As a new mason i often get asked the question"What do ya'll do and what do I have to do to become one.. sometimes after giving the basic answers i hav had folk continue to press and me being new i was courious in some Ideas on how to get past this w/o saying to much.... also what is 2 much i know modes of recignition are a non no but beyond that im not sure if there are other things i should keep amoung Brethren!????
What to say and what not to say
- Thread starter topdown09
- Start date
mdonahue66
Mike
I wish I had the "problem" of often being asked these questions. Speak from your heart. Tell them what masonry means to you. I don't think there's a good "elevator speech". As long as you stay away from the details of the ritual and the grips/passes, you should be able to speak very freely. Good luck!
G
Gary
Guest
First off, are you a Master Mason? What did your obligation teach you?
When in doubt, refer the person to someone who can better answer their questions and keep quiet.
When in doubt, refer the person to someone who can better answer their questions and keep quiet.
Windrider
Plus-sized tuxedo model
And there you have both sides of this questionFirst off, are you a Master Mason? What did your obligation teach you?
When in doubt, refer the person to someone who can better answer their questions and keep quiet.
Unfortunately, what's acceptable to one Mason would be offensive to another. So, in reality answer number two is the best one. I checked at LOI and was told "just keep it general and mind you Obligation." When I pressed, they agreed that only the means of recognition and the details of ritual must be kept secret.
G
Gary
Guest
That's what I was getting at with my response. I don't have a problem discussing Freemasonry. The symbols aren't secret, who we are and what we do isn't secret. The modes of recognition, ritual, etc... are.And there you have both sides of this question
Unfortunately, what's acceptable to one Mason would be offensive to another. So, in reality answer number two is the best one. I checked at LOI and was told "just keep it general and mind you Obligation." When I pressed, they agreed that only the means of recognition and the details of ritual must be kept secret.
My point was, if you aren't sure what to say, then it's better to point the person in the direction of someone qualified to answer. There are some who will talk for the sake of talking. We should avoid that as a rule and practice.
Bro. topdown, I would not only direct you back to your EA obligation, but also to the book Freemasonry for Dummies by (Ill.)Bro. Chris Hodap and the Complete Idiots Guide to Freemasonry by Ill. Bro. S. Brent Morris. If it is discussed in either of those places, you should be ok discussing it.
Just my .02 worth.
Just my .02 worth.
mdonahue66
Mike
Well, we all have our opinions, and I go out of my way to respect them all. With that being said, I stand by my statement. We all joined this fraternity for a reason, and many of our reasons may be different. But, I would hope, all master masons would have, within their hearts, something special that the fraternity means to them, something they can articulate and help to enlighten a non-mason, (I really dislike the word profane) and why they hold that something close. While we must all take our obligations, our masonic constitutions and codes, and the opinions of our brothers seriously, we must also remember that we were all taught that the most useful tenets of our institution are friendship, morality, and brotherly love, not secrecy, masonic education, and ritual. I know that many of the members of this forum take the latter three very seriously, as do I, but they are not the reasons most masons became masons.And there you have both sides of this question
Unfortunately, what's acceptable to one Mason would be offensive to another. So, in reality answer number two is the best one. I checked at LOI and was told "just keep it general and mind you Obligation." When I pressed, they agreed that only the means of recognition and the details of ritual must be kept secret.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike