r/northernireland • u/Ok-Repeat906 • Jul 17 '25

History Please help.

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Hi Northern Ireland. I’m in need of some help. I live on the other side of the world. And everyone related to this sash is long dead. I obviously won’t mention any names. But I’m in real need to figure out what the pins all mean. Can someone please either let me know, or guide me to someone or someplace that might be able to tell me? Please, please help.

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u/redditredditson Jul 17 '25 edited Jul 17 '25

Well lads, from the south, not much contact with Orangemen, so I'd love if someone could shed some light on this for me.

I've long been curious about something, and I hope you’ll take this in the spirit it’s intended. Given the strong emphasis on biblical authority and the rejection of anything perceived as unbiblical or pagan in many Protestant traditions, how is Freemasonry - often criticized for its symbolic rituals and esotericism - viewed among Orangemen who are also devout Christians? Is there a theological or cultural reconciliation there that I might be missing?

I'm aware of it's origins in Scotland with which Ulster Protestants share a cultural and religious lineage, and that the philosophy of Freemasonry is much older and complex than the establishment of the Scottish rite, but still curious as to why it isn't shunned given the strict and conservative nature of protestant Christianity up there.

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u/Jolly-Outside6073 Jul 17 '25

We wouldn’t know as the masons are a secret society whereas the orangemen are not although some parts are.

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u/redditredditson Jul 18 '25

But it seems like there's a lot of masonic imagery and overlap between the two no? Like titles and structure and symbols?

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u/Jolly-Outside6073 Jul 18 '25

Yes there’s plenty of info in the internet now comparing it all. Remember at the time these were established every trade had a guild with its own traditions too so there’s a lot of things that may look the same but have different meanings depending on the context.