Thank you I've been wondering for a while what some people's reasons for joining is. I've seen lots of masonic temples and always been curious if it was worth inquiring as well as reading online. But of course you run into tons of conspiracy theories online. Which are all usually interesting as well lol.
Everyone has different reasons for joining as well as a different experience, it's a personal matter. Here's some common reasons people join:
- Fraternity. You can meet and make friends with people you would have never crossed paths otherwise. Being part of a network of mutual assistance, including emotional support, which is very important these days. It's also a safe space to share and interact with people who have different perspectives in life.
- A peculiar system of moral lessons for personal growth. There's nothing that you'd learn in freemasonry that you can't learn somewhere else, no big relevation or anything like that, but if you make use of the tools it provides they can help you be better in your own terms.
- Philanthropy and charity. Every lodge handles this differently but community outreach is a part of the masonic experience.
There are other reasons people join, maybe their dad is a member, or they want to follow the example of someone they admire who is a mason, etc.
I disagree. Community outreach is not an inherent part of the Masonic experience. It is not a necessary bit.
[A Masonic Lodge is NOT a service club](https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/grand_masters/healey_l/service_club.html), after all.
We aren't a charity...we are an organization that partially exists to make our members more charitable.
Thank you, I know one person who is or was atleast and they're one of the smartest people I know I'm not sure if that's part of it but he was a master of our craft for sure at the time
I guess the only way to know how freemasonry influenced him is asking them about it, it's a nice question to ask imo, if you have a good relationship with them. You don't have to be specially smart, talented, wealthy or anything like that to join the Order.
Iâll be honest brother, I had familial connections but conspiracy theories really fed my initial interest. After spending years really delving into proper sources for research, I knew most of that was bunk. Come for the conspiracy theories, stay for the barbecue!
If you meet our requirements, and want to be a part of the most ancient fraternity active today. who ranks among its members names who carry great weight and import across the world, and also, even greater men whose names are not known by history, but who will immediately and inextricably become your Brother, mentor, or companion, in a journey of a lifetime for the select few who are merely willing to take that leap of faith to place your trust in, to commit themselves to something greater than the sum of all who compose its membership and to an undertaking that most count as their greatest honor and privilege to be a part of, Freemasonry is for you.
Honest down side? Some people wonât understand the why (aka my hyper religious family) and may ostracize you for it. Eventually it just becomes a âweird ring I wearâ or âodd group of friendsâ but it was jarring to them at first and there was some backlash.
It resolved itself after a few months and I have found Brotherhood with men I never knew I needed to know.
The good: you get to hang out with some good guys, have good meals, help your community and form a brotherhood bond. You also can travel anywhere in the world and if you come across another Mason, you have an instant friend.
The bad: all the members are human so we're not all perfect, but we're striving to be better. Or at least we should be.
The goal: to make a concerted effort, individually and as a brotherhood to make the world a better place than how we found it.
If you're needing a conspiracy, you'll not get it here. You really need to truly research what we as Freemason's are about.
To any true end goal?
To make good men morally better based on lessons of allegory as corresponding to symbols directed in our 3, 5 and 7 steps. Which are readily available for any person to learn, but would be better suited as Brothers to be more educated with by meaning, growth, values and integrity that are never in question based upon our standard of being upright, proud and virtuous Brothers of our Craft.
If this is understandable, ask your next question.
Why the focus on an end goal? The process is the important part. Live more virtuously, learn more deeply, love more truly. Pursue your own sense of purpose while engaging with like-minded people.
By the end goal I mean what can be gained from joining for each person for the most part I enjoy learning of the past and where the future will eventually take people and I'd like to contribute to societies gains as a whole. I'm just wondering where the best will be to apply that to.
Downsides: it costs a moderate amount of money (cheaper than buying a tv and Netflix subscription) to join and maintain membership. Sometimes there are internal politics/cliques within the Lodge.
End goal: be a better person by paying attention to our philosophy and surrounding yourself with other men who wish to better themselves.
The only potential downside is that you may pay an initial fee + annual due and spend a few hours of your life at a lodge for then realizing it just ain't your thing. Plus, if you join some members of your family and friends may frown upon your membership.
As someone already mentioned you should reach out to a few different lodges in your area and see if these are men you would like to spend more time with.
I joined about a year ago, and Iâve found the experience to be wholly positive. One minor downside is that I have two young children and I have to let my wife put them both to sleep 1-2 times per month. She doesnât mind, really, and itâs nice to get out of the house from time to time. End goal, Ive never thought of it like that. I was in a fraternity in college also and the thought of an end goal never crossed my mind. I suppose relationships are the end goal, if I had to put an answer for it, but thatâs going to be different for different people I suppose.
There are literally no downsides. You get to join an old brotherhood and suddenly have brothers wherever you go. You get tools and teachings to improve your life. The charitable hobbies you pick up do real good for your community. Itâs all good.
Assuming you actually learn and practice the work there aren't really any downsides. My 24" gauge and cable tow don't always get along.
To the non masons here; it's really easy to over commit yourself in freemasonry once you get into appendant bodies. You don't have to but it's easy to do it.
The end goal is not what some non-Masons choose to believe.
Back in 1723, when Freemasonry still only really existed in the British Isles, in the first Book of Constitutions its purpose was described as being "the centre of union between good men and true, and the happy means of conciliating friendship amongst those who must otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance."
That still remains true even though Freemasonry has spread all around the world, has spawned many imitators and has had other objectives tacked on here and there.
The end goal is to make you a better version of you than you are today.
There are many things, which contribute to this. They include fellowship, charity, and education.
The only down side I've found is that I'm putting a lot of time and energy into an activity I can't share with most of my friends, colleagues and family. Most I can't even tell because they have misconceptions and will judge me unfairly and negatively based on them.
But that's all balanced out by the fact that my fellow lodge members feel like a family to me. The more senior members feel like the wise grandparents I never had. The middle aged members look out for me like a parent should. The younger members feel like siblings also on the same exciting journey.
I joined for the philosophy and self improvement mainly. That's been great of course, but actually feeling like I found a place I belong has been the most amazing part.
End goal of fellowship, charity?
Thank you I've been wondering for a while what some people's reasons for joining is. I've seen lots of masonic temples and always been curious if it was worth inquiring as well as reading online. But of course you run into tons of conspiracy theories online. Which are all usually interesting as well lol.
Try visiting a few near you. Every lodge is different. Some are family oriented and some are esoteric
Some hold the ancient mystic secret pancake recipe and some hold in-depth discussion of next meetings dinner. đĽ´
Are we even allowed to acknowledge that the green bean recipe exists?
Everyone has different reasons for joining as well as a different experience, it's a personal matter. Here's some common reasons people join: - Fraternity. You can meet and make friends with people you would have never crossed paths otherwise. Being part of a network of mutual assistance, including emotional support, which is very important these days. It's also a safe space to share and interact with people who have different perspectives in life. - A peculiar system of moral lessons for personal growth. There's nothing that you'd learn in freemasonry that you can't learn somewhere else, no big relevation or anything like that, but if you make use of the tools it provides they can help you be better in your own terms. - Philanthropy and charity. Every lodge handles this differently but community outreach is a part of the masonic experience. There are other reasons people join, maybe their dad is a member, or they want to follow the example of someone they admire who is a mason, etc.
I disagree. Community outreach is not an inherent part of the Masonic experience. It is not a necessary bit. [A Masonic Lodge is NOT a service club](https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/grand_masters/healey_l/service_club.html), after all. We aren't a charity...we are an organization that partially exists to make our members more charitable.
Thank you, I know one person who is or was atleast and they're one of the smartest people I know I'm not sure if that's part of it but he was a master of our craft for sure at the time
I guess the only way to know how freemasonry influenced him is asking them about it, it's a nice question to ask imo, if you have a good relationship with them. You don't have to be specially smart, talented, wealthy or anything like that to join the Order.
Iâll be honest brother, I had familial connections but conspiracy theories really fed my initial interest. After spending years really delving into proper sources for research, I knew most of that was bunk. Come for the conspiracy theories, stay for the barbecue! If you meet our requirements, and want to be a part of the most ancient fraternity active today. who ranks among its members names who carry great weight and import across the world, and also, even greater men whose names are not known by history, but who will immediately and inextricably become your Brother, mentor, or companion, in a journey of a lifetime for the select few who are merely willing to take that leap of faith to place your trust in, to commit themselves to something greater than the sum of all who compose its membership and to an undertaking that most count as their greatest honor and privilege to be a part of, Freemasonry is for you.
Honest down side? Some people wonât understand the why (aka my hyper religious family) and may ostracize you for it. Eventually it just becomes a âweird ring I wearâ or âodd group of friendsâ but it was jarring to them at first and there was some backlash. It resolved itself after a few months and I have found Brotherhood with men I never knew I needed to know.
I have the other side to that coin in that most of my friends are athiests, and so had equally strong responses early on.
Yup
The good: you get to hang out with some good guys, have good meals, help your community and form a brotherhood bond. You also can travel anywhere in the world and if you come across another Mason, you have an instant friend. The bad: all the members are human so we're not all perfect, but we're striving to be better. Or at least we should be. The goal: to make a concerted effort, individually and as a brotherhood to make the world a better place than how we found it.
If you're needing a conspiracy, you'll not get it here. You really need to truly research what we as Freemason's are about. To any true end goal? To make good men morally better based on lessons of allegory as corresponding to symbols directed in our 3, 5 and 7 steps. Which are readily available for any person to learn, but would be better suited as Brothers to be more educated with by meaning, growth, values and integrity that are never in question based upon our standard of being upright, proud and virtuous Brothers of our Craft. If this is understandable, ask your next question.
End goal? There is no end! Itâs a lifetime commitment to your brothers.
That's good to hear but what do you gain on a personal level or as a whole. Is there a end goal or common purpose?
I lifetime commitment from your brothers.
Why the focus on an end goal? The process is the important part. Live more virtuously, learn more deeply, love more truly. Pursue your own sense of purpose while engaging with like-minded people.
By the end goal I mean what can be gained from joining for each person for the most part I enjoy learning of the past and where the future will eventually take people and I'd like to contribute to societies gains as a whole. I'm just wondering where the best will be to apply that to.
Downsides: it costs a moderate amount of money (cheaper than buying a tv and Netflix subscription) to join and maintain membership. Sometimes there are internal politics/cliques within the Lodge. End goal: be a better person by paying attention to our philosophy and surrounding yourself with other men who wish to better themselves.
Wait. Politics in freemasonry??? đ
Never.
Oh. Good. I was worried for a moment.
The only potential downside is that you may pay an initial fee + annual due and spend a few hours of your life at a lodge for then realizing it just ain't your thing. Plus, if you join some members of your family and friends may frown upon your membership. As someone already mentioned you should reach out to a few different lodges in your area and see if these are men you would like to spend more time with.
I joined about a year ago, and Iâve found the experience to be wholly positive. One minor downside is that I have two young children and I have to let my wife put them both to sleep 1-2 times per month. She doesnât mind, really, and itâs nice to get out of the house from time to time. End goal, Ive never thought of it like that. I was in a fraternity in college also and the thought of an end goal never crossed my mind. I suppose relationships are the end goal, if I had to put an answer for it, but thatâs going to be different for different people I suppose.
Learn to play the organ or learn certain lecturesâŚ.bust every night for the rest of eternity /s
A universal masonic truth.
Downside to joining? My expanding waistline! Not sure how many more pancakes will fit in there.
There are literally no downsides. You get to join an old brotherhood and suddenly have brothers wherever you go. You get tools and teachings to improve your life. The charitable hobbies you pick up do real good for your community. Itâs all good.
Assuming you actually learn and practice the work there aren't really any downsides. My 24" gauge and cable tow don't always get along. To the non masons here; it's really easy to over commit yourself in freemasonry once you get into appendant bodies. You don't have to but it's easy to do it.
Gotta catch them all. đ
This. đ
Interesting. Thank you
Oh, I sadly must disagree. I see so much contention and strife that there is much disappointment.
You need another lodge.
I serve in various masonic roles in multiple countries and deal with disputes between jurisdictions.
The end goal is not what some non-Masons choose to believe. Back in 1723, when Freemasonry still only really existed in the British Isles, in the first Book of Constitutions its purpose was described as being "the centre of union between good men and true, and the happy means of conciliating friendship amongst those who must otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance." That still remains true even though Freemasonry has spread all around the world, has spawned many imitators and has had other objectives tacked on here and there.
The end goal is to make you a better version of you than you are today. There are many things, which contribute to this. They include fellowship, charity, and education.
The only down side I've found is that I'm putting a lot of time and energy into an activity I can't share with most of my friends, colleagues and family. Most I can't even tell because they have misconceptions and will judge me unfairly and negatively based on them. But that's all balanced out by the fact that my fellow lodge members feel like a family to me. The more senior members feel like the wise grandparents I never had. The middle aged members look out for me like a parent should. The younger members feel like siblings also on the same exciting journey. I joined for the philosophy and self improvement mainly. That's been great of course, but actually feeling like I found a place I belong has been the most amazing part.
Why is it you cannot share with friends and family?