I don't believe in God. But I do believe in a supreme being. Super dilemma here.

by Vincent
(Sweden, Stockholm)

Hi there,
Thanks for this site, it's been very informative so far and I can't wait to dig through it even more..

I wonder, what's generally expected of you as a member of the Freemasons? (Like attendance; monthly? Fees, how much and how often(usually)?)
I'm going to look it up, but if you would- To what type of person would you recommend joining the Freemasons? It's still quite unclear to me what it is about,
Kinship? Knowledge? (you don't have to go on too much on these 2 as there are plenty good answers you've already given on the other posts, simple will do thanks a lot!)


And, here comes the biggie which I do underline:
In your description you say you need an unwavering belief in god to join. To be exact:

"You must believe in and be willing to express your unfeigned belief and trust in God."

Any religious person reading this, please don't take offense- I think god is so often a product of man that I cannot say I believe in god.
Then in your answers to some of these questions on this site you say you need to believe in a supreme being. And that I could say that I do. But even though these are two totally different questions, you portray them as if they were the same. So you might see where my dilemma lies here.

Yes, I've always had unwavering faith and connection to the "something more",
No, I'll never blindly follow "somebody's god"
Yes, I'd say the universe is in itself a supreme being
No, that being wouldn't be separate from me-
Yes I can and do often praise and pray to it, but it is never out of fear of its wrath.

So I guess the real question is,
As I'm not conforming to any of the religions or their gods, but clearly have faith in a supreme being, that is, the universe; would such a view be accepted and respected in a member of the Freemasons?

Much obliged
Vincent

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Jun 25, 2015
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starstarstar 		Fair questions
by: Tharn

Thanks for asking.

The specific requirements with respect to time and money vary from lodge to lodge. Generally, you're are expected - not required, but expected - to attend once a month. Fees vary wildly and I wouldn't begin to guess in your area. Talk to a local Mason on that.

What kind of men are we looking for? IMO, good men who would like to become better men. There are certainly no racial, religious, occupational, class or wealth bars for prospective Masons.

Kinship and knowledge - sorry, not sure what you mean.

As to a supreme being, I guess it breaks down into three parallel questions. 1) do you believe in the existence of a supreme being? 2) Do you believe that that Being has made His wishes and wisdom known to mankind? And 3) Do you believe that that Being will punish vice and reward virtue?

If you can honestly answer yes to all three, then that's all we need. We certainly do not ask a prospective member to define his faith or pigeon-hole his faith in a recognized church. You don't have to explain; it's up to you to decide. How you visualize and interact with that Being is none of our business.

Hope that helps.
Jun 25, 2015
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by: Tharn

Very sorry, Vincent, I did not notice your address.

What I said related to Masonry in the UK and North America. In Sweden, it is my understanding that a belief in Christianity is required.

I would suggest you would get the best answer by asking a Swedish Freemason.

Good luck.
Jun 25, 2015
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by: Vincent

Thanks for your answer.

Words for what I meant by kinship and knowledge might be fellowship (you often talk of brothers so I thought kinship fitting) and personal development, as in becoming a better man.

Seems the next step to finding out more is contacting a local mason.
Jun 26, 2015
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by: Tharn

Vincent, there is no simple answer to that good question. Freemasonry is very complex - as complex as a man wants it to be. There are good Masons who are there because, simply put, it's a social thing, giving a chance to interact with like-minded men. Others become interested in the symbolism, the esoteric aspect (and Masonry is incredibly rich in such). Still others focus mainly on the philosophy behind Masonry. Some like to contribute to society as a whole. All are welcome - and all are brothers.

Brothers in the sense that all have been through common experiences, much as men going through basic military training together form strong bonds. Brothers in the sense that they all share basic values. (Not necessarily beliefs, for that can stray into religion, but those values shared by all philosophies and all religions - integrity, honesty, charity, mercy and so forth.)

Now, all this is from my perspective, which is founded in North American/British Masonry. Talking to a local Mason would be a good idea.

Please let us know how things turn out.

Jun 26, 2015
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by: Vincent

Ill make sure to let you know but it could be a while :)

Thanks for your honest and quick response, Tharn.

Vincent

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