en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/599612 Comments by barton_roy http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26562577 Yup. I keep reading it over and over to myself. LOL. Thanks! Tue, 7 Jul 2009 19:05:54 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26562577 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26562304 Great clarification Brother. I know for a fact that people hold our "secrets" against us. But I can assure everyone reading this post that the only secrets that Masons hold how are those only between each other. With the vast power of the internet you can research our ceremonies and find what goes on in our Lodge during our degree work. However, should you ever decided to become a Mason, you are ruining your experience and are learning little of what Masons actually are. We are not a secret society, rather a society of men with some secrets. An I can assure you that most of them are secrets between brother who need assistance from other brothers and not how we plan to take over the world. Who are we? Men who love the human race and attempt to make the world a little better place for every one. As stated before, we donate over two million dollars a day to charity. Our Masonic Medical Research Lab developed the very fist AED's and do extensive research in the heart. Shriner's Hospitals care for thousands of children at no cost to the parents. Orders like Demolay, Job's Daughters and the Rainbow Girls guide youth to make sound decisions in life and to better themselves. Wealth, title or status means nothing to Masons. Petitions ask nothing of a persons bank account, religion (other than confirming a belief in God), but rather just name, address, phone number, ect. Let me urge each of you to look for postings of family nights at your local Masonic Lodges and GO! I assure you that you will be welcomed with open arms and treated like family. Tue, 7 Jul 2009 19:00:18 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26562304 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26561499 Freemasonry is not a religion nor has it ever claimed to be. We do not discuss church, religion or politics with in our Lodge. I do, however, refer to God as God, Alpha, Omega, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Beautiful Creator, Great Architect, Love and many other names among which can be found listed in the Holy Bible. Tue, 7 Jul 2009 18:45:51 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26561499 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26560754 I am learning that in short order. I see that there is someone out there to argue most every point and I could waist plenty of time attempting to convince them of how I believe. Choose the battles and press forth making my part of the world a better place for those around me! :) Tue, 7 Jul 2009 18:32:55 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26560754 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26559878 While I am a Union member as well. I was long part of a Union before I became a Mason. I do not see where the two meet. It's like beer advertisements during the Super Bowl. What does beer and foot ball have in common? Nothing as far as I can tell. Yet we seem to relate them to each other. Tue, 7 Jul 2009 18:16:45 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26559878 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26553130 Nope. Someone has to lose. I do not think I was alluding the fact that no one should be offended, but rather that we should push those who err from good morals and good character to be better than they are. Honesty your post has me confused at to my original subject matter. Tue, 7 Jul 2009 16:16:38 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26553130 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26552684 Nope. No bashing from me. Ignorance has caused our Fraternity to receive a bad name. I do not have the book in front of me but the lessons taught to every Mason is that he should not stop attending, not attend or ignore attending church. The principles that the Masonic Lodge teach can be found within the Holy Bible. It was given to us as a rule and guide and we use it as such to teach friendship, morality and brotherly love. Above all, brotherly love. A man cannot become a Mason without first having a belief in God. As far as the Scottish Rite I cannot speak as I am not a member of their Order. However I do know they are Allied with Masonic Lodges and share the same principles that we do. Tue, 7 Jul 2009 16:09:57 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26552684 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26551704 I'm new to this. My apologies. I see you were replying to the other post. Tue, 7 Jul 2009 15:51:23 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26551704 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26551538 It does me well to see that our brothers are doing great things in your community! Did I come off as giving Masons a bad name? Tue, 7 Jul 2009 15:48:08 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26551538 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26550748 Hog wash. If every man would abide by the tenants of Freemasonry there would be no need for the law. There is no room in our Lodges for politics. I was skeptical of the Masonic Lodge before I petitioned. What I found was a brotherhood of men who would do anything for me within their abilities. I found a family with Freemasonry that would help, aid and assist my family should I pass on. Once I found what Freemasons do I could not wait to be a Master Mason. Did you know that across this great land Masons donate over two million dollars a day to charity? Tue, 7 Jul 2009 15:32:54 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26550748 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26549958 Thank you for your kind words! I will look for your post as well! Tue, 7 Jul 2009 15:18:10 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26549958 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26549711 I'm not sure if your post was meant to be in reply to mine, however, my reply would be this: I may not be able to win in track, but I can grow corn. I cannot play a piano, but I can rebuild your cars engine. Simply because the person next to me scores higher on an exam than I do does not mean that they are entitled to more as another human over me. The rights that our Founding Fathers established for us had nothing to test scores, intelligence, wealth or status, but rather that everyone could share in the dream of self rule and freedom. Tue, 7 Jul 2009 15:14:07 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26549711 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26548979 Just north of Panama City. Out in God's country! Tue, 7 Jul 2009 15:00:13 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26548979 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26548704 I am now! Tue, 7 Jul 2009 14:54:32 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26548704 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26546633 No secrets. I am proud to say that I live in this wonderful country we call the United States! I love our flag. In my minds eye none other has so great a meaning. No other country was ever founded on such great principles. Principles based on friendship, morality and brotherly love. Why is it that we have moved away from the principles that give us so much? Why is it wrong to tell others how you feel because it may hurt someones feelings? While issues should be handled with candor, we as Americans have forgot that we should nudge those in the proper direction when we see each other going down a road of destruction and self harm. Regardless of our own past, if we have committed to be better individuals, then the same resolve within you should be passed to aid those in need. Sharing your failures aids in strengthening your own progression in becoming a better human. From my own experiences I know that this truly works. I have not found an individual yet that is "worthless". I find that we are all created in His image. The though occurred to me recently that all humans are good because we are created in the imaged of the Most Holy Lord God. However the difference between humans and all other creatures is simply this, we have the ability to make choices. None other under Heaven have this ability. What choices will you make? The easy? Sit idle? Go with the flow or will you be that single drop that makes ripples in the tide that resound forever? I am not happy simply influencing people. I want to make an impact on others lives. An impact that causes someone else to be better today than they were yesterday. Who can you impact? Who do you love enough to be totally honest and open with regardless of feelings. Love is tough from time to time. Hello fellow Americans! I am a Christian. I am soon to be a husband. I love my family. I am a Master Mason. Thank you for taking the time to read my first post on the 9/12 site! My name is Roy Barton and I live in Florida. Tue, 7 Jul 2009 14:13:31 +0000 http://theglennbeck912project.com/?page_id=2331#IDComment26546633