Opus Dei, Freemasons, Knights Templar . . . do you belong to a secret society?

[Galahad]

Wow, Galahad, that's really interesting!!! I never would have thought Mozart, Hayden, and Mendelssohn!

You know, I always thought Masons were bricklayers . . . obviously, that's not quite true, is it?

The symbolic imagry is all "bricklayer" kinds of thinks (being "square" with someone (i.e. honest) comes from the masons). The tradition started with the stone workers that built King Solomon's Temple.

 

[Auggietina]

My dh is a freemason, shirner, scottish rite, whatever else he had to join. He only is active in his masonic lodge and was actually Mason of the year in his district in 2004. And we are not involved in any church or religion preference.

I was brought up Catholic and my Grandfather was in the Knights of Columbus.

My dh is a 'young' mason at 43. The majority of the members in his lodge are old enough to be his father.

 

[froglady]

Another former Rainbow Girl here, and former DeMolay (the Masonic group for teenaged boys) sweetheart. My grandfather was a Mason.

It is NOT a religion, but there are religious aspects to the ritual. There is also York Rite, and of course, The Shriners. (A charitable fundraising branch)

My parents were active in the Elks, but that's more patriotic than religious, although they have a chaplin and "rites."

I've heard that many of these groups are losing membership, as younger people don't want to spend evenings away from their families, and because most (if not all) of these groups have a history of being intolerant towards certain groups of people.

 

[AMcaptured]

Skull and Bones (Yale's Fraternity) is connected with the Illuminati......If you think the Masons, etc are secret, do a google on Illuminati and it will blow your mind even further. Actually, the Illuminati is at the top of the food chain.

BTW, I believe they exist.

 

[Galahad]

, and because most (if not all) of these groups have a history of being intolerant towards certain groups of people.

Ancient histoey at best. It certainly isn't current.

 

[Buckalew11]

Very interesting. Thanks, Galahad. Both of my grandfather were Masons and one was a shriner. Both of my grandmothers were members of the EasternStar. My mother also belonged to the Eastern Star.
None of the them would ever say much about it. They took the silence or oath or whatever very serious. I have my grandfather's book (all in code) and I used to drive my grandmother nuts decoding it and reading it to her! It belonged to my other grandfather--not her DH. She's have never given it to me cause it was supposed to be secret! LOL

There were a lot of men in my grandfather's generation who were members. I always wondered why my dad never joined.

 

[jonestavern]

I'm a member of the un-flushers. Can you imagine what we do? I guess I should say, what we don't do????

We have a member of your brotherhood in this very house
sometimes I can hear the chanting:

If it's yellow let it mellow,
if it's brown...that's okay, too!

Jean

 

[Megster]

I have a friend whose dad went to Yale. I'm pretty sure he is a member of one of Yales secret societies, though I don't know which one. He gets letters and will burn them right after reading them. This stuff is all so interesting to me!

 

[Virgo10]

Shriners is a Freemason organization. Knights of Columbus is the Catholic "version" of masonry, since the Catholic church doesn't allow its member to join a masonic lodge.

I don't know about the Masons but there were many Catholic girls in the Rainbow assembly I was an advisor to back in Massachusetts. Things have really changed.

 

[Virgo10]

Another former Rainbow Girl here, and former DeMolay (the Masonic group for teenaged boys) sweetheart. My grandfather was a Mason.

Hi sister! My son was a Master Councilor of his DeMolay chapter.

 

[Galahad]

I don't know about the Masons but there were many Catholic girls in the Rainbow assembly I was an advisor to back in Massachusetts. Things have really changed.

There are a lot of Catholic Masons. The church just frowns on it. We would always have a little toast when we got a new member that went to Notre Dame.

 

[Sthronds]

I was a Job's Daughter for all of my teenage years. It is a Masonic organization for teenage girls as well as Rainbow. It was a really interesting time in my life. Both good and bad memories (like all teenage experiences).

 

[noodles]

I was also a Job's Daughter growing up. It was a great group for me to be a part of as a teen. We did tons of community service and as a Honored Queen (the leader for a six month period) I also learned leadership and responsibility. I made lots of good friends and had the oportunity to do things that I otherwise would not have had the chance to do. My kids love it now because they tell their frinds my Mom used to be a Queen!

 

[MsLeFever]

Wow, Galahad, that's really interesting!!! I never would have thought Mozart, Hayden, and Mendelssohn!

I think that Mozart got in trouble with them after composing "The Magic Flute" which at the least used freemason symbols and at the worst "gave away" secrets.

 

[MsLeFever]

Somebody mentioned Kiwanis? Nothing secret there - I was a member for a few years and most clubs are always looking for new members. Most clubs are heavily male but all welcome both men and women.

Kiwanis is mostly a service organization.

http://www.kiwanis.org/

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I was a Job's Daughter and the guys were DeMolay.

 

[LindaG4458]

I'm another Rainbow Girl. Our Assembly didn't have any Catholic members, but that was back in the 1960s. Things may have changed.

DH has no interest in joining the Masons although his father was a member and his mother was in Eastern Star.

 

[Caradana]

Back in college ...

 

[froglady]

Ancient histoey at best. It certainly isn't current.

Ah, but I'm ancient.

I was a teenager in the 60s, and I remember that African-Americans need not apply to Demolay/Rainbow back then. (I remember more than one blackball) Yes, it may be ancient history now, but many potential members from my generation remember it, and have chosen not to join.

 

[Galahad]

I think that Mozart got in trouble with them after composing "The Magic Flute" which at the least used freemason symbols and at the worst "gave away" secrets.

Actually, this is a myth. As well as most of "Amadeus" (Mozart and Salieri were Lodge brothers). (The Magic Flute is, though, almost completely a Masonic opera - which in the tradition of the day was a very feminist organization - this the feminist themes in the opera.)