/lit/ - Literature

>>15018368
I'm not >>15017675

But the poster you referred to in content: >>15016905

>they all seemed like Men's Social Clubs rather than a place to learn and better understand symbolism and ritual
From my experience this happens in most places where people "live well" and thus don't focus on some more critical aspects of self-evolution. As I've said, FM is made of people and it really depends in what lodge you have the luck of entering. Entering anywhere should offer you an opening to other lodges as well; in time you will visit and be able to transfer as to be near brothers you feel are more akin where you are bound to encounter more experienced masons with a passion for the Craft. But it's important to get a proper start as well

>That could be where the issue lies as I'm from Texas
Quite the contrary; from my knowledge about TX is actually a very wide-spread ground for Freemasonry. There are a lot of important lodges there and many who do research and study work as well.

>difference in culture between European and American branches
Yes, the US has had FM since it was birthed by it and thus you have Freemasonry kind of embedded in the social fabric of the US to a point that it risks being practiced as a social club, as you said. In Europe both because it is newer in some places (Eastern Europe) and because it has a more elitistic nature (Western Europe) it's practiced a little more... spiritual? let's say. But I don't want to generalize, I just see the risk of FM being trivialized in countries where it is no longer something special (US, UK, etc)

>>15017675
Thank you kindly, I really appreciate your comment and advice. I know I have a personal nail against certain aspects of French FM, but even I visited a lot of them during my time in Paris. I would say FM is a lot more "alive" in France and the sheer number of quality esoteric studies I saw at the GOdF baffled me.

I still believe French FM was infiltrated by groups which used FM against it's own nature in certain events of history. But I guess that could be said about many other bodies as well..

I think I can still read french, I'll search that book. Cheers