Shetland Freemasonry

[BigMouth]

Who are the Freemasons in Shetland and what is Freemasonry all about?

[JAStewart]

A group of guys that never grew up and they invent secret codes and handshakes and stuff.

[Claudias]

Don't knock it unless you've tried it.

[Radarman]

It's not so secret, lots of disgruntled masons have let out all the 'secrets' on the web...

[Njugle]

It's not as mystical, sinister or whimsical as it's made out to be.

 

I think you 'd probably find that most freemasons don't actually know what it is they're practising and preserving, until fairly recently nobody had fully researched the subject. The origins had been lost in all of the ritual and ceremony, which were founded to preserve historical knowledge.

 

For most it's a brotherhood, a support network if you like. And a cheap pub, and an exclusive trades network.

 

They even have their own Public Magazine

[BigMouth]

My only brush with it was when the factory at which I was working was found to have a leaky roof. The builder who got the job was on the square. The owner of the factory (a Mason) got him to jack the price up by 2 grand so that he could then use the builder to fix his conservatory at home for free.

 

I presume that there is more to it than fiddling insurance companies.

 

If you find me under Waterloo bridge with my tongue cut out it was them Masons that did it 8O

[Njugle]

My only brush with it was when the factory at which I was working was found to have a leaky roof. The builder who got the job was on the square. The owner of the factory (a Mason) got him to jack the price up by 2 grand so that he could then use the builder to fix his conservatory at home for free.

 

I presume that there is more to it than fiddling insurance companies.

 

If you find me under Waterloo bridge with my tongue cut out it was them Masons that did it 8O

I think you'll find that shenanigans like that extend outwith the masons!

 

Re: Waterloo bridge; with pockets full of stones of course

 

Alledgedly upholders of the principles of Ma'at or Ma'at Ba-aa

From ancient Egypt

which is included

In ceremonies

Washing away all the mysticism and modern prejudice, it is actually a principle worthy of mention, it underpins the US Bill of rights and even the Declaration of Arbroath, and tends toward the concept that the leaders/monarchs are there to serve the people and the land is the responsibility of all. Etc. "Secret" for centuries because the powers that be decided that people were there to serve them and not vice versa.

 

To simplify it greatly, it is the concept of service to all and gratitude for all.

 

 

But all that has nothing to do with cheap pints

[BigMouth]

It's the secrecy thing that worries me.

 

The government, any government, want us to have ID cards. "What have we got to hide" they ask those of us who feel that we have enough means of identity already. Yet the same people who force this upon us are the sort of people who join the masons, a society that wants to keep secrets. If it's all above board then why the secrecy?

 

My belief is that it is self-serving. It has the intention of keeping the power and wealth in the pockets of the priveleged. We all ultimately pay the price for this.

[Wheesht]

In this day and age are they really any different than any other club or association people may be in or attached to?

 

I hear all the talk of jobs for the boys, a handshake here and there but I know of work and money that has been won or given on the strength of friends in clubs and associations, physical and personal, so in that respect they are no different.

 

I pretty sure the masons had not control or influence over salmon monies for example, but I might be wrong?

 

 

PS. I may or may not be speaking from experience here, it's a secret after all

[Njugle]

It's the secrecy thing that worries me.

 

The government, any government, want us to have ID cards. "What have we got to hide" they ask those of us who feel that we have enough means of identity already. Yet the same people who force this upon us are the sort of people who join the masons, a society that wants to keep secrets. If it's all above board then why the secrecy?

 

My belief is that it is self-serving. It has the intention of keeping the power and wealth in the pockets of the priveleged. We all ultimately pay the price for this.

"Sort of people who join the masons"? Difficult concept. Most of the masons i know of are tradesmen. They couldn't give a monkeys about running the country. Having said that, there are those beaurocrats who use the masons as a promotional careers service, to gain status not from their own merit, but from association. But ultimately, they have to live up to their own expectations. I've seen management who have used this to achieve jobs they have ben totally out of their depth with, and i've seen outwardly lame individuals achieve great things. But then I've seen the same process happen through the Kirk.

 

The "secret" element was a crucial factor in less enlightened times but in the recent era a lot of what the masonic organisation held secret has become common, or readily available, knowledge. It is largely a historical thing. Dare i say, the tyrannical reign of the catholic church may have a large part to play in all this. For example, in the dark ages it was vanity and a sin to wash or to become educated. Punishable, and ultimately damning. A series of "secret" organisations were born in this era to preserve knowledge. The inquisitions of the middle ages put paid to a lot of that (long story) and the masons, only founded in 1717 is arguably an offshoot of previous organisations.

To utilise a quotation, there are known knowns and there are known unknows. It is the unkown unknowns that we have to worry about. The masons are in the realm of the known unknowns. There are far more sinister organisations in the unknown unknowns category.

 

Re: Shetland and as wheesht said, Salmon moneys had nothing to do with the masons. I would tend to agree with that , if i knew anything about it.

[JAStewart]

Don't knock it unless you've tried it.

 

You could say that about anything.

[BigMouth]

The only masons I have met have been "captains of industry" and have used the system to feather their nests. Perhaps I need to get out more and meet a nicer type of mason! I know of no-one that has benefitted from freemasonary, but again perhaps I need to get out more.

[peeriebryan]

Many of my friends and family are freemasons and i reckon between them they represent a fairly even spread of society. Apart from they are all men, of course

 

I reckon the whole thing is no more than a drinking club where a bit of networking goes on. Its no different to the Norscot Angling Club really. There's only difference between them is 5p a pint

[Njugle]

 

I relish the thought of the higher degree masons finding themselves compared to Angling club members. It is true in a way though.

 

Re: Women - Eastern Star = Female branch

 

I wonder what the initiation for the angling club would be - answers on a postcard!

[peeriebryan]

Masonic Grandmaster = Les Scott