Freemasonry membership for Pakistani people

[Shamil]

Hello members,

Me and few of my friends have been studying and following illuminati and freemasonry over internet. We have researched alot and are interested to be the part of this global brotherhood.

Unfortunately freemasonry was banned by government of Pakistan in 1973 and the lodges in Pakistan were taken over by the government and now host public offices. Now there isn't any lodge presently in Pakistan.

I had contacted (United Grand Lodge of Egland) UGLE but they also replied that you are not eligible to be a member cause of two reasons i.e. freemasonry is banned in Pakistan and the other being there is currently no lodge in Pakistan.

As freemasonry is above and free from any sort of discrimination i.e. religion, cast, color or creed. I being a Pakistani request you guys to help me get out of this difficult situation and guide me the possible steps which can get me through to be an illuminati.

I have joined this forum with great hopes and I truly believe that I will not be disappointed.

Thanking you for your cooperation in advance.

Kindest,

Shamil.

 

[MaineMason]

You present an interesting predicament. Here in the United States there are 50 Grand Lodges, one for each state, who recognize one another and are recognized as regular by the UGLE, from whence ours came. I don't know this for sure, but my reading of the Constitution of my particular Grand Lodge states that lawfully resident aliens in our jurisdiction for at least one year are eligible to petition a local lodge for membership and may be initiated, passed and raised. (In fact, we have a non-citizen resident alien member of our Blue Lodge). A US citizen or resident alien from another state moving to mine must also be resident 12 months before petitioning for initiation.
As far as I know, there is no appendant body calling themselves "Illuminati" which is recognized as an appendant body within my Grand Lodge jurisdiction or that of any other state in the United States.

I cannot speak for other jurisdictions around the globe.

I would highly encourage you NOT to join ANY "Masonic" body which is considered irregular or clandestine by the UGLE.

 

[dfreybur]

I had contacted (United Grand Lodge of Egland) UGLE but they also replied that you are not eligible to be a member cause of two reasons i.e. freemasonry is banned in Pakistan and the other being there is currently no lodge in Pakistan.

Those are two distinct issues that need to be addressed separately.

One of our lessons is to be an obedient citizen of a just government. This suggests that any government that bans Masonry is not to be considered just. Such a government may well be unjust in other ways. Someone needs to work within the system to reform the government to be just. You don't need to be a Mason to attempt this type of reform. Unjust governments are not friendly to reformers so it is not safe to attempt this. We don't want our adopted family members to put themselves into danger and that's part of why no lodge will knowingly sponsor you within a country where Masonry is banned.

It is possible to become a Mason elsewhere and be a part of a movement in exile to form a Grand Lodge in a country. If you google for "grand lodge in exile" you will likely find there are groups in New York city and Los Angeles that have been working from the outside for decades to get various countries to allow Masonry. After the Berlin Wall fell many of these groups moved back to countries that had been part of the Warsaw Pact and there are now thriving grand lodges in those countries, so it is possible for this type of effort to succeed. To work this path you need to leave home, become a Mason in some other country, then stay there to work the issue.

The two approaches are mutually exclusive for any one individual.

 

[MaineMason]

Those are two distinct issues that need to be addressed separately.

One of our lessons is to be an obedient citizen of a just government. This suggests that any government that bans Masonry is not to be considered just. Such a government may well be unjust in other ways. Someone needs to work within the system to reform the government to be just. You don't need to be a Mason to attempt this type of reform. Unjust governments are not friendly to reformers so it is not safe to attempt this. We don't want our adopted family members to put themselves into danger and that's part of way no lodge will knowingly sponsor you within a country where Masonry is banned.

It is possible to become a Mason elsewhere and be a part of a movement in exile to form a Grand Lodge in a country. If you google for "grand lodge in exile" you will likely find there are groups in New York city and Los Angeles that have been working from the outside for decades to get various countries to allow Masonry. After the Berlin Wall fell many of these groups moved back to countries that had been part of the Warsaw Pact and there are now thriving grand lodges in those countries, so it is possible for this type of effort to succeed. To work this path you need to leave home, become a Mason in some other country, then stay there to work the issue.

The two approaches are mutually exclusive for any one individual.

Exactly, and as I suggested in my post, it would necessitate legal residency abroad and generally for one year prior to petitioning the lodge. If someone feels this strongly about it, and can expatriate themselves for a time--it would be a worthwhile exercise. Frankly, if I were going to do that from Pakistan, and had a vocational skill or a good chance of being accepted to study abroad, I would look to Canada.

 

[Mike Martin]

Me and few of my friends have been studying and following illuminati and freemasonry over internet. We have researched alot and are interested to be the part of this global brotherhood.

Unfortunately freemasonry was banned by government of Pakistan in 1973 and the lodges in Pakistan were taken over by the government and now host public offices. Now there isn't any lodge presently in Pakistan.

I had contacted (United Grand Lodge of Egland) UGLE but they also replied that you are not eligible to be a member cause of two reasons i.e. freemasonry is banned in Pakistan and the other being there is currently no lodge in Pakistan. As freemasonry is above and free from any sort of discrimination i.e. religion, cast, color or creed. I being a Pakistani request you guys to help me get out of this difficult situation and guide me the possible steps which can get me through to be an illuminati.

Hi Shamil,

I am afraid that the answer you have received from my Grand Lodge is the only correct one from a Masonic point of view.

Your government, through a misunderstanding of what Freemasonry is, banned the pastime and others of western origin (ie Round Table, Lions, etc) in 1972 and so it is not possible to be a Freemason in your country. Freemasonry has no view on your government other than it has done what it has done. Freemasons promise to be good citizens which means abiding by the Laws of whatever country they find themselves in.

However, I would also add that it is clear from your few words that you (in common with your government) do not understand that Freemasonry is only a Fraternity, it is the oldest and most widespread Fraternity but it is still only a Fraternity. It is not above the Law of any land.

The reality is that there are only two ways that you could join a Lodge and that would be if you were to emigrate to a country where it has not been outlawed or if your own government was to relax the ban it has placed on it .

 

[Sam1514]

All I want to ask is that is there no lodge in exile in Pakistan??? Because I want to become a mason and it is difficult for me to travel abroad while I'm going through the restricted age of initiation so it would be really help full if I could be initiated here in Pakistan (Asia)

Thank You

 

[Mike Martin]

All I want to ask is that is there no lodge in exile in Pakistan??? Because I want to become a mason and it is difficult for me to travel abroad while I'm going through the restricted age of initiation so it would be really help full if I could be initiated here in Pakistan (Asia)

Thank You

Surely you have read the answers above? Just to be 100% clear there is no Freemasonry in Pakistan!

 

[dfreybur]

I can find the Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile sponsored in the US. I see no sign there is a Grand Lodge of Pakistan in Exile.

You could move to the US, become a citizen, become a brother, get your jurisdiction to sponsor a Grand Lodge in Exile. The jurisdictions that do this or similar are Grand Lodge of New York, Grand Lodge of California, Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Oklahoma.

Or you can stay home and use whatever influence you can build locally to move your own government in milder directions.

 

[Warrior1256]

Serious stuff indeed! This is the first I have ever heard of a lodge in exile. This is a GREAT forum for a new MM to learn things.Best of luck to our would be brother in Pakistan.

 

[dfreybur]

Near WWII a few grand lodges in exile were formed for countries in the Soviet Bloc. After the Berlin Wall fell they were instrumental in moving Masonry back to eastern Europe.

There are jurisdictions in Turkey, Lebanon, India, Georgia (former Soviet Republic) and other countries bordering on Muslim majority which can serve the same function should Muslim majority countries join Turkey in moderation and separation of mosque and state.

 

[Glen Cook]

And Kazakhstan

 

[hanzosbm]

...and guide me the possible steps which can get me through to be an illuminati.

The illuminati hasn't existed for hundreds of years, despite what some nearly-illiterate hip hop stars might say.

 

[Warrior1256]

The illuminati hasn't existed for hundreds of years, despite what some nearly-illiterate hip hop stars might say.

Lol, very true.

 

[Sam1514]

Can't the Masonic masters all over the world ask for freemasonry to be allowed in Pakistan so that Pakistani people could also take part in masonic activities and try to make themselves better.... And there is a lot of potential for freemasonry here in Pakistan as young people are ready to be initiated

 

[dfreybur]

Can't the Masonic masters all over the world ask for freemasonry to be allowed in Pakistan so that Pakistani people could also take part in masonic activities and try to make themselves better.... And there is a lot of potential for freemasonry here in Pakistan as young people are ready to be initiated

Our landmarks forbid the discussion of politics in our assemblies, so there is no mechanism by which to make such a request. Also consider that as the only Pakistani citizens who are Brothers are men who emigrated to other countries the number of constituents effected is tiny.

Plenty of brothers pray that our ways spread across the rest of the world. The one we ask is powerful but is less involved in partisan politics than we are.

 

[Warrior1256]

Plenty of brothers pray that our ways spread across the rest of the world. The one we ask is powerful but is less involved in partisan politics than we are.

SMIB.

 

[MaineMason]

Can't the Masonic masters all over the world ask for freemasonry to be allowed in Pakistan so that Pakistani people could also take part in masonic activities and try to make themselves better.... And there is a lot of potential for freemasonry here in Pakistan as young people are ready to be initiated

It must be up to your Grand Lodge, which I believe is not working at the moment.

 

[Mike Martin]

Can't the Masonic masters all over the world ask for freemasonry to be allowed in Pakistan so that Pakistani people could also take part in masonic activities and try to make themselves better.... And there is a lot of potential for freemasonry here in Pakistan as young people are ready to be initiated

You see in the real world Freemasons do not have this kind of power!

 

[Warrior1256]

You see in the real world Freemasons do not have this kind of power!

Very true!

 

[Glen Cook]

You see in the real world Freemasons do not have this kind of power!

So that's why my letters to the UN keep getting returned.