Posted on 05/21/2008 8:10:03 AM PDT by BGHater
IN LOS FELIZ, across from a 7-Eleven on North Vermont Avenue, a few dozen men in their early 20s to late 80s share a dinner behind closed doors. Some wear full tuxedos with bow ties and jeweled cuff links, some have shoulder-length hair, and others wear open-collared shirts that reveal the slightest filigree of tattoo arching across their chests.
Over Italian food, retired lawyers and judges sit elbow-to-elbow with owners of scrap metal yards and vintage clothing boutiques. They hold forth on philosophy, the weather; they rib each other and joke about saving room for cannoli. As they reach for seconds, they reveal skull-cracking rings emblazoned with a compass and a square.
Meet the millennial Masons. As secret societies go, it is one of the oldest and most famous. Its enrollment roster includes Louis Armstrong and Gerald Ford, and it has been depicted in movies such as “The Da Vinci Code” and “National Treasure.” Once more than 4 million strong (back in the 1950s), it has been in something of a popularity free-fall ever since. Viewed with suspicion as a bastion of antiquated values and forced camaraderie, the Masons have seen membership rolls plummet more than 60% to just 1.5 million in 2006.
Only now the trend seems to be reversing itself, and nowhere more noticeably than in Southern California. The reasons seem clear. In another Masonic Hall, this one on La Cienega, a Sri Lankan-born banker, a sunglasses-wearing Russian immigrant and a continent-hopping Frenchman break bread, poke at their salads and chat about their health.
"For a time it looked as if Masonry was going into a sharp decline, if not the death throes," said UCLA history professor Margaret C. Jacob, who has written extensively about the fraternal order. "But it looks like it may be making a comeback."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
They rule the world from a clown suit.
Do you still have to bow before the 3-sided stool?
I’m in charge of a few local officials myself and I’m just a low level Free Mason.
There will always be a psychological frisson associated with joining a secret society.
The writer attempt to characterize Free Mason’s as freaks and jongleurs. Where I’m from, almost every judge, mayor and municipal and elected official is a Mason.
“They rule the world from a clown suit.”
******
IIRC, Freemasons Sam Houston, Col. William Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett weren’t wearing clown suits when they fought for Texas independence from Mexico.
In addition, the second largest group (after Jews) killed by Hitler in WWII were Freemasons. They even got their very own special red triangles to wear in concentration camps as political prisoners. No photos show them wearing clown suits.
Providing severely injured children with comprehensive medical care free of charge at Scottish Rite and Shriners Hospitals doesn’t involve clown suits either.
Maybe it will surpass the GOP in total membership. Hell, maybe it will REPLACE the GOP considering the lack of leadership in D.C.
So you're corroborating the writer's presentation?
The Shriners might want to correct you on that.
Not at all.
I'm more of a goliard myself but hey, we each have our roles.
Maybe there is renewed interest because it is place men can go and no chicks allowed....and as a chick I do not have a problem with that.
There was a show on TV about the Free Mason’s.....interesting history
What's wrong with that? There's worse things in this world.
You've reminded of a bumper sticker (!) from 1980, before the election, that said, "What's wrong with having an actor for president? We've had had 4 years with a clown!"
If given a choice between Obamanistas and Freemasons, I'll take the Masons every time.
Every time!
CA....
ROFLMAO!!
Maybe the growth in membership reflects the more "open" and less secret society we live in. As privacy diminishes maybe there is a hunger for one aspect of life that does not set a tracking cookie.
Or maybe people just have a desire for some simple and good teachings and slogans, since so many can no longer even trust their churches?
"Behold, how pleasant and how good it is, when brethren dwell together in harmony". Who can fault that?
ping
FYI
“In addition, the second largest group (after Jews) killed by Hitler in WWII were Freemasons. They even got their very own special red triangles to wear in concentration camps as political prisoners.”
Maybe this is why they want to be a secret society.
I’m a Past Master myself. Haven’t attended much in the last couple of years, but still a dues-paying Mason.
While I was in charge, we never plotted to overthrow the government, or discussed our ruling tendencies.
We did talk about running the parking at the local festival, holding food and yard sales to raise money for college scholarships, hosting a golf tournament to raise money for charity, and honoring the educator of the year. Of course, all our brethren before us did was found most of the original schools in the state of Texas.
Heck, those sorry bastards even provided the buildings for the schools.
I was amused by this sentence, when I imagined myself trying to figure out what it meant if I had read it fifteen years ago.
-ccm
“Behold, how pleasant and how good it is, when brethren dwell together in harmony”. Who can fault that?
****
Cult members who incorrectly believe that Freemasonry is a religion.
Never heard of that, and I am a MM, former WM, and Knight Templar.
You do kneel before the Bible to take your oaths.
Better than a PANTS SUIT!............
ping
Twenty plus years in the US Army Air Force and Air Force. Distinguised Flying Cross. He was a navigator on B-29s and on the long bombing runs in the Pacific his skill was more important than the pilots. It is not easy flying a couple of thousand miles over open water using sun and star shots for navigation. Raised many many many tens of thousands of dollars for the children's burn center in Galveston.
Sometimes he wore the "clown suit." He earned the right to wear any damn thing he wants to wear.
“Cult members who incorrectly believe that Freemasonry is a religion.”
I would hardly call Masonry a cult. A club, maybe.
Are there people who view Masonry as their religion? Sure, but the majority don’t fall into that category. Masonry does not teach nor profess that it is a religion. It is a club with the stated purpose of “taking a good man and making him better.”
Of course, this is the stuff you’re allowed to tell us. ;^)
“They rule the world from a clown suit.”
Better than a PANTS SUIT!............
And a crusty one at that! LOL!
Also, I don't feel the need to join a secret club in order to enjoy a feeling of brotherhood with my friends.
But I see the appeal that secrecy and deism have to people with a certain cast of mind.
As a chick, if you had a Mason in the family, you would be eligible for the Eastern Star, Amaranth (sp?) and White Shrine if I’m not mistaken.
Top salesman I know is a Mason. The ring sure opened a lot of doors for him, not that he ever talked about it that way.
“Twenty plus years in the US Army Air Force and Air Force. Distinguised Flying Cross. He was a navigator on B-29s and on the long bombing runs in the Pacific his skill was more important than the pilots.”
I live on the edge of a military base. Almost all the Masons in my Lodge are veterans or active duty Army. They are true conservative patriots who have given more for this country than most of us ever have. As a matter of fact, I have never met a Mason who did not seem to be patriotic, veteran or not. It just goes with the territory.
My favorite “old guy” at my Lodge is an 87 year old man, sharp as a tack, who has probably taught hundreds of young men their work over the last 60 years. He is a retired engineer who just happened to be a Navy Seabee during World War II. One of the stories he tells is of standing on Mt. Suribachi “that day,” and watching those heroes raise the flag. He doesn’t tell that story without breaking down and crying, and I bet I have asked him to tell that story 50 times.
I have heard countless war stories at my Lodge, war stories from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, etc. Stories that made my heart sink or my pride swell. I am proud to be associated with men who have given so much for others.
It kind of gets old hearing people attempt to smear such fine people.
The raccoon is feasting on elderberries. Shower at 8.
Uh, that would be Poles, not Freemasons.
Also, the red triangle badge was not for Freemasons alone: it was for Communists, Social Democrats, supporters of anti-Nazi conservative parties, anarchists, syndicalists, Freemasons and others.
6 million Jews were murdered.
2-3 million ethnic Poles were murdered.
The highest number of Freemasons I've ever seen claimed is 200,000 - and that would include persons who fell into multiple categories: i.e. Jewish Masons, Polish Masons, International Socialist Masons, etc.
I’ll be keeping an eye on you two
:-)
There are plenty Obamanistas who are Masons.
Not attacking Masonry, just sayin...
I do not see us as a club. I see us as a Fraternity, no different than any other fraternity. Those of you who have traveled, if you belonged to any other fraternities, know of what I speak.
Very well said; you can also add George Washington, Harry Truman, and many other great people to that list. And by the way, my grand daughter was treated for a malformed foot at the Greenville, SC shriners hospital, absolutely free.
Bump for later
“I do not see us as a club. I see us as a Fraternity”
Agreed. I was just picking a word to differentiate us from a cult. Guess I just proved that I haven’t been attending much lately.
Yes, I havent been up the stairs lately myself, there are no lodges in this area. Fortunately, I am hoping to move back to civilization where I can attend again.
What is interesting is that the Masons appear to be reinventing themselves from being essentially a white Protestant fraternity into one that is more diverse. While there have been some Jewish Masons (though few, if any, Catholic or Mormon Masons), as well as a separate Masonic fraternity for African Americans, the public perception of the fraternity has been one of white, culturally conservative, Protestant men, usually middle aged or older. For better or worse, such a perception is disastrous in 21st Century America.
Please re-read my post.
As a Freemason, I am certainly not calling freemasonry a cult or a religion.
However, I am stating that snarky anti-masonic comments are typically made by cult members who incorrectly believe that freemasonry is a religion.
My lodge building is “modern,” built in 1971. We don’t have any stairs. There are a lot of old two stories around here, though.
Our original building was built in 1877, or so, and was the town’s only school building for around 75 more years, and remained an elementary school for another 40 more. It is still in use as an alternative school. Imagine how much bang for their buck those original Masons have gotten out of building that original school/lodge building.
Gotcha. My mistake.
Best news I've heard all day. Thanks Hiram.
BTW - The zebra stripes are horizontal in the morning.
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