IAMA 32 degree mason willing to say things I should not. AMAA.

Did you make Steve Guttenbuerg a star?

I do rig every Oscar night.

• What powers/privileges/responsibilities does a 32nd degree Mason have that lower degrees do not?
• Is 33rd degree the highest level?
• Did you ascend so high due to family/bloodline connections, or is there another reason?

edit:formatting

What powers/privileges/responsibilities does a 32nd degree Mason have that lower degrees do not?

All it means is that I've seen the allegorical degrees up to that point. It is important to note that the 3rd degree is the highest degree and the additional ones are optional and extra. I know this is counterintuitive, but all 3rd degree masons have attained the 'highest' degree of masonry.

Is 33rd degree the highest level?

Again, not 'highest' but as far as I know it is the most advanced along with the Knight Templar- which is another optional body of masonry.

Did you ascend so high due to family/bloodline connections, or is there another reason?

All it takes is time and interest. I am the first mason in my family as far as I know.

Illuminati: real or not?

I have no knowledge of the Illuminati being involved in modern freemasonry.

However, if I did, that would be my answer as well...

EDIT This is the only comment I'm editing. If you can't read the sarcasm in the second part of the reply, I apologize.

Real answer: In my Masonic knowledge, the Illuminati is just a conspiracy theory and has nothing to do with the Freemasonry I have participated in; nor does it have any connection to any modern Masonry that I have heard of. This is not veiled or coy. There is just nothing there.

What stone structure are you most proud of masoning?

To add to Bindershat's question: Are you required to actually learn anything about masonry? Or is it called 'Freemason' because you guys are now free of the requirement to be masons? Are there Freecarpenters?

No actual 'operative masonry' is taught, however the tools of a mason feature prominently in the degrees.

How does someone get involved with the masons? Is there anyway to join or signup?

The requirements are:

1. Be a man. (There are masonic organizations for women, but the be a Master Mason, you must be a man)

2. Be at least 18. (There are masonic organizations for boys and girls under 18)

3. Believe in God. If you can truthfully answer yes to this question, no further questions are necessary.

4. Be of good moral standing.

If you want to join, simply ask any mason. A popular bumper among masons is 2B1ASK1. Meaning you must ask, masons should never invite.

If you don't know any masons, find the website of your current lodge and send them a message, that's how I first joined. If you want, give me your general location and I'll reply with a link.

Some states: "Be White"

Louisiana is one of these states.

This is unfortunately true. I'm in the northeast where this is absolutely not the case and I've heard (but not personally verified) that I would not be welcome in a southern lodge that has this requirement. As far as I'm concerned these lodges should be considered irregular, which means something very specific in freemasonry.

What does "being irregular" signify?

Essentially 'illegal' or more correctly 'unofficial'.

When you say believe in God do you mean believe in the Christian God as such, or is being a deist sufficient?

They never even ask if you're a Christian. However you must take your oath on a 'holy' book. My lodge just purchased it's first masonic Quran because we got our first Muslim member.

My lodge just purchased it's first masonic Quran because we got our first Muslim member.

Interesting, I always thought the masons were a strictly christian organisation.

Nope, this kind of education is why I'm doing this AMA.

Genuine question: Is a masonic Quran any different from a normal one?

Not the content. I'm sure it's the standard English translation with a square and compass on the cover. Good question, I can understand the confusion.

FYI: the Koran is in Arabic. A 'translation' of the Koran into another language is usually described as an interpretation of the Koran. God spoke to Mohammed in Arabic, and the Koran is in Arabic.

Thanks, I just learned something in my own AMA!

See...without even scrolling much, now we know [edited to remove stuff].

Good point, thanks. I'll start deleting if I start to feel too outed.

If that's all you need to join, I don't understand why it has any social status or weight at all these days. I mean, even boy scouts have to at least develop certain skills to earn badges and stuff, and I don't think they especially benefit from being boy scouts after age like 14. Is that like the kind of stuff you do to earn a higher rank, so the status comes more from the rank than from simply being a Mason? Or what?

Edit to add: I already got lectures/clarifications and already gave apologies/clarifications below.

Nope, you're dead on. It's not about the requirements, but the choice that brings status. If you choose to spend a night a week not playing skyrim and instead hang out with a bunch of old guys to figure out how to make the world a better place- you're a good person in my opinion.

why did you seek out and join the masons? what was your personal reasoning for doing so?

Good question.

Two reasons:

1. I wanted to be more involved in my community without having to join a local church.

2. Every mason I had ever known was an earnest and sincere man, and I wanted to associate with them.

Are there any surprising masonic information about US that is not common knowledge which you can share?

I think it's pretty common knowledge that most of the founding fathers, including Washington, Madison, Jefferson, and Franklin were masons, not to mention Voltaire and Bolivar (revolutionaries in other countries).

The biggest shock to me is how few masons are involved in government today. If there are any members of congress that are masons, they are not open about it.

It's like all the cool people left the club when they just started letting people join so easily. And now all you guys are left with this lame club, with no cool kids, and you don't really do anything useful anymore.

This is unfortunately very accurate. I'm hoping that the value of this group, and the caliber of Freemasons improves over time.

Does being a Mason really help provide you with opportunities you wouldn't have otherwise?

Not more than joining any club with people of similar social status.

Exactly.

(posted in another comment too)

Kind of. My resume is pretty good on it's own right, and I don't know any masons where I work. However, I would personally give a brother preferential treatment if given the opportunity. This may seem like cronyism, and it is, but it's also because I feel like I can trust the brother more than the non-mason because we share a common bond. I would feel the same way about a veteran vs a non-veteran.

Is it true that masons use ritual magic?

Also, I have watched a few programs on the masons recently. The people involved pretty much claimed to have debunked everything that people claimed masons were involved in. Basically, they just established the masons as sort of a secretive Elks club of sorts. Beyond the logical first answers, why are masons so secretive? Do they really have secret intelligence and people planted like spies in other groups, etc.?

Is it true that masons use ritual magic?

I have never been involved in or heard of anything like this from any mason. I have seen and read many accounts of this from non-masons, though.

Basically, they just established the masons as sort of a secretive Elks club of sorts.

This is absolutely true of modern freemasonry.

why are masons so secretive?

Honestly, it's about sharing a bond with each other. There are literally no secrets that I could reveal that are not readily found on the internet in about 100 different places. Masonry is about building friendship and fellowship with like minded individuals, and having 'secret rituals' builds that bond. If you were in the military of in a fraternity in college, or to some extent played sports in HS you understand the importance of these excercizes.

Do they really have secret intelligence and people planted like spies in other groups, etc.?

If so, I've never heard of it.

I understand what a Mason is, but what is a 32 degree mason?

It means that I have joined the appendant body Scottish Rite and seen the necessary degrees to gain that title. I pay extra dues, go to extra meetings and have to memorize more lines; but I also meet more people and get to say 'I'm a 32nd degree mason'. It is literally no more than that.

Is there any connection between the Masons and the Knights Templar?

There is a very interesting theory that the ancient Free masonic Lodges were direct descendants of the Knights Templar that survives the massacre. There is no concrete evidence for this, however.

What do you actually do?

IANAM, but from what I gather, the answer to this seems to be:

A.) Memorize from a ritual book.

B.) Attend rituals.

C.) Give preferential hiring treatment to other Masons.

D.) Nothing substantial since the 1700's.

*Edit, to be fair, based on replies by actual masons: E.) Charity

This is not far off the mark.

Add Masonic charities, hospitals, convalescent homes etc. and you're dead on.

What is the coolest Masonic symbolism you have seen that you were not expecting to see, like in architecture, art, city design, etc.?

Is there any symbolism in the way our government is structured?

What is the coolest Masonic symbolism you have seen that you were not expecting to see, like in architecture, art, city design, etc.?

Going through the 2nd degree, a very long history of symbolism in architecture is give. It is very interesting and informative.

Is there any symbolism in the way our government is structured?

I assume you mean government buildings? If so, with my previous answer in mind, it's EVERYWHERE. Virtually every state or federal building I have ever seen is loaded with masonic symbolism.

How time consuming is it? And what makes it worth your time?

All said, I probably spend 2-3 hours a week, sometimes more.

'Worth my time' is kind of tricky. It's time I'd spend on reddit or video games anyways.

Is there actually a thing like a secret handshake?

Yes, every degree has a 'grip' so you can not only tell that someone is a mason, but also tell what degree they are. I will not describe the grips, however.

My friend was allowed to take pictures inside a temple here in Las Cruces, NM ( i believe, wasn't in santa fe nor albuquerque). One of his pictures had a wooden dildo with bloody fingerprints. Care to comment on this?

//EDIT: I am being completely serious. I believe I have the picture on my computer, otherwise I will get it to post.

I'm not sure what you're talking about. If it was also a Scottish Rite Valley it could been a prop.

Was it real or fake blood? Was it definitely a dildo or could it have been something else? I'm not being coy, I really don't know what you're talking about.

[deleted]

None that I know of. Trust me, I wish I could get a speeding ticket 'fixed' by flashing a ring, but it's just not the case.

What's keeping you from the 33rd degree?

Doing AMA's.

Honestly, I don't know what the requirements are. I've been a 32 for a long time and I'm not sure what I'm missing.