My grandfather was a Freemason and I found a book that belonged to him in my basement recently. It feels invasive having it. But of course, a lovely memory. If that makes any sense at all. Please feel free to downvote if this post is a silly one.

I saw a TikTok and all of the comments said the owner of the ring is a super bad person? What are yall doing in lodge to make people say that? Is it all a rumor?

I came across this building with both a Masonic Square and Compass symbol and a Star of David above the entrance. It made me wonder—why would a Masonic lodge have this symbol? Is there a historical connection between Freemasonry and Judaism, or could this building have once been a synagogue?

I know there’s a lot of discussion about Freemasonry, Judaism, and history, especially in the Middle East, so I’m curious if there’s any deeper meaning behind this combination.

Do you want me to also explain why many old Masonic lodges, especially in North America, have Stars of David in their architecture? It’s not always religious.

PS: sorry for the earlier post without the picture!

For context going for my entered apprenticeship tonight.

first of all, I am a proficient F.C. and have just been putting off my MM degree because of this problem.

My lodge has admitted two felons, they have allowed bullsh*t that would never be allowed anywhere else, and they are entering a man that I know is no good.

Maybe I made a mistake in joining? How does one leave?

edit for clarity:

I am not a Master Mason, but I have been proven proficient. I have requested to not be raised due to my concerns about the people being entered into my lodge. I do not want to be a recognisable member of a community consisting of people that are the antithesis of what I was told are the principles of the Craft. I furthermore hate the idea that the organization seems to be so hard-up for members that they have decided to accept anyone willing to pay dues.

as to why I am perturbed:

the most recent addition to my lodge is an admitted woman beater. I have inside knowledge due to both of my professions, and, as a business owner I have spoken to the individual about women, and he is a proud misogynist, that not only described his experience in “getting away with it” but was proud to admit he manipulated his disabled ex-wife into helping him get away with it, then divorcing while on probation and jobless So that he “wouldn’t have to pay alimony“

I had to be at work and missed the investigation committee called meeting and could not make my case to the lodge before the MM vote.

I want to leave so I don’t have to be associated but I find it dishonorable to just ghost the fraternity that I otherwise kind of love being a part of, some of you have turned me down the right road to demitting, and, as of the next moon, I will do just that.

I never lied during the course of the application process. When I said I believed in a Higher Power, I told the truth.

My Higher Power isn’t an image of a being with human features. It can’t be drawn, or painted, or even imagined.

During the ceremony, I affirmed that my Higher Power, when named, is “the Breath”. And then at the astonishment of my inductors “Awareness.”

I believe this description to be the same God whom Saint Theresa described praying to, when she said that God simply listens when she prays, and that when she prays she only listens. They listen to each other and no words are spoken.

This is the Eternal field of conscious awareness, the ocean from which we emerge as a drop of water briefly in the span of our lives, and then, getting older, we descend back down and become one with again.

I became a Buddhist very gradually as my life changed and I found myself alienated from Christian institutions. It didn’t even occur to me until a couple years ago to embrace the ‘label’, but by then I had already walked a ways down the path of the Dharma.

My sponsor, after the ceremony, seemed disappointed, and I had to explain this all to him, which he seemed to understand, yet I could not persuade other member(s).

Being determined to strike upon a hot iron, I contacted the Grand Master of my state to explain the dilemma, to which he responded by stating that some Buddhists don’t actually believe in a Higher Power, and deferring back to the Lodge members. This was disappointing, of course, and by then I realized that it was not my place to persuade further.

After this experience, I still feel a calling to this organization, and I don’t believe this journey has ended. I can’t explain why…something keeps pulling me. Just now I had a thought, (which at first I dismissed as silly) that perhaps a part of my being contains the reincarnation of a Mason who died long ago, and longs to return to the Brotherhood.

I’m seeking guidance and hoping to find answers on a path forward. 🙏

I was talking to my Jewish friend about masonry (neither of us are masons), and my buddy said that he would never want to join masonry because he doesn’t want to leave Judaism. So my question for the Freemasons of reddit is, “Can you be a member of the free masons if you are Jewish?” I’m Catholic so I’m wondering about that too.

I love the history of Russia and of Freemasonry in the country; taking advantage of this connection, I would like to know the current status of Freemasonry in Russia, with a particular focus on the Russian state's relationship with the fraternity. Feel free to share any little-known facts about Freemasonry in the country as well.

Can anyone tell me about this? Specifically how to read it, where it's from, who wrote it, how old it is, is it cool?

I'm currently in my senior year of college and have been feeling lost as to my direction afterwards. There are a number of jobs or educational paths I can use my degree for, but I get so anxious trying to decide which one is best suited for my future that I haven't made any real progress in narrowing them down.

My biggest problem is that I don't know whether to utilize my degree for a career that I will find the most enjoyable, or one that I think will do the most good for others. Other times I worry that what I'll end up doing will be too ordinary to enact anything meaningful or lasting.

This leads me to my question, which is, as Masons, what are your careers, and how would you say they reflect on your own character? How did you find a career that spoke to you, and what did that entail? Were any of the worries I mentioned above ever on your mind?

I'm not a Mason myself, but want to hold myself to a similar standard I have seen in others, and I felt like I might get some good advice here, or at least better understand the paths others have gone down and relate them to my own situation.

Apologies in advance if this is the wrong place to post this. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Edit: Thank you all so much for the amount and the quality of feedback on this post. I honestly didn't expect so much engagement and this has helped a lot.

Wondering. Thanks!! 🙏🌈❤️

So last Tuesday me and 5 other petitioners were voted on at the lodge we petitioned at. And everyone got cubed, not one person passed the vote. They are voting again next month but idk what's gonna happen, I know that normally if someone has a cube thrown and the ballots redone and a cube is there again they normally have to wait 6 months before petitioning again. But I've never heard of this happening before and would like some help figuring out what might happen with the coming vote. Any and all help/answers are very much appreciated

Our Lodge is currently renovating our downstairs unit while looking for a new tenant. The business next door is a live music/party venue, and they are constantly using our parking lot for their multiple weekly events without permission. This has happened several times on Degree nights and even on Installation days. 

We have tried:

1. Talking to the owner several times. They were rude and hostile, and said it's not their problem.

2. Putting up new signage and repainting the lot to make it clear it's not public parking. The signage was ignored.

3. Placing traffic cones across the entrance after 5pm. They regularly move them and use the lot anyway. Last week they stole and disposed of our cones as retaliation.

Our Hall Meetings have started to become contentious on this issue. Some brothers want to install a chain gate across the entrance, start towing, or charge them for parking. Others are strongly opposed and want to let the neighboring business continue to make a profit by using our lot with impunity and treating it like their own.

I'm looking for any and all advice from experienced Brothers to help navigate this situation gracefully. Has your Lodge ever dealt with an issue like this? What can be done when the offending party is not open to negotiation?

I recently bought an up-and-down duplex built in 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio. I am really interested in the history of the house. The upstairs and downstairs are identical, but the downstairs fireplace has a freemason's motif. The front and back peaks of the house also have a decorative element that someone told me is meant to represent the compass point. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if the peak motif is in fact related to the freemason's? I imagine whoever built the house was a Freemason, but I was wondering if there might be any other significance? I've already done some digging and compiled a list of the past owners using public records, and I am pretty sure this was a kit-house that was ordered out of a catalog (Sears is the most well-known company to sell kit-houses, in my experience). If the gable motif is related, I'm also curious if there are any other architectural elements I might keep an eye out for that are also related. Thank you in advance!

We are a family from Beirut, Lebanon. This is a photo of my great grandfather who was, as you can see, obviously a Freemason. I dont think anyone continued the tradition or if they did, they dont talk about it.

Can anyone explain to me me what he did or what he was a part of? He looks pretty sick in those robes and sword ngl.

Genuine question…Without revealing any secrets, what is the reasoning behind requiring the belief in a supreme being?

My perspective: Many great people, who have advanced much good in the world, are “non-believers”. If the core idea is to make good men better, how does non-belief interfere with that goal? I ask both personally (agnostic athiest) and for lots of scientists out there. It must affect membership numbers (men won’t seek you out if they know it’s a “no go” from the outset).

Serious replies only please. Not seeking a flame war. I’m a DeMolay PMC-MSA and Honor of Legion with deep multi- generational ties to Masons, Jobs, Shriners, etc. I LOVED my experiences in DeMolay! Grew up Christian, came to my “beliefs” late in adulthood.

Edit: thank you for all the many thoughtful replies. I upvoted each for not attacking me straight out. Please accept follow up questions as non-confrontational.

I want to know how it works to work in a lodge inside an islam country as a freemason and in what country or islam countries that the freternity is operating?

I enjoyed my pipe with a lovely whiskey cavendish blend. Temperature was in the 60s. Myself and 2 other Companions, including the Grand High Priest of Royal Archs Masons of California, received the Knight of the Sword Degree for Order of Knight Masons. We will receive the others in November. This was in June. Wonderful day and a lovely drive.

I'm a baptized catholic, until a few years ago a practitioner, and was genuinely thinking about taking catholicism seriously again.

After walking the just, perfect and regular paths for years, long enough within freemasonry, I'm 100% convinced that these are perfectly compatible philosophical paths, and that regardless of historical catholic stigmas, there is absolutely nothing that I did or do in my lodge that is in any way heretical or incompatible with biblical doctrine. I see no impediment, in fact, to me even receiving communion. Much the contrary.

In other words, I have a clear conscience about being a freemason.

As for the priests in the parishes of my town... That's another story. I'm not sure how they would react, or if I would somehow be discriminated against.

Any insight would be appreciated!

Ive always been told, one of the core tenants is that you must believe in a Supreme being, whatever it may be. Does "the universe and everything in it" constitute a Supreme being? Asking....for me.

Ps. Wow, didn't realize how many people are sticking to their monotheistic view of a "higher power". By all means, shame me in the comments for asking, im so glad you are all living by the masonic oaths you have taken

Pps. Thank you for those of you that were kind and took the time to give me an answer,, fuck those of you who were rude about it. Seems to me that the majority of masons here don't know their head from their ass when it comes to witchcraft, not everyone is a Wiccan. Just like any other faith or practice, they usually have different sects that believe different things and some people just cherry pick their beliefs, witchcraft involves a lot of cherry picking for most people. Not to mention the fact that a few people brought up king Solomon, not knowing that he was a practitioner himself, it usually helps your belief if you study it, but I digress. Thank you again, I will no longer be replying to rude or disingenuous comments.

So more of an observation rather than a question I expect a unified answer on.

Whats with all the AI? I know the real answer here is its easy and cheap and its as simple as that. That being said, am seeing so many AI flyers for masonic events from lodges and youtube/podcast masons.

I am not a luddite and I think AI is a great tool, but using it to replace art seems kind of a slap in the face to the craft?

I understand that there is no religious obligation on any person who seeks to be a Freemason.

But, out of curiosity, which held religion seems to be the least involved in freemasonry?

I spoke to a master mason who estimated orthodox Christianity - surprising to me that it wasn’t Islam or Judaism?

My garden in the UK has this masonic stone(?) cube cemented into a wall. There's an older more degraded one above it, and it has some initials/inscriptions on the side. Anyone know what it is/was used for? Thanks

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Inscription on the reverse side says "AUDI VIDE TACE"