Wow, so I have been watching all sorts of videos on youtube lately. Both pro and anti. Just trying to get my mind around the thinking of the anti's. It is a hard thing to do. I hear all sorts of information out there, a lot of which contradicts itself. I mean everything from alien overlords who are actually reptiles and can shape-change, to the fact we control the mafia and other street gangs. Some I will admit, that do not go as far as others, offer some convincing arguments, if you only look at their "facts" and do no research on your own. I actually have been "banned" for trying to debate with some people on their video. I guess I will not understand what makes some people think the way they do. I still have yet to hear why we allow the videos to exist if we really did control everything like their videos state.
I too have been banned from commenting on some youtube videos . But for the anti's , I know a few anti's who are now Masons , but they were intellegent men who could actually think for themselves . Many of these anti's have their minds made up and can not be swayed no matter what we say . They will say we are either not "high enough" in Freemasonry , in other words a 33rd degree Mason and we are poor blind , ignorant 3rd degrees' who are clueless to the real secrets . Or we are just out and out lying . Many anti's base their "facts" on proven lies such as the Taxil Hoax . And when you point that out , they will diregard it and move on to another liar . I tend to not pay any attention to them anymore and spend my time on youtube looking at other fish keepers aquariums . It really saves on the stress of having to listen to their lies .
It has been strange for me. Since I have been doing more at the Lodge and joined the Shriners, I have been meeting a lot of people who are interested in joining, and the anti's. I try to ignore the anti's, sometimes I will point out stuff they say that is incorrect, but mostly just smile and be nice to them. But then I have those that are interested, but have heard the negative stuff from others and ask questions. Sometimes they are sane questions, sometimes not so sane. So I figured I would try and see what "information" is out there.
That is a good idea to have information as to what they use against us so you may be ready for a rebuttle when asked these questions .
Sadly I have heard too many of those stories. The guy is interested and wife or family talks him out. It is sad to me as they miss out on the whole thing.
Do your lodge investigative committees include wives during interviews? Mine didn't insist on it, but highly encouraged me to have my wife present during one of the interviews so that she, too, could ask any questions she wanted. An old saying in sales is to "preach to the agnostics, not the atheists." Anyone who pulls the conspiracy/new world order stuff with me and I usually go along with them. A well placed, straight-faced, "maybe you've already asked to many questions" frees me from the more ignorant of the bunch.
They are welcomed but not mandatory . Most of the time we meet them at out Lodge and the wives/girlfriends don't really want to come .
In Nebraska, the investigation committee usually gets together with the petitioner at his home and asks questions of the petitioner and we welcome the wife/girlfriend to participate and ask any questions she wishes. After one of our Friendship Suppers, a good friend's wife was very decisive and told him that he needed to join Masonry and get out of the house some and she told me that I needed to get a petition to him ASAP. I produced a petition that night, Chet filled it out and we read it the following week. That was many years ago, Chet is our SW now, and his wife is still glad he joined as she is able to attend the Friendship and Scholarship suppers as well as other events at the lodge and have a good time with our wives. The Grand Lodge of Nebraska has a pamphlet available called "Welcome To a Mason's Lady", we try to get one of these to every candidate's lady. This has answers to many questions a lady may have.
You know to be honest, I do not think my Lodge called my references. None of my friends said they had gotten a call, even though I told them to expect one.
It has been strange for me. Since I have been doing more at the Lodge and joined the Shriners, I have been meeting a lot of people who are interested in joining, and the anti's. I try to ignore the anti's, sometimes I will point out stuff they say that is incorrect, but mostly just smile and be nice to them.
That's they way to do it . I think they want an argument and if we just smile and walk away , it infuriates them further . Makes my laugh .
Interesting. In our Constitution, we hold a Committee of Enquiry well before the candidate is voted upon. He is given questions by the committee and is permitted to ask questions of his own. At this point, the Proposers and Seconders should have sussed him out and one of the questions we ask the candidate is if his wife understands what he will be joining and that she has no objections. As Proposers and Seconders it is our responsibility to know the candidate well and ensure that he is going to be an asset to Freemasonry. We must be guests in his home and he to ours. This is requisite. There is no point initiating a candidate unless he is "properly prepared".
I had an investigating committee come to my house. They insisted on it. They WANTED my wife there to answer any questions she had, as well as to ask their own. I had met with some of the Lodge officers prior, but the investigation was mandated to be at my residence. I personally think that is a good thing for the reasons mentioned in the previous comments.
How to investigte I live in a town with a military base and we sometimes get inquiries from servicemen who don't know anyone in our lodge. I've tried with the current one to search his social situation, but he and his wife go to work and church and not much else. I would be really embarrassed to sign the petition of a man I'd known less than a year. How would you handle this? S&F
Members of my investigating committee came to my home. They didn't require my wife to be present, but strongly encouraged her to be. During our meeting they included her fully in the discussion and encouraged her to ask questions. I know for certain they called all my references too.
I was one such person. I consider myself a born-again, evangelical Christian. In many Christian circles, it is common "knowledge" that freemasonry is not compatible with Christianity and that there are satanic influences. I wouldn't even let my kids go to the Shrine circus because of its ties to freemasonry. It wasn't until I started doing my own research that I learned the truth about all these rumors. I'll be raised later this month and actually plan on becoming a Shriner as well.
Of one's own free will and accord includes being of one's own sound mind and not someone else's. Such men who are easily swayed, especially by unfounded information, do not contribute anything worthwhile or beneficial to our Fraternity. We are better off without them; they are better off without us. There is no loss. There was simply nothing to be gained on anyone's part. They have not a clue what is being offered. We do and hence should not go down that road. IMO Bro. Coach N
I didn't know any GA Masons when I joined here either (knew a bunch from OH, where I'm from). I went to the lodge, sat with two Masons for about an hour, and then was invited to open events over the next 12 months (I went to a couple). Exactly 365 days after I met with George and Wally, they signed my petition and I was investigated. One meeting was in my home, as is suggested in our jurisdiction.
