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What to tell friends

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
hello brothers I am just curious what you all tell your friends or neighbours when u have lodge
Nothing, unless they ask me why I am all dressed up and carrying my musical equipment. Then I tell them I am going out to play some music.
Sorry to elaborate but I just never asked , I'm not sure how out there I should be .?
Great question. On a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being a Hermit and 10 being a Jehovah's Witness, how out there do you want to be?
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
I have to change at work often and I told my coworkers "I'm a Mason." That was pretty much the end of it, depending on the maturity level of the individual...
 

Wheatfarmer

Registered User
Thanks guys, I have been keeping it to my self , and people wonder why I'm in town at a late hour , never really sure what I should say
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
Thanks guys, I have been keeping it to my self , and people wonder why I'm in town at a late hour , never really sure what I should say
A simple, "Thanks for asking. I had some business to attend to. How about you?" should suffice.
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
These were the people(Non-Masons) that knew I was a Mason for the first three years I was a Mason.

My wife, Mother, Sister, her husband, Father-in-Law and Mother-in-Law.

Now after three years I finally told my closest two friends of 20+ years.

No one has to know. You're not obligated to announce to the world that you are a Mason. I wear a ring and will confirm my status without hesitation. I just chose to not 'tell' everyone.

Edited: My neighbors have not asked me why I'm dressed up. My friends never see me dressed up.

Monday nights are not a big hangout night with my friends so again, I'm not turning down invites to go to lodge.
 

Wheatfarmer

Registered User
Thank you brother Steve , our lodge is on Friday and it tends to raise more questions than not when I say I am busy ,,, always a follow up "well what are you doing" I'm very happy to hear what some others say. It's like you stated I'm proud to be a MM but I am unsure what to say
 

Companion Joe

Premium Member
I am very open about my activities with people who "know" me and keep all things pretty close to the vest with everyone else. Anyone I actually talk to, from my wife all the way down to folks I happen to have lunch with, knows I am a Mason.

For people who know what I am talking about, it's "I have a Lodge/Chapter/Council/Commandery/whatever meeting." For people who don't know one body from another, it's "I have a lodge thing."

For everyone else, it's "I've got something to do." That wouldn't change if it was lodge or going to Walmart.
 

hanzosbm

Premium Member
Similar to the other posters here, I usually tell people who don't know I'm a Mason that I have a meeting to go to. If they ask what kind of meeting, I tell them I'm a Freemason and it's our monthly meeting. Those who do know, I just tell them I'm going to lodge. I don't have a ring, I don't wear shirts, I don't have bumper stickers on my car. My affiliation is my own business, and I generally keep it to myself unless someone asks. I've had one or two...I wouldn't call them 'bad' experiences when people find out I'm a Mason, but more questions and conversation than I was necessarily looking forward to. So, like others have said, I don't lie, but I don't really put it out there.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
it depends on the person and the time I have to speak to them.

If not wanting to engage, I'm off to a meeting. If they ask what sort of meeting I tell them lodge.

If someone I want to engage with, I tell them straight off I am off to lodge and if they ask what that is, I tell them it is a meeting of Freemasons, the oldest and largest fraternity in the world. If it is some I think should be a mason, I'll speak at length.

The big thing is your own confidence in dealing with questions. It took me about 6 months to tell the guys I lived with I'd joined. I waited until I was confident I had not joined some weirdo group. I guess I was not secure enough to admit I might have made a mistake until i was sure I had not. I was very open but skeptical when I joined

That really changed for me was when i became Master of the Lodge. As such, I had the role of speaking on behalf of my members and it lifted my "masonic consciousness", I really and readily began to tell folk I was a Freemason at that point...

I think the message is do what you are comfortable with without bringing the Craft into disrepute... but also remember, if you are a respected member of your social group, you're a good advertisement for Freemasonry.

Lot's of guys here are secretive about their membership. One friend was going to stay at another long standing friends. They'd known each other for 20 years. The host gave him his schedule but said on Thursday he had to go out. "Can I come ?" "No" said the friend, it's a monthly meeting of friends I go to. It's a closed group and very dressy and his visitor could not come.. On a hunch, the visitor threw his dinner suit and lodge case into his luggage. Once there, he pressed his host who was evasive but the visitor spotted a lodge case. Five minutes before the host was leaving the guest emerged from his room with a lodge case in hand asking if he happened to likewise had a dinner suit and a grip and word could he come.... LOL..... they'd never told each other they were each a Freemason...
 

flipster

Registered User
I am president of a local noon meeting organization. I was WM last year. Upon making several lodge donations, my picture was in the local small town paper with "Worshipful Master." My boss of 37 years commented loudly as I walked across the floor at the noon meeting (Exchange), "What was that title in the paper, Worshipful Master?" I smiled, and said yes. He was setting with two long time leaders of town who he respects deeply. They are Masons. They looked up and smiled. I got hit with it quite a bit at work, too. I am well liked, and took it all in stride. My boss is a devoted Catholic, and a wonderful Christian. He advised me to avoid the Masons when I joined. He has never made an unkind comment since and I know I have his highest professional regards. However you respond, always put a smile on that kisser when you reply.
 

acjohnson53

Registered User
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BroBook

Premium Member
I have a sterling Silver S&C that I had costumed copied 30 years ago I wear it constantly around my neck, I am willing and able to be tried, and I don't entertain foolishness, but as stated say or do whatever floats you boat...
 
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Dontrell Stroman

Premium Member
I have a sterling Silver S&C that I had costumed copied 30 years ago I wear it constantly around my neck, I am willing and able to be tried, and I don't entertain foolishness, but as stated say or do whatever floats you boat...
Bro book I get the reference as being tried, but are you speaking of a guy actually challenging you ?
 
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