secret societies

[kwicky]

Should such organisations such as the Masons be banned in Britain with its members forbidden to take high office or important positions?

What purpose do they have except to promote their own ideas and exclude others who have something greater to add.

It is suggested that top politicians who are masons somehow escape all blame, ie the Iraq war. Is this sensible?

It was suggested in the past that masons in high positions such as the police, judiciary, law and politics came out and admitted their affiliations. Was anything done about this?

Has anyone been victimised or threatened by this organisation?

[dot.hawkes]

Hi Kwicky, have you ever researched the history of the Masonic lodges and their members?

[maxximus]

http://freemasonrywatch.org/uk_newdeclaration. html i googled and came up with this. interesting site.

[poorclare]

I believe the Duke of Kent is a Freemason and wonder
how this goes with his cousin the Queen.

[kwicky]

As well as the Iraq War not forgetting the whitewash over the David Kelly affair!

[honest_joe]

Some reputable people have joined the Freemasons which started out with good aims and intentions. But like any large organisation it has been infiltrated by others who are able to make use of its secretive nature. Also organisations such as MI5 are able to use members to carry out their undercover work acting as unpaid assistants.
Does it stretch a point to say it is a step towards Orwellian 'big brother'

[pingu748]

As you are allowed to have your views so am I ...

In every organisation there is good and bad ... period !

My father died 2 weeks before my 3rd birthday ... a serving police officer and also a freemason.

My mum was supported unconditionally by the fellow lodge members & their wives, financially, emotionally and in any way they could at the time.

They in turn paid for ALL my education from the age of 11 to 18 ... thousands of pounds worth ... to provide the sort of education my parents wanted to give me but were unable to as a result of my fathers death.

They did this with no ulterior motive, just because they could help the family of a lodge member that they respected & valued highly ... they never looked for any repayment ...

Over the last 30+ years I have been in regular contact with many of the now elderly member as well as the younger ones and their beliefs still remain the same ... help those that you can when you can ... they may well be members & their families in the 1st instance ... but this is only the same as an MP helping an MP, a nurse helping another nurse ... or an internet user helping another user ?? ... its just that they are in a position to do even more ...

So how about you ask the question " Has anyone been helped or assisted by this organisation" ...

I bet there are more people that have been helped than hindered ...

And no ... I am not a freemason ... !

[cucuhullan]

I am not a freemason but I have friends who are.
It is inconceivable that they or the organisation is any thing other than benign.
Recently the lodge in my area had an open day and I went along out of curiosity.There was a fair bit of ritual and allegory but nothing to suggest anything other than harmless role play.
With regard to conspiracy theories I suspect that there are no more than there are in say a golf club.
Also,as I understand it the Duchess of Kent is a Roman Catholic which opposes Freemasonry.I very much doubt that she would hang around if her husband was involved in anything sinister.
There is however one puzzling aspect to Masonry.
It is basically suited to well behaved sober and upright citizens.So how come Jim Davidson is Worshipful Master of a Lodge.

[poorclare]

It is only in recent years that the Duchess of Kent
became a Roman Catholic

By the way are the Duke and Duchess still together?

[Clanad]

If it's a secret organization, how would you know if one belonged to it or not?

[kwicky]

The fact that the organisation is secret by definition means there is something to hide.. that they dont want the rest of the population to know about. You scratch my back and I will return the favour is no way to run a society. In this open society of ours it is healthy to air your ideas in public not behaving like a common criminal in hiding behind a stone.

[cucuhullan]

It is more a society with secrets rather than a secret society.

[pingu748]

As cucuhulan says ... they had an open day at a lodge in his area ... kwicky ... do you know that others in the country dont also have days to find out more about them ? ... to try and remove some of the unfair stigma that has been attached to them ... perhaps it has been given out by people who have not been invited to join (as is the way) ... at the end of the day I am led to believe that their are still mere golf clubs (as well as no doubt many others) that you can join " by invatation only" ... as well as some barring women all together or making them use seperate entrances for f+&s sake !! What do they have to hide from the women eh ??

[pingu748]

Without naming any specifically are there not also religious groups in this country that have parts of it that they don not wish you to know about ? And do they not favour people of their own religion before others in certain situations ?

How the hell can you call the society we live in today open ?? ... its a myth put around and contrived to make people believe they are in charge of their lives ... and are not actually controlled ... do you honestly think the Labour party (or any other for that matter) tell us all that goes on ??

You try joining any one of the "members only" clubs & societies that are frequented by politicians ... it aint gonna happen !! But they are open to anyone (to join) ... its just that if your face / job / wallet size / tie / old school etc etc doesnt fit then the commitee that grants membership applications says that unfortunately they are fully subscribed right now ... come back another day ol' bean !