I am not a mason. I am not able to become a mason, or at least a traditional one because of gender. My friend recently told me he was joining. Worried for the friend because of internet stories, I researched into it just to make sure I was not losing that friend.
Now here's my question. Why is it that every mason I have talked to on every site, YT, reddit, FB, Twitter, etc, has so far been conceited? I don't mean just a misunderstanding either. I mean completely conceited.
They have all portrayed a 'holier than thou', 'smarter than you' attitude with me, acting as if intellectualism literally belongs to them and only them. (Which is not a great impression to anyone.)
No. I am not a mason. But I have researched. I have bought and downloaded books. Not just 'writings about' but legit books from ebay. Estate sales, thrift stores, etc. Legal places to buy these things. I have bought ritual books, the encyclopedias, the lexicons, and the full breakdowns of the rituals, their symbolism and the interpretations of that symbolism (despite Amazon reviewers saying don't waste your time, more conceit).
My question is why? Of all the 'good character values' your group is supposed to uphold. I would think humblness should be one of them.
But I keep getting the same thing. "No matter how much you research, or how much source material you have, you won't understand, can't know without becoming one and going through it."
This is a fallacy. It is complete empiricism, 'knowledge by experience' which is rejected in Philosophy. Rationalism says you can have knowledge through reason and learning. I understand I can't APPRECIATE it as well as a mason would. But to keep sitting there and telling me one can't learn even with all the tools and sources and complete breakdowns. Is just ... it's anti-knowledge. All the logicians and philosophers and scientists you look up to would be appalled. Davinci didn't just say he couldn't learn the things he taught himself unless he had a group to give him the experience. He taught himself. He researched.
You can self teach yourself anything with enough time, dedication, source material, and research. Religion, Quantum Physics, literally anything. Maybe you won't understand at first. But if you're truly dedicated and put time into it you can learn and understand. NO field of study has it where you can't know unless you experience it.
And since the rituals are allegorical plays. I'm basically being told I can't understand Romeo and Juliet and its symbolism without playing in it. And yes I won't understand the authors entire POV. No one will, he wrote it. But I will understand the breakdown of it. You do not need to star in or write a movie to understand its symbolism.
So why are masons so arrogant with this when it goes against every intellectual they look up to? You are basically implying that the rituals are more than just symbolism despite labeling them as such that even your books, the legit ones you have, don't mention. Which is why so many write conspiracies about you, because that is a bad implication to make.
So to end this. Why do all the masons I've met talk down, and how do you think that's good character?
Now here's my question. Why is it that every mason I have talked to on every site, YT, reddit, FB, Twitter, etc, has so far been conceited? I don't mean just a misunderstanding either. I mean completely conceited.
They have all portrayed a 'holier than thou', 'smarter than you' attitude with me, acting as if intellectualism literally belongs to them and only them. (Which is not a great impression to anyone.)
No. I am not a mason. But I have researched. I have bought and downloaded books. Not just 'writings about' but legit books from ebay. Estate sales, thrift stores, etc. Legal places to buy these things. I have bought ritual books, the encyclopedias, the lexicons, and the full breakdowns of the rituals, their symbolism and the interpretations of that symbolism (despite Amazon reviewers saying don't waste your time, more conceit).
My question is why? Of all the 'good character values' your group is supposed to uphold. I would think humblness should be one of them.
But I keep getting the same thing. "No matter how much you research, or how much source material you have, you won't understand, can't know without becoming one and going through it."
This is a fallacy. It is complete empiricism, 'knowledge by experience' which is rejected in Philosophy. Rationalism says you can have knowledge through reason and learning. I understand I can't APPRECIATE it as well as a mason would. But to keep sitting there and telling me one can't learn even with all the tools and sources and complete breakdowns. Is just ... it's anti-knowledge. All the logicians and philosophers and scientists you look up to would be appalled. Davinci didn't just say he couldn't learn the things he taught himself unless he had a group to give him the experience. He taught himself. He researched.
You can self teach yourself anything with enough time, dedication, source material, and research. Religion, Quantum Physics, literally anything. Maybe you won't understand at first. But if you're truly dedicated and put time into it you can learn and understand. NO field of study has it where you can't know unless you experience it.
And since the rituals are allegorical plays. I'm basically being told I can't understand Romeo and Juliet and its symbolism without playing in it. And yes I won't understand the authors entire POV. No one will, he wrote it. But I will understand the breakdown of it. You do not need to star in or write a movie to understand its symbolism.
So why are masons so arrogant with this when it goes against every intellectual they look up to? You are basically implying that the rituals are more than just symbolism despite labeling them as such that even your books, the legit ones you have, don't mention. Which is why so many write conspiracies about you, because that is a bad implication to make.
So to end this. Why do all the masons I've met talk down, and how do you think that's good character?
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