A newly-raised brother here. The idea is brotherhood (temporal support) and self-improvement (spiritual support). Nothing cult-like about it.

16:10 is partially correct -- there is a separate branch of Freemasonry called Prince Hall Masonry which has a mostly if not entirely African-American membership. Blacks were only permitted entry into "mainstream" Freemasonry in the US in the past 20 years.

On the flip side, some of the Prince Hall Grand Lodges (each state has a "mainstream" and a Prince Hall Grand Lodge that is 100% independent of other state Grand Lodges) objected to the "poaching" of Blacks by the "mainstream" lodges.

FWIW, all 50 states' "mainstream" Grand Lodge recognize each other; only 7 "mainstream" Grand Lodges -- and you can guess where they are -- refuse to recognize their Prince Hall counterparts.

It can be a time sink if the brother permits it, with the fraternal visits, ceremonies, study, etc., etc. I do regret with a four year old at home and a working wife I cannot devote as much time as I might like. In fact, I joined a local government commission that meets the same time as the Lodge I'd want to join.

It will take perhaps 6-12 months to work from initiation to being raised as a Master Mason (this depends on how often you're able to meet with your mentor, and how intense the mentoring sessions are.)

The most active members (at least in the lodge I was raised in) seemed to be the men with their kids in high school and above and the men who did not yet have kids -- there were a few men with SAH wives that didn't seem to mind their husbands being heavily involved in Freemasonry. I was pretty rare in that my wife worked AND I had a kid still at home.

Making good men better -- I'm not sure why OP would find it objectionable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband is a Mason and also went through Demolay as a youth. http://www.demolay.org/ While I think some of the rituals are kept secret and they take that aspect very serious, as do many organizations, it is hardly "cult-like". My FIL, and his father were also Masons. My FIL was a Grand Inspector as his Lodge.

Have you looked into the history of the Masons and how they were involved in the early years of this country, most signers of the Constitutions were Masons, many symbols in DC have masonic influence. I'm not even sure that your husband can be recruited to be a real mason without having some connection to us, like a relative or some other degree of knowledge about the group, but I'm not certain.

But to answer your question, it is not a "WTF", and they do lots of good charity work (The Shriners, for instance), and are not a cult. There history goes back centuries and is very well documented.

OP here - My friend's brothers and her BILs are all Masons and have not come from a long line of Masons. Her oldest brother encouraged the rest to join. My friend thinks it's odd - very ritualistic in her opinion.

I don't want my husband to have any part of it.

Is your husband allowed to make choices for himself or do you have to approve of everything he does?

Unnecessary bitchiness is unnecessary. OP said she's afraid it's too cult-like. I'd hope a loving spouse would show concern if s/he felt his/her spouse were potentially joining a very strange club.

Completely unnecessary unnecessaries unnecessarily in my opinion.

OP, you really have never heard of the masons? Not a cult at all and yes it would be very good for his business. Let go of your jealously about not partaking and support whatever decision he makes.

Anonymous wrote:My brother is a mason. I don't know much about it but he's one of my favorite people so it must be a great organization!

No, it isn't.

My brother is a mason. I don't know much about it but he's one of my favorite people so it must be a great organization!

Anonymous wrote:They were the first (and only) fraternal organization to accept Blacks and Jews along with other members and my grandfather was so proud of his membership. It's a little old fashioned but hardly cult-like.

And when did they start taking women?

Anonymous wrote:My FIL is a mason and some of what he has told me about it (though he cannot tell me some things), it's actually pretty spiritual. As another person mentioned, they also do a lot of charity work. I see nothing cult like about it. You know what I do find to be cult like? Orthodox Judaism and Born Again Christianity/Evangelicals. THOSE are cult like.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband is a Mason and also went through Demolay as a youth. http://www.demolay.org/ While I think some of the rituals are kept secret and they take that aspect very serious, as do many organizations, it is hardly "cult-like". My FIL, and his father were also Masons. My FIL was a Grand Inspector as his Lodge.

Have you looked into the history of the Masons and how they were involved in the early years of this country, most signers of the Constitutions were Masons, many symbols in DC have masonic influence. I'm not even sure that your husband can be recruited to be a real mason without having some connection to us, like a relative or some other degree of knowledge about the group, but I'm not certain.

But to answer your question, it is not a "WTF", and they do lots of good charity work (The Shriners, for instance), and are not a cult. There history goes back centuries and is very well documented.

OP here - My friend's brothers and her BILs are all Masons and have not come from a long line of Masons. Her oldest brother encouraged the rest to join. My friend thinks it's odd - very ritualistic in her opinion.

I don't want my husband to have any part of it.

Is your husband allowed to make choices for himself or do you have to approve of everything he does?

Unnecessary bitchiness is unnecessary. OP said she's afraid it's too cult-like. I'd hope a loving spouse would show concern if s/he felt his/her spouse were potentially joining a very strange club.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband is a Mason and also went through Demolay as a youth. http://www.demolay.org/ While I think some of the rituals are kept secret and they take that aspect very serious, as do many organizations, it is hardly "cult-like". My FIL, and his father were also Masons. My FIL was a Grand Inspector as his Lodge.

Have you looked into the history of the Masons and how they were involved in the early years of this country, most signers of the Constitutions were Masons, many symbols in DC have masonic influence. I'm not even sure that your husband can be recruited to be a real mason without having some connection to us, like a relative or some other degree of knowledge about the group, but I'm not certain.

But to answer your question, it is not a "WTF", and they do lots of good charity work (The Shriners, for instance), and are not a cult. There history goes back centuries and is very well documented.

OP here - My friend's brothers and her BILs are all Masons and have not come from a long line of Masons. Her oldest brother encouraged the rest to join. My friend thinks it's odd - very ritualistic in her opinion.

I don't want my husband to have any part of it.

So is Skull & Bones of Yale. Would you have a problem if he joined that group? All four branches of the military are quite ritualistic. Most fraternities of men have rituals, as are most formal branches of government, just look at English Parliament or Congress for goodness sake. Your friend's opinion really is the end all be all in this? How ignorant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband is a Mason and also went through Demolay as a youth. http://www.demolay.org/ While I think some of the rituals are kept secret and they take that aspect very serious, as do many organizations, it is hardly "cult-like". My FIL, and his father were also Masons. My FIL was a Grand Inspector as his Lodge.

Have you looked into the history of the Masons and how they were involved in the early years of this country, most signers of the Constitutions were Masons, many symbols in DC have masonic influence. I'm not even sure that your husband can be recruited to be a real mason without having some connection to us, like a relative or some other degree of knowledge about the group, but I'm not certain.

But to answer your question, it is not a "WTF", and they do lots of good charity work (The Shriners, for instance), and are not a cult. There history goes back centuries and is very well documented.

OP here - My friend's brothers and her BILs are all Masons and have not come from a long line of Masons. Her oldest brother encouraged the rest to join. My friend thinks it's odd - very ritualistic in her opinion.

I don't want my husband to have any part of it.

Is your husband allowed to make choices for himself or do you have to approve of everything he does?

My FIL is a mason and some of what he has told me about it (though he cannot tell me some things), it's actually pretty spiritual. As another person mentioned, they also do a lot of charity work. I see nothing cult like about it. You know what I do find to be cult like? Orthodox Judaism and Born Again Christianity/Evangelicals. THOSE are cult like.

They were the first (and only) fraternal organization to accept Blacks and Jews along with other members and my grandfather was so proud of his membership. It's a little old fashioned but hardly cult-like.

Anonymous wrote:My husband is a Mason and also went through Demolay as a youth. http://www.demolay.org/ While I think some of the rituals are kept secret and they take that aspect very serious, as do many organizations, it is hardly "cult-like". My FIL, and his father were also Masons. My FIL was a Grand Inspector as his Lodge.

Have you looked into the history of the Masons and how they were involved in the early years of this country, most signers of the Constitutions were Masons, many symbols in DC have masonic influence. I'm not even sure that your husband can be recruited to be a real mason without having some connection to us, like a relative or some other degree of knowledge about the group, but I'm not certain.

But to answer your question, it is not a "WTF", and they do lots of good charity work (The Shriners, for instance), and are not a cult. There history goes back centuries and is very well documented.

OP here - My friend's brothers and her BILs are all Masons and have not come from a long line of Masons. Her oldest brother encouraged the rest to join. My friend thinks it's odd - very ritualistic in her opinion.

I don't want my husband to have any part of it.

I think my husband would be beside himself if he were recruited into the Masons.

My husband is a Mason and also went through Demolay as a youth. http://www.demolay.org/ While I think some of the rituals are kept secret and they take that aspect very serious, as do many organizations, it is hardly "cult-like". My FIL, and his father were also Masons. My FIL was a Grand Inspector as his Lodge.

Have you looked into the history of the Masons and how they were involved in the early years of this country, most signers of the Constitutions were Masons, many symbols in DC have masonic influence. I'm not even sure that your husband can be recruited to be a real mason without having some connection to us, like a relative or some other degree of knowledge about the group, but I'm not certain.

But to answer your question, it is not a "WTF", and they do lots of good charity work (The Shriners, for instance), and are not a cult. There history goes back centuries and is very well documented.

wtf?

According to his colleagues, it's a great way to make business contacts.

After doing some initial research and speaking to a 33rd degree mason, who won't say a thing about his group, I'm convinced it's just too cult-like.

any insight?

Husband is a CPA, btw.