Posted on 05/21/2008 8:10:03 AM PDT by BGHater
IN LOS FELIZ, across from a 7-Eleven on North Vermont Avenue, a few dozen men in their early 20s to late 80s share a dinner behind closed doors. Some wear full tuxedos with bow ties and jeweled cuff links, some have shoulder-length hair, and others wear open-collared shirts that reveal the slightest filigree of tattoo arching across their chests.
Over Italian food, retired lawyers and judges sit elbow-to-elbow with owners of scrap metal yards and vintage clothing boutiques. They hold forth on philosophy, the weather; they rib each other and joke about saving room for cannoli. As they reach for seconds, they reveal skull-cracking rings emblazoned with a compass and a square.
Meet the millennial Masons. As secret societies go, it is one of the oldest and most famous. Its enrollment roster includes Louis Armstrong and Gerald Ford, and it has been depicted in movies such as “The Da Vinci Code” and “National Treasure.” Once more than 4 million strong (back in the 1950s), it has been in something of a popularity free-fall ever since. Viewed with suspicion as a bastion of antiquated values and forced camaraderie, the Masons have seen membership rolls plummet more than 60% to just 1.5 million in 2006.
Only now the trend seems to be reversing itself, and nowhere more noticeably than in Southern California. The reasons seem clear. In another Masonic Hall, this one on La Cienega, a Sri Lankan-born banker, a sunglasses-wearing Russian immigrant and a continent-hopping Frenchman break bread, poke at their salads and chat about their health.
"For a time it looked as if Masonry was going into a sharp decline, if not the death throes," said UCLA history professor Margaret C. Jacob, who has written extensively about the fraternal order. "But it looks like it may be making a comeback."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
They rule the world from a clown suit.
Do you still have to bow before the 3-sided stool?
I’m in charge of a few local officials myself and I’m just a low level Free Mason.
There will always be a psychological frisson associated with joining a secret society.
The writer attempt to characterize Free Mason’s as freaks and jongleurs. Where I’m from, almost every judge, mayor and municipal and elected official is a Mason.
“They rule the world from a clown suit.”
******
IIRC, Freemasons Sam Houston, Col. William Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett weren’t wearing clown suits when they fought for Texas independence from Mexico.
In addition, the second largest group (after Jews) killed by Hitler in WWII were Freemasons. They even got their very own special red triangles to wear in concentration camps as political prisoners. No photos show them wearing clown suits.
Providing severely injured children with comprehensive medical care free of charge at Scottish Rite and Shriners Hospitals doesn’t involve clown suits either.
Maybe it will surpass the GOP in total membership. Hell, maybe it will REPLACE the GOP considering the lack of leadership in D.C.
So you're corroborating the writer's presentation?
The Shriners might want to correct you on that.
Not at all.
I'm more of a goliard myself but hey, we each have our roles.
Maybe there is renewed interest because it is place men can go and no chicks allowed....and as a chick I do not have a problem with that.
There was a show on TV about the Free Mason’s.....interesting history
What's wrong with that? There's worse things in this world.
You've reminded of a bumper sticker (!) from 1980, before the election, that said, "What's wrong with having an actor for president? We've had had 4 years with a clown!"
If given a choice between Obamanistas and Freemasons, I'll take the Masons every time.
Every time!
CA....
ROFLMAO!!
Maybe the growth in membership reflects the more "open" and less secret society we live in. As privacy diminishes maybe there is a hunger for one aspect of life that does not set a tracking cookie.
Or maybe people just have a desire for some simple and good teachings and slogans, since so many can no longer even trust their churches?
"Behold, how pleasant and how good it is, when brethren dwell together in harmony". Who can fault that?
ping
FYI
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.