# Why Did You Decide To Join Freemasonry?



## Warrior1256 (Sep 6, 2016)

One of the main reasons that I decided to join was because some of the men that I admired most were Freemasons so I wanted to be a part of it. I'm just curious...what made you decide to join?


----------



## coachn (Sep 6, 2016)

Warrior1256 said:


> ...what made you decide to join?


I ask myself that every day...


----------



## Warrior1256 (Sep 6, 2016)

coachn said:


> I ask myself that every day...


Good one as usual coachn.


----------



## Ressam (Sep 7, 2016)

coachn said:


> I ask myself that every day...


Yo, Coach!
You Are Good Guy!
I see that. I see that.


----------



## NY.Light.II (Sep 10, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> During meditation I was asked to rejoin so I did.



Elaborate?


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry Pro


----------



## coachn (Sep 10, 2016)

NY.Light.II said:


> Elaborate?


Good God Man, do you know what you have done?!?!?!?!?


----------



## Brother JC (Sep 10, 2016)

coachn said:


> Good God Man, do you know what you have done?!?!?!?!?


----------



## coachn (Sep 10, 2016)

Brother JC said:


> View attachment 5280


----------



## Warrior1256 (Sep 11, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> As you can see from the post following mine, not everyone is interested in learning from others.
> 
> Many of us have noticed odd ideas appearing in our minds and wondered:  where did that thought come from?
> 
> ...


Wow! Well, interesting comment. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Tyler Atkinson (Nov 16, 2016)

I found Freemasonry by watching National Treasure. It was interesting to see the history and adventure In the movie. A friend that I have known all my life is a Freemason and I started asking him questions about it so from that day forward I knew that I wanted to be a Freemason. My initiation is this coming Monday and I'm overfilled with excitement. 


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry


----------



## Matt L (Nov 16, 2016)

I was born and baptized a Roman Catholic, in High School actually considered the priesthood. Every Italian family has at least one in the family, right.

When I was a child, my mom would always point out the local Masonic Lodge (chartered in 1792) and tell me " if I was ever in trouble or need help those men would help" Not really understanding what she meant, we were Catholics and Masons were bad.

While I was in the service some of my mentors were Masons, when I became a cop a bunch of my co-workers were in the lodge. These were all upright outstanding people.  After a little research I though the church's conflict with Masonry among other things were to say, outdated.

I called a classmate of mine Frank who is a priest and now a monsignor and told him I was thinking about joining the Masonic Lodge, he told me the usual church answer and followed up with, "remember Matt when that day comes all you have to do is ask for forgiveness.

I made my mind up and asked for a petition.  I called my mom and told her I planned on joining the Masonic Lodge.  It was then she told me that my Grandfather was a Mason.  I never met him, he died when my mom was 9 in 1936. He was the chief electrician for Hal Roach studios in NY. Mom said my Grandmother had a fit, because of the church.  He joined anyway.  After he passed away, my grandmother was a single mom, telephone operator during the depression.  Mom told me she remembers the men and wives of lodge members helping out stopping by from time to time over the years.

Mom passed away a few years ago, my dad last year.  When my sister was going through some of moms jewelry she asked me "hey, what do you think this is" I look down and it's an OES pendant.  I guess my Grandmother had a change of heart.


----------



## jermy Bell (Nov 16, 2016)

I joined to find out where the gold was. Lol , no seriously,  I joined to meet others that I would never have the chance to meet otherwise, and belong to something Nobel.


----------



## deministri (Nov 22, 2016)

For me it is sad but honorable history: my father, past master of the mexican Lodge "Telesforo Chapa Benavides no.69" passed away 3 years ago already. Mom passed away 19 years ago. Really hard days for me, and one day a friend from my family came and invited me to join. Had no idea at all of was freemasonry or thst my father was even a mason. After long talks with him and other family members, well, here I am, 2 years already, Fellowcraftman and almost 1 years away to become a MM. It appears freemasonry comes from my Grand Grand Father, chinese by the way. 

Sent from my XT1563 using My Freemasonry mobile app


----------



## Bloke (Nov 24, 2016)

The last sentence I found really interesting - the Chinese connection. But firstly, sorry for your loss of both parents before your 30th and especially your mum before you were a teenager. Tough times.

Do you know where your GGFather came from and how he became a Freemason?. I find the topic interesting. Here (like in California) we had a gold rush which drew Chinese here. They brought "Freemasonry" with them - but they were secret societies that people used the English word "Freemasonry" to describe, but Confucius arguably  spoke of square and *Mo Tzu* of the quare and compasses. These are very old philosophers...there are masonic-like ideas in Chinese writings of 1,500 years ago. Not sure they are "masonic" but at the very least it's fascinating they adopted some of the allegory we did.

Please don’t confuse “Chinese Masonic Society” with “Freemasonry” – these are often two different things and in the Chinese context “Masonic” is applied to varied organizations such as Tongs, Huis Triads, Kongsi, some being criminal, some fraternal, others co-operatives or political. Where your GGFather fits in who knows- but if I was you I'd be keen to find out because I gave an interest in family history and an passionate about Freemasonry.


You might be interested in this
http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/symbolism/china_texts.html

There is another great article which I will find for you if you like ?

Why my interest ? Well, Chinese suffered great prejudice here (and in the States) and their inclusion  in main stream Freemasonry (first confirmed in 1885 here) reflects Masonic Values. Like Prince Hall Freemasonry, Oriental inclusion in the Craft is a way to get a handle on its conformity and non-conforming to wider society and Masonic and profane values..


----------



## Bloke (Nov 25, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> Here are the founders of the Chinese civilization:  with Square and Compasses, Sun,  Moon and Stars, and implied FPoF


When was that created ? Got any provenance ? (we're probably seeing what we want to be worth a closer look)

Thanks James.


----------



## Brother JC (Nov 25, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> In their embrace we perhaps see the Five Points of Fellowship.


And perhaps we see a Vienna waltz! Honestly, I feel you are trying to fit a star in a triangular hole. Nothing fits.


----------



## Bloke (Nov 25, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> "In the underground tomb of Fan Yen-Shih, d. A.D. 689, two painted silk veils show the First Ancestors of the Chinese, their entwined serpect bodies rotating around the invisible vertical axis mundi.  Fu Hsi holds the set-square and plumb bob … as he rules the four-cornered earth, while his sister-wife Nü-wa holds the compass pointing up, as she rules the circling heavens. "
> 
> "… We see the king and queen embracing at their wedding, the king holding the square on high, the queen a compass. "
> 
> ...



Thanks James.

Interesting stuff, but I'm not sure we're looking at a square and compass in that image... but the S&C is claimed as mentioned in very early Chinese writing..


----------



## Brother JC (Nov 26, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> What then is the origin of the FPoF?


I have no idea, James. It could be as esoteric as Chinese creation myths or as exoteric as two gents in a friendly embrace that was then embellished by some poetically inclined author.
We could just as easily theorize that the Chinese stole the idea for their serpent gods from the Mesopotamian versions of the caduceus. Using transparencies, one can overlay anything one wishes and make it fit in the given space (overhead projectors were the pinnacle of technology when I was in school, and I saw this done often). We tend to do the same looking for the roots of the Craft. In many ways, masonic researchers are almost as bad as conspiracy theorists when it comes to grasping at similarities.


----------



## Bloke (Nov 26, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> As far as I have read no Masonic writer has speculated on the origin of the FPoF.  Why not?  Does that take us into areas that we do not wish to think about?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It's difficult to speculate on; or discus,  topics in public when many regard the object of the dialogue to be within the compass of that which should be concealed in accordance with their particular obligation.

I'd love to chat but am sadly not going to be very responsive.

On a broader plane - I've often joked Freemasonry is a big sham to legitimize platonic love between men, and by virtue of our obligations, also women. I might joke about it - but there is something in it when I watch freemasons and their partners meet - even staunch reserved cold fish projwct warmth and get hugging and kissy..


----------



## Bloke (Nov 29, 2016)

Bloke said:


> .....I'd love to chat but am sadly not going to be very responsive...


----------



## fmasonlog (Dec 19, 2016)

I wanted to be part of a brotherhood where religion did not segregate one another and change the world. Sadly, there is race and religion issue. 


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry


----------



## Ripcord22A (Dec 19, 2016)

I sat in a State GL lodge last week with a black WM and Indian(india) Marshal and sat next too an Iraqi born brother, who while not a citizen of the US, still said the Pledge of Alligience to the US flag at opening!

Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app


----------



## Bloke (Dec 19, 2016)

Nice


----------



## Matt L (Dec 20, 2016)

Ripcord22A said:


> I sat in a State GL lodge last week with a black WM and Indian(india) Marshal and sat next too an Iraqi born brother, who while not a citizen of the US, still said the Pledge of Alligience to the US flag at opening!
> 
> Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app



That's outstanding!!!


----------



## The Traveling Man (Dec 31, 2016)

Some of the reasons I joined were Brotherly Love, Relief, Truth, Wisdom, Strength, Beauty, Making good men better, Brotherhood of Man, and Fatherhood of God. I had heard about these and over the years became more and more interested.


----------



## Keith C (Jan 2, 2017)

What made me decide to petition?

Firstly, My Grandfather was a Freemason, Shriner and belonged to the Grotto.  I always was curious as to the meaning of the plaque that hung in his office area that said "Past Monarch - Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm."  He never really explained it to me but did say it was related to Freemasonry.  I know when I was 12 or so he tried to convince my Father to get me involved with the Demolay, but that never happened.  I have no idea why my Father never became a mason and he never discussed it at all.  I have always thought that Freemasonry must be a good group of people, as My Grandfather was one of the best men I have ever encountered.

Fast forward many years.  I was serving as an Elder of my church and another Elder always seems to have the same opinions as I do, but is much better able to gain consensus and is one of the best examples of how a man should behave in life.  One elder's meeting I noticed he was wearing a tie with square and compasses designs on it.  I realize that this is a masonic symbol and ask him about it. He explains that yes, he is a Freemason and extols some of the virtues of Freemasonry.  I ask him what someone needs to do to join, he replied "You just did it..You have to ask."

He pointed me to the Grand Lodge Website where I could download a petition form and search for Lodges in the area (He is a member of a Lodge in Philadelphia, which due to his work arrangements is do-able, for me I needed to find a more local Lodge.)  I found a local lodge, called the Secretary and arranged to attend a dinner and to get to know people.  

I am so happy my curiosity got me to ask.


----------



## flameburns623 (Jan 7, 2017)

My paternal grandfather and uncle were Freemasons.


----------



## Elexir (Jan 7, 2017)

My reason for joining freemasonry was an intresst in history, esoterism and religion mostly.
For me its a nice journey, especially since many of the people involved in reaserch are either clergymen or professors that actully dive into the history of freemasonry in general.


----------



## goomba (Jan 7, 2017)

I once thought Freemasons were harmless devil worshipers.  This coming from someone whose father and both grand fathers are Freemasons.  Then my maternal grandfather passed away.  At his funeral there were dozens of men there.  I looked at these men, who I had known my whole life, and thought "these are not evil men".  So I read tons for about two months and then petitioned.  I have never been so  wrong about anything in my life.  Our fraternity is the greatest institution built by men.  My only regret is I never had the chance to attend lodge with him.  When my other grandfather passed away laying his apron atop his casket was the hardest thing I've ever done.  Sorry to be long winded.


----------

