3 ms·

How are the membership numbers changing over time? I only ask because of the religous aspect of the organization. I know a lot of the youth are not very relig

How are the membership numbers changing over time? I only ask because of the religous aspect of the organization. I know a lot of the youth are not very religous (compared to previous generations). I really like the community aspect, but the ties to christianity would definitely be a blocker for a lot of people i know age 20-30

mrbill 8y ago
Trending downwards, just like any social fraternity (OddFellows, etc). People are more interested in going online these days than having to attend actual meetings and so forth. The Masons' peak membership was in the 1950s.
- viridian 8y ago
  Do you know if there are any US branches that aren't pushing the religious angle anymore? My mentor tried to encourage me to join when I was younger (I was a carpenter's assistant), but I rejected it out of hand due to the religious angle. I don't particularly care about the ceremony of the thing (I was the president of a fraternity and had to recite a bit of prayer during weekly meetings), but AFAIK the only atheist accepting lodges are in France.
  - mrbill 8y ago
    Not any that are going to be recognized as "regular" and adhere to the "Landmarks" of Freemasonry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonic_Landmarks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonic_Landmarks You'll find "clandestine" lodges (that just set up on their own, of their own authority) or claiming to be under the purview of a "Continental" Grand Lodge / "national" level GL that do stuff like allow women in, but if you join one of those Lodges, normal AF&AM/F&AM lodges will not recognize you as a fellow member or as a legitimate Mason. "regular" Masonry has the Order of the Eastern Star, which is sort of the "Women's Auxiliary" of Masonry and has some similar rituals and ceremonies and so forth; it allows both women and men to be members.

3 ms·

How are the membership numbers changing over time? I only ask because of the religous aspect of the organization. I know a lot of the youth are not very relig

by skate22 8y ago

mrbill 8y ago
Trending downwards, just like any social fraternity (OddFellows, etc). People are more interested in going online these days than having to attend actual meetings and so forth. The Masons' peak membership was in the 1950s.
- viridian 8y ago
  Do you know if there are any US branches that aren't pushing the religious angle anymore? My mentor tried to encourage me to join when I was younger (I was a carpenter's assistant), but I rejected it out of hand due to the religious angle. I don't particularly care about the ceremony of the thing (I was the president of a fraternity and had to recite a bit of prayer during weekly meetings), but AFAIK the only atheist accepting lodges are in France.
  - mrbill 8y ago
    Not any that are going to be recognized as "regular" and adhere to the "Landmarks" of Freemasonry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonic_Landmarks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonic_Landmarks You'll find "clandestine" lodges (that just set up on their own, of their own authority) or claiming to be under the purview of a "Continental" Grand Lodge / "national" level GL that do stuff like allow women in, but if you join one of those Lodges, normal AF&AM/F&AM lodges will not recognize you as a fellow member or as a legitimate Mason. "regular" Masonry has the Order of the Eastern Star, which is sort of the "Women's Auxiliary" of Masonry and has some similar rituals and ceremonies and so forth; it allows both women and men to be members.