Weasler33
Ex Member
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I entered Freemasonry over 15 years ago. I was very active with "the Craft". I was a lodge master and a grand lodge officer (i.e., Right Worshipful). I engaged in dozens of Masonic degree ceremonies, gave many, many Masonic lectures (indeed, I was one of the best ritualists in the state), and I performed dozens Masonic funeral ceremonies, both for members I knew and members I didn't know. I was very active, very respected, and very dedicated to Masonry throughout my entire tenure with it.
And then in one day, I was abruptly thrown out of the fraternity by the Grand Master - someone I had actually regarded as a friend - on the basis of trumped-up, silly, and phony charges. This was done without trial, without a hearing, without warning, or any of the due process supposedly afforded all members under the Grand Lodge Constitution. The same exact brutal treatment was given to 40 or so members from across the jurisdiction (New Jersey), in some cases to members who had devoted over 50 years to the organization.
The reason why so many of us were thrown out was, in most cases, due to disputes over money. In my situation, I was seen as an impediment to the Grand Master's attempt to confiscate some money which belonged to my lodge but which he claimed was his. In spite of numerous appeals for clemency based not only on Grand Lodge rules but also simple human decency, these so-called "good men made better" refused to bring me back. After a couple of years of appealing my case with no response, I came to the point where I said, "OK, they don't want me back, that's fine with me. Who needs it?".
Years ago, I would sometimes read this web page and laugh, regarding its criticisms of Masonry as unfounded and absurd. But now, after having experienced the true "dark side" of Masonry, I can now tell you that Masonry is garbage. I cannot say that I ever witnessed anything that would constitute Satanism or devil worship within Masonry, as many of its critics will maintain. And I also cannot tell you that I've seen anything that would suggest a worldwide Masonic conspiracy; frankly, I don't think the average Mason is sophisticated enough to engage in such a thing - far from it.
But nevertheless, I do think that Masonry is a bunch of crap. It is a juvenile organization that does not even follow it's own rules. It espouses high minded ideals such as brotherly love, truth, and justice, but in reality, it lives up to none of those things. In short, Masonry is a huge sham.
So to those of you thinking of joining Masonry, or to those of you who already are members of the craft, take the advice of a former Mason who knows the organization very well: Don't waste your time. Masonry is clearly not worth it.
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