Best freemason books according to Reddit

Reddit mentions of Freemasons For Dummies

Sentiment score: 6
Reddit mentions: 14

We found 14 Reddit mentions of Freemasons For Dummies. Here are the top ones.

Freemasons For Dummies #2
    Features:
  • For Dummies
Specs:
Height9.200769 Inches
Length7.299198 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateJanuary 2013
Weight1.543235834 Pounds
Width0.999998 Inches
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Found 14 comments on Freemasons For Dummies:

u/Iceman--- · 16 pointsr/freemasonry

Freemasons for Dummies

The author is also a regular here in this subreddit.

u/ChuckEye · 9 pointsr/freemasonry

He's the author of Freemasonry for Dummies and other books. He is founder and editor emeritus of the Journal of the Masonic Society. He knows what he's talking about.

u/Gleanings · 8 pointsr/freemasonry

This dumb book will answer all of your normal questions.

u/Lord_Davo · 7 pointsr/freemasonry

https://www.amazon.com/Freemasons-Dummies-Christopher-Hodapp/dp/1118412087 is the best book about Freemasonry that I've ever read.

u/millennialfreemason · 5 pointsr/freemasonry

I would start by reading Freemasons for Dummies. It will give you some great background on the Fraternity. You can also check out The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry. Both have just been updated and in their second editions.

I have never personally experienced any derision for being a Mason but I know other Masons who have. At some point, it's impossible to debate those who have developed a Anti-Masonic stance.

u/crua9 · 5 pointsr/freemasonry

> Freemasonry for Dummies

That

https://www.amazon.com/Freemasons-Dummies-Christopher-Hodapp/dp/1118412087/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485737448&sr=8-1&keywords=Freemasonry+for+Dummies

I would also recommend that you check out some channels around this.


The Round Table

https://www.youtube.com/user/MasonicRoundtable

What is a mason

https://www.youtube.com/user/OneFreemason


There is a few others. But, I don't know any other active ones. I was going to make a channel on it, but not many people are looking for that type of content. So it's not profitable enough for the amount of time it would take to keep up a channel like that.

u/Ridley200 · 2 pointsr/freemasonry

Any one of these books should ameliorate your fears.

Failing that, he really can tell you everything you want to know about what he's been through/doing apart from the secrets, which are just a couple of words and salutes.

u/Dark_Knight7096 · 2 pointsr/freemasonry

Best place for you to look at would be the Lodge he was a member of. They'd likely be able to tell you a TON of information about him and there may be people there that were friends with him that could tell you tons of stories.

32nd degree means he was a member of the Scottish Rite and attained that degree within that body. Scottish Rite is an appendant body, you have to be a 3rd Degree Master Mason to join it. 3rd Degree is the highest degree, all the other degrees just "branch out" so to speak. I'd recommend hitting up a local Barnes & Noble or book store and check out this book Freemasonry for Dummies written by Bro Chris Hodapp, or if you want you can buy it. It's got a lot of great info, more than we could probably address here.

u/ryanrfrederick · 2 pointsr/freemasonry

I would take a look at Claudy's Entered Apprentice Manual after you're initiated and as you work on your proficiency. It gives a bit of a historical perspective on what you went through along with a bit of review of what's taught in the lectures.

I'd also recommend reading /u/chodapp 's book at your leisure along with the Idiot's Guide.

u/Louis_Farizee · 2 pointsr/freemasonry

Freemasonry for Dummies was a huge help for me. Just skip the chapter on the degrees.

https://www.amazon.com/Freemasons-Dummies-Christopher-Hodapp/dp/1118412087

u/lie4karma · 1 pointr/casualiama

Sorry? I think you are mistaken sir. The only official secrets we have are our modes of recognition. Everything else more than fair to be shared. It makes me wonder if you are in fact a mason, and if you are, if you bothered to open up the copy of the constitution they handed you as soon as you finished your first degree.

Have you never wondered why lodges have entire WEBSITES set up explaining the things I am? How authors like these are still members:

http://www.amazon.ca/Freemasons-For-Dummies-Christopher-Hodapp/dp/1118412087

You should apologize to me for that comment. Or even better, how about we place a wager? We both put $1000.00 In an escrow account. When I get home tonight, Ill post my certificate(s) as well as the relevant passages in our constitution. If I check out your $1000.00 goes to a charity of my choice. If I don't, my money will go to you or your charity?


But before you take my bet I would advise you to take a look around:

http://www.askafreemason.org/topten/

Here is right from the grand lodge of Albertas website:

http://www.freemasons.ab.ca/primary/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=31&Itemid=290


Why is Freemasonry so “secretive”?

It really isn’t “secretive,” although it sometimes has that reputation. Freemasons certainly don’t make a secret of the fact that they are members of the fraternity. We wear rings, lapel pins and tie tacks with Masonic emblems like the Square and Compasses, the best known of Masonic signs which, logically, recalls the fraternity’s roots in stonemasonry. Masonic buildings are clearly marked, and are usually listed in the phone book. Lodge activities are not secret picnics and other events are even listed in the newspapers, especially in smaller towns. Many lodges have answering machines which give the upcoming lodge activities. But there are some Masonic secrets, and they fall into two categories.

The first are the ways in which a man can identify himself as a Mason — grips and passwords. We keep those private for obvious reasons. It is not at all unknown for unscrupulous people to try to pass themselves off as Masons in order to get assistance under false pretenses.

The second group is harder to describe, but they are the ones Masons usually mean if we talk about “Masonic secrets.” They are secrets because they literally can’t be talked about, can’t be put into words. They are the changes that happen to a man when he really accepts responsibility for his own life and, at the same time, truly decides that his real happiness is in helping others.

It’s a wonderful feeling, but it’s something you simply can’t explain to another person. That’s why we sometimes say that Masonic secrets cannot ( rather than “may not”) be told. Try telling someone exactly what you feel when you see a beautiful sunset, or when you hear music, like the national anthem, which suddenly stirs old memories, and you’ll understand what we mean.

“Secret societies” became very popular in North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. There were literally hundreds of them, and most people belonged to two or three. Many of them were modeled on Masonry, and made a great point of having many “secrets.” And Freemasonry got ranked with them. But if Freemasonry is a secret society, it’s the worst-kept secret in town.

It is literally word for word what I said in my AMAA, ONLY OUR MODES OF RECOGNITION. You should be careful pretending to know about something you clearly dont. Every once and a while someone might show up and make you look foolish.

u/coldcraft · 1 pointr/freemasonry

The bit about having your partner's support says a bit more about the last question you had. The lodge wants to make sure that you joining isn't going to cause undue strain on your family. That includes the financial aspect of paying dues as well as being out of the house an evening or two a month (or much more if you choose to be more involved).

If you were joining without concerning your SO's opinion, I'd vote against you. We're interested in making good men better and a man who chooses not to care about the thoughts and feelings of those most close to him isn't ready for Masonry.

Don't let Freemasonry cause problems in your personal or professional life. I've told my lodge brothers that I can't take a chair in the lodge because I end up working after-hours too often and I'm at the point in my career where going the extra mile makes a big difference. I've also told them that I just want to spend some quality time with my fiance. Every single time, my brothers are very understanding.

Truth be told, little to nothing that we keep secret has remained a secret. There have been books published "exposing the masons" for about as long as we've been around. Should you choose to join, you'll better understand the 'secrecy' aspect of our order, but it's not like we've got the lotto numbers or Hoffa's body or something lol. Having said that, I'd encourage strongly that you don't seek out those 'secret teachings' if you do intend to join at some point in your life. The history of initiatic tradition deals so heavily with the aspect of shared experience that trying to get a head-start is nothing but detrimental.

I hope we haven't scared you away too much haha. If you want to take more time to dwell on it, Freemasons for Dummies by /u/chodapp is a fantastic book that answers the most common questions people have about us from the outside. Again, if you think you'll join someday, take the author's advice and skip sections as advised.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any more questions or if we can help!

u/xThistle · 0 pointsr/freemasonry

It really depends on what aspects interest you the most. Arturo de Hoyos has a good suggested reading list here or you might consider taking the Master Craftsman 3 course. It utilizes Albert Pike's Esoterika which was personally one of the most eye opening books on Craft Masonry I have read.

ETA: Hodapp's Freemasons For Dummies is a good read for new Brothers as well.