

Chess, Go, checkers, horseshoes, couch surfing, lately I have started playing Tomb Raider on my Wii...
As Brother Bob said we are just men with a common purpose, we are tied togehter by common values.

...going to the beach, flying kites, gathering shells, playing board games with my wife: Parcheese, Backgammon, Chinese Checkers, Scrabble...

 

[Treadstone]

AngelicHuman. Do yourself a favor. Knock on the door and go in. Go by what they share with you. They will share. No reason to lie.

 

[mdonahue66]

When I was younger and wanted to follow family tradition I was told you had to have a family member that was a Freemason to join the organization. And at this time you had to be 21 as well. Do you have a family member that was a Mason?

Treadstone, I believe you are mistaken on the family member criteria, unless Arizona has some crazy rules. As far as I know, I'm the only member of my VERY CATHOLIC family that has ever strayed this far!

 

[Windrider]

I'm actually surprised that nobody has told you the nature of the "secrets" until now. The only secrets we keep from the public are the means of recognition we use and the details of our Rituals.

The means of recognition are kept private just like you would never tell me the PIN number for your ATM card. We have ways to identify ourselves as Masons to each other and until you become a Mason, you should not know them.

The details of Ritual are kept private mainly because they are designed to be a new experience for the man going through them. They lose some of their effectiveness as teaching tools if you know what to expect.

That's it, all the secrets I know as a Master Mason.

 

[Duncan1574]

I'm actually surprised that nobody has told you the nature of the "secrets" until now. The only secrets we keep from the public are the means of recognition we use and the details of our Rituals.

The means of recognition are kept private just like you would never tell me the PIN number for your ATM card. We have ways to identify ourselves as Masons to each other and until you become a Mason, you should not know them.

The details of Ritual are kept private mainly because they are designed to be a new experience for the man going through them. They lose some of their effectiveness as teaching tools if you know what to expect.

That's it, all the secrets I know as a Master Mason.

Windrider, You forgot that our personal share of the fabled national treasure and the card game to see wich Lodge gets the Holy Grail for the next Masonic year.

 

[Windrider]

windrider, you forgot that our personal share of the fabled national treasure and the card game to see wich lodge gets the holy grail for the next masonic year.

shhhhhh....

 

[AngelicHuman]

LOL!

Back to the games. I am upset at myself for not knowing what wire puzzles are. care to explain?

I love chess though, even playing against someone of a very low level is fun, its a beautiful game.








AngelicHuman. Do yourself a favor. Knock on the door and go in. Go by what they share with you. They will share. No reason to lie.


no reason for me to lie, or them to lie?

 

[FamilyMan]

no reason for me to lie, or them to lie?

No reason for them to lie to you. (Although equally, there is no reason for you to lie to them either. )

 

[Winter]

Please. Everyone stop responding. I have to follow my instincts and pull out the troll flag on this one. The person posting hit too many of the markers and makes me believe that they have motives that are less than noble.

If you are serious about becoming a Mason, I wish you well. But it is obvious that you have misconceptions, and we as an internet discussion group, are necessarily wary.

To my Brothers, remember your Charge.

 

[Bob Franks]

LOL!

Back to the games. I am upset at myself for not knowing what wire puzzles are. care to explain?

(snip)

Wire puzzles are bent pieces of stiff wire that have to be positioned in a particular and unique way to put the loops together or take them apart without bending them. They are often given as 'stocking stuffers' at Christmas time in the US. I guess I am in my "second childhood."

 

[Ashlar2006]

Please. Everyone stop responding. I have to follow my instincts and pull out the troll flag on this one. The person posting hit too many of the markers and makes me believe that they have motives that are less than noble.

If you are serious about becoming a Mason, I wish you well. But it is obvious that you have misconceptions, and we as an internet discussion group, are necessarily wary.

To my Brothers, remember your Charge.

I am in complete agreement . We have all seen these types of posts before .

 

[removed12612]

I am leaning towards Winter and Ashlar on this one....

On a side note as far as games go...I am really into full contact checkers...it adds a unique twist to the time tested game of strategy

 

[FamilyMan]

I am leaning towards Winter and Ashlar on this one....

On a side note as far as games go...I am really into full contact checkers...it adds a unique twist to the time tested game of strategy

I dunno what I found funnier... trying to picture full contact checkers, or trying to picture checkers as a time tested game of strategy.

 

[removed12612]

If you could go back in time and watch me and my Brothers playing checkers as children...you would get the full understanding of "full contact" checkers...... I believe it is strategy at its finest...all be it simple....

 

[FamilyMan]

If you could go back in time and watch me and my Brothers playing checkers as children...you would get the full understanding of "full contact" checkers...... I believe it is strategy at its finest...all be it simple....

It has been way too long since I've played checkers. I used to beat my brother all the time when I was young, and I don't really think I've played since I was a kid. I wonder if my wife would look at me strange if I asked her to play a game of checkers? She'd probably win.

 

[removed12612]

It has been way too long since I've played checkers. I used to beat my brother all the time when I was young, and I don't really think I've played since I was a kid. I wonder if my wife would look at me strange if I asked her to play a game of checkers? She'd probably win.

The "full contact" version with her just might be called for with her