A Brother Asks... How are the Penalties Administered "Symbolically"?

 
 
A Brother Asks: How does a Brother say, "yes" to the Penalties of his Obligation?
 
My Response: A Brother says, "yes to the Penalties", whenever...

1. His Words prove to have no Value thus Rendering his Tongue useless,  (EA WORK!)
2. His Heart is shown not to be in what he is doing thus Rendering his Heart useless, (FC WORK!) and
3. His Head and his Heart are shown to be torn in two different direction, thus Rendering him useless, (MM WORK!).

Although presented as only symbolic, the penalties are allegorical for the reality that is self-inflicted by the person violating his Obligations upon himself.

Let's make this personal.  They were revealed to you so that you would...

1. Know what occurs by your own hand when you manifest the above conditions;

• Your Words and Deeds are out of Integrity.  Your Words can no longer be trusted.
• Your Heart is uninvolved in what you do.  Your Heart can no longer be trusted.
• Your Head and Heart are in Conflict and you're Torn in two unsupportive Directions. You can no longer be trusted.

2. Understand clearly that others shall...

• No longer "listen to you" or "place any value in your words".  Your words shall have no weight and they shall not be taken seriously.  They shall know better than to listen to you.  The world shall shun you as a man unable to speak with Integrity.
• No longer place trust in you.  Your Heart has been proven to not be involved in what you do.  Anything your might commit to or be involved in will clearly be done in a heartless manner.  They shall know better than to have you involved or take serious what you commit to.  The World shall shun you as a man whose Heart is not Involved.
• No longer invest in you when you show the world that your Head and Heart are in conflict with each other and you're being pulled in two entirely different directions.  The world shall shun you as a man unable to be totally invested due to your lack of integrity and your torn being.

If it is not clear to you yet, let me say it more plainly:  When you violate your obligations, you self-impose any one of the three penalties upon your self.  No one else is involved.  They don't have to be.  You do all the work yourself. 

But, know this too.  Others are impacted negatively by your violations and will not want any part of your impact into the future.

It is most unfortunate that both insiders and outsiders to the Craft have no idea that these are what is meant by "Only Symbolic".  Far too many people are Symbolically Illiterate.  They take Allegorical things as Literal and not Figurative, as Allegory is meant to be taken.  As a result of this manner, you have entire cross-sections of society being swept away in ignorant conclusions, like "these are blood oaths!" and actions that have no basis in reality.

 They are not bloody oaths.  They are SYMBOLIC OATHS and treating them in any other manner is a purposeful bastardization of what is offered.  Anyone interpreting them literally is either ignorant or is deliberately trying to mislead those who are.

S&F,

Brother John S Nagy​