don't forget the... 
Posted on 08/25/2006 3:31:29 PM PDT by churchillbuff
[John] Wayne, arguably the No. 1 all-time cinema hero, bought into the most valuable tenets of the Shriners' fun brand of freemasonry – friendship, morality and brotherly love.
Who wouldn't want to join a fraternity with tenets like those? Apparently, a lot of us these days don't.
In 1975, the same year Universal Pictures released "Rooster Cogburn," the Shriners opened Afifi Shrine Temple next to the Scottish Rite Temple, on nearly 20 acres in Tacoma's West End.
They needed more space to accommodate a growing membership that numbered roughly 8,700 Afifi Shriners plus their circus calliope, old clown jalopies, parade floats and Oriental band equipment.
Today, the two fraternal organizations have put their remaining 10 acres and two temples up for sale. Asking price: $7.6 million.
The state's oldest Shriners organization, founded in 1889, has gotten old and irrelevant to younger generations.
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewstribune.com ...
don't forget the...
coool...
Gubmint skoolz have taught the sheeple that this type of activity is best left to the professionals, namely the gubmint. Youz can't professionalize unless you governmentize.
Yes, they do. But the Catholic church is against Catholics joining the Masons.
IMHO, muc of the resources individuals used to have...both of time and money...are gone..into taxation for programs designed to replace individual philanthropy with government panaceas....
People don't want a part of the Shriners because the expect the government to take care of it instead.
Beginning with those born in the '70s, children began to no longer just "play"; their "FREE TIME" was scheduled, games were organized, and due to things like 24 hour T.V., VCRs, DVDS, the computer, play-stations, gameboys, and the like, people are now more and more isolated from one another.
The Masons and the Shriners are organizations that require memorization and time. Fewer and fewer people are willing to give the time and effort it takes to be an active member of anything.
How many people spend hours on FR, but don't ever do a damned thing to actually DO something, other than plant a lawn sign in their yard, to promote their supposed political goals? If they can't be bothered to even stuff envelopes or man a telephone bank, when politics is supposedly SOOOOOOOOOOOOO "important" to them, then it's little wonder that they can't be bothered to do charity work and engage in social fellowship, either.
Exactly so.
The Shriners wear many different kinds of costumes., when they are in parades and/or perform. It's their way to raise money and give others a great time. Wearing a clown suit is NOT a requirement and most Shriners don't.
No, FR is NOT a "virtual Rotary club".
Thanks for the ping.
In particular, I'm interested in the relationship to religion. Others have noted that the Catholic Church does not approve of the group, but I don't know why. Maybe because they see it as a threat? What sort of conflicts exist (directed either way) between Christianity and the Masonic organizations?
Good post.
If anything, it was aimed at today's pop culture.
the only religious requirement in Masonry is that you believe in SOME higher power than yourself...
Thanks. I'd long had the idea that Freemasonry might somehow conflict with Christianity. I don't know where I got that idea from, and could never reconcile the idea with some of the people I knew who were members, and apparent good Christians.
Some good info. re: relationship of Freemasonry to religion can be found at http://www.masonicinfo.com/
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