Freemasons

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As part of my work I have to go on monthly seminars, these are allways held at Freemasons Hall, which as the name would indicate is a Masonic Lodge! I really hate going there, the whole place feels creepy and very sinister. Is this just me or are all masonic places sinister?

― Davel, Friday, 17 October 2003 07:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Just you!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Nah, you're just imagining things.

http://www.firecat.net/fanfics/magician/freemason.jpg

― robster (robster), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Aaaahh!! Aaaahhhh!!! Fie, fie, you suspicious git!

A Freemason's Hall is a thing of beauty, the symbolism so rich, the decoration so beautiful and mysterious and arcane. The imagery *appears* spooky because much of it is based on Old Testament style Jewish symbolism. (The earliest example of Masonry being the building of the Temple of Solomon.) During the middle ages, when Jewish sacred knowledge and mysticism (the Kabbalah and the like) was demonised, people grew to associate such symbolism with the Occult.

That said, some of the stuff at the Masonic Museum, with skulls and deathsheads and things all over the aprons - are pretty damn spooky. But then again, no moreso than any other 18th century momento mori.

Freemasonry is COOL! and I shall have no naysayers telling me otherwise. Humph!

― Masonic Boom (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:28 (twenty-two years ago)

this is only because you want to live in the grand hall due to DECO OVERLOAD isn't it, kate?

i don't think masonry is scary as it was, say, 40 years ago, they are a lot less clandestine i think, although it's clearly still a little odd, as far as i can see...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:32 (twenty-two years ago)

But it's BEAUTIFUL!!! It's really BEAUTIFUL!!!

(Watch in horror as Kate's face melts off like a crazed Nazi)

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:34 (twenty-two years ago)

oh yeah, it rocks hard (kate and i bumped into to each other in the grand masonic hall off longacre on open house weekend about a month ago), but the imagery, as you point out, is a bit spooky.

also i think you're being a teeny bit over-sympathetic, the masons have wielded a fair bit of power over the years and done it secretly to the detriment of non-members (esp. in the judiciary and the police)...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:45 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not my fault that non-Freemasons are scum! ;-)

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh isn't it?

― oops (Oops), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:53 (twenty-two years ago)

You can have a tour of Freemason's Hall on Great Queen Street any weekday until 4.30 (Nick and I discovered this on one of our walks a couple of months back). This must be part of the recent drive to promote the new, caring-sharing Freemansonry.

― suzy (suzy), Friday, 17 October 2003 07:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Open houses are better than the guided tour, because they let you wander around and you can get into things you'd otherwise not get into - while we were there, HSA insisted on using the Grand High Wazooma Executive Washroom just because he could!

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Mrs The Nipper and I walked past that big Masonic temple in Covent Garden last nite on our way to the LSE, just as the masons were coming out, all spiffed up in their black suits and ties. They looked like characters from 'Reservoir Dogs' after 20 years of Large Banquets.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:14 (twenty-two years ago)

What do Freemasons actually DO? Apart from favours for each other, that is - or is it a SECRET?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Ssssshhhhhh!!!

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:19 (twenty-two years ago)

masons = like the interweb before the interweb (cf kipling)

he liked it bcz once you were members ppl from difft cultures cd associate w/o worrying abt colour or creed or caste or class - as per his first apparently extremely multicultural lodge in india (this view of it is v.utopian and romanticised obv but also interesting and unexpected, given how it is now pretty much seen as the opposite)

(ie he liked it bcz its careful exclusivity allowed pan-cultural fraternity to flourish)

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Freemasonary is a perfectly legitimate and open opportunity for likeminded gentlemen and their good ladies to come together and share in the goodness of the human spirit. Ho ho, all this suspician is quite unfounded, despite the fact that over half of top ranking police officers in this country are thought to be Masons.

― Mysterious Forces, Friday, 17 October 2003 08:30 (twenty-two years ago)

― Mysterious Forces, Friday, 17 October 2003 08:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Apparently there are two female Lodges in the UK, and I would join one if I could!

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"You must conceal all crimes of your brother Masons... and should you be summoned as a witness against a brother Mason be always sure to shield him... It may be perjury to do this, it is true, but you're keeping your obligations."

Ronayne
Handbook of Masonry, page 183

― Mysterious Forces, Friday, 17 October 2003 08:35 (twenty-two years ago)

that fellow is concealing his saurian nature damn poorly

― dawnie lizd (mark s), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"are thought to be" =/= "are".

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:36 (twenty-two years ago)

What *date* is that there Masonic handbook that yer reading from, Mysterious? 1712 or something?

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:38 (twenty-two years ago)

170,035 BC, minutes to penultimate plenary

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:40 (twenty-two years ago)

close relatives of mine are freemasons. i tend to view their total lack of noticeable unexplained wEaLTH or social power as somewhat baffling in view of the "fact" that masonry is this mutli-tentacular konspiracy intent on dominating us peons or something (nb i am not, nor do i intend to be a freemason)

― ??|?>||?||?|?|?/\//\?|||||||, Friday, 17 October 2003 08:44 (twenty-two years ago)

argh i thought "indexing off" de-googled, not locked!

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:45 (twenty-two years ago)

What I want to know is, at what point in the initiation process do I receive my tentacles? I've always wanted tentacles.

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:46 (twenty-two years ago)

tentacles! k-rowr.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:46 (twenty-two years ago)

(Or is it only Illuminati and Rosicrucians that get tentacles, and poor Freemasons have to wear aprons to hide their tentacle-free status?)

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:49 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.alarmingproducts.com/pics/tentacles.jpg

Should I post this on the Fall Fashion thread as my new look?

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

this wd be better perhaps:

http://www.geocities.com/missipyle/pictures/gal7.html

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:04 (twenty-two years ago)

So what, you don't want random Freemasons googling this and seeing our dastardly tentacular assertions?

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:30 (twenty-two years ago)

haha no, not really. do you?

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:34 (twenty-two years ago)

That's what Freemasons do! They play golf!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey, it could bring on a post-poccalyse that made the DMB thread look like an unloved red-headed stepchild! Bring it on!

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

They play GOLF!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Your logic:

-Some Freemasons play golf
-Gareth and Ronan have played golf
-Therefore, Gareth and Ronan are freemasons

??????????????????????

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I've played crazy golf, so am I a Crazy Mason?

― Davel, Friday, 17 October 2003 09:45 (twenty-two years ago)

And I have played Mini Golf

― Davel, Friday, 17 October 2003 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

MINICRAZYMASON!!! Excellent.

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Dave, you are indeed a mini mason!

(there's no footie 2moro!)

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Your logic:
-Some Freemasons play golf
-Gareth and Ronan have played golf
-Therefore, Gareth and Ronan are freemasons

??????????????????????

Exactly. Watertight.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Geezers kiosk = masonic lodge.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 17 October 2003 09:50 (twenty-two years ago)

"What *date* is that there Masonic handbook that yer reading from, Mysterious? 1712 or something?"

Fuck knows, I culled it off a random website. You should have a look though.

http://freemasonwatch.freepress-freespeech.com/britishmasons.html

― Mysterious Forces, Friday, 17 October 2003 10:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey Pink,

What do you mean there is no footie on Saturday?

There is Coventry City v Cardiff City at 2.30, then Ipswich Town v Stoke City at 5.35 and finally Celta Vigo v Real Madrid at 8.00, a feast of football!

― Davel, Friday, 17 October 2003 10:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh great matches! Well they'll not be watched round my house, i say they'll not be watched! J thgt u meant a leeds game, it's not on though.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 17 October 2003 10:04 (twenty-two years ago)

If you believe every random thing you read on the internet, well, hey buddy, I've got this bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you. Special deal, just for you, cheap, because I like you!

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 10:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't recall mentioning believing in anything, anywhere on this thread, sunflower.

― Mysterious Forces, Friday, 17 October 2003 10:08 (twenty-two years ago)

and now, ladies and gentlemen, i give you The Architech Sketch:
Mr. Wiggin:
...Well I wouldn't become a Freemason now if you went down on your lousy stinking knees and begged me.

Client 2:
We're sorry you feel that way, but we did want a block of flats, nice though the abattoir is.

Mr. Wiggin:
Oh sod the abattoir, that's not important.

(He dashes forward and kneels in front of them)

But if any of you could put in a word for me I'd love to be a mason. Masonry opens doors. I'd be very quiet, I was a bit on edge just now but if I were a mason I'd sit at the back and not get in anyone's way.

Client 1:
(politely) Thank you.

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Friday, 17 October 2003 12:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Fascinating article on women in Masonry. Kate, you might want to have a look.

― Douglas (Douglas), Friday, 17 October 2003 12:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I will indeed bookmark it and have a more intensive read when I get a chance! (My database keeps crashing and I've no idea why. grrrrr.)

― kate (kate), Friday, 17 October 2003 12:43 (twenty-two years ago)

four months pass...

Oops.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 11 March 2004 04:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I read about that in the paper yesterday and a mason happened to be near. He's been with them for decades so I showed him the article. His reaction was wtf. I've been asked to join on different occasions, but have always politely declined.

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 11 March 2004 04:22 (twenty-two years ago)

The Magic Flute's about Freemasonry.

― Sym (shmuel), Thursday, 11 March 2004 04:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you have a solid reason to say no now, Jim. (Maybe it's just the way things are in New York, perhaps up on the border they just make you eat raw Canadian bacon and you hope you don't get trichonosis.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 11 March 2004 04:24 (twenty-two years ago)

To loosely quote Groucho Marx: Any group that would have people like me as a member, I don't want nothin to do with.

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 11 March 2004 04:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Stop reviving threads like this! Leave me alone! Can't you see I'm trying to download photos of Busted?

Freemasonry was the social glue that held Britain together while the rest of Europe was up in revolutions. Freemasonry was the guiding principle behind the American Revolution. Don't besmirch its good pure name with stupid, inaccurate American gun nuts. Please.

Why can't I get this bloody picture on my desktop? Stupid macs, blah blah blah.

― The River Kate (kate), Thursday, 11 March 2004 11:22 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Gotta say sorry for resurrecting your thread but I'm a random freemason and found this really really funny, nice one.
Mike

― Mike Martin, Friday, 16 September 2005 06:53 (twenty years ago)

This has just made my life!

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Friday, 16 September 2005 06:57 (twenty years ago)

Wow, hello freemason!

― Bombed Out and Depleted / Kate (papa november), Friday, 16 September 2005 09:33 (twenty years ago)

I especially liked the tentacles bit, I'm just off to have mine trimmed :) Mike

― Mike Martin, Friday, 16 September 2005 09:40 (twenty years ago)

OK, thats just cool :)

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 16 September 2005 09:49 (twenty years ago)

I am so happy to have my tentacles rumour confirmed! Especially now that I work right across from the Grand Freemasons Hall! There's a barber down the street... I wonder if he specialises in tentacle trimming!

― The River Kate (kate), Friday, 16 September 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

Oooops! No It's all done in the basement of Sway that's why their Calamari is sooo good :) Mike

― Mike Martin, Friday, 16 September 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

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