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August 27, 2007
emeraldi42\| Satanic Information Freemasons Can Use Posted at: 3:45 pm Now that I have your attention I would like to impart my own opinion on the whole Satanic-Masonic crap. Since the fraternity has been in my family for at least six traceable generations from two continents I have heard the negative comments and commentary about the Freemasons from the time I was a child. When I did my preliminary research on Freemasonry before I decided to join I read a lot about Satanism, Wicca, Crowley, withcraft and all the other subjects that come up in fundamentalist vitriol. After many hours of research I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be a Freemason and I had no reason to believe that Freemasonry has anything to do with Satanism. My sentiments were not strictly ignorant either, I found out WHY and HOW Freemasonry was not Satanic. I was not going to defend my fraternity without doing my homework. My research consisted of reading the Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals, and other writings by Anton LaVey and I even sat and had a beer with a practicing Satanist to discuss my concerns. I will first talk about my chat with my Satanist acquantance. I knew this guy from high school and he was your average guy (actually very nice, well read and educated), he worked some complicated sounding financial job and was studying to receive his Masters Degree in English literature. I asked him about the connection if any to Satanism and Freemasonry, and he kinda chuckled when I asked him with the attitude that said “yeah, we always hear something about them when people talk about us”, which is funny because many Freemasons think the same thing when the same question is asked. He knew more than the average Joe about Freemasonry so I didn’t have to explain much to him. He was familiar with the ritual and use of symbolism, but he thought that on a fundamental level the philosophies were too different to be compatible or even comparable. He said that as Freemasons work to better mankind, their communities and themselves through charity, study and good works, Satanists have more of an individualistic philosophy. He said that the Golden Rule applies to Satanism on some level, but so do things like vengeance, retaliation and other more instinctual characteristics. He said that Satanists embrace their animal instincts, not denying that humans are animals like the rest so the thought of keeping passions within due bounds is completely opposite of the Satanist thought of exploring and fulfilling your passions. After a great discussion contrasting our philosophies, he went on to talk about symbolism and he said that the Satanic symbols used in his religion are for the most part exclusive in their entirety, but not individually. He pointed out that pentagrams, circles, triangles and other symbols have a larger historical context than the way they are used by Freemasons or Satanists, but their compilation and integration should be easy enough to distinguish. For his example he used the pentagram which in its most simple form is the same as any other pentagram, but with the inclusion of the Hebrew letters, the goats head, and all the other stuff THEN it becomes a Satanic symbol. The pentagram as used by Freemasons and other ancient cultures was never Satanic in itself. He also noted the fact that Baphomet was a HOAX and the drawing you see all the time (although used by Satanists) was not ever and should not ever be thought to be Masonic in any way. We then discussed ritual and we both agreed that the purpose and elements of the Masonic and Satanic rituals have nothing in common, he referred me to the book of Satanic Rituals and encouraged me to compare the two to dispel any confusion (it turns out many Satanists don’t like to be included in exposes about Freemasonry just as we don’t like being called Satanists, who would have thought). Although we disagreed on our philosophy regarding our obligations to the world and ourselves, we had a very civilized conversation and I felt better knowing that I had heard the opinions of someone who I was not, but is accused of being. He even picked up the bill. Now from the Church of Satan website (taken from the writings of LaVey) I will post some of their beliefs and credos. We all know that brotherly love, relief, truth, wisdom, strength, beauty, faith, hope, charity and all the other facets that make up Masonic philosophy. Now compare those to these: (The Bold type is mine.) The Nine Satanic Statements: 1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence! (Opposite of the Compasses) 2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams! (Opposite of Faith) 3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deciet! (Uh, okay.) 4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates! (Opposite of brotherly love to ALL mankind.) 5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek! (Opposite of many Masonic elements too numerous to spell out.) 6. Satan repersents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires! (I don’t really get this one, but there are no psychic vampires in lodge, only the real ones. Just kidding.) 7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual development, ” has become the most vicious animal of all! (Masons would say that he has the potential to be the most LOVING animal of all.) 8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental or emotional gratification! (Again, opposite of the Compasses.) 9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years! (Although a bit clever, it is clearly opposite of the Masonic sentiment towards faith.) *The Eleven Satanic Rules of The Earth:* 1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked. (Opposite of the Three Precious Jewels of a Fellowcraft.) 2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them. (Same contradiction as number one, including elements of the Five Points.) 3. When in another’s lair, show him respect or else do not go there. (Fair enough.) 4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy. (Or, you could ask them to leave nicely first.) 5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal. (There is no mating in lodge, and no mating signal. That is a super-duper secret sign revealed only to those who have attained the most illuminated title of Awesomely Rad Chiefton of all things Bodacious.) 6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is such a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved. (I get the not stealing part and the part about relief, but other than that its a bit confusing.) 7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all that you have obtained. (No magic is practiced in lodge, unless of course a Shriner puts on a show for the kids.) 8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself. *(Who hasn’t comlpained in lodge? It is the only real* Masonic tradition!) 9. Do not harm little children. (This one is actually very good, but Masons would not harm big children or adults either.) 10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food. (How about not killing HUMAN animals?) 11. When walking in open terriory, bother no-one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him. (As a martial artist, I know that self defense comes in handy when you are attacked, so I cannot fully disagree with this one although destroying someone is FAR from defending yourself.) The Nine Satanic Sins:** 1. Stupidity 2. Pretentiousness 3. Solipsism 4. Self-deceit 5. Herd Conformity 6. Lack of Perspective 7. Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies 8. Counterproductive Pride 9. Lack of Aesthetics Contemplate these and see how our Masonic purpose does not apply. The next time someone accuses you of being a Satanist instead of blindly saying “No, I’m not!” you can now use knowledge and reason instead of emotion to back up your claim and provide proof. I would encourage all Freemasons to read up on what people accuse us of being. By us knowing what we aren’t and why, we will be better prepared to address such matters. And remember, reading a Satanic Bible doesn’t make you a Satanist, just as reading the Koran doesn’t make you a Muslim, or reading the Tao Te Ch’ing doesn’t make you a Taoist, all it does is feed your brain and give you a little piece of mind. We are not in junior high anymore and nobody cares about what kind of shoes you’re wearing or what books you read. Let others be ignorant.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (6)

August 27, 2007

emeraldi42| Satanic Information Freemasons Can Use

Posted at: 3:45 pm

Now that I have your attention I would like to impart my own opinion on the whole Satanic-Masonic crap. Since the fraternity has been in my family for at least six traceable generations from two continents I have heard the negative comments and commentary about the Freemasons from the time I was a child.

When I did my preliminary research on Freemasonry before I decided to join I read a lot about Satanism, Wicca, Crowley, withcraft and all the other subjects that come up in fundamentalist vitriol. After many hours of research I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be a Freemason and I had no reason to believe that Freemasonry has anything to do with Satanism. My sentiments were not strictly ignorant either, I found out WHY and HOW Freemasonry was not Satanic. I was not going to defend my fraternity without doing my homework.

My research consisted of reading the Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals, and other writings by Anton LaVey and I even sat and had a beer with a practicing Satanist to discuss my concerns. I will first talk about my chat with my Satanist acquantance. I knew this guy from high school and he was your average guy (actually very nice, well read and educated), he worked some complicated sounding financial job and was studying to receive his Masters Degree in English literature.

I asked him about the connection if any to Satanism and Freemasonry, and he kinda chuckled when I asked him with the attitude that said “yeah, we always hear something about them when people talk about us”, which is funny because many Freemasons think the same thing when the same question is asked. He knew more than the average Joe about Freemasonry so I didn’t have to explain much to him. He was familiar with the ritual and use of symbolism, but he thought that on a fundamental level the philosophies were too different to be compatible or even comparable. He said that as Freemasons work to better mankind, their communities and themselves through charity, study and good works, Satanists have more of an individualistic philosophy. He said that the Golden Rule applies to Satanism on some level, but so do things like vengeance, retaliation and other more instinctual characteristics. He said that Satanists embrace their animal instincts, not denying that humans are animals like the rest so the thought of keeping passions within due bounds is completely opposite of the Satanist thought of exploring and fulfilling your passions.

After a great discussion contrasting our philosophies, he went on to talk about symbolism and he said that the Satanic symbols used in his religion are for the most part exclusive in their entirety, but not individually. He pointed out that pentagrams, circles, triangles and other symbols have a larger historical context than the way they are used by Freemasons or Satanists, but their compilation and integration should be easy enough to distinguish. For his example he used the pentagram which in its most simple form is the same as any other pentagram, but with the inclusion of the Hebrew letters, the goats head, and all the other stuff THEN it becomes a Satanic symbol. The pentagram as used by Freemasons and other ancient cultures was never Satanic in itself. He also noted the fact that Baphomet was a HOAX and the drawing you see all the time (although used by Satanists) was not ever and should not ever be thought to be Masonic in any way. We then discussed ritual and we both agreed that the purpose and elements of the Masonic and Satanic rituals have nothing in common, he referred me to the book of Satanic Rituals and encouraged me to compare the two to dispel any confusion (it turns out many Satanists don’t like to be included in exposes about Freemasonry just as we don’t like being called Satanists, who would have thought). Although we disagreed on our philosophy regarding our obligations to the world and ourselves, we had a very civilized conversation and I felt better knowing that I had heard the opinions of someone who I was not, but is accused of being. He even picked up the bill.

Now from the Church of Satan website (taken from the writings of LaVey) I will post some of their beliefs and credos. We all know that brotherly love, relief, truth, wisdom, strength, beauty, faith, hope, charity and all the other facets that make up Masonic philosophy. Now compare those to these: (The Bold type is mine.)

The Nine Satanic Statements:

1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence! (Opposite of the Compasses)

2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams! (Opposite of Faith)

3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deciet! (Uh, okay.)

4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates! (Opposite of brotherly love to ALL mankind.)

5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek! (Opposite of many Masonic elements too numerous to spell out.)

6. Satan repersents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires! (I don’t really get this one, but there are no psychic vampires in lodge, only the real ones. Just kidding.)

7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual development, ” has become the most vicious animal of all! (Masons would say that he has the potential to be the most LOVING animal of all.)

8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental or emotional gratification! (Again, opposite of the Compasses.)

9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years! (Although a bit clever, it is clearly opposite of the Masonic sentiment towards faith.)

The Eleven Satanic Rules of The Earth:

1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked. (Opposite of the Three Precious Jewels of a Fellowcraft.)

2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them. (Same contradiction as number one, including elements of the Five Points.)

3. When in another’s lair, show him respect or else do not go there. (Fair enough.)

4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy. (Or, you could ask them to leave nicely first.)

5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal. (There is no mating in lodge, and no mating signal. That is a super-duper secret sign revealed only to those who have attained the most illuminated title of Awesomely Rad Chiefton of all things Bodacious.)

6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is such a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved. (I get the not stealing part and the part about relief, but other than that its a bit confusing.)

7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all that you have obtained. (No magic is practiced in lodge, unless of course a Shriner puts on a show for the kids.)

8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself. (Who hasn’t comlpained in lodge? It is the only real Masonic tradition!)

9. Do not harm little children. (This one is actually very good, but Masons would not harm big children or adults either.)

10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food. (How about not killing HUMAN animals?)

11. When walking in open terriory, bother no-one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him. (As a martial artist, I know that self defense comes in handy when you are attacked, so I cannot fully disagree with this one although destroying someone is FAR from defending yourself.)

The Nine Satanic Sins:

1. Stupidity

2. Pretentiousness

3. Solipsism

4. Self-deceit

5. Herd Conformity

6. Lack of Perspective

7. Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies

8. Counterproductive Pride

9. Lack of Aesthetics

Contemplate these and see how our Masonic purpose does not apply. The next time someone accuses you of being a Satanist instead of blindly saying “No, I’m not!” you can now use knowledge and reason instead of emotion to back up your claim and provide proof. I would encourage all Freemasons to read up on what people accuse us of being. By us knowing what we aren’t and why, we will be better prepared to address such matters. And remember, reading a Satanic Bible doesn’t make you a Satanist, just as reading the Koran doesn’t make you a Muslim, or reading the Tao Te Ch’ing doesn’t make you a Taoist, all it does is feed your brain and give you a little piece of mind. We are not in junior high anymore and nobody cares about what kind of shoes you’re wearing or what books you read. Let others be ignorant.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (6)

August 11, 2007
aedifico42\| Public Service from Private Sources Posted at: 11:14 pm In his post below (see “…NOT a Corporation.”) Emeraldi hits on an important theme that deserves deeper exploration. Emeraldi writes, “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 would have said it slightly differently, but the spirit is the same. By promoting ourselves, we are selling ourselves. This should offend our basic views of the Craft. Does the little catch-phrase, “We do not recruit…” have a qualifier that states “…directly.”? I have seen and heard too many lawyers (trust me on this one) qualify some pretty solid statements…just so they can weasel their way past the commitment they may have made. Here are some of the things you have probably heard at your Lodge; “We have to ‘get out’ into the community.” “Nobody will know who we are unless they know we’re here.” “The public doesn’t even recognize us anymore.” “How are we going to get new members if nobody knows we exist?” …and so on and so forth. The problem with every single one of these statements is this…they all base themselves on the single premise that we need more members. Our fraternity, and each member in it, should not care what the outside world thinks. We should do good because it is right, not because it is popular. Our basic motivation for public service should come out of our love for the people in our world…those brothers and sisters in our sphere who share our communities, or stories, our places…our lives. Neighbors, clergy, police, teachers, clerks…and even assistant managers at Walgreens…they each deserve our best. We know they do because we are Masons. But when we ask for recognition in return, we betray the spirit of our Craft. When we are motivated to ‘get out’ in the community with our baseball caps and lettermen jackets…we are no better than any politician or snake-oil salesman…selling, selling, selling. Masons should serve the public. We should show-up in force at the local Heart-Fund Ball, the annual Police Fish-Fry, the County Book Fair. We should volunteer and be important men in our community. We should live-up to the promises that we make…and we should do it with the quiet resolve and dignity worthy of our Craft. Unlike my friend Emeraldi, I like the phrase “Making good men better.” However, we should not be shoving it into the public eye in an indirect effort to recruit new members. “Well then Mr. Smarty-Pants…” (I can hear them saying) “What are we supposed to do when our numbers are suffering and the old guys just can’t support the Lodge? Should we just close our doors?!?” Yup. Harsh, I know. But when men do not fulfill their mission for generations, and when those men allow our Lodges to diminish in internal luster to the point of near extinction…their legacy is a closed Lodge. Plain and simple. Many Lodges are flourishing today. They are not those who are raising half a dozen men at an altar made out of a pic-nic table. The flourishing Lodges are taking each one of their candidates very seriously, and they are investing time and energy into each man. Teaching him, listening to him, becoming real friends to that new brother. Flourishing Lodges are taking a one-man-at-a-time approach to the craft. Great Lodges are RETAINING members at high rates. The two concepts work well together. Increase the quality of the men in the Lodge…and their friends and neighbors will want to be around them. Once they become close enough to that brother (who, by the way, is the greatest neighbor on the block) THEY will ask HIM…”So, Bob, what is it that you do every Wednesday night…you’re not at home…where is it that you go?” Character is the best recruiter. Character has been defined as, ‘what you do when nobody is looking.’ Insofar as that is concerned…the anonymity facet of this definition should apply to our membership in the Craft. What do Masons do when nobody is looking? They feed the homeless (on Thanksgiving…standing shoulder to shoulder with others), they visit Veterans and shut-ins (while accompanied by a friend from church or temple), they help build a home (on a hot weekend, standing next to the police chief and a second grade teacher)…and they are just men when they do it…not Masons (at least to the public eye). Advocating for secrecy is not sinister. Advocating for privacy is not evil. Advocating for righteous motivations - that’s Masonic. When we act like better men, we become better men. When we do it for recognition, then we are not better…we’re average. Pandering for public recognition is…well…pandering! MY Craft does not compete with football. MY Craft does not compete with YouTube (although, it is a nice distraction - don’t tell my boss). MY Craft is unaware of any impact that other organizations have upon it. WE are the masters of our own destiny. WE decide what is worthwhile. OUR Craft deserves to be elevated to the high rank that it once held in society…but it will never be so while we stoop to compete with “The Simpsons.” So go ahead and take-out your ad in the local paper. Go ahead and wear your caps and your jackets. Cheapen the square and compass by floating it down the street in some vulgar display of pride. Do what we have been doing for years with so much success! ‘Get out’ into the community! It has worked so well for years…right? Or…you can just be better men all the time. And when other men finally decide that your reputation is worth emulating…they will knock at your door. And when you let them in…the work has just begun.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (1)

August 11, 2007

aedifico42| Public Service from Private Sources

Posted at: 11:14 pm

In his post below (see “…NOT a Corporation.”) Emeraldi hits on an important theme that deserves deeper exploration.

Emeraldi writes, “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 would have said it slightly differently, but the spirit is the same. By promoting ourselves, we are selling ourselves. This should offend our basic views of the Craft. Does the little catch-phrase, “We do not recruit…” have a qualifier that states “…directly.”? I have seen and heard too many lawyers (trust me on this one) qualify some pretty solid statements…just so they can weasel their way past the commitment they may have made.

Here are some of the things you have probably heard at your Lodge; “We have to ‘get out’ into the community.” “Nobody will know who we are unless they know we’re here.” “The public doesn’t even recognize us anymore.” “How are we going to get new members if nobody knows we exist?” …and so on and so forth.

The problem with every single one of these statements is this…they all base themselves on the single premise that we need more members.

Our fraternity, and each member in it, should not care what the outside world thinks. We should do good because it is right, not because it is popular. Our basic motivation for public service should come out of our love for the people in our world…those brothers and sisters in our sphere who share our communities, or stories, our places…our lives. Neighbors, clergy, police, teachers, clerks…and even assistant managers at Walgreens…they each deserve our best.

We know they do because we are Masons. But when we ask for recognition in return, we betray the spirit of our Craft. When we are motivated to ‘get out’ in the community with our baseball caps and lettermen jackets…we are no better than any politician or snake-oil salesman…selling, selling, selling.

Masons should serve the public. We should show-up in force at the local Heart-Fund Ball, the annual Police Fish-Fry, the County Book Fair. We should volunteer and be important men in our community. We should live-up to the promises that we make…and we should do it with the quiet resolve and dignity worthy of our Craft.

Unlike my friend Emeraldi, I like the phrase “Making good men better.” However, we should not be shoving it into the public eye in an indirect effort to recruit new members.

“Well then Mr. Smarty-Pants…” (I can hear them saying) “What are we supposed to do when our numbers are suffering and the old guys just can’t support the Lodge? Should we just close our doors?!?”

Yup.

Harsh, I know. But when men do not fulfill their mission for generations, and when those men allow our Lodges to diminish in internal luster to the point of near extinction…their legacy is a closed Lodge. Plain and simple.

Many Lodges are flourishing today. They are not those who are raising half a dozen men at an altar made out of a pic-nic table. The flourishing Lodges are taking each one of their candidates very seriously, and they are investing time and energy into each man. Teaching him, listening to him, becoming real friends to that new brother. Flourishing Lodges are taking a one-man-at-a-time approach to the craft. Great Lodges are RETAINING members at high rates.

The two concepts work well together. Increase the quality of the men in the Lodge…and their friends and neighbors will want to be around them. Once they become close enough to that brother (who, by the way, is the greatest neighbor on the block) THEY will ask HIM…”So, Bob, what is it that you do every Wednesday night…you’re not at home…where is it that you go?”

Character is the best recruiter. Character has been defined as, ‘what you do when nobody is looking.’ Insofar as that is concerned…the anonymity facet of this definition should apply to our membership in the Craft. What do Masons do when nobody is looking? They feed the homeless (on Thanksgiving…standing shoulder to shoulder with others), they visit Veterans and shut-ins (while accompanied by a friend from church or temple), they help build a home (on a hot weekend, standing next to the police chief and a second grade teacher)…and they are just men when they do it…not Masons (at least to the public eye).

Advocating for secrecy is not sinister. Advocating for privacy is not evil. Advocating for righteous motivations - that’s Masonic.

When we act like better men, we become better men. When we do it for recognition, then we are not better…we’re average. Pandering for public recognition is…well…pandering! MY Craft does not compete with football. MY Craft does not compete with YouTube (although, it is a nice distraction - don’t tell my boss). MY Craft is unaware of any impact that other organizations have upon it.

WE are the masters of our own destiny. WE decide what is worthwhile. OUR Craft deserves to be elevated to the high rank that it once held in society…but it will never be so while we stoop to compete with “The Simpsons.”

So go ahead and take-out your ad in the local paper. Go ahead and wear your caps and your jackets. Cheapen the square and compass by floating it down the street in some vulgar display of pride. Do what we have been doing for years with so much success! ‘Get out’ into the community!

It has worked so well for years…right?

Or…you can just be better men all the time. And when other men finally decide that your reputation is worth emulating…they will knock at your door.

And when you let them in…the work has just begun.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (1)


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.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (0)

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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July 25, 2007
emeraldi42\| Why do we have the letter ‘G’? Posted at: 3:18 pm THIS BLOG MAY ALSO BE TITLED “NOT-SO INFORMED MASON WRITES A BLOG” Don’t worry guys, he was thoroughly punished after this hit the site Since I first started my research in Masonic studies I have always wondered why the Freemasons in the United States use the letter ‘G’ in their lectures and in their square and compasses. The Freemasons of the rest of the world don’t (at least in their depiction of the square and compasses on their paraphernalia). I have always had a penchant for the traditional and traditional Freemasonry usually omits the letter ‘G’ in it’s myriad of symbols. In lodges across the world with the exception of the U.S. there is usually a delta suspended in the East. This symbol is fitting for both of the definitions that we in the U.S. give the letter ‘G’. It is both an ancient symbol for Deity and it is a symbol of perfect or sacred geometry. As we all know everything in the lodge room is a symbol or combination of symbols with a corresponding meaning. Having a delta in the East would continue this sentiment. So why was the delta substituted for the ‘G’? I have not been able to find any other reason as to why the U.S. uses it except to distinguish ourselves, in a way, from other Freemasons around the world. If one sees a S&Q with a ‘G’ in the middle, they know that they are a Mason from the U.S. Okay, I guess it’s nice to have our own take on Masonic symbolism that makes the U.S. unique to the rest, but I don’t think it properly illustrates the degree of importance of that one symbol sufficiently. The arguement has been made before that the name of God doesn’t start with the letter ‘G’ in most languages (actually I think the name of Deity in a lot of languages starts with ‘D’), and because of this the symbol is not universally recognized by Masons not from the U.S. I was under the impression that although symbols may have different meanings to different people, a Masonic symbol is used in the Masonic context for the purpose of recognizing your Brethren and having a mutual understanding and respect for that man who has taken like obligations and responsibilities. In my opinion, the letter ‘G’ makes our most recognized emblem look more like a logo instead of a symbol. A symbol is supposed to conceal from the uninitiated and teach the adepts. A delta may have many meanings, but if it is in the East of a Masonic lodge then the brethren may know its meaning and even aspire to study further the historical significance of that simple symbol. Now, if an outsider (or a newly made Mason) sees the letter ‘G’ and asks ‘what does that mean?’ the answer will be the same as we give it in our lecture and their curiosity will cease at that point because it doesn’t provide any room for academic contemplation. A young Mason may study the significance of the delta for years and learn a lot about ancient civilizations and early mathematics, but if they see the ‘G’ the only question to ask is ‘what does it stand for?’, after they recieve the answer they might think ‘okay, easy enough’. There is no ‘why the delta?’ ‘why was the delta revered for centuries by other cultures?’ ‘how can I apply my Compasses to further my understanding of the delta?’ or ‘what does the delta teach me about my journey through life and self improvement?’. I think these are important questions that should be alluded to when explaining our most highly emphasized symbol in the fraternity. * CORRECTION PER A BROTHER OUTSIDE OF THE U.S* It has come to my attention that I have been mistaken in my last blog concerning the letter ‘G’ and foreign jursiditions outside of the U.S. . Brother Dean Kennedy has informed me (and attached a very good article on the letter ‘G’) that I was incorrect in my broad assumption of the absence of the ‘G’ in Masonic symbolism outside of the United States. Thank you Brother for correcting me and I am glad that others are reading the posts and submitting feedback. I will try to post a link to the article you sent to Aedifico so everyone can see it and learn from my mistakes.
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July 25, 2007

emeraldi42| Why do we have the letter ‘G’?

Posted at: 3:18 pm

** THIS BLOG MAY ALSO BE TITLED “NOT-SO INFORMED MASON WRITES A BLOG” Don’t worry guys, he was thoroughly punished after this hit the site **

Since I first started my research in Masonic studies I have always wondered why the Freemasons in the United States use the letter ‘G’ in their lectures and in their square and compasses. The Freemasons of the rest of the world don’t (at least in their depiction of the square and compasses on their paraphernalia). I have always had a penchant for the traditional and traditional Freemasonry usually omits the letter ‘G’ in it’s myriad of symbols. In lodges across the world with the exception of the U.S. there is usually a delta suspended in the East. This symbol is fitting for both of the definitions that we in the U.S. give the letter ‘G’. It is both an ancient symbol for Deity and it is a symbol of perfect or sacred geometry. As we all know everything in the lodge room is a symbol or combination of symbols with a corresponding meaning. Having a delta in the East would continue this sentiment. So why was the delta substituted for the ‘G’? I have not been able to find any other reason as to why the U.S. uses it except to distinguish ourselves, in a way, from other Freemasons around the world. If one sees a S&Q with a ‘G’ in the middle, they know that they are a Mason from the U.S. Okay, I guess it’s nice to have our own take on Masonic symbolism that makes the U.S. unique to the rest, but I don’t think it properly illustrates the degree of importance of that one symbol sufficiently. The arguement has been made before that the name of God doesn’t start with the letter ‘G’ in most languages (actually I think the name of Deity in a lot of languages starts with ‘D’), and because of this the symbol is not universally recognized by Masons not from the U.S. I was under the impression that although symbols may have different meanings to different people, a Masonic symbol is used in the Masonic context for the purpose of recognizing your Brethren and having a mutual understanding and respect for that man who has taken like obligations and responsibilities. In my opinion, the letter ‘G’ makes our most recognized emblem look more like a logo instead of a symbol. A symbol is supposed to conceal from the uninitiated and teach the adepts. A delta may have many meanings, but if it is in the East of a Masonic lodge then the brethren may know its meaning and even aspire to study further the historical significance of that simple symbol. Now, if an outsider (or a newly made Mason) sees the letter ‘G’ and asks ‘what does that mean?’ the answer will be the same as we give it in our lecture and their curiosity will cease at that point because it doesn’t provide any room for academic contemplation. A young Mason may study the significance of the delta for years and learn a lot about ancient civilizations and early mathematics, but if they see the ‘G’ the only question to ask is ‘what does it stand for?’, after they recieve the answer they might think ‘okay, easy enough’. There is no ‘why the delta?’ ‘why was the delta revered for centuries by other cultures?’ ‘how can I apply my Compasses to further my understanding of the delta?’ or ‘what does the delta teach me about my journey through life and self improvement?’. I think these are important questions that should be alluded to when explaining our most highly emphasized symbol in the fraternity.

*** CORRECTION PER A BROTHER OUTSIDE OF THE U.S***

It has come to my attention that I have been mistaken in my last blog concerning the letter ‘G’ and foreign jursiditions outside of the U.S. . Brother Dean Kennedy has informed me (and attached a very good article on the letter ‘G’) that I was incorrect in my broad assumption of the absence of the ‘G’ in Masonic symbolism outside of the United States. Thank you Brother for correcting me and I am glad that others are reading the posts and submitting feedback. I will try to post a link to the article you sent to Aedifico so everyone can see it and learn from my mistakes.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (928)

July 19, 2007
emeraldi42\| What’s easier to get; a job at Taco Bell or Masonic membership? Posted at: 6:25 pm Why do we have investigation committees? The ‘duh’ answer is of course “to ensure that we are bringing good men into the fraternity.” Yeah, okay. Calling a quasi sales pitch laced with an inquiry that would make Homer Simpson look like Isaac Newton an investigation is both sadly humorous and insulting. I remember my investigation, (if you want to call it that) and all I remember doing was talking to the brother about his experiences in WWII. No doubt, I’m a huge history buff and I enjoyed the conversation but I was ready to be grilled like a suspected communist during the Kennedy administration and to have the only means of determining whether or not I was worthy to be made a Freemason go so lightly was a bit disappointing. I later on participated in a few investigations myself (usually as an observer because I was so new I didn’t know how they were supposed to be conducted) and all I saw was the lodge members telling the candidate how cool the lodge was. They would go over the trivial facts about who’s who and what happened where involving the fraternity, but they would barely ask the petitioner anything. Some guys of course asked a few important questions like their family’s opinion, if their spouses supported them, if they came from a Masonic family, etc. This practice I am happy to say has died and has been replaced with a more suitable investigation or as I like to call it; interrogation. Another Brother and myself made a decision that with all the petitioners we get here on out we should go about the investigation in a more strict and probing fashion. We did, and let me tell you I was shocked at the questions that we asked and got honest answers to. If we were a government agency we would have surely been sued nine times over, but the reaction from the petitioners was excellent. One guy even said that the investigation was inspiring because he felt that if he was allowed membership too easily it would not have made a good impression on him. That gentlemen is the point. The fraternity needs to make it a practice to approach the investigation committees as if the petitioner is trying the get into the CIA, not Taco Bell. Remember, THEY are trying to join US, we are not trying to sell US to THEM. To further make my point clear I will include a few questions that were asked during our last investigations: Why do you want to join? Why should we accept you? How does your family feel about this? How much time are you able to give to the fraternity? Where do you work? How long have you worked there? Are you involved in a church, etc? What are your hobbies? What’s the last book you’ve read? What is your educational background? What do you think about symbolism? What does the pentagram mean to you? Are you content with asking for help? Have you ever been in a position to teach others? And there are of course many more, and you may even try screwing with the guy just to see what his reaction would be. Ask him something like “If you had a jar of peanut butter what would you do with it?” The mood doesn’t have to be doom and gloom, but I will end with the most important question that every investigation committee should ask petitioners and every Freemason should ask himself for that matter and that is: ARE YOU MOTIVATED TO FAIL IN YOUR QUEST FOR PERFECTION? If they answer in the affirmative, then consider their petition. If not, (you may have to repeat the question to them a few times, but be patient) then show them the way to the Lions Club.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (2)

July 19, 2007

emeraldi42| What’s easier to get; a job at Taco Bell or Masonic membership?

Posted at: 6:25 pm

Why do we have investigation committees? The ‘duh’ answer is of course “to ensure that we are bringing good men into the fraternity.” Yeah, okay. Calling a quasi sales pitch laced with an inquiry that would make Homer Simpson look like Isaac Newton an investigation is both sadly humorous and insulting. I remember my investigation, (if you want to call it that) and all I remember doing was talking to the brother about his experiences in WWII. No doubt, I’m a huge history buff and I enjoyed the conversation but I was ready to be grilled like a suspected communist during the Kennedy administration and to have the only means of determining whether or not I was worthy to be made a Freemason go so lightly was a bit disappointing. I later on participated in a few investigations myself (usually as an observer because I was so new I didn’t know how they were supposed to be conducted) and all I saw was the lodge members telling the candidate how cool the lodge was. They would go over the trivial facts about who’s who and what happened where involving the fraternity, but they would barely ask the petitioner anything. Some guys of course asked a few important questions like their family’s opinion, if their spouses supported them, if they came from a Masonic family, etc. This practice I am happy to say has died and has been replaced with a more suitable investigation or as I like to call it; interrogation. Another Brother and myself made a decision that with all the petitioners we get here on out we should go about the investigation in a more strict and probing fashion. We did, and let me tell you I was shocked at the questions that we asked and got honest answers to. If we were a government agency we would have surely been sued nine times over, but the reaction from the petitioners was excellent. One guy even said that the investigation was inspiring because he felt that if he was allowed membership too easily it would not have made a good impression on him. That gentlemen is the point. The fraternity needs to make it a practice to approach the investigation committees as if the petitioner is trying the get into the CIA, not Taco Bell. Remember, THEY are trying to join US, we are not trying to sell US to THEM. To further make my point clear I will include a few questions that were asked during our last investigations: Why do you want to join? Why should we accept you? How does your family feel about this? How much time are you able to give to the fraternity? Where do you work? How long have you worked there? Are you involved in a church, etc? What are your hobbies? What’s the last book you’ve read? What is your educational background? What do you think about symbolism? What does the pentagram mean to you? Are you content with asking for help? Have you ever been in a position to teach others? And there are of course many more, and you may even try screwing with the guy just to see what his reaction would be. Ask him something like “If you had a jar of peanut butter what would you do with it?” The mood doesn’t have to be doom and gloom, but I will end with the most important question that every investigation committee should ask petitioners and every Freemason should ask himself for that matter and that is: ARE YOU MOTIVATED TO FAIL IN YOUR QUEST FOR PERFECTION? If they answer in the affirmative, then consider their petition. If not, (you may have to repeat the question to them a few times, but be patient) then show them the way to the Lions Club.

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aedifico42\| In Case of Emergency - Break Glass Posted at: 12:51 pm This blog is proof that, although we have great people wanting to contribute to this site…I am totally incompetent when it comes to running the site well. The following excellent (and funny) Blog is from our good friend Emeraldi42. Enjoy! In Case of Emergency Break Glass July 19th, 2007 by emeraldi42 We see these signs everywhere usually on the outside of a compartment containing a fire extinguisher, fire hose, axe or some other tool or instrument that may be useful in an emergency situation. This same helpful suggestion might have well have been on not only my lodge’s but many other lodge’s “libraries” that I have had the opportunity to see. When I first became a member of my lodge one of the first things I wanted to do was to read, read, read but I was surprised to find out that our bookcase was locked. And to make it worse nobody knew who owned the key. I inquired as to why in the world would anybody lock up any book especially in a place that is supposed to be a repository for a vast amount of knowledge. The response that I got was that some of the brethren were concerned about the books getting damaged or stolen (stolen by your own Brothers?). This point in my opinion was moot and soon realized that the books are locked up because NOBODY READS THEM, EVER!! I of course was very disappointed in this situation and tried numerous times to gain access to the library so I just might learn something about this fraternity I just joined. It wasn’t until after I was raised, appointed to an office and elected the Chairman of the Board of Trustees a few years later that I obtained the lost keys (no Hall pun intended) and explored the volumes that my lodge was in possession. I was visiting another lodge in the area a few months ago to purchase some duplicate books that they had and come to find out……..wait for it……………….THEIR BOOKCASE IS LOCKED, TOO! Not only that but the majority of their books were in a storage area away from the probing minds of the eager brethren. We had to go through the storage collection to get at what I came to buy and while in there we found a first edition Morals and Dogma (nobody knew was there) a copy of Josephus so old that there was no copyright date on it (nobody knew that was there either), and many other books and sets of books that deserve a better resting place than next to the box with regalia from the 50’s. On another occasion I visited a different lodge than the two mentioned above and this visit was exciting for me because it would be the first time that I would meet Rex R. Hutchens (the Past Grand Master of Arizona). I had read A Bridge to Light twice, studied his Glossary and followed his articles in the local publications and I was ready to see what I could learn from this guy. After I shook his hand and made the proper introductions I asked a little bit about the Scottish Rite degrees, but he immediately cut me off and asked “Do you know the Hebrew alphabet?” I said no. “Well, you need to learn the Hebrew alphabet!” He then took me over to a very large bookcase and looked for a book, he found it and tried to open the door and………….you guessed it, it was locked. That ended my first lesson on the Hebrew alphabet with Dr. Rex R. Hutchens. So what is it with locking up books? I don’t get it. I come to realize that the lack of Masonic education, motivation to learn and perpetual disregard for the search of light and truth are not attributed to declining membership, lack of money, or unpopular public opinion. IT IS THE CAUSE OF IT! If we have lodges full of men who don’t know how to spell GRAMMAR correctly (yes, Grammar is misspelled on our staircase) then how in the world can we consider ourselves Brethren to men such as Ashmole, Twain, Franklin, Washington or any other trivial names that come up when someone asks “who are the Freemasons”. I am glad to see that all over the country Freemasons are finally starting to think, investigate and ask questions. I know this is a long rant of a blog, but I would like to wrap it up by pointing out the fact that we as Freemasons are the Olympians of fraternal societies. We are not the Elks, Moose, Eagles or some other drinking club named after an animal. We were at one time in history honored and revered for the reputation of being a society of civically responsible, philanthropic and enlightened men who were at the forefront of spiritual and philosophical exploration and somewhere along the line we dropped off the charts. Let us not have to keep referring to our highly esteemed Brothers of centuries ago to retain our place as Freemasons. Instead let’s make our own mark in Masonic history so maybe one day in the year 2100 instead of mentioning Washington, Franklin and Revere some young Mason will recite a report on the works of Rex R. Hutchens, Chris Hodapp, G. Cliff Porter, Adrian P. Fontes, or any other Brother who at this present time may be only a Stewart or Deacon but with the right education and access to the proper resources may be the next (enter another trivial name here).
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aedifico42| In Case of Emergency - Break Glass

Posted at: 12:51 pm

This blog is proof that, although we have great people wanting to contribute to this site…I am totally incompetent when it comes to running the site well.

The following excellent (and funny) Blog is from our good friend Emeraldi42. Enjoy!

In Case of Emergency Break Glass

July 19th, 2007 by emeraldi42

We see these signs everywhere usually on the outside of a compartment containing a fire extinguisher, fire hose, axe or some other tool or instrument that may be useful in an emergency situation. This same helpful suggestion might have well have been on not only my lodge’s but many other lodge’s “libraries” that I have had the opportunity to see. When I first became a member of my lodge one of the first things I wanted to do was to read, read, read but I was surprised to find out that our bookcase was locked. And to make it worse nobody knew who owned the key. I inquired as to why in the world would anybody lock up any book especially in a place that is supposed to be a repository for a vast amount of knowledge. The response that I got was that some of the brethren were concerned about the books getting damaged or stolen (stolen by your own Brothers?). This point in my opinion was moot and soon realized that the books are locked up because NOBODY READS THEM, EVER!! I of course was very disappointed in this situation and tried numerous times to gain access to the library so I just might learn something about this fraternity I just joined. It wasn’t until after I was raised, appointed to an office and elected the Chairman of the Board of Trustees a few years later that I obtained the lost keys (no Hall pun intended) and explored the volumes that my lodge was in possession. I was visiting another lodge in the area a few months ago to purchase some duplicate books that they had and come to find out……..wait for it……………….THEIR BOOKCASE IS LOCKED, TOO! Not only that but the majority of their books were in a storage area away from the probing minds of the eager brethren. We had to go through the storage collection to get at what I came to buy and while in there we found a first edition Morals and Dogma (nobody knew was there) a copy of Josephus so old that there was no copyright date on it (nobody knew that was there either), and many other books and sets of books that deserve a better resting place than next to the box with regalia from the 50’s. On another occasion I visited a different lodge than the two mentioned above and this visit was exciting for me because it would be the first time that I would meet Rex R. Hutchens (the Past Grand Master of Arizona). I had read A Bridge to Light twice, studied his Glossary and followed his articles in the local publications and I was ready to see what I could learn from this guy. After I shook his hand and made the proper introductions I asked a little bit about the Scottish Rite degrees, but he immediately cut me off and asked “Do you know the Hebrew alphabet?” I said no. “Well, you need to learn the Hebrew alphabet!” He then took me over to a very large bookcase and looked for a book, he found it and tried to open the door and………….you guessed it, it was locked. That ended my first lesson on the Hebrew alphabet with Dr. Rex R. Hutchens.

So what is it with locking up books? I don’t get it. I come to realize that the lack of Masonic education, motivation to learn and perpetual disregard for the search of light and truth are not attributed to declining membership, lack of money, or unpopular public opinion. IT IS THE CAUSE OF IT! If we have lodges full of men who don’t know how to spell GRAMMAR correctly (yes, Grammar is misspelled on our staircase) then how in the world can we consider ourselves Brethren to men such as Ashmole, Twain, Franklin, Washington or any other trivial names that come up when someone asks “who are the Freemasons”. I am glad to see that all over the country Freemasons are finally starting to think, investigate and ask questions. I know this is a long rant of a blog, but I would like to wrap it up by pointing out the fact that we as Freemasons are the Olympians of fraternal societies. We are not the Elks, Moose, Eagles or some other drinking club named after an animal. We were at one time in history honored and revered for the reputation of being a society of civically responsible, philanthropic and enlightened men who were at the forefront of spiritual and philosophical exploration and somewhere along the line we dropped off the charts. Let us not have to keep referring to our highly esteemed Brothers of centuries ago to retain our place as Freemasons. Instead let’s make our own mark in Masonic history so maybe one day in the year 2100 instead of mentioning Washington, Franklin and Revere some young Mason will recite a report on the works of Rex R. Hutchens, Chris Hodapp, G. Cliff Porter, Adrian P. Fontes, or any other Brother who at this present time may be only a Stewart or Deacon but with the right education and access to the proper resources may be the next (enter another trivial name here).

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aedifico42\| The War Within Posted at: 1:19 am Communication is at the heart of all societies, especially of ours. It is the way we understand each other that binds us more tightly, or drives us apart. At this point in Masonic history, there is a struggle between the generations. This is a good thing. We are learners and builders. We should learn from each other and build better relationships. Our internal struggles should be seen as an opportunity for growth, not a painful waiting game to see who dies first. Let me relay a short personal story to illuistrate my point. Many years ago, I was at a protest at my undergraduate college (they had free dinner for the protesters…and I was a starving student…and there were hot chicks). Anyway, I sat there in one of the many groups, ours consisted of a dozen or so. We got bored, and started singing songs from old sit-coms that we had all grown-up watching on TV…Gilligan’s Island, Andy Griffith…stuff like that. The point is that we had common experiences in the stories (or myths) that we grew-up with. We all knew Opie and Aunt Whats-her-name. We all thought the Professor was a tool…you know…we knew the same stuff and could relate to each other better. This was true even though nobody in this little group had ever met prior to this one event. What would you say the chances are that a dozen college kids today could come-up with as their own common ‘myth’? Would they all know the words to the same songs? Would they all have simmilar perceptions about certain characters? Would they even know the same characters? Unlikely…why? Today’s kids have six billion TV stations where we had 3 or4. Today’s kids don’t remember a time prior to cell-phones or the internet. There is less of a common bond than ever. This is why Masonry is so valuable. This is what we must begin to understand. If you took the same litmus test and applied it to our loveable ‘old guys’ in the Lodge…well they almost all lived the same life! WWII, Korea, Kennedy, Green Stamps, Howdy-Doody, Superman…you get the picture? They all had much more in common because there was less to choose from (insofar as media/entertainment is concerned). Their ‘myths’ usually include some singing-cowboy or a famously mysterious radio voice. The thing is…they shared much more than we did, and we share much more than those coming after us. We are all so different, yet we strive for the comfort of familiarity. The attraction of Freemasonry - the Freemasonry of esoterica and education - is what unites us. Younger men and older men alike can pick-up a copy of Morals and Dogma and be equally confused and bored (apologies to His Rexcellency who so adores Ill.Bro. Pike). Our brothers from multiple generations can cull Masonic meaning in great books (which I highly recommend) like Euclid’s Window by Leonard Mlodinow, or How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill. A ‘Great Light’ of our Fraternity can shine with equal brightness for all brothers who wish to read and consider it’s worth…for “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” (psalms 12:1). You see, this War Within our Fraternity is an opportunity. We modern Masons can learn from our ancient brethren. They can teach us much…and we can give them the respect they deserve, and listen. But at the same time, my ancient masters…don’t talk to me about your prescriptions! Your health is a concern…but your hearing-aide woes are not bringing me closer to my spiritual development. The War Within us is a misunderstanding. We do not “get” each other because we come from different communication traditions. We have different ‘myths’ in our lives. But we share a common Craft. Understanding more about the other guy and why it is that he acts and thinks the way he does is one great way to Love him. Brothers must show Love by trying to understand each other. This is how we continue fulfilling our obligation. Yes, we share a common Craft, a Masonic Myth…and that, my brother, is enough! (more to come on the Common ‘Myth’ of Masonry)
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aedifico42| The War Within

Posted at: 1:19 am

Communication is at the heart of all societies, especially of ours. It is the way we understand each other that binds us more tightly, or drives us apart. At this point in Masonic history, there is a struggle between the generations. This is a good thing. We are learners and builders. We should learn from each other and build better relationships. Our internal struggles should be seen as an opportunity for growth, not a painful waiting game to see who dies first.

Let me relay a short personal story to illuistrate my point. Many years ago, I was at a protest at my undergraduate college (they had free dinner for the protesters…and I was a starving student…and there were hot chicks). Anyway, I sat there in one of the many groups, ours consisted of a dozen or so. We got bored, and started singing songs from old sit-coms that we had all grown-up watching on TV…Gilligan’s Island, Andy Griffith…stuff like that. The point is that we had common experiences in the stories (or myths) that we grew-up with. We all knew Opie and Aunt Whats-her-name. We all thought the Professor was a tool…you know…we knew the same stuff and could relate to each other better. This was true even though nobody in this little group had ever met prior to this one event.

What would you say the chances are that a dozen college kids today could come-up with as their own common ‘myth’? Would they all know the words to the same songs? Would they all have simmilar perceptions about certain characters? Would they even know the same characters? Unlikely…why? Today’s kids have six billion TV stations where we had 3 or4. Today’s kids don’t remember a time prior to cell-phones or the internet. There is less of a common bond than ever. This is why Masonry is so valuable. This is what we must begin to understand.

If you took the same litmus test and applied it to our loveable ‘old guys’ in the Lodge…well they almost all lived the same life! WWII, Korea, Kennedy, Green Stamps, Howdy-Doody, Superman…you get the picture? They all had much more in common because there was less to choose from (insofar as media/entertainment is concerned). Their ‘myths’ usually include some singing-cowboy or a famously mysterious radio voice. The thing is…they shared much more than we did, and we share much more than those coming after us.

We are all so different, yet we strive for the comfort of familiarity.

The attraction of Freemasonry - the Freemasonry of esoterica and education - is what unites us. Younger men and older men alike can pick-up a copy of Morals and Dogma and be equally confused and bored (apologies to His Rexcellency who so adores Ill.Bro. Pike). Our brothers from multiple generations can cull Masonic meaning in great books (which I highly recommend) like Euclid’s Window by Leonard Mlodinow, or How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill. A ‘Great Light’ of our Fraternity can shine with equal brightness for all brothers who wish to read and consider it’s worth…for “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” (psalms 12:1).

You see, this War Within our Fraternity is an opportunity. We modern Masons can learn from our ancient brethren. They can teach us much…and we can give them the respect they deserve, and listen. But at the same time, my ancient masters…don’t talk to me about your prescriptions! Your health is a concern…but your hearing-aide woes are not bringing me closer to my spiritual development.

The War Within us is a misunderstanding. We do not “get” each other because we come from different communication traditions. We have different ‘myths’ in our lives. But we share a common Craft. Understanding more about the other guy and why it is that he acts and thinks the way he does is one great way to Love him. Brothers must show Love by trying to understand each other. This is how we continue fulfilling our obligation.

Yes, we share a common Craft, a Masonic Myth…and that, my brother, is enough!

(more to come on the Common ‘Myth’ of Masonry)

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (2)

July 16, 2007
aedifico42\| What the Hell do you guys Do? Posted at: 11:13 pm What the Hell Do You Guys DO? Good question. Here’s the wrong answer that you will get from lots of Masons who don’t know any better…they will tell you “it’s a secret.” Why? Why will they lie to you so boldly? They will tell you this because they do not know what REAL Masons do. These guys are Brothers, and we love them just the same. Real Masons sometimes feel sorry for those others in our Craft who never read, think, meditate, explore and ask questions. We feel sorry for them because, like so many Profanes (this is our funny little word for non-Masons) they have chosen the path of sloth and simplicity which results in ignorance. Let me give you a quick example…then I’ll answer the big question. Have you ever heard a Mason bragging about all the prior Presidents that were Brothers…or Actors…or Military Personalities? The guys who brag about this don’t care about the Craft. They care about the trivia. While this is not always a bad thing, it falls too short of the truth…but if that’s all they’ve got, then we must assume that they know nothing more. Now to the question; What the Hell Do You Guys DO? Well, as you might suspect, there is no simple answer. If you want a simple answer, go away. We don’t want people who want simple answers. The days of “McMasonry” are fading fast…and not soon enough. For too long our Craft was worried about the number of new guys we could get in the door. We ignored the fact that we were not learning and teaching and reasoning. We did not care that we were turning our back on the very thinking tradition that allowed us to break-open the way the Western World thinks and reasons. We got lazy about our intellectual curiosity, we got sloppy with our ritual and worst of all, we lost contact with our communities. So what is it that we DO? Right now, we are rebuilding the Fraternity. We are the scrap-collectors who labor day and night trying to re-connect to our lost traditions of REAL Brotherly Love, REAL Relief and the courage to really tell the TRUTH. That’s one of the things that we are doing right now. As painful as it is to some of our own Brothers…the truth is that we are rebuilding that which was lost. One of the other things we are doing to get to where we want to go is practice this thing called Ritual. It’s like being Catholic (or whatever). You get together with the group and do this scripted play type thing where different people play-out a short episode. It really is quite hard to define or descirbe, but when done correctly, it is inspirational. We find a spiritual comfort in this ritual even when it is done to open and close our monthly business meetings. It’s repetitive nature is somehow comforting and special. It is a gift that each of us owns and gives to each other. Again, we still have some Brothers who pay no attention to the depth and meaning of this sort of thing. We still like these guys, and some of them are starting to get it…but they occasionally frustrate the brothers who see the great value in our simplest and most repetitive Rituals. We learn. It is not unusual for a group of us to sit around and discuss the great mysteries of whatever culture or philosophy or other topic we deem appropriate for discussion at that time. It is a free-thinking and tolerant society that allows men to discuss the most important issues of our time. This is no random coffee-house meeting of people who compare their prescription drugs and complain about the weather. Deep thinking individuals who value the opinions of others can be found among us. And you can still find some who are more interested in their motorcycles. We got ‘em all and we love them all just the same. What else do we DO? Well, you will hear about our 2 million dollars daily for charity (boring) and our willingness to help those less fortunate (again, boring). But what gets this writer going are the mental exercises; the challenge to be better-read, better-prepared for ritual, a deeper thinker and a step closer to the eternal. These are the things that Masons SHOULD do. We are better men when we make the effort, when we turn-off the History Channel and read some Toynbee, Pike, Hutchens or Voltaire, when we sit and silently meditate on a simple lesson from our ritual, when we deliver a memorized lecture for the sake of the listening brethren (and not just in order to get that proficiency card). These are the things that we do. Frankly, we don’t care too much if you don’t understand any of it. We are not here for you. Masons lost their way when they began to believe that they had to make everyone else’s life better before they improved their own. We are re-learning that it is the man sitting next to me who is and should be most important. It is my family, my neighborhood, my State and my Country that deserve my attention. It is my devotion to my God and your freedom to devote to yours that requires defending. Masons do more now to become better men because we have to. Reclaiming our place in history will take much more time and energy than it did to lose it. I know that like-minded Masons will agree. Our Craft is on the rise. The brothers who now knock on our doors are more demanding than any generation in the past. We must DO more to meet their expectations, and Do more we shall. So what is it that we DO? We do more than you know…and that’s no secret.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (11)

July 16, 2007

aedifico42| What the Hell do you guys Do?

Posted at: 11:13 pm

What the Hell Do You Guys DO?

Good question. Here’s the wrong answer that you will get from lots of Masons who don’t know any better…they will tell you “it’s a secret.”

Why? Why will they lie to you so boldly? They will tell you this because they do not know what REAL Masons do. These guys are Brothers, and we love them just the same. Real Masons sometimes feel sorry for those others in our Craft who never read, think, meditate, explore and ask questions. We feel sorry for them because, like so many Profanes (this is our funny little word for non-Masons) they have chosen the path of sloth and simplicity which results in ignorance.

Let me give you a quick example…then I’ll answer the big question. Have you ever heard a Mason bragging about all the prior Presidents that were Brothers…or Actors…or Military Personalities? The guys who brag about this don’t care about the Craft. They care about the trivia. While this is not always a bad thing, it falls too short of the truth…but if that’s all they’ve got, then we must assume that they know nothing more.

Now to the question; What the Hell Do You Guys DO? Well, as you might suspect, there is no simple answer. If you want a simple answer, go away. We don’t want people who want simple answers. The days of “McMasonry” are fading fast…and not soon enough. For too long our Craft was worried about the number of new guys we could get in the door. We ignored the fact that we were not learning and teaching and reasoning. We did not care that we were turning our back on the very thinking tradition that allowed us to break-open the way the Western World thinks and reasons. We got lazy about our intellectual curiosity, we got sloppy with our ritual and worst of all, we lost contact with our communities.

So what is it that we DO? Right now, we are rebuilding the Fraternity. We are the scrap-collectors who labor day and night trying to re-connect to our lost traditions of REAL Brotherly Love, REAL Relief and the courage to really tell the TRUTH. That’s one of the things that we are doing right now. As painful as it is to some of our own Brothers…the truth is that we are rebuilding that which was lost.

One of the other things we are doing to get to where we want to go is practice this thing called Ritual. It’s like being Catholic (or whatever). You get together with the group and do this scripted play type thing where different people play-out a short episode. It really is quite hard to define or descirbe, but when done correctly, it is inspirational. We find a spiritual comfort in this ritual even when it is done to open and close our monthly business meetings. It’s repetitive nature is somehow comforting and special. It is a gift that each of us owns and gives to each other. Again, we still have some Brothers who pay no attention to the depth and meaning of this sort of thing. We still like these guys, and some of them are starting to get it…but they occasionally frustrate the brothers who see the great value in our simplest and most repetitive Rituals.

We learn. It is not unusual for a group of us to sit around and discuss the great mysteries of whatever culture or philosophy or other topic we deem appropriate for discussion at that time. It is a free-thinking and tolerant society that allows men to discuss the most important issues of our time. This is no random coffee-house meeting of people who compare their prescription drugs and complain about the weather. Deep thinking individuals who value the opinions of others can be found among us. And you can still find some who are more interested in their motorcycles. We got ‘em all and we love them all just the same.

What else do we DO? Well, you will hear about our 2 million dollars daily for charity (boring) and our willingness to help those less fortunate (again, boring). But what gets this writer going are the mental exercises; the challenge to be better-read, better-prepared for ritual, a deeper thinker and a step closer to the eternal. These are the things that Masons SHOULD do. We are better men when we make the effort, when we turn-off the History Channel and read some Toynbee, Pike, Hutchens or Voltaire, when we sit and silently meditate on a simple lesson from our ritual, when we deliver a memorized lecture for the sake of the listening brethren (and not just in order to get that proficiency card).

These are the things that we do. Frankly, we don’t care too much if you don’t understand any of it. We are not here for you. Masons lost their way when they began to believe that they had to make everyone else’s life better before they improved their own. We are re-learning that it is the man sitting next to me who is and should be most important. It is my family, my neighborhood, my State and my Country that deserve my attention. It is my devotion to my God and your freedom to devote to yours that requires defending. Masons do more now to become better men because we have to. Reclaiming our place in history will take much more time and energy than it did to lose it. I know that like-minded Masons will agree.

Our Craft is on the rise. The brothers who now knock on our doors are more demanding than any generation in the past. We must DO more to meet their expectations, and Do more we shall.

So what is it that we DO? We do more than you know…and that’s no secret.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (11)


aedifico42\| Welcome to MasonicMinute.com! Posted at: 10:55 pm Welcome. MasonicMinute.com will develop over time, and I am certain you are not interested in the normal platitudes of newness, so we shall dispense with any further blathering and jump right in to the heart of it. The first tool presented to the Initiate is the 24” gauge. (By the way…if you are ever planning on becoming a Mason…don’t read any further. We are not giving-away any secrets, but we are also aware that some of you are just investigating the Craft. If you are, and you don’t want the full-effect of the learning process that our degrees have to offer, then keep reading. But if you want to experience Freemasonry as it was intended, stop here. I will not apologize later for exposing you to something you are not yet ready to receive.) The gauge is the most important tool in the Craft. It teaches us to divide our time. This lesson of paying attention to the way we spend that most important currency (time) is one that certainly did not escape Brother Ben Franklin. It was this first American diplomat who created a planning book where he took the most important virtues and dedicated a week to each one. He would strive to perfect in himself this virtue this week, and the next during the next week. Once he got to the end of the virtues, he would start over again! This dedication of time is a Masonic lesson that we must always keep in the fore. Time is the only currency we cannot get more of (for who knows how much we have to spend?), and once we’re done…we’re done. Time well-spent is time not wasted. The first building tool gives us a guide as to how we must divide that time. Those three portions – worship (service), refreshment and work – are exactly the three general categories of live that we should live. There is no shame in working hard, and even stressing-out a bit about our work. We should always find the gift of giving to be a form of worship, for it is through giving that we receive those blessings that each of our individual faiths promote. And last, there is no shame in taking an evening with the guys and having a beer or two. Refreshing the spirit in the company of your friends and brothers is as good for the soul as prayer…laughter and friendship are sometimes exactly what the Supreme Architect would want for us! So think hard about how we apply this first tool that our Craft has to offer. Work at your job, and your Masonic learning. Worship and provide service to others in the Spirit of the SAOTU and as your faith decrees, and relax enough that you might be able to do it all again with equal vigor and strength tomorrow. This balancing instrument – that which we are taught to use for measuring our time – should accompany us in all our planning. For without proper planning, we will not perform the tasks of Masonry well. [As an aside…you will see many changes to this site as the next few weeks pass. I am learning more and more each day, and I intend to present a great tool for you to use. So don’t be afraid to email me (and even criticize) whenever you like…it’s all part of the fun.]
MasonicMinute.com Comments (0)

aedifico42| Welcome to MasonicMinute.com!

Posted at: 10:55 pm

Welcome.

MasonicMinute.com will develop over time, and I am certain you are not interested in the normal platitudes of newness, so we shall dispense with any further blathering and jump right in to the heart of it.

The first tool presented to the Initiate is the 24” gauge. (By the way…if you are ever planning on becoming a Mason…don’t read any further. We are not giving-away any secrets, but we are also aware that some of you are just investigating the Craft. If you are, and you don’t want the full-effect of the learning process that our degrees have to offer, then keep reading. But if you want to experience Freemasonry as it was intended, stop here. I will not apologize later for exposing you to something you are not yet ready to receive.)

The gauge is the most important tool in the Craft. It teaches us to divide our time. This lesson of paying attention to the way we spend that most important currency (time) is one that certainly did not escape Brother Ben Franklin. It was this first American diplomat who created a planning book where he took the most important virtues and dedicated a week to each one. He would strive to perfect in himself this virtue this week, and the next during the next week. Once he got to the end of the virtues, he would start over again!

This dedication of time is a Masonic lesson that we must always keep in the fore. Time is the only currency we cannot get more of (for who knows how much we have to spend?), and once we’re done…we’re done. Time well-spent is time not wasted. The first building tool gives us a guide as to how we must divide that time. Those three portions – worship (service), refreshment and work – are exactly the three general categories of live that we should live. There is no shame in working hard, and even stressing-out a bit about our work. We should always find the gift of giving to be a form of worship, for it is through giving that we receive those blessings that each of our individual faiths promote. And last, there is no shame in taking an evening with the guys and having a beer or two. Refreshing the spirit in the company of your friends and brothers is as good for the soul as prayer…laughter and friendship are sometimes exactly what the Supreme Architect would want for us!

So think hard about how we apply this first tool that our Craft has to offer. Work at your job, and your Masonic learning. Worship and provide service to others in the Spirit of the SAOTU and as your faith decrees, and relax enough that you might be able to do it all again with equal vigor and strength tomorrow. This balancing instrument – that which we are taught to use for measuring our time – should accompany us in all our planning. For without proper planning, we will not perform the tasks of Masonry well.

[As an aside…you will see many changes to this site as the next few weeks pass. I am learning more and more each day, and I intend to present a great tool for you to use. So don’t be afraid to email me (and even criticize) whenever you like…it’s all part of the fun.]

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (0)

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