Comments on: What’s easier to get; a job at Taco Bell or Masonic membership? http://masonicminute.com/blog/2007/07/19/whats-easier-to-get-a-job-at-taco-bell-or-masonic-membership/ Masonic Thinking and Working Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:26:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.1 By: Jeff Day http://masonicminute.com/blog/2007/07/19/whats-easier-to-get-a-job-at-taco-bell-or-masonic-membership/#comment-8187 Jeff Day Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:24:49 +0000 http://masonicminute.com/blog/2007/07/19/whats-easier-to-get-a-job-at-taco-bell-or-masonic-membership/#comment-8187 In my jurisdiction we have a special "investigative committee report" form with a series of required questions on it. They are fairly elaborate. One I see missing from your list (although possibly covered by an "etc..") was "Do you believe in a Supreme Being?" Which, is one of our required questions here. We get fairly in depth about their idea of moral behavior and their history and activities in that regard as well (if they drink alcohol that isn't a negative report, but if they get drunk and get into fights, etc., then it probably is a negative report.) Some of the questions are absolutes where there is clearly a right answer, some of them aren't. And, of course, we also take the opportunity to get to know the petitioner. In my jurisdiction we have a special “investigative committee report” form with a series of required questions on it. They are fairly elaborate. One I see missing from your list (although possibly covered by an “etc..”) was “Do you believe in a Supreme Being?” Which, is one of our required questions here. We get fairly in depth about their idea of moral behavior and their history and activities in that regard as well (if they drink alcohol that isn’t a negative report, but if they get drunk and get into fights, etc., then it probably is a negative report.) Some of the questions are absolutes where there is clearly a right answer, some of them aren’t. And, of course, we also take the opportunity to get to know the petitioner.

]]> By: Michael http://masonicminute.com/blog/2007/07/19/whats-easier-to-get-a-job-at-taco-bell-or-masonic-membership/#comment-23 Michael Fri, 03 Aug 2007 06:39:34 +0000 http://masonicminute.com/blog/2007/07/19/whats-easier-to-get-a-job-at-taco-bell-or-masonic-membership/#comment-23 This post hits the point clearly; most "investigations" are 90-95% sales pitch. No one asks the hard questions, many don't even contact the petitioner. When I petitioned to join Arizona Masonry back in the good old days of the early 90's only one Brother even contacted me, I never even found out who the other two even were. No doubt they either lied to the WM or didn't report anything at all. Too bad, they might have kept me out of the fraternity if they had done a better job... This post hits the point clearly; most “investigations” are 90-95% sales pitch. No one asks the hard questions, many don’t even contact the petitioner.

When I petitioned to join Arizona Masonry back in the good old days of the early 90’s only one Brother even contacted me, I never even found out who the other two even were. No doubt they either lied to the WM or didn’t report anything at all.

Too bad, they might have kept me out of the fraternity if they had done a better job…

]]> By: Al http://masonicminute.com/blog/2007/07/19/whats-easier-to-get-a-job-at-taco-bell-or-masonic-membership/#comment-13 Al Wed, 25 Jul 2007 22:10:25 +0000 http://masonicminute.com/blog/2007/07/19/whats-easier-to-get-a-job-at-taco-bell-or-masonic-membership/#comment-13 I was recently asked to take part in the investigation of a new petitioner. The Brother who normally heads up the investigations is a gentleman who has a rather stern outward persona and when asked of what he did before retirement his answer is very short "I worked for the State Department". But when you get to know him, you realize he's a great guy who would give you the shirt off his back - but he still won't say what he did for the State Department. Back to the investigation I was part of, the petitioner was very nervous and the investigative lead (for lack of a better term) asked me to break the ice. I had a bunch of questions that I thought were great, none being "icebreakers". The only thing I could think of was "If Pluto and Goofy are both dogs, why does Goofy have his own house,wear clothes and talks and Pluto is stuck being Mickey's Pet?" The petitioner got this big grin. the lead investigator could barely hold back his laughter and the third part of our investigation teamwas completely puzzled. It broke the ice alright...next time I think I'll start with "Why would you bother driving a Chevy to a levy and would it matter if it were dry?" I was recently asked to take part in the investigation of a new petitioner. The Brother who normally heads up the investigations is a gentleman who has a rather stern outward persona and when asked of what he did before retirement his answer is very short “I worked for the State Department”. But when you get to know him, you realize he’s a great guy who would give you the shirt off his back - but he still won’t say what he did for the State Department. Back to the investigation I was part of, the petitioner was very nervous and the investigative lead (for lack of a better term) asked me to break the ice. I had a bunch of questions that I thought were great, none being “icebreakers”. The only thing I could think of was “If Pluto and Goofy are both dogs, why does Goofy have his own house,wear clothes and talks and Pluto is stuck being Mickey’s Pet?” The petitioner got this big grin. the lead investigator could barely hold back his laughter and the third part of our investigation teamwas completely puzzled. It broke the ice alright…next time I think I’ll start with “Why would you bother driving a Chevy to a levy and would it matter if it were dry?”

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