Why is Masonry so Secretive?

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littlecat123

New Member
Why do Masons remain so secretive?

I don't really know anyone who knows anything about Masons and some people I know are fearful about what they believe.

It would seem like a good idea to let people know what the organization is about and what they do and believe in.
 
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SageMother

New Member
littlecat123 said:
Why do Masons remain so secretive?

I don't really know anyone who knows anything about Masons and some people I know are fearful about what they believe.

It would seem like a good idea to let people know what the organization is about and what they do and believe in.
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Sometimes it is best NOT to tell too much of what goes on, even though there are lots of books on Free Masonry around. If the masses are allowed access to too much information, you get things going on like what has happened with Feng Shui and Native American spiritual activities. They get watered down and eventually alot of Christianized thought gets woven in, which destroys the impact these alternative paths are supposed to have
 
jason

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
Masons are not to discuss things such as ways on how to recognize each other outside a lodge, and details of the degree work.

Some events such as cornerstone ceremonies, are barely noticed by the public anymore.

Masonic buildings are clearly marked, websites are viewable to the public, some even post events calenders online.. Our lodge has a Saturday breakfast where anyone can come in and have a good breakfast for a small donation, even if they are not a Mason.

Masons wear rings, hats, pins, car license plates, bumper stickers or more.
 
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Alexanderx

New Member
Jason said:
Masons are not to discuss things such as ways on how to recognize each other outside a lodge, and details of the degree work.

Some events such as cornerstone ceremonies, are barely noticed by the public anymore.

Masonic buildings are clearly marked, websites are viewable to the public, some even post events calenders online.. Our lodge has a Saturday breakfast where anyone can come in and have a good breakfast for a small donation, even if they are not a Mason.

Masons wear rings, hats, pins, car license plates, bumper stickers or more.
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Or some of us have no visible markings/rings at all.

I personally would like someone to take notice of my contributions to human kind first and foremost, then learn that I am a Mason, by chance. ;)

That's my own personal path.
 
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harmony_mom

New Member
I would assume that some Mason's also want to avoid debate about their beliefs. It's comparable to religion in the sense that those that don't understand what it's all about are going to try to impose judgement on Free Masonry without understanding anything about it.
 
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littlecat123

New Member
Alexanderx said:
Or some of us have no visible markings/rings at all.

I personally would like someone to take notice of my contributions to human kind first and foremost, then learn that I am a Mason, by chance. ;)

That's my own personal path.
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I think that's a great philosophy. Hearing that, I can understand why some would keep their membership secret in hopes that people would see them for who they are as opposed to who they "belong" to.
 
BG_TRBL

BG_TRBL

Watcher of the posts
This is my own opinion of course, Masonry is not as secretive as many say it is. There are very few things in freemasonry which are not readily available to anyone who wishes to investigate them. We as freemasons do not involve ourselves in debates with those who question our motives. We also don't fight the "anti-masonic" individuals for multiple reasons, think about it, why would you fight something that is based on opinions and perceptions?? it is hard enough to live life without involving yourself in quarrels in which there would be no decernable winner. If all of the grand lodges of the world were to spend money on fighting the "anti-masonic" propaganda then it would impede the charitable contributions which are made daily.

PM#232
 
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ncjwr

New Member
my grandfather was completely proud of being a mason. he was also a Baptist Minister and i mean Southern Baptist!

my mother used to say things like..."how can he be a minister and a mason" it never phased me. he was just a good man.

i now have friends whose husbands are masons and they are of all different faiths. it seems to be very accepting and not about your faith...but i'm new here:)
 
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walls0stone

New Member
I don't think it's so secretive. it's just not understood. We as a group have the same sort of stuff that other groups have. For example, I'm a Civil War reenactor.. in 15 years I've learned lots of slang and ways of doing stuff that would point me out as a reenactor to another reenactor, right down the wiskers on my face.

Now reenacting group were as old at our brotherhood, and we had a few more people in tinfoil hats running around looking for even more boogie men, we could be seen in the same light.

This could be said for firemen, bluegrass fans, anyone who loves tailgate'n or anyone who has had the same group of friends for 20 years.
 
Ashlar2006

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
We are not a "Secret Society" . Like other's have stated , our lodges are clearly marked and anyone who wants to stand out front and watch us walk in is more than welcome too . We are not sneaking around some dark alley or out in some backwoods , we do not have masks on or hoods over our heads as we walk into the lodge building . We wear rings , hats , shirts and decals on our cars that points out our membership . Anything anyone wants to know about the fraternity can be found in any well stocked library , book store , television and on the internet . If we were truely a secret society do you not think we would change our passwords , other modes of recognition and these other secrets as soon as they were published for all to read ? If a secret code or password used by our military is compromised and found out by the enemy , what does the military do ? They make up a new one , of course . We do not change them because these so-called secrets are out of tradition .

As for what goes on in a lodge meeting , I'm pretty open about what goes on with my wife . I do not talk of how degrees are performed , or the modes of recognition or how balloting went and so forth . But I will tell her about committees I am a member of and projects the lodge is working on , these are not secrets and sometimes it is good to bounce ideas off someone from the outside . I remember back in the day when I would ask my Uncle what went on in Lodge or why he was a Mason/what it meant to be a Mason and he wouldn't say a word , I would just hear that it was none of my buisness . He even went so far as to have books like Robert Macoy's " A Dictionary of Freemasonry" and Mackey's "The History of Freemasonry" under lock and key . I'm truely amazed that Freemasonry has made it this far . Some have taken this secrecy thing to the extreme . There is a lot we can talk about with our families and friends concerning Freemasonry , that the old guard kept close to the vest . What being a Freemason means to me is not a secret . Why I became a Mason is not a secret . I AM A FREEMASON , not a secret !

But back to the original thought , If we are a secret society , we are not doing so well of keeping it secret !
 
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Kevin C Livingston

New Member
As stated before, we're not a secret society but we are a society with secrets;) The only secrets that we keep are 1) Modes of recognition 2) Rituals 3) Stuff that's nobody's business but our own. At least that's MY perspective.
We are also charged to not let our zeal lead into arguments with anyone who through ignorange might degrade or ridcule the fraternity. Though I would care to answer the criticism of us being "nefarious". If encouraging education is "nefariuos" then I suppose that we are. If standing up for social justice is "nefarious" then we just might be. If tolerance for other's beliefs and opinions is something "nefarious" then we are! If respect for the dignity of individuals can be considered "nefarious" then it looks like you've got us pegged. If charity is "nefarious" then we stand gulity as charged!
I would like to make this clear though that these opinions are mine and mine alone. If you share them, then great! If not, then that's great too!
 
Windrider

Windrider

Plus-sized tuxedo model
littlecat123 said:
Why do Masons remain so secretive?

I don't really know anyone who knows anything about Masons and some people I know are fearful about what they believe.

It would seem like a good idea to let people know what the organization is about and what they do and believe in.
Click to expand...
As said before, Freemasons have web sites, well marked buildings, march in parades, lay cornerstones for public buildings, etc. What we don't do a lot of is toot our own horn :)

Most masonic charity is done quietly. A new wheelchair shows up at a house where the old one was stolen. A homeless woman gets gifts of clothing and money for her kids. A young man gets the opportunity for a job interview. These are all real examples of things I have seen in my Lodge.

Even the big stuff is would take some digging to find the word "Mason" associated with it. The Shriner's Hospitals don't make a big deal that each Shriner must first be a Master Mason. Masons give at least $2 million a day to charity, 70% of it goes to non-masonic organizations.

The CHIP program (where kids are interviewed in front of a video camera, fingerprinted, a bite impression is taken and a DNA sample, all of which is immediately given to the parents with no record kept by the Masons) can save a child's life and is free to the family. I would bet most of the people who benefit from that service couldn't tell you it was a Mason offering it.

We have our little secrets as mentioned before but they are secrets with a noble purpose. When a man goes through these Rituals, he should emerge changed for the better. If there were not a few surprises, the Rituals would not be as effective.

The means of identification are kept secret from tradition dating back to the Guilds of stonemasons building cathedrals. Most of these workmen were illiterate but were some of the few professionals who could freely move from town to town without the permission of the lord or duke. In order to establish their right to do so, they were examined at the new town and had to prove they were "Freemasons". We keep this tradition alive today.

So there you have it. I just told you all the secrets and the reasons behind them. I hope the Masonic Ninja squad doesn't come visiting me tonight ;)
 
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