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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: 10/07/2011 06:43:06
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I'm not trying to put an onus on Mike, but let's face it, if like him you have better access than the Brother in the Columns to the Rulers in your Grand Lodge then why not make use of it for the good of The Craft? I am lucky in that I have access to our MPGC and know him and other Senior Brethren on a first name basis. Had I any suggestions to make either of my own or for other Brethren I could put them to such people or raise them at our National Council.I see nothing at all wrong with asking a Brother who does meet such people to raise such suggestions as have been made on this thread with them if the opportunity arises. Obviously if the rules or etiquette would preclude him from making such an approach then I fully understand that and the matter would not then arise.
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Post #15421
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 16:03:15
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To open a dialogue on such subjects requires both parties to be open. On a Provincial level too often the APGM is harranged in the bar by either sycophantic hangers on or those having a rant about a minor matter. No wonder that the DC who accompanies the Chain is taught how to extracate their charge from these situations or better still not to let them get involved. To be fair to them they have little time at meetings to discuss at length such issues. Writing letters often do not get the point across, even if they are read. I have opted for the letter route and I think have been seen as a mad revolutionist.
I would think that in smaller or more intimate Provinces the message can be put across easier. However what do we expect those at the Province level to do? There is the Rulers Forum within UGLE which I would imagine is the place to take such issues. How that can be done I am unsure. For the majority though the status quo on all matters masonic will continue.
We must consider what we want from such an excercise though. More members, greater acceptance, publicity, gratitude, tolerance, reverance, respect we will all have different motives.
For me it would not be to do with greater numbers as that does not necessarily bring better quality, casting our net as wide as we do has not increased the standards. But I would like to see a better understanding of FM and its values within a community which goes hand in hand with FM being a respected part of the community allied with the Clergy, police etc. I am afraid though that I believe I am living in cloud cookoo land.
David
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Post #15422
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 19:06:12
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Janus (19/11/2009)
Advertising is for me totally against the masonic principles of discretion that are fundamental in our philosophy.
I don't see how it is - there is a historical perspective to bear in mind, prior to the 2nd world war freemasonry was far more open and public, as is evidenced by Mike's pics.
Unfortunately a lot of people seem to think we have always been the way we are, and we haven't.
This historical perspective is also lost when people examine the so called 'decline' in numbers - we actually had an abnormally large increase in numbers after the two world wars, and we are now, arguably, returning to sustainability
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Post #15423
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: 17/06/2011 12:20:27
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This is off course my personal point of view. I do also think that freemasonry is a lot more discreet here in Switzerland than it has ever been in the UK or in the US for that matter. The reasons for this are probably historical and cultural. Parades and other public activities have never, to my knowledge, been practiced here at any point in time and I can't see it happen any day soon. Some lodges have organized public conferences every now and then but they have been more about philosophy, ethics and morals in general than about the craft specifically. Even if some lodges have membership numbers dropping, the craft in general is experiencing a good period with a lot of new members. The press has also been keen on writing about it and I am yet to see a negative/anti-masonic one. The articles have been honest and proffessional most of the time.
Just my 2 centimes
Janus
GLSA N°31
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Post #15425
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: 10/07/2011 06:43:06
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Again I find myself in total agreement with Bod, although I can accept that different cultures have other feelings towards public parades etc than we Brits.
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Post #15427
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: 21/12/2011 00:19:49
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Mike Martin (20/11/2009)
I think we've pretty much hit the pay dirt almost straight away, the advertisement for Freemasonry is in fact us, the members of Freemasonry. However, if we hide ourselves away from the rest of the community how will that work exactly? I would ilike to see some softening of the stance toward certain proscribed (by UGLE anyway) activities. Because when I die I intend to have the extra Masonic bits done at my funeral and I'd also like to see Masons appearing in Regalia in public like they used to: Lovely pictures Mike, the innocence of a bygone age. Nowadays it is impossible for a public display to be seen for what it is, and anything more than a stall at a country fair or stand at a car boot is seen as politically or religiously motivated. There are other organisations that dress similarly as you know. So, a parade becomes a March, becomes a rally and then certain parts of the community start getting anxious..fearful... and then hostile. It is a great shame, but even at the recent Cenotaph parades, certain elements of a youth organisation grouping who were there officially were chanting anti semitic slogans. You know and I know that even on the fringe of the Masonic spectrum, there would be no sign of a breakdown of decorum or respect, but getting Police and local authority permission may prove difficult. And that is not even accounting for any sectarian or other religious backlash.
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Post #15428
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: 30/01/2012 23:25:56
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"because they are proud to be Freemasons"
Mike, you've slammed the nail square on the head with that line for me. THAT is what I feel, pride! Perhaps the pride that I feel in being a Freemason is alien to some I don't know. I love those pictures. I joked once about our lodge marching in the town carnival but with one trouser leg rolled up just to show we weren't afraid to laugh at our own peculiar methods. Sufficed to say this suggestion got the laughable reaction it deserved but yes, essentially it would be wonderful to do something along those line wouldn't it?
And yet Mark does again raise the other side of the issue with some very real side effects of doing this and he's right. To some it's a show of pride, to others a it's a sign of defiance or a statement that people can read into any one of a thousand different ways.
I feel one of the most effective ways of getting our point across is opening the doors in every lodge for just one evening a year, putting an announcement in the local press about it and let people come in, have a look round, get a talk from somebody involved with the lodge and make their minds up that way. I know these evenings already exist but are generally not known about by many.
Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worth wile. -Wilfred T. Grenfell
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Post #15430
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: Yesterday @ 21:50:30
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The difference then to now is that we no longer as selective with regard to social status given the fact that we 'celebrate' a soap star as a famous mason rather than a PM etc. Thus a parade of roofers, binmen, cabbies, the odd all round family entertainer etc (God bless them) perhaps doesn't carry the same kudos. . I also find those photo's of those dressed up laying stones and marching rather cringe worthy.There is no need IMHO.Once a year a member of our Lodge is invited to the Mayors Christmas luncheon. Someone goes -but he's not dressed up like a Christmas tree! Advertising the Craft is insulting to me at least. Where would it be advertised. On telly, during current affairs?, news?, X-Factor? Tracy Beaker?. "hey don't forget folks :2b1ask1!" *winks to camera* Why the need to show the world, I thought Freemasonry is an inner journey.?? Parading is all about "look at me" type stuff. Don't kid yourself it's anything else.You want others to look at you slightly different in a "wow look,it's xyzx he lives by me" ego puffery BS. I'm 'proud' to be in the Craft but I do not have the urge to wander around Market square dressed up all fancy like..... Personally I would not ever be seen outside the Lodge with my regalia on. That includes photo's etc. It's a society with secrets, lets keep it that way...
3954
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Post #15455
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: Yesterday @ 21:50:30
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bod (20/11/2009)
Janus (19/11/2009)
Advertising is for me totally against the masonic principles of discretion that are fundamental in our philosophy. I don't see how it is - there is a historical perspective to bear in mind, prior to the 2nd world war freemasonry was far more open and public, as is evidenced by Mike's pics. Unfortunately a lot of people seem to think we have always been the way we are, and we haven't. That is possibly a bit of selective history? Certainly the late Victorians were parading and more open but that doesn't account for the 150 years before then. If anyone has an authoritative account of openness through the ages then we can put that era into context and it then may be seen as the norm or possibly not.
3954
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Post #15457
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Group: Forum Member
Last Login: 10/07/2011 06:43:06
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Taking up Carlos' point on being Proud to be Freemasons I was very saddened this week to go past a Masonic Centre that I know well to see that the board outside and visible from the road stated that it was a conference centre and that weddings etc could be held there but no mention was made, unless it was printed so small that I could not see it from the taxi, that this was a MASONIC Centre, and the name of the venue had no Masonic Allusions. This is a terrible pity as far as I am concerned. I would have liked it to read "XXXX Court , Home of XXXXshire Freemasons, available for Conferences, Seminars etc and registered for Weddings. Phone XXXX XXX XXXX" I feel this was an example of shooting oneself on the foot and the negative to "Selling the Craft" and a good opportunity to obtain good publicity thrown away.
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Post #15458
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