The Free Masons

Gillo

What I would like to know myself is there seems to be alot of lodges in teh metropolitian (Dublin) area. Can anyone tell me what is the difference between them?
Are they different lodges for different reasons?
Do different lodges have particular interest's?
Why join one lodge over another?

Sleepy

DeVore wrote:

That would be funny wouldnt it, if Boards suddenly was in the control of the Freemasons. Oh my, the conspiracy theorists will have a *field day*.

Think about it. How different are we from Freemasons? Granted we don't have the centuries of traditions etc. But boards.ie has fulfilled many of the roles I've heard the Freemasons credited with.

The Santa Strike Force this year, the Knights of Comeonbanus, the in-jokes, the support group (i.e. Personal Issues), the boards beers etc. etc. etc.

Think about it, we're all part of a very similar organisation, however instead of the pre-requisite of believing in a higher being there's the pre-requisite that you're computer literate, can find boards.ie and (to an arguable extent able to write English).

Gillo

Does anyone know is there any difference between the various lodges or why you would choose to join one over the other??

DeVore

There are differences between lodges the same way there are differences between forums here. Some are more charity focused, some are active, some are about meeting up for friendship, some are about exploring philosophy. All of them are about ALL of those things but in very different proportions I've found. My mates lodge is all about a few pints and doing some charity stuff for example and tend to avoid any of the philosophical stuff.

They dont really seem to *do* a whole lot but all the same a fair bit gets *done*. I can understand why they stress the whole charity stuff to anyone who will listen... imagine you're a 500 year old charitable fraternity and last year you bought ambulances for the Arthritis Foundation and some bitch ass punk on the internet is spreading rumours that you screw goats in your spare time. dunno about you guys but I'd be hoppin' mad to set the record straight!

The hospitals they were referrring to are run by these guys:
http://www.shrinershq.org/
You have to be a FM to join but if they run 22 hospitals for sick kids without charging anyone a penny, well you can imagine that that gets them some plus points in my book.

I dont doubt that there are men who abuse their positions in FM and people who join for greed etc but then I could say that about your local golf club. From what I've seen of them they're a bunch of decent skins who do bits of charity work and have a night out a month with the lads and are sick to the back teeth of being Hollywoods favourite bad guys...

DeV.

keu

imagine you're a 500 year old charitable fraternity and last year you bought ambulances for the Arthritis Foundation and some bitch ass punk on the internet is spreading rumours that you screw goats in your spare time. dunno about you guys but I'd be hoppin' mad to set the record straight!

heh...funny..
The reason why I personally wasn't inclined to empathise with the NyGM and the stories about charity and hospitals, was because the guy I was referring to spends most of his time (along with many others) slagging off the catholic church (who run way more than 22 hospitals globally, not to mention the education systems they provided for years and years) for being goat shaggers...and other things.

..people are just inclined to slagg off the church more readily because we know the truth of it.
I see no difference really.