# Secrecy: What's the Big Deal?



## KSigMason (May 23, 2013)

Here is my latest article concerning the opposition to the secret or private nature of Freemasonry:




> One of the biggest criticisms I see held against Freemasonry is that we are a "secret society" and that devious and sinister plots are conspired in our meetings. The Fraternities response is that we are rather a private organization with secrets. I would agree with the Masonic response as true secret societies are ones that don't disclose membership, allow members to wear insignia, hold public ceremonies, or, particularly in America, display their meeting places so prominently. Their primary argument is that secrecy is naturally wrong and that nothing good can come from meeting in secret. Aside from the illogical assumption, this anti-secrecy belief overlooks the relationship of secrecy and human nature as well as the need for secrecy in a free society.
> 
> 
> Before I continue any further I would like to focus first on the word "secret". The word "secret" comes from the Latin secretus which means to set apart or hide. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a secret society is "any of various oath-bound societies often devoted to brotherhood, moral discipline, and mutual assistance." This is a fair description of Freemasonry, although I still disagree that we [Freemasonry] are a secret society -- maybe it's my bias. I do agree that Freemasonry is a private organization that possesses secrets. It is important to note that privacy is synonymous with secrecy. Privacy is the "quality or state of being apart from company and observation." Privacy is a natural right as everyone has a right to hide or conceal that which they possess or own whether it is a person, place, thing, belief or ideal.
> ...


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## widows son (May 23, 2013)

Thank you for that. A great read.


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## dfreybur (May 23, 2013)

I have stopped worrying about apologizing to antis.  Thank God for who the antis are - Nuts and lunatics.  We are a society with secrets.  Look to the character of those who oppose us and wonder what it means.  Look to the character of any mason you encounter and wonder what it means.  The combined conclusions are simple and leads many to ask for a petition.


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## CStevenson (May 23, 2013)

There are plenty of sayings which seem to indicate the importance of a man by the number of his enemies.  I am not saying that Masonry should strive to increase it's nay-sayers. However, the more an organization puts it self into the betterment of mankind, the more likely it will attract critics.  This is a good thing.


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## chrmc (May 23, 2013)

Good article, thanks for that. 

I personally believe that one of the sad things with today's masonry is that masons no longer believe we have, or hold the power of secrets. We've spent so long debunking it that we've started believing it ourselves. 
I believe that Masonry do posses secrets in the sense that it is a way to better yourself as a person, reach a higher level of clarity and become closer to your maker. These are powerful things that it will take study, time and understanding to unlock, and it isn't things that should just be freely distributed to the profane. 

There was a reason why the ancient mysteries were as powerful as they were, and why the initiates guarded the secrets. We as Mason's have partially lost that and it would only better us if we could reclaim it.


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## crono782 (May 23, 2013)

chrmc said:


> Good article, thanks for that.
> 
> I personally believe that one of the sad things with today's masonry is that masons no longer believe we have, or hold the power of secrets. We've spent so long debunking it that we've started believing it ourselves.
> I believe that Masonry do posses secrets in the sense that it is a way to better yourself as a person, reach a higher level of clarity and become closer to your maker. These are powerful things that it will take study, time and understanding to unlock, and it isn't things that should just be freely distributed to the profane.
> ...



Well said Brother!


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## crono782 (May 23, 2013)

I sometimes wonder why it is that so many masons are oblivious or willfully ignorant to this fact. There is so much more to masonry than fish fries and charity. Both of those are good things, but I sometimes wonder if some masons think to themselves "why all this degree work and such just to donate to charity and eat chili?"... ;P


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## anthonywilson (May 23, 2013)

Great article. Unlike some of the Brethren at my Lodge, I don't fly the flag of Masonry openly, but if someone finds out that I'm a member, I'll gladly sit down and chat with them if they have questions. One of the first things I bring up is that  Masonry is subjective not objective, so you'll run into several people (member, non-members, ex-members) that have their own opinions about Masonry (I myself take an extremely lax/liberal position). 2) "Freemason," "Masonry,"Masonic Lodge," etc.; aren't copy written and anyone can rent a space and call themselves a Masonic Lodge and there's nothing we can really do. 3) Scottish Rite, York Rite, O.E.S, Shrine, Grotto and so on are separate organizations that require a potential candidate to be a Master Mason in good standing before joining (or a female relative of a MM, as in the case of OES); not every mason is a member of these specific organizations and the rules, vales, beliefs, teachings, or statements don't reflect me or my values.


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## KSigMason (May 23, 2013)

CStevenson said:


> There are plenty of sayings which seem to indicate the importance of a man by the number of his enemies. I am not saying that Masonry should strive to increase it's nay-sayers. However, the more an organization puts it self into the betterment of mankind, the more likely it will attract critics. This is a good thing.


This discussion reminds me of this poem:

*Do It Anyway*
Mother Teresa 

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. 

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. 

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. 

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. 

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. 

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. 

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. 

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. 

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.


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## widows son (May 25, 2013)

Article:

" If the teachings of Freemasonry were made available to anyone as a matter of routine, it would indicate to both members and outsiders that we attach only a modest value to them. Instead, we have spent centuries of effort keeping the truths of Masonry secret and passing them down the generations by memory. This should convince us that what we have labored so hard to possess is valuable indeed."

• Hasn't this partially already happened by the availability of our ritual in book stores and online? Duncan's Ritual is a common grab by non masons. I own this book as well, and although its outdated, it still IS the ritual.


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## Roy Vance (May 26, 2013)

widows son said:


> Article:
> â€¢ Hasn't this partially already happened by the availability of our ritual in book stores and online? Duncan's Ritual is a common grab by non masons. I own this book as well, and although its outdated, it still IS the ritual.



Here, I agree with you, Brother. All someone has to do is go to a Masonic Supply website and look at the book section and there it all is. Go to Amazon.com an look for Solomon's *********** an aid to Memory for whatever state and there it all is. I think that if they are going to sell the masonic stuff, especially ritual stuff, they should verify that you are a Mason before selling it to you. That is just my opinion, though.


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## widows son (May 26, 2013)

"Here, I agree with you, Brother. All someone has to do is go to a Masonic Supply website and look at the book section and there it all is. Go to Amazon.com an look for Solomon's *********** an aid to Memory for whatever state and there it all is. I think that if they are going to sell the masonic stuff, especially ritual stuff, they should verify that you are a Mason before selling it to you. That is just my opinion, though."

• I don't think they can actually make you verify that you're a mason  in the bookstore. I think they shouldn't be printing these things for bookstores at all. Our knowledge ad teaching have already been devalued, anymore and they'll be worthless.  We've all seen on here what the availability of the ritual can lead to (Skip Sampson)


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## Roy Vance (May 26, 2013)

widows son said:


> "Here, I agree with you, Brother. All someone has to do is go to a Masonic Supply website and look at the book section and there it all is. Go to Amazon.com an look for Solomon's *********** an aid to Memory for whatever state and there it all is. I think that if they are going to sell the masonic stuff, especially ritual stuff, they should verify that you are a Mason before selling it to you. That is just my opinion, though."
> 
> • I don't think they can actually make you verify that you're a mason in the bookstore. I think they shouldn't be printing these things for bookstores at all. Our knowledge ad teaching have already been devalued, anymore and they'll be worthless. We've all seen on here what the availability of the ritual can lead to (Skip Sampson)



???????Skip Sampson????


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## Roy Vance (May 26, 2013)

KSigMason said:


> This discussion reminds me of this poem:
> 
> *Do It Anyway*
> Mother Teresa
> ...



I like this. It makes too much sense not to live by it. May I borrow it? I promise to give credit where credit is due. Also, how are things in Idaho? I have family in the Boise area. I haven't seen them in many years, but they are still there according to my second cousin on my Mother's side. Thanks, and always S & F.


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## jwhoff (May 26, 2013)

I can across this one at our last stated meeting.  A brother brought it in and said he would install it in the stall for all to see.

He did.  I did ... and the rest is history.

:sneaky2:


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