Do You Or Have You Belonged To Any Fraternity Or Sorority?

I belong to the "knights of the broken resolutions" and I am a charter member of the "dukes of down lows". Neither group helps the community we just piss off the population. We don't have any secret handshakes, we don't want to touch each others hands.
 
I'm an Elk and our primary aim is to help underprivileged/ handicapped children and we have a lot of fun doing it.
 

I wasn't the fraternity type in college. For one thing it cost more and I was on a bare bones budget. I was a member of a local business club once, but not for long.
 
Are YOU an Elk too, Lon? I've been a member for 12 years. Our lodge burned down last year and we're waiting for a rebuild.
Meanwhile we have temporary quarters at the same location.
 
I was a pledge for a fraternity while in college, but backed out right before the hazing and initiation started. I belong to one of the local chapters of the American Legion, the VFW and a local sportsmen's club, which members may only be men. We have a beautiful restaurant and bar and also women are allowed into the club, if accompanied by a male member. The club does many good things for the local community by donating lots of cash each to local youth groups and charities. We also hold a Christmas party for any child 12 and under that wants to attend and each kid gets a pretty nice gift. We also do an Easter egg hunt and a community picnic, which makes a block party look minuscule in comparison. We are able to do so by having small games of chance on the premises.
 
When I was younger I belonged to Eastern Star, the fourth generation of women in my family to do so. The men in my family were/are all masons. If I am still alive when Canada recognizes female masons, i will apply for that also. I do not believe in clubs that refuse people based on gender discrimination.
 
Shalimar said:
When I was younger I belonged to Eastern Star, the fourth generation of women in my family to do so. The men in my family were/are all masons. If I am still alive when Canada recognizes female masons, i will apply for that also. I do not believe in clubs that refuse people based on gender discrimination.
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With all due respect Shalimar, Masonry is not a club any more than the Eastern Star. If you knew and understood the History of Free Masonry you would understand why women will never be admitted to the order, further more, you would even agree with that. I am surprised that as a past Eastern Star member you don't already understand that.
 
I stay far far away from all cultish and exclusive groups, as I consider them damaging and dangerous, even ones that profess to be charitable organizations.
 
Lon, I erred in posting that Canada did not have any co-masonry lodges. We do. In Britain there are over sixty thousand female masons. In New York, they have co-mason lodges, not female ones as I erroneously thought, although female ones exist elsewhere. Since early nineteen hundred's female Masonic lodges have existed in France. There are many around the world also. With respect, I believe I understand the precepts behind both the Masonic and Eastern Star Orders. I also understand the precepts behind male power dynamics. I remember my disgust in reading the Eastern Star manual with all it's crap about ES members required to get "permission" from a Masonic brother before making any important decisions. Pleeeease, 1920 wants it's attitude back. Now I will research the nearest Lodge that includes women, or work towards starting my own.
 
While I agree that Masonic and Eastern Star organizations have been very elitist in the past, and in some areas continue to be so, I do not believe them to be a cult. That reputation initially came about because Christians were incensed by the Eastern symbolism ie pentagrams used in ritual, and the acceptance of non-Christians into the orders.
 
For information on what constitutes a cult some research/reading is advised. Information is easily found online and a lot of literature is now available on the subject. Cults have specific characteristics. If your group doesn't possess these, then your ok, if it does, know that it is a cult, and it usually is. Any organization that uses certain strategies and techniques to control and restrict its members and to further its own interests (usually accumulating money) is a cult. I would consider a secret society would fall into that category. But by all means, people must make their own educated choices and are free to make their own decisions (or not if you belong to one of these groups).
 
Shalimar said:
While I agree that Masonic and Eastern Star organizations have been very elitist in the past, and in some areas continue to be so, I do not believe them to be a cult. That reputation initially came about because Christians were incensed by the Eastern symbolism ie pentagrams used in ritual, and the acceptance of non-Christians into the orders.
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I have been a Mason for 58 years, a Shriner & Scottish Rite member for 35 years, have visited Lodges in many states and foreign countries and have never heard or encountered a female any where. Considering the very early beginnings of Masonry where ancient STONE MASONS were all males and belonged to craft lodges where there were Master Masons, Journeymen & Apprentices, it only makes sense that modern day Masonry has a male only representation. The tools of the ancient Masons like the Compass & Square, Trowel were given symbolic meanings when Speculative Masonry had it's beginnings in 18th century England.
I personally support and agree with female representation in civic clubs like Rotary & Kiwanis etc., but Masonry because of it's very origin and Lodge procedures is absolutely nuts & I would be nuts if I ever petitioned to join the Eastern Star or Daughters Of The Nile.
 

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