In what way? What is this comment based on? I thought it was all about raising money for charity and getting drunk - but I'm not one.
You remember that greenfield site that was developed on? You know, the one they said they'd never be allowed to build anything on? The one in every town. Some people call it progress. What tax-avoidance charity do?
My Grandad was a freemason. He always said, "Don't watch your money; watch your health." So one day, while I was watching my health, someone stole my money. It was my feckin' Grandad.
I reckon this guy is quite high, on a committee-lets face it, whose gonna say no and risk his handshake?! View attachment 16571
I've put aircon in a few masonic lodges, and to be honest I find them slightly disturbing places, like something bad has happened there. It's just not quite right somehow.
Who needs to be a mason when you can be so elitist on here ? Prefer the Buffs myself...cheap beer, old blokes with big facial hair and the kind if handshake which starts with a full pint and ends with an empty one
I find it bizarre that people like Plod etc, are allowed to belong to a secret organisation..........
What we are talking about here is an organisation which meets in private, and which is highly exclusive, lacking in transparency, self-perpetuating, and clandestine. Its only purpose appears to be mutual back-scratching - members secretly help one another out in their affairs, to the detriment of outsiders. And it involves the private swearing of blood-curdling oaths. Fortunately there exists in society a vast range of open, legitimate bodies (such as charities, clubs, political parties, sports associations, unions, social clubs, religions, etc) which everyone is free to join if they choose. Why would anyone pick the Freemasons, of all things? What does that tell us about their character and priorities?
For many years now anyone being appointed a Judge (at any level) is required to make a formal declaration on the record before appointment whether they are a member of the Freemasons. As a result the old system of judicial appointments being secretly influenced by this was done away with. If only the same applied to other professions!
Pete, everyones in the conspiracy, Judges are also required to declare if they're a member of the RSPB and the National Trust.
Very funny, you're provoking me. OK then, to spell it out literally - the European Parliament is public, open, transparent, and all its members are elected democratically. Everything it does is highly publicised and widely debated. The only oaths are to serve the people. The contrast with a secretive private club could scarcely be more extreme.
If a particular case comes before a judge involving a person, company, club, etc with which the judge has been connected (by membership, shareholding, formerly advising, or whatever), the judge is required to recuse himself - the case is simply allocated to another judge. That applies to the RSPB and the NT just as much as to anything else. My point about the Freemasons is quite different; all judges must make the declaration before appointment, regardless what cases they may deal with.
What an absolute load of tosh. I am a mason and proud to be one too. As a group we raise some GBP 30,000,000 annually for charities and no it is not raised to help only masons. What do I get from it? A great evening of socializing with a diverse group of people every month or so. Yes there is some ceremony, but that is historical and no different to what we see at many city institutions such as Livery companies. Is there any work benefit? Absolutely not. Do people help each other? Perhaps, but no more so than a team of amateur footballers, golf club members or members of a biking forum. It is not highly exclusive other than members tend to bring in people who they know; no different to me joining a football team with people I know in it. Secretive? Other than parts of the ceremony (I do not know why, but it is certainly nothing untoward), no. Go along to Great Queen Street in Covent garden and anyone can have a tour and learn about the meetings etc. Certainly a Grand Lodge (being the parent) meeting including ceremony was televised a couple of years ago. That is hardly meeting in private. I also declare I am a mason on every application form I complete. Nothing to hide there.
