Ehhh... The new name is Sir Futuresoptions...

[futuresoptions]

Yep... Became a Knights Templar yesterday.... been a goal for sometime now.... will probably join the shrine sometime this year and will hopefully go Scottish Rite sometime next year......

[m21sniper]

Congrats man.

Did the ceremony go anything like this?

[Racerbvd]

Congrats brother, I just completed my 32nd Degree and already am a Shriner
Tell Wayne we need a Smiley with a Fez.....

[futuresoptions]

Honestly can't say LOL.....

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by futuresoptions

Honestly can't say LOL.....

You know what happens if you do

[futuresoptions]

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

Tell Wayne we need a Smiley with a Fez.....

HEY WAYNE!!! WE NEED A SMILEY WITH A FEZ!!! lol...


I have done some volunteer work cooking for the Shrine... we have a bedowan band here... I don't think we have too many karts at our shrine, think one guy has a golf cart setup...I would like to get one of the karts.... will also try to go Porsche.... maybe I can make a little 914

[futuresoptions]

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

You know what happens if you do

Yeppers..

[competentone]

"Knights Templar"?

I thought they were all wiped out in the 14th Century.

The dark history of the world is that of mystics fighting other mystics.

Some of us prefer the light.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

You know what happens if you do

I am sure none of us really cares, i was just being polite and pretending to be interested.

But mostly it just seemed like a good excuse to post a super cool movie scene from Excalibur.

At any rate, congrats again FO.

[Dottore]

I asked this in another thread (and never got a serious answer), but is there any deep philosophical underpinning to the funny hats, secret handshakes, mysterious numbers, vows of secrecy and small cars?

Something of general interest perhaps? Something that would help all of us to live better lives?

Or are those things alone so interesting (in and of themselves) to practitioners of these arcane rites, that a meaningful underlying ethics or metaphysics would be redundant?

Just asking. Not trolling.

[futuresoptions]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

At any rate, congrats again FO.

Thanks Snipe!

[futuresoptions]

Originally Posted by Dottore

I asked this in another thread (and never got a serious answer), but is there any deep philosophical underpinning to the funny hats, secret handshakes, mysterious numbers, vows of secrecy and small cars?

Something of general interest perhaps? Something that would help all of us to live better lives?

Or are those things alone so interesting (in and of themselves) to practitioners of these arcane rites, that a meaningful underlying ethics or metaphysics would be redundant?

Just asking. Not trolling.

I believe that you are not trolling with your question... However, a lot of things just can't be answered.... from your posts, I feel that you are a person of above average intelligence ( even though I disagree with a lot of your positions sometimes). I think that most of your questions could easily be answered through research... research the men in history that have been known Masons... research the Masons history.... research the York and Scottish Rite's history, and research the Shriner's history.... this will give you a clearer understanding of the organizations and their members... I have heard it said that the organizations in question are not secret organizations, but organizations with secrets. I have also heard it said that you can find the secrets easily at the library, but that I will not give them to you because I have given my word that I wouldn't......

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Dottore

I asked this in another thread (and never got a serious answer), but is there any deep philosophical underpinning to the funny hats, secret handshakes, mysterious numbers, vows of secrecy and small cars?

Something of general interest perhaps? Something that would help all of us to live better lives?

Or are those things alone so interesting (in and of themselves) to practitioners of these arcane rites, that a meaningful underlying ethics or metaphysics would be redundant?

Just asking. Not trolling.

Like many other organizations, their primary purpose is to improve mankind's existence through fellowship, charity, and education.
They basically work to improve themselves by helping others. They believe a man is judged by his heart and his deeds. The better his caring and deeds, the better life he leads. I see nothing wrong with that at all.

Ignore the stupid speculation shows on discovery. They are only intended to create controversy in the weak mind.
The tiniest bit of research would have provided this same answer.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by Dottore

I asked this in another thread (and never got a serious answer), but is there any deep philosophical underpinning to the funny hats, secret handshakes, mysterious numbers, vows of secrecy and small cars?

Something of general interest perhaps? Something that would help all of us to live better lives?

Or are those things alone so interesting (in and of themselves) to practitioners of these arcane rites, that a meaningful underlying ethics or metaphysics would be redundant?

Just asking. Not trolling.

My father was a Mason and I asked him a lot of similar questions when I was a little kid. He told me he was honor bound to secrecy and that I could become a Mason when I grew up and would understand.

In my teens, he wanted me to join DeMolay International, "The Premier Youth Organization dedicated to teaching young men to be better persons and leaders", which I did. I didn't stay in long because I didn't like all the rituals and secrecy.

I remember a lot of bickering between some of the Masons and some of the Catholics in my small home town at the time, with some of the Masons yelling "You Catholics can't be Masons!" and the Catholics taking offense because they felt they were being discriminated against.

Well, the fact was, the Catholics couldn't become Masons because their church forbade them joining a secret society and if they were allowed to, the Masons would have let them in.

Sheesh!

At any rate, the Masons and Shriners (Oh, and my mother was a member of The Eastern Star) do good work. So do The Knights of Columbus.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Dottore

I asked this in another thread (and never got a serious answer), but is there any deep philosophical underpinning to the funny hats, secret handshakes, mysterious numbers, vows of secrecy and small cars?

Something of general interest perhaps? Something that would help all of us to live better lives?

Or are those things alone so interesting (in and of themselves) to practitioners of these arcane rites, that a meaningful underlying ethics or metaphysics would be redundant?

Just asking. Not trolling.

Everyone knows it's just an excuse to get drunk.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Everyone knows it's just an excuse to get drunk.

Well that's sort of my take. An excuse to get out of the house and get drunk. Very often.

For me it's just like with organized religion: I get the "doing good" part. I just don't get the secret handshake/ju ju part. In fact I find the latter part so infantile that I have trouble taking people who are into this seriously.

But that's just me. And it's a broad church.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

their primary purpose is to improve mankind's existence through fellowship, charity, and education.

Right. And for this you engage in strange rituals, wear silly hats, study numerology, drive tiny cars, practice secret handshakes and tell everyone that what you do and why you do it is so secret that you cannot tell them about it on pain of being excommunicated.

I think I get it now.

As always Sammy, another very helpful post...

[futuresoptions]

Originally Posted by Dottore

I think I get it now.

Not Quite... funny hats & little cars & alcohol = Shriner's, this is the getting out of the house to see your friends, eat dinner, drink a little (or alot if that's the case) and try to help some kids with medical conditions side of the house...

Everything else you mentioned is more on the other side of things... and while it may seem silly while one is on the outside..... Once inside, things become more clear... and true, while we are not at liberty to discuss things, it is an educating and memorable experience.... I hardly believe that a man like George Washington would be a member of such an organization just for an excuse to go out drinking... I also don't believe that a man such as himself would be part of an organization if he felt that it was a self degrading or a juvenile organization.... Just my .02

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by Dottore

Well that's sort of my take. An excuse to get out of the house and get drunk. Very often.

Dunno about the stereotypical Shriner, but my father and the rest of his fellow Masons weren't, generally, heavy drinkers. I do recall that The Knights of Columbus guys were prone to that stereotype.

For me it's just like with organized religion: I get the "doing good" part. I just don't get the secret handshake/ju ju part. In fact I find the latter part so infantile that I have trouble taking people who are into this seriously.

That's my take on it.

But that's just me. And it's a broad church.

..

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by futuresoptions

... and while it may seem silly while one is on the outside..... Once inside, things become more clear... and true, while we are not at liberty to discuss things, it is an educating and memorable experience....

Thanks. I meant no disrespect. I realize there are extremes in all things.

I'm actually sort of interested in the Knights of Malta as part of some writing I am doing. Amazing though how difficult it is to get hard information.