MasonicMinute.com » 2007

August 11, 2007
emeraldi42\| Freemasonry is NOT a corporation!!! Posted at: 1:25 am The title of this blog should be self-explanatory, but to those who do not know what I’m talking about, let me explain. There are at least six states (that I know of) that have implemented “programs” to improve the current conditions of the fraternity in one way or another. Now, there are probably more jurisdictions doing the same type of thing and if they are then reflect on the following sentiments and consider whether or not they are what is really needed. Now, I do not have any problem with people coming up with new, innovative ideas to improve the fraternity. The problem I have is when these ideas are based on corporate models, inspired by books of a business nature or implemented in a corporate manner. There are fundamental problems with trying to take a business approach to our fraternity. One is that we consider ourselves a non-profit organization, meaning that making money is not our goal. Okay, fine with me, but how in the world can you apply corporate models (who are out to sell a product, make money and improve capital) to an organization that works completely differently? I will not read “Jack, Straight From The Gut” and then try to apply Jack’s business models in my lodge. Also, I was appalled to hear that a Masonic organization in my state hired an advertising firm to critique the fraternity. WHAT?!!! What were they thinking?!?! To no surprise I heard that their first recommendation was to get rid of the square and compasses as our prominemt symbol for whatever reasons, but the audacity to hire (pay for) a non-masonic, corporate advertising firm to critique the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world was distgustng in my opinion. We don’t need advertisments! We are not selling a product! We don’t need to recruit! We don’t need mission statements! The phrase “Making Good Men Better” is no different than “Like A Rock” in my opinion. Come on guys, let’s get a little more creative here. That is the laziest answer to “what do you guys do?” that I can think of. I will NEVER say that Freemasonry, this fraternity that I love and live by everyday and will cherish for the rest of my life, is as simple as “Making Good Men Better”. I read Aedificos’s blog about badges and I loved it. Badges play into this a little as well. I personally think that they are tacky and make us look like assistant managers at the local Walgreens. If you see a man in your lodge that you don’t know, go and talk to them. How simple is that? Now, back to business. If trustee members want to apply investment programs that are the fad of the time, then that’s appropriate. Trustees need to know how to work with money and stay ahead of the game with investments. But, as far as the membership goes our concerns should not be presented or addressed in such a manner as they would with Pepsi Co. This one program was being pitched to me and this Brother had all these bar graphs, charts and statistics regarding membership decline and all this other stuff and I truly had to keep my passions within due bounds after it was done. I will tell you what I told him. I do not live Freemasonry by pie charts and bar graphs. I don’t care about a so-called declining membership nor do I think that it is a problem. All I can focus on is my duty to my Brethren and those around me. When I first joined I worked for a bank and the last thing I wanted to do after my days work was to go to the lodge and get fed the same corporate structure building crap that I listened to everyday. So, what is my final summation? It is this; ask yourself, your lodge, your Grand Lodge, WHAT IS OUR GOAL? Do we need more money? Fine, get rid of the whole non-profit thing and stop denying that lodges need to make money on a regualr basis. Do we need more members? NO! Enough said about that. Do we need a higher member retention? YES! But I think taking retention cues from occupational giants is a mistake because employees have a little thing called “necessity” that lodge members don’t have to deal with. Do we need a stronger community presence? Depends on who you ask, but if you want to put yourself out there DO NOT do it in the name of Freemasonry or your lodge, do it in the name of your community and do it because your community needs it, not because your lodge does. Now, I am not trying to disrespect any Brother who has suggested a corporate-model program. I KNOW their hearts are in the right places, but I believe that the only way to improve the conditions of the fraternity as it is now is to first establish a goal (whatever it may be, whether it is retention, community service, education, etc), then look internally to the guys you see every week at the lodge and improve from the inside out. As any architect will tell you, superstructures are built from the ground up, not the top down. LEARN, THINK, AND DON’T STOP.
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August 11, 2007

emeraldi42| Freemasonry is NOT a corporation!!!

Posted at: 1:25 am

The title of this blog should be self-explanatory, but to those who do not know what I’m talking about, let me explain. There are at least six states (that I know of) that have implemented “programs” to improve the current conditions of the fraternity in one way or another. Now, there are probably more jurisdictions doing the same type of thing and if they are then reflect on the following sentiments and consider whether or not they are what is really needed. Now, I do not have any problem with people coming up with new, innovative ideas to improve the fraternity. The problem I have is when these ideas are based on corporate models, inspired by books of a business nature or implemented in a corporate manner. There are fundamental problems with trying to take a business approach to our fraternity. One is that we consider ourselves a non-profit organization, meaning that making money is not our goal. Okay, fine with me, but how in the world can you apply corporate models (who are out to sell a product, make money and improve capital) to an organization that works completely differently? I will not read “Jack, Straight From The Gut” and then try to apply Jack’s business models in my lodge. Also, I was appalled to hear that a Masonic organization in my state hired an advertising firm to critique the fraternity. WHAT?!!! What were they thinking?!?! To no surprise I heard that their first recommendation was to get rid of the square and compasses as our prominemt symbol for whatever reasons, but the audacity to hire (pay for) a non-masonic, corporate advertising firm to critique the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world was distgustng in my opinion. We don’t need advertisments! We are not selling a product! We don’t need to recruit! We don’t need mission statements! The phrase “Making Good Men Better” is no different than “Like A Rock” in my opinion. Come on guys, let’s get a little more creative here. That is the laziest answer to “what do you guys do?” that I can think of. I will NEVER say that Freemasonry, this fraternity that I love and live by everyday and will cherish for the rest of my life, is as simple as “Making Good Men Better”. I read Aedificos’s blog about badges and I loved it. Badges play into this a little as well. I personally think that they are tacky and make us look like assistant managers at the local Walgreens. If you see a man in your lodge that you don’t know, go and talk to them. How simple is that? Now, back to business. If trustee members want to apply investment programs that are the fad of the time, then that’s appropriate. Trustees need to know how to work with money and stay ahead of the game with investments. But, as far as the membership goes our concerns should not be presented or addressed in such a manner as they would with Pepsi Co. This one program was being pitched to me and this Brother had all these bar graphs, charts and statistics regarding membership decline and all this other stuff and I truly had to keep my passions within due bounds after it was done. I will tell you what I told him. I do not live Freemasonry by pie charts and bar graphs. I don’t care about a so-called declining membership nor do I think that it is a problem. All I can focus on is my duty to my Brethren and those around me. When I first joined I worked for a bank and the last thing I wanted to do after my days work was to go to the lodge and get fed the same corporate structure building crap that I listened to everyday.

So, what is my final summation? It is this; ask yourself, your lodge, your Grand Lodge, WHAT IS OUR GOAL? Do we need more money? Fine, get rid of the whole non-profit thing and stop denying that lodges need to make money on a regualr basis. Do we need more members? NO! Enough said about that. Do we need a higher member retention? YES! But I think taking retention cues from occupational giants is a mistake because employees have a little thing called “necessity” that lodge members don’t have to deal with. Do we need a stronger community presence? Depends on who you ask, but if you want to put yourself out there DO NOT do it in the name of Freemasonry or your lodge, do it in the name of your community and do it because your community needs it, not because your lodge does.

Now, I am not trying to disrespect any Brother who has suggested a corporate-model program. I KNOW their hearts are in the right places, but I believe that the only way to improve the conditions of the fraternity as it is now is to first establish a goal (whatever it may be, whether it is retention, community service, education, etc), then look internally to the guys you see every week at the lodge and improve from the inside out. As any architect will tell you, superstructures are built from the ground up, not the top down.

LEARN, THINK, AND DON’T STOP.

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August 8, 2007
aedifico42\| Badges? Posted at: 6:28 pm It is often lamented among the purist brothers that our fraternity has devolved into something less than the Masonry that once reigned. We sometimes hear of Lodges that have two, three or even six hundred brothers. What? How can you know and love six hundred men as your brother? So the lament centers around the saying, “If you need name badges in your Lodge, your Lodge is too big.” While I don’t disagree with that sentiment, I also think that many of our brothers would not be willing to pay the higher dues required to support a smaller Lodge. So, sadly, we will have to live with the problem of NEEDING to have more members, and thereby needing to have name badges. I guess I could go on and on about badges, familiarity with our brothers, time spent knowing each other, dues and all manner of other things. But for now, I will leave you with this thought:
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August 8, 2007

aedifico42| Badges?

Posted at: 6:28 pm

It is often lamented among the purist brothers that our fraternity has devolved into something less than the Masonry that once reigned. We sometimes hear of Lodges that have two, three or even six hundred brothers. What? How can you know and love six hundred men as your brother?

So the lament centers around the saying, “If you need name badges in your Lodge, your Lodge is too big.” While I don’t disagree with that sentiment, I also think that many of our brothers would not be willing to pay the higher dues required to support a smaller Lodge. So, sadly, we will have to live with the problem of NEEDING to have more members, and thereby needing to have name badges.

I guess I could go on and on about badges, familiarity with our brothers, time spent knowing each other, dues and all manner of other things. But for now, I will leave you with this thought:

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August 1, 2007
aedifico42\| Emeraldi’s Irony Posted at: 10:30 am All three of this blog’s readers, and a few others, probably read with interest Emeraldi’s post regarding the letter “G” (scroll down and catch it!). I also read it, and actually sat down with him over a sausage calzone to discuss the issue (not to mislead…he had two slices of peperoni). It occurred to me that Emeraldi was a living breathing example of the Great Masonic Irony…Emeraldi’s Irony…to coin a phrase. What is Emeraldi’s Irony? Please let me explain. While learning about the hidden mysteries and doing the work required to reveal to ones-self the same, the Mason (let’s call him “Emeraldi”, for the purpose of this blog) is frustrated by the fact that we don’t just “do it the right way”. In this case, Emeraldi’s point is that the letter “G” is not the symbol that ought to be used. Other experiences have shown other “Emeraldi” that perhaps certain lectures make more sense when delivered in a “reverse” manner (more on that later). Some “Emeraldis” even try to out-think the Masonic Myth (see the similarly titled post below). These are all examples of Masons who see what and how we do things now, and are frustrated at the last few generations who perpetuated what may be described as non-original or ill-conceived changes in our ritual or symbols or stories. The beautiful “Emeraldi’s Irony” is that Emeraldi himself is living the Masonic life, working the Mason’s work and thinking as all Masons should. Instead of advocating for the “simplification” of symbol, or the “return to the original” item, Emeraldi has blindly walked past his own work AS he is WORKING. To come to the conclusion that Emeraldi has (as I read it…that the “G” ought to be replaced by the Delta), he had to work. He read and researched. He looked-into the history of Masonic symbols and then cross-referenced that with general sources regarding the Delta, what it meant to various peoples and why it might be an appropriate replacement for the “G”. Emeraldi did the work, and now he wants us to go-back to the way things were. But, (and I direct these comments to Emeraldi himself) wouldn’t that defeat the purpose? If the symbol you saw was a Delta, you would have had the same response that you indicate others do now to the letter “G”. In other words…you seem to be advocating for the replacement of one symbol for another with no real reason…except for the fact that you would rather have a Greek letter than an English one! Emeraldi, your curiosity and drive have taken you on a ”Craft Journey” that has expanded your understanding in a number of areas. You have read about history, other cultures, languages and symbolism. You have studied Masonry in a way that is not required, but desired. You have taken the initiative to do the work of a Mason…and yet after all is said and done, you want to deprive others of that same journey?! Emeraldi has advocated, often and loudly, that Masons need to read, study, think and learn. He has just done all that himself. But the premise of his “G” posting below seems to reveal that he does not think that others should have to do that. Emeraldi’s Irony is this: Emeraldi does the work of a Mason, then riles against the changes of his predecessors, lamenting the fact that current brethren are being misled and/or lied to…and his exploration and discovery is exactly what those same predecessors may well have intended for him. Each time we look to the recent past in Masonic history - lamenting the loss of the distant past - we look back and attempt to tie ourselves closer to our history and our brethren in that Celestial Lodge. We cringe when we see changes (Scottish Rite Masons can relate to this by looking to the apron changes for the Ninth and Tenth Degree) that seem to demystify our Craft. But the exploration necessary to achieve a greater understanding of former truths brings us closer to them. Brother Emeraldi is himself an example of what Masons ought to strive for…curiosity backed by drive. It is Emeraldi’s Irony that he cannot see in himself that which he desires for our whole Craft.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (1)

August 1, 2007

aedifico42| Emeraldi’s Irony

Posted at: 10:30 am

All three of this blog’s readers, and a few others, probably read with interest Emeraldi’s post regarding the letter “G” (scroll down and catch it!). I also read it, and actually sat down with him over a sausage calzone to discuss the issue (not to mislead…he had two slices of peperoni).

It occurred to me that Emeraldi was a living breathing example of the Great Masonic Irony…Emeraldi’s Irony…to coin a phrase. What is Emeraldi’s Irony? Please let me explain.

While learning about the hidden mysteries and doing the work required to reveal to ones-self the same, the Mason (let’s call him “Emeraldi”, for the purpose of this blog) is frustrated by the fact that we don’t just “do it the right way”. In this case, Emeraldi’s point is that the letter “G” is not the symbol that ought to be used. Other experiences have shown other “Emeraldi” that perhaps certain lectures make more sense when delivered in a “reverse” manner (more on that later). Some “Emeraldis” even try to out-think the Masonic Myth (see the similarly titled post below). These are all examples of Masons who see what and how we do things now, and are frustrated at the last few generations who perpetuated what may be described as non-original or ill-conceived changes in our ritual or symbols or stories.

The beautiful “Emeraldi’s Irony” is that Emeraldi himself is living the Masonic life, working the Mason’s work and thinking as all Masons should. Instead of advocating for the “simplification” of symbol, or the “return to the original” item, Emeraldi has blindly walked past his own work AS he is WORKING.

To come to the conclusion that Emeraldi has (as I read it…that the “G” ought to be replaced by the Delta), he had to work. He read and researched. He looked-into the history of Masonic symbols and then cross-referenced that with general sources regarding the Delta, what it meant to various peoples and why it might be an appropriate replacement for the “G”. Emeraldi did the work, and now he wants us to go-back to the way things were.

But, (and I direct these comments to Emeraldi himself) wouldn’t that defeat the purpose? If the symbol you saw was a Delta, you would have had the same response that you indicate others do now to the letter “G”. In other words…you seem to be advocating for the replacement of one symbol for another with no real reason…except for the fact that you would rather have a Greek letter than an English one! Emeraldi, your curiosity and drive have taken you on a ”Craft Journey” that has expanded your understanding in a number of areas. You have read about history, other cultures, languages and symbolism. You have studied Masonry in a way that is not required, but desired. You have taken the initiative to do the work of a Mason…and yet after all is said and done, you want to deprive others of that same journey?!

Emeraldi has advocated, often and loudly, that Masons need to read, study, think and learn. He has just done all that himself. But the premise of his “G” posting below seems to reveal that he does not think that others should have to do that.

Emeraldi’s Irony is this: Emeraldi does the work of a Mason, then riles against the changes of his predecessors, lamenting the fact that current brethren are being misled and/or lied to…and his exploration and discovery is exactly what those same predecessors may well have intended for him.

Each time we look to the recent past in Masonic history - lamenting the loss of the distant past - we look back and attempt to tie ourselves closer to our history and our brethren in that Celestial Lodge. We cringe when we see changes (Scottish Rite Masons can relate to this by looking to the apron changes for the Ninth and Tenth Degree) that seem to demystify our Craft. But the exploration necessary to achieve a greater understanding of former truths brings us closer to them. Brother Emeraldi is himself an example of what Masons ought to strive for…curiosity backed by drive.

It is Emeraldi’s Irony that he cannot see in himself that which he desires for our whole Craft.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (1)

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