[Coriolanus]

Originally Posted by hiram

The only thing that might disallow you would be being an atheist or having a criminal record...

The former in my case.

[looksee]

You can use the word bible to mean an authoritative text for an interest group, but it actually means the primary religious text of Judaism and Christianity. Likewise creed can be used to mean ordering of belief, but its central meaning refers to the Christian faith.

If the Freemasons have managed to interpret their own rules in a more inclusive way then good for them, but I refuse to believe that the creed referred to in the rules was ever intended to be other than the Christian faith.

The argument that medieval stonemasons were men is used to separate women out of the club, (where have I heard that theory before?) those same medieval stonemasons would have understood their credo to refer to their Christian faith. It is very funny that the UGLE makes a point of showing a black Mason to prove how broadminded and inclusive they are, but women get a separate exclusive club!

[Coriolanus]

I didn't realise it was all so Abrahamic. Wonder if a lot of it couldn't be handled in Spirituality since the raison d'etre seems to be the reverence for a Architect. Everything seems to flow from that.

[testicle]

+1

[hiram]

Originally Posted by Coriolanus

I didn't realise it was all so Abrahamic. Wonder if a lot of it couldn't be handled in Spirituality since the raison d'etre seems to be the reverence for a Architect. Everything seems to flow from that.

Well spotted, now we are getting somewhere. As a mason, I consider it to be more esoterical than spiritual.
Works for me in guiding my moral compass

[hiram]

Originally Posted by looksee

You can use the word bible to mean an authoritative text for an interest group, but it actually means the primary religious text of Judaism and Christianity. Likewise creed can be used to mean ordering of belief, but its central meaning refers to the Christian faith.

If the Freemasons have managed to interpret their own rules in a more inclusive way then good for them, but I refuse to believe that the creed referred to in the rules was ever intended to be other than the Christian faith.

The argument that medieval stonemasons were men is used to separate women out of the club, (where have I heard that theory before?) those same medieval stonemasons would have understood their credo to refer to their Christian faith. It is very funny that the UGLE makes a point of showing a black Mason to prove how broadminded and inclusive they are, but women get a separate exclusive club!

like I said before, some people "get" masonry...some don't..by the way, the British constitution is different from grand lodge in Ireland. Why not visit our fantastic museum in Grand Lodge in Dublin. You might learn a thing or two, instead of having to rely on third party info.....or you could just join. I see the Toastmasters had one of their meetings in Grand Lodge recently...must have been a real eye opener for them!!

[Opticom]

Ye guys must be desperate for members at this stage.
What's the average age in your lodge ?

[looksee]

Originally Posted by hiram

like I said before, some people "get" masonry...some don't..by the way, the British constitution is different from grand lodge in Ireland. Why not visit our fantastic museum in Grand Lodge in Dublin. You might learn a thing or two, instead of having to rely on third party info.....or you could just join. I see the Toastmasters had one of their meetings in Grand Lodge recently...must have been a real eye opener for them!!

Well, I might, but I am one of the unwashed and unwanted - female!

[hiram]

Originally Posted by Opticom

Ye guys must be desperate for members at this stage.
What's the average age in your lodge ?

Actually we are doing pretty well, we are not allowed to recruit. The average age is 50 years, but i must add that GL is a bit coy about admitting folks under the age of 30. The optimum recruitment age seems to be 30-50 years of age...more to do with the amount of time one might need to turn up to various meetings etc. There is an old saying that 90% of Freemasonry is turning up!!

[hiram]

Originally Posted by looksee

Well, I might, but I am one of the unwashed and unwanted - female!

Yep, I know...one of the things I dont happen to agree with, but hey....

By the way,there is a Female Branch of Freemasonry called Eastern Star that is exclusively for Women

[Opticom]

Starts at 1:20

[Coriolanus]

Originally Posted by hiram

Well spotted, now we are getting somewhere. As a mason, I consider it to be more esoterical than spiritual.
Works for me in guiding my moral compass

You'll have to expand on that. I'd have understood esoteric to be any body of knowledge limited in dissemination.
So, x could be spiritual and esoteric, the former referring to it's content and the latter just being an adjective handily describing it's diffusion in the populace.

[hiram]

Originally Posted by Coriolanus

You'll have to expand on that. I'd have understood esoteric to be any body of knowledge limited in dissemination.
So, x could be spiritual and esoteric, the former rieferring to it's content and the latter just being an adjective handily describing it's diffusion in the populace.

A conversation I will delight in as soon as the Freemasonry Forum (hopefully) takes place..

[Coriolanus]

Originally Posted by hiram

A conversation I will delight in as soon as the Freemasonry Forum (hopefully) takes place..

Looking forward to it!

[dquirke1]

+1