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Eight Secret Societies (2016)

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#101

Post by [deleted] »

leashless wrote: post #74
bovermyer wrote: post #67

I'm a Freemason. I haven't been to a lodge meeting in quite awhile, but there are a few observations I think worth making: * "Secret societies" have an air of mystique about them, and that played no small part in my joining. The theatricality of some rituals gives a sense of gravitas to the group that is often lacking in everyday life. * Freemasonry at least does a lot of quiet charity. There is a not-insignificant a…

In France, where their attitude to adultery is rather relaxed, Freemasonry is often a coed activity. Hiding affairs under a seal of masonic secrecy would be dangerous business in America.

[deleted]

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#102

Post by mellavora »

motohagiography wrote: post #79
bovermyer wrote: post #67

I'm a Freemason. I haven't been to a lodge meeting in quite awhile, but there are a few observations I think worth making: * "Secret societies" have an air of mystique about them, and that played no small part in my joining. The theatricality of some rituals gives a sense of gravitas to the group that is often lacking in everyday life. * Freemasonry at least does a lot of quiet charity. There is a not-insignificant a…

Dude, ping me with your lodge number and I will definitely visit if I'm in your city. Part of what attracted me to Freemasonry was the quality of their enemies, as whatever those accusers had a problem with, I was pretty sure I wanted to be on the other team. The other thing was finding the pigpen cipher doing security work. It's so not-secret I don't mind being relatively open about it, as you know that every other…

> all it has cost me is the ability to give short answers.

So, sort of like getting a Ph.D.?

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#103

Post by mellavora »

dhosek wrote: post #38

Last month, I had that moment every parent¹ dreams of. My daughter asked me, “what’s ‘the Illuminati’?” It was fun explaining the whole concept of secret societies and conspiracy theories in terms that would be intelligible to an 8-year-old. My kids (her brother is her twin) had a hard idea with the whole concept of secretly coercing somebody to do something that’s not in their interests.

Oh, man what a perfect opportunity!

Why explain when you can play.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminati_(game)

www.sjgames.com

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#104

Post by MichaelCollins »

gjsman-1000 wrote: post #13
billybuckwheat wrote: post #11

Isn't the whole idea behind a secret society that the general public doesn't know about it? I thought that's what secret meant.

One of the most fundamental characteristics of evil is that the evil person cannot help but desire to gain fame for their crimes. (Just look up how many criminals have been arrested by their social media posts.) A Secret Society might be completely secretive, and yet be unable to resist helping themselves to claiming some credit. Kind of like the Anonymous hacker group in their day. Or Ross Ulbricht adopting the name…

> One of the most fundamental characteristics of evil is that the evil person cannot help but desire to gain fame for their crimes. (Just look up how many criminals have been arrested by their social media posts.)

Selection bias, no? You're drawing a conclusion about the whole from the subset who seek fame and get caught.

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#105

Post by abrenuntio »

Bayart wrote: post #100
bovermyer wrote: post #67

I'm a Freemason. I haven't been to a lodge meeting in quite awhile, but there are a few observations I think worth making: * "Secret societies" have an air of mystique about them, and that played no small part in my joining. The theatricality of some rituals gives a sense of gravitas to the group that is often lacking in everyday life. * Freemasonry at least does a lot of quiet charity. There is a not-insignificant a…

> Interestingly, the Catholic church _hates_ Freemasonry, for some reason. Freemasonry (and secret societies of the same style) was very active in the Age of Revolution and participated in the uprooting of the Church's power base. As an active Catholic, Freemasons have always been seen with extreme suspicion, if not outright fantasies. But you could say the same of the way Catholics are perceived in some places, in p…

I would say that the reasons run deeper than a power play.

Freemasonry demands active participation in a religious liturgy in which Christ is implicitly excluded.

When the Church warns against such worship and the basic attitudes (beliefs) it inevitably expresses, it is not expressing hatred but charity: concern for souls and loyalty to the mission it received from Christ in Mt 28:19-20. My guess is that you will find the same instincts in e.g. Eastern Orthodox churches.

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#106

Post by Bayart »

abrenuntio wrote: post #105
Bayart wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Interestingly, the Catholic church _hates_ Freemasonry, for some reason. Freemasonry (and secret societies of the same style) was very active in the Age of Revolution and participated in the uprooting of the Church's power base. As an active Catholic, Freemasons have always been seen with extreme suspicion, if not outright fantasies. But you could say the same of the way Catholics are perceived in some places, in p…

I would say that the reasons run deeper than a power play. Freemasonry demands active participation in a religious liturgy in which Christ is implicitly excluded. When the Church warns against such worship and the basic attitudes (beliefs) it inevitably expresses, it is not expressing hatred but charity: concern for souls and loyalty to the mission it received from Christ in Mt 28:19-20. My guess is that you will fin…

I agree with you. I wanted to include in my post that it had likely to do with Freemasons having ritual without much in the way of doctrine, but I didn't want to appear inflammatory.

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#107

Post by cafard »

bovermyer wrote: post #67

I'm a Freemason. I haven't been to a lodge meeting in quite awhile, but there are a few observations I think worth making: * "Secret societies" have an air of mystique about them, and that played no small part in my joining. The theatricality of some rituals gives a sense of gravitas to the group that is often lacking in everyday life. * Freemasonry at least does a lot of quiet charity. There is a not-insignificant a…

It was my impression that the Catholic ban on Freemasonry was lifted some time ago. It also seems to have been codified in the 19th Century, later than I'd have guessed, and at least in some areas depended (like the earlier shutdown of the Jesuits) on the local sovereign putting it into effect.

I believe that the Scottish Rite Temple at Columbia Road and 16th St. NW in Washington, DC, funds a children's health center around the corner for it.

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#108

Post by dhosek »

mellavora wrote: post #103
dhosek wrote: post #38

Last month, I had that moment every parent¹ dreams of. My daughter asked me, “what’s ‘the Illuminati’?” It was fun explaining the whole concept of secret societies and conspiracy theories in terms that would be intelligible to an 8-year-old. My kids (her brother is her twin) had a hard idea with the whole concept of secretly coercing somebody to do something that’s not in their interests.

Oh, man what a perfect opportunity! Why explain when you can play. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminati_(game) www.sjgames.com

Hmm, half of what I told them was derived from the game (and The Illuminatus! Trilogy). I think they might be just old enough to play the game (I’ll have to check for any cards I might need to hold back though).

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#109

Post by [deleted] »

cafard wrote: post #107
bovermyer wrote: post #67

I'm a Freemason. I haven't been to a lodge meeting in quite awhile, but there are a few observations I think worth making: * "Secret societies" have an air of mystique about them, and that played no small part in my joining. The theatricality of some rituals gives a sense of gravitas to the group that is often lacking in everyday life. * Freemasonry at least does a lot of quiet charity. There is a not-insignificant a…

It was my impression that the Catholic ban on Freemasonry was lifted some time ago. It also seems to have been codified in the 19th Century, later than I'd have guessed, and at least in some areas depended (like the earlier shutdown of the Jesuits) on the local sovereign putting it into effect. I believe that the Scottish Rite Temple at Columbia Road and 16th St. NW in Washington, DC, funds a children's health center…

[deleted]

Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)

#110

Post by abrenuntio »

cafard wrote: post #107
bovermyer wrote: post #67

I'm a Freemason. I haven't been to a lodge meeting in quite awhile, but there are a few observations I think worth making: * "Secret societies" have an air of mystique about them, and that played no small part in my joining. The theatricality of some rituals gives a sense of gravitas to the group that is often lacking in everyday life. * Freemasonry at least does a lot of quiet charity. There is a not-insignificant a…

It was my impression that the Catholic ban on Freemasonry was lifted some time ago. It also seems to have been codified in the 19th Century, later than I'd have guessed, and at least in some areas depended (like the earlier shutdown of the Jesuits) on the local sovereign putting it into effect. I believe that the Scottish Rite Temple at Columbia Road and 16th St. NW in Washington, DC, funds a children's health center…

It seems faithful cannot receive Communion:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_ban_of_Freemasonry#Conti...

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