+1. Either he's messing with you (he is your uncle, after all, and that's what uncles are for. :wink
, or you're reading something that isn't there to read. Also might be that he wants to make sure that you're serious. Time was, according to what I've been told, that a man would get no response whatsoever to his first or maybe first several inquiries about the Fraternity. Once it became clear that he was sincerely and seriously interested, then things would start to happen.
The latter part of this could be the case. My first few inquiries were somewhat shunned, but I persisted, showing up before meetings with more questions about joining and each time, they became less defensive and more and more helpful, until eventually they gave me a blank petition. I then had to get to know some of the brothers, because I knew no Masons and needed recommenders. But the more I persisted, the more helpful they became, I believe, because they were testing my level of sincerety. A lot of works goes into the work for every ritual. In NJ it is all memory and word of mouth. It makes sense that before commiting the time and effort, even for the lowest degree, that you would want to be sure that
A. the candidate is seriously interested and it isn't a passing thought that he will forget next week
B. That the candidate is worth putting in that time and effort. You will find that someone can disguise thier true natures and intentions easily for a short conversation, but if they keep showing up before meetings, and keep leaving messages, and persistently show interest, they are also showing who they really are over a period of time, and the brethren will have an easier time when deciding whether to admit that individual, or help him petition, whatever be the case.
Whether any of the Masons I dealt with when I first petitioned were 33° I do not know, even to this day. So on that aspect, I can not comment one way or another. I only know of one person who is admittedly a 33rd, and he refuses to discuss anything with me beyond my current degree.
I hope this somehow helps with the original poster's question.
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