Member-only story
Free Masons
Having learned to read at an early age, because television alone couldn’t sustain me while living in a room, I discovered many a world that interests me, but no actual substance. Some things are like sugary, colorful cereals. They taste good, but probably not the best source of nutrition. Disappointment was frequent; there was never enough there to test reality frames. Compared to what I know now, I would argue some literature is just an infomercial. Like those advertisements that look like a breaking important news event, only to discover they’re about to sell you car insurance or cell phone coverage; I always felt cheated. Jaded might be more accurate. Remember Sea Monkeys? I seriously thought I was getting tiny, miniature people. So did my mom. She actually asked me, “Are you sure you’re going to be okay with little nude people swimming around?” If she could have predicted my future cellphone browsing history, she might never have asked that question.
Anyway, there are these books and groups that promise answers. The Secret. Scottish Rights Free Masons. Illuminati. The Knights Templar… Apparently, if you become a Mason, you can’t be a Knights Templar. Unless you lie. I didn’t feel the need to lie. The person I knew who was a Knight didn’t impress me enough that I needed to pursue secret knowledge. I was already disenchanted thanks to my Masonry experience. I do like the idea of being a Knight. Maybe I could just go around saying “Ni.”
But I did join a fraternity. I became a Scottish Right Free Mason. Yes, for a moment, I was a man in black. Minus the cool tech.
The beginning story
While working at American Airlines, I had a consistent group of folks that bid my crew. Some of them were Masons. I had long given up my Bible studying days, but I was curious. I like knowing things. They dutifully skirted questions I posed. Sometimes I thought they just didn’t have an answer. Over time, I asked if I could join. They said no. I was an atheist. I was annoyed enough to no longer want to join. They clearly, after all our years together, didn’t know me. Arguing from an agnostic perspective is not evidence for atheism. It’s evidence for being able to think, period. I was a devout Christian in my past. Hell, I was a Bible thumping…
