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Fellow MM checking in. Had the unfortunate experience of being entered in the shadow of Georgia's Scottish Rite drama with Gate City. It made me feel pretty uncomfortable, honestly, and at the time had me wondering about whether I should even proceed any further. I ended up getting raised, because I believed in the message of Masonry as a whole, despite what the narrow agendas of certain more closed-minded brethren are. But these recent fiascos have got me wondering again; what options are available to brethren who feel like they are forced to choose between their integrity and the decrees of individual Grand Lodges (or even Jurisdictions) who engage in this kind of thing? Is voluntary departure the only available option? Or would it be possible to seek "asylum" in the Grand Lodges or subordinate Lodges of another state, through affiliate membership, to keep one's connection with Masonry alive?
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Dec 18, 2012 17:42
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qraham posted:But if I'm being completely honest, the thing that is most intriguing is the idea that being a mason might help my career in some way; I've heard stories of people getting jobs or promotions because they did the right handshake with the right person. Can you guys speak to this at all? Allow me to post a counter-story; my First-Line Signer was raised as a Master Mason and decided to wear his ring to work one day to see if anyone else in the building were Masons, since he saw a car out in the parking lot with the square-and-compasses on it. His boss, who he had previously gotten along OK with, saw the ring, flipped out and refused to speak to him any more, and a week later terminated his employment for "conduct reasons and insubordination." He now works doing deliveries for a pizza joint, having run out of unemployment, while he waits for his disability benefits checks to start processing.
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Mar 1, 2013 15:53
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This is what I love about Freemasonry when it works. http://freemasonrytoday.com/news/international/item/276-palestinian-becomes-israeli-grand-master quote:A Greek Orthodox Palestinian Arab, Nadim Mansour, has been installed in Tel Aviv as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel, a position he will hold until 2013. That's some real "Brotherhood of Man" poo poo right there. EDIT: Just realized it's from last year, and he probably just cycled out. Still had me going 
KweezNArt fucked around with this message at 20:11 on Mar 8, 2013 |
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Mar 8, 2013 20:05
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Lovable Luciferian posted:I used to give that answer to people in real life. Now I just say "Yes" or if they ask if we are a cult I'll also just say yes. My stock answer has always been: "If Masons ruled the world, do you really think I'd be working at a freaking IT helpdesk?"
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Apr 15, 2013 22:35
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Colonial Air Force posted:
If I had a dollar for every time I heard the Freemasons = Bankers line, I'd probably be able to pay off my credit card debt.
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Apr 18, 2013 20:23
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Reporting in from our annual District Masonic Picnic! Amazing food, great families, Brotherhood, and conversation. Children running around *without* being unholy screaming terrors! Free goat rides! What more could you ask for?! 
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May 18, 2013 19:07
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KillianLett posted:Thanks Jack White! Saw that in the news when it all went down -- I gotta say, I honestly wasn't expecting someone so young to have ponied up for it. Pleased to see that philanthropy isn't entirely lost on my generation. :P
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Jun 4, 2013 21:47
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So, just heard about Shrine of Arkansas. Anybody care to voice their thoughts on this?
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Jul 1, 2013 22:09
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Colonial Air Force posted:I have no idea what you're talking about, but Googling comes up with some rather old articles. It looks the Shrine and Arkansas have been at odds on-and-off for some time. Yes, and the latest blow in that is that since GL of AK has upheld the previous GM's statement that being a member of Shrine in Arkansas means being a member of a clandestine lodge (and therefore expulsion *without trial*), the Shrine has decided to remove their requirement that Shrine members be Master Masons. Pretty much Mommy and Daddy are through with each other and are now battling over who gets to keep the kids.
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Jul 1, 2013 23:46
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I'm not sure my stance on it, personally; I think the entire mess is unfortunate and certainly doesn't do any PR favors for an organization that is supposed to be espousing brotherhood and harmony among its members (and there's a particular chunk of EA catechism that's also relevant here IMO). That being said, most of the handwringing I've seen so far tends to fall into either the "If I wanted to join Kiwanis/Lions/Rotary I would have done that" camp, or the feeling that the presence of non-Masons who (in these people's presumed fears) would just be joining up for the booze and the funny cars will somehow dilute the Shrine as an institution by untethering it from its basic Masonic underpinnings. Of course, putting politics and grudge-holding above problem solving doesn't strike me as particularly Masonic in nature, either, so not sure precisely what I should expect...
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Jul 2, 2013 00:04
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Danica! posted:Did they get vocal about their ongoing pissing match again? I heard it was about two members in particular who were removed as MMs, but who the Shrine kept on their books. Don't know the specifics of why, though, for either side.
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Jul 2, 2013 00:05
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Given the tone of the above letter, it seems like GL of AK has some kind of restrictions against Masons being involved with alcohol in any capacity. I can understand why a particularly strict GM might take issue with the sale of alcohol to others at Shrine/Masonic events, but coming after a dude because his livelihood happens to involve working/co-owning a liquor store seems like overreaching to me. Also, given the letter's opening statement about how the Shrine's IP has apparently stated that Shrine trumps GL, this really just seems like a fight that's been brewing for a while, and just needed a good excuse to get started.
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Jul 2, 2013 02:55
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Effingham posted:For some people, it's a family thing. For some, it's friends. For me it was both. Grandpa was a Mason, and I always admired who he turned out to be; then I found out one of my friends had joined up, and that was enough to get me to show up at dinners instead of just thinking about it.
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Jul 13, 2013 04:11
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Ritual school tonight!  I'm going to get tripped up in the differences between where I was raised and where I live now for ever, aren't I?
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Aug 9, 2013 02:01
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Loomer posted:I expected more goats, to be honest, but here I am. Now to sit in mystery for a while longer. You don't need more goats -- you just need one really good one. We Masons are about "quality over quantity," you know.
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Aug 12, 2013 16:19
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Mr. Maltose posted:This is true of all associated Masonic bodies as well, which is why you'll have OES Secretaries who've had the job for decades and know the by-laws inside and out. Getting elected Secretary may be the hardest work a brother does for a lodge. Seconding this. Our current secretary is a past master of our lodge, current master of another local area lodge, former District Director of Work, and current District Deputy Grand Master. On top of his day job as a VP for a bank. Dude works HARD for the craft.
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Aug 30, 2013 15:07
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It's funny -- we actually had a lecture presentation on this whole "do we open on the 1st or 3rd" thing. Turns out it's part of the lingering effects of the Anti-Masonic Party movement in the 1800s. For a while, people specifically tried to join the Masons to try to disrupt, spy on, or otherwise negatively influence proceedings. Accordingly, in states who were actually formed at the time and had large, susceptible Masonic populations (mainly eastern seaboard), the requirements for attending business were raised to the 3rd degree -- the idea being that it would allow the existing Masons more time to get to know the prospective brother and figure out if he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Seems like the paranoia never fully died in some areas, which is why those jurisdictions still open on the 3rd degree, while others who did not experience that troublesome time are more comfortable opening on 1st or 2nd. FWIW, I was made to wait until MM before I was allowed in -- but I took it as an opportunity to 1) chat up the tyler, 2) practice my catechisms, and 3) help out by cleaning up after dinner. It would have been nice to have been able to attend in the lower ranks, but I think I wouldn't have valued it as much.
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Oct 7, 2013 18:32
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Sockington posted:Went to my first general meeting this past week. Even though I'm only an EA, I've already requested changes at the lodge... Must be nice to be part of a jurisdiction that allows alcohol in blue lodge. Both of the ones I've been in so far have been dry/Shriners only. 
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Oct 12, 2013 18:19
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Paramemetic posted:In the void that fills the Post-Obamapocalyptic collapse of the Republican Party, only one party has the strength to return from the dustbin of history. Much like us Reptiles, apparently the Anti-Masonic party doesn't sleep either; it just goes dormant until conditions are right for it to reawaken.
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Oct 17, 2013 20:39
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Just found out that the Grand Lodge District Director of Work has laid down his tools. I didn't get a chance to know him that well, sadly, as most district schools start when I'm still at work. (Stupid late shift.) Anything I need to know about Masonic funerals? This will be my first.
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Oct 23, 2013 20:01
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Getting pumped for Sr. Steward installation, here. Am more terrified at the notion of having to be responsible for feeding the
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Nov 21, 2013 16:40
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Colton posted:I did my proficency for fellow craft and I will be raised on the 21st of this month. does that seem pretty fast to the rest of you? I was initiated in October, so three months to master mason. I'm on the complete opposite side of the US from you, but damned if I didn't consider for just a moment dropping everything I had planned (including hosting a holiday party) to fly out there and see it happen. Raisings are one of the highlights of Masonry, for me, and it's always a pleasure to attend. Good luck, have fun!
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Dec 11, 2013 04:10
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lord1234 posted:what? seriously you can't talk football at Lodge in TX? Its probably not an official rule, more like a very stern suggestion I'd imagine. Masonry is about peace and harmony between brethren. If football or any other topic is that important to a given lodge/district/state, chances are it's off limits to minimize discord. Honestly, in VA, we've had one or two brothers take the post game ribbing a little too far during lodge meetings, and it kinda felt (to me at least) like it dampened the "kindred spirit" feel.
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Dec 13, 2013 04:09
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Colonial Air Force posted:I know hundreds of Catholic Freemasons. Yeah, but for a while the official Catholic party line was that belonging to Freemasonry was (I believe) an excommunicatable offense. Hence the creation of the K of C. Now, that's an old edict, and I'm sure it's enforced at different strength in different regions, but I don't recall that decision ever being reversed or even really addressed afterwards, so if you're a real rules follower in an area where strict Catholicism is the primary MO (Central/South America?) it could be a thing. Of course, I'm not Catholic, I'm just going off what I recall hearing about this, so I could be full of poo poo.
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Dec 15, 2013 15:20
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One of the local Prince Hall lodges is celebrating its 100th anniversary, as well as a raising, at the end of the month. They extended offers to all the surrounding lodges, "blue" and Prince Hall, to come out and witness. Our lodge is planning on showing up, and I am seriously excited for the opportunity, especially as an officer.
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Dec 21, 2013 02:47
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:Thanks for reminding me I owe the GLoW a small pile of money. I should get on that. Took me a moment to realize you weren't talking about the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. That's what I get for reading in reverse order.
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Feb 22, 2014 01:37
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