No Turtles? Lame.
Eight Secret Societies (2016)
21–30 of 125 posts
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#22Nice that they found a mix, I expected >90% of them to be religious or semi-religious (what you hear about the freemasons sounds quite cult-ish too, eg).
But not sure why they decided to include the Molly Maguires. Sounds like a plain mob to me, the Yakuzas and the Cosa Nostra probably have more rituals than those, and both are still very much in existence.
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#23The article mentions how in the past, the Patriotic Order Sons of America didn't allow black people to join. They eventually changed but I'm wondering if the change was forced. Is it legal to discriminate on the basis of race or sex today?
I am a former Mason. I left the lodge due to no longer complying with their requirement to believe in a higher power (God). To be explicit: Masonry used to be segregated into "Prince Hall" masonic halls (for non-white folks) and "normal" masonic halls. This split was ended, and now Prince Hall masonic halls are full masonic lodges, and membership is recognized in both directions. In practice; every lodge I ever attended was integrated even if it was a significant white majority.
When we were voting on new members, it was a silent vote with unanimous consent required. Any vote could be retaken at the order of the master. This means that if someone is eligible and should be a mason, and the vote comes up with a negative vote, the master can say a few words suggesting people reconsider and take the vote up again.
There was only once that I saw someone not pass the first ballot to become a mason. The master said that we should reconsider, and most of the brothers in the room chose not to vote the second time (as a symbol they were not the negative vote), and many of those who did showed their ballot before casting it. The second vote passed.
This as a process indicates there's plenty of room for abuse: any single master mason can anonymously vote to exclude someone for any reason they want. It's up to the folks around them to set them square if they are out of line. I can easily see an lodge existing where there wouldn't be any members willing to speak up in someone's defense.
It's my belief that none of what I've posted here is exposing any of the secrets of a master mason; but if any fraternal members disagree I'll happily edit and delete this post, and I don't intend to expose anything; but instead demonstrate that masonry (as well as, I'd assume, most other 'secret' societies), is as good as the members in the lodge.
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#24Isn'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…
That's very interesting. Makes you wonder how many criminals escaped justice because they had a willpower to resist temptation of fame.
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#25Secret societies have an air of mystique around them, but often they're just social clubs with extra steps. People are social creatures, and having something to belong to is healthy for most!
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#26Nice that they found a mix, I expected >90% of them to be religious or semi-religious (what you hear about the freemasons sounds quite cult-ish too, eg). But not sure why they decided to include the Molly Maguires. Sounds like a plain mob to me, the Yakuzas and the Cosa Nostra probably have more rituals than those, and both are still very much in existence.
I think there's a strong correlation. For example, there was an Oddfellows chapter near me I checked out a few times. They turned out to be some weird sect of Wiccans. I mean, it's nice that they do good works, and I guess alls as well if they keep them separate, but I didn't intend spending time with people who pray to antlers and host nude religious gatherings. And it felt to me, perhaps in a way, they were using a known organization to 'recruit', even if they didn't see it that way.
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#27Isn't the whole idea behind a secret society that the general public doesn't know about it? I thought that's what secret meant.
Believe it or not, a "secret" society refers to the secrets they hold , not that the society itself is secret. The Masons are public about their existence (if quiet) but their inner "rites and rituals" are secret.
While I’m sure that used to the case, that is no longer really the case with the Masons. You can find out and read through all the different ceremonies and rites online.
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
Believe it or not, a "secret" society refers to the secrets they hold , not that the society itself is secret. The Masons are public about their existence (if quiet) but their inner "rites and rituals" are secret.
While I’m sure that used to the case, that is no longer really the case with the Masons. You can find out and read through all the different ceremonies and rites online.
Not by their intention, but by an accumulation of opsec failures over the last 700 years.
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#29Didn't see The Ancient Order of Free Gardeners listed:
> Although the Free Gardeners have always remained independent of Freemasonry, the history and organisation of the two orders show numerous similarities. Some commentators have pointed to possible mutual influences in the ancient history of the two organisations
Re: Eight Secret Societies (2016)
#30> Eight Secret Societies You Might Not Know They aren't secret anymore - not when they are in the Smithsonian!
Yeah - the real Secret Societies are actually Secret and probably operating in our world all the time without displaying it. There's no evidence, just because you don't see Secret Societies much anymore, that they don't exist. There was a lack of evidence at the time for all the societies on the list.
btw the password to their secret ceremonies is 'fidelio'