Thanks for giving a reply to my comment! I wasn’t expecting one, and so thank you for taking the time.

I apologise for assuming that you weren’t part of the group; it was a mistaken assumption on my part & I should have read more thoroughly before passing off such a comment. I also did not intend to put down your artistic ability in any way, because I did find these photos very compelling.

But honestly, I still find it odd that you are attempting to dispel the image of Freemasonry as a cult through these photos. The difference between cults and legitimate belief systems is not whether or not adherents find a sense of belonging in following them, or in the community-based activities they might undertake, it is in the substance of what they believe. Currently the only ones who are prepared to do this are the ones who are rigorously denouncing Freemasonry, and the oath of secrecy ensures that claims otherwise go unsubstantiated.

If you have time, I would really like to hear on opinions on this. Thank you again for replying!

“I noticed that although the photographer maintains that Freemasonry isn’t a cult, she isn’t privy to what exactly it is that the girls are being taught (due to their oath of secrecy). I think it’s a bit difficult to make a statement like that without knowing the core beliefs of a group; the lack of transparency disturbs me & makes me feel very worred for the girls involved.”

It is important to understand that I was an active member of this group and know the full workings of it as both a child and now as an adult.

I understand that some people have been given inaccurate information about Freemasonry and Masonic organizations due to rumor and misinformation found on the internet (among many sources). The whole point of this project is to bring something that is not usually seen to a larger public. Many Masonic organizations are dying out due to lack of membership. In many ways this project is an attempt to archive a culture that could very well disappear over the next few decades.

As I stated in the interview, I am interested and compelled by the type of girl who choses to join an anachronistic organization and become a part of something much larger than that individual itself. It is a beautiful thing to watch these girls balance modern adolescence with tradition found in an order that was started in the 1920′s. The girls are in inspiration to me and it is why I keep making these pictures.

Please follow this this link/ url to read the interview in full as it was posted in another blog.

http://featureshoot.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/alison-malone-new-york-city/

Thanks,
Ali

I noticed that although the photographer maintains that Freemasonry isn’t a cult, she isn’t privy to what exactly it is that the girls are being taught (due to their oath of secrecy). I think it’s a bit difficult to make a statement like that without knowing the core beliefs of a group; the lack of transparency disturbs me & makes me feel very worred for the girls involved.