A Brother Asks: What's up with Ghana?

A Brother Asks: Why are we getting so many requests from men in Ghana asking for help with joining Freemasonry ?

Coach: The reasons are quite simple and are alluded to by the very men who seek membership. 

One seeker conveys:

In Ghana it is very hard to join the great brotherhood. As the general rule goes like 2b1ask1, you can rarely see Freemasons. You can only reach them on the various platforms on social media but are not open. Please I may need a brother from the masonic lodges in Ghana...

This seeker put into words the underlying reasons why we are getting so many posts from men within this nation. 

What are those reasons? 

1. The perceived game of hide and seek going on and seekers believe that they should play along.
2. Men, the seekers,  within Ghana hear the unbelievable Ghana Freemasonry Mythos, get excited by it and want to join. 
3. Men who have joined, the hiders, are keeping to themselves and are doing so for a whole bunch of other perceived reasons, including and not limited to:

• keeping the "mythos", "mystic" and "mystery" intense
• knowing full well that being a member isn't all that the mythos portrays
• it's an "in the know" clique
• charging higher initiation fees and dues
• perceived "society favors and perks"
• perceived power and ego tripping

All this perceived holding back only drives the seekers to want to join even more, especially when they are being compelled by the belief that they will benefit only if they try harder to join.  This in turn drives members into keeping to themselves even more due to the perceived side perks.

Of course, the frenzy only escalates for those who get fixated upon becoming a member.  This is typically expressed in words conveyed by yet another seeker: 

...please help me, i'm determined to do anything that it might require to become a member...

And there's another perceived game, as is conveyed by yet another seeker, and it is quite crazy making:

...there are Masonic Lodges in Ghana according to what I read at www.Grandlodgeofghana.com. But the fact is none of the email addresses nor phone numbers of the mentioned Lodges are active... ...even their locations are not well known except the main one in Accra...  And even when you call or visit the main Hall you are told to get a Mason to introduce you.

And another conveyance from the same seeker:

...in Ghana, even when you go a Masonic Lodge for a petition you are told to go look for a member, befriend him to introduce you...

So, according to the first seeker, "2b1ask1".  But according to the second seeker, when you ask someone within the main organization or at an actual Freemasonic Lodge, who you would think are themselves members, "...you are asked to get a Mason to introduce you..."  or "...you are asked to go look for a member, befriend him to introduce you...", which is next to impossible to do when the very members that you are asking are telling you to seek elsewhere. 

It's insanity exemplified!  However, it is also evidence of some awesome word-of-mouth marketing techniques at play. 

 

Brother: So how do we help these membership seekers?

 

Coach:  The first thing to do is understand the insane games that are actually going on and the influence these perceived games have upon the seekers.

 

Brother: Then what?

 

Coach:  Then realize that you truly cannot help them in the way they are seeking you to help them.  The games that are actually going on are internal to the culture and, more specifically, the members within that area.  The seekers are making effort to circumvent the perceived games by going outside their cultural boxes in hope that outsiders can and will influence the perceived game going on toward each seeker's favor. 

 

My response to your last question is this, and I shall paraphrase our mythical Grand Master Hiram:   

Other than letting them know the nature of these perceived insane games and the actual games and how each is influenced by members within their area, we cannot; we should not; we will not get involved.  It's a waste of time for all involved.

Brother: So what do we say to them?

 

Coach: Communicate the actual game going on...

1. Seekers are required to find a member through non-organizational means or connections. 
• Members will not cooperate through these channels.
2. Once a member is found, seekers are to befriend them. 
• Members are not looking for more members.  They are looking for friends.
3. Once befriended, seekers are to invest time in building that friendship. 
• Members want to know that seekers are invested in the friendship and not the hopes of attaining membership.
4. Seekers should continually keep in mind that no one person outside that relationship is to influence it coming together or progressing forward. 
• Members are turned off by outside interference.  The friendship should be brought together and supported by the relationship between the two and separate from outside influences.  
5. Once built, seekers are to live on hope that members like them enough to support each seeker's efforts to join.
• Members are keenly aware that their membership status is a beacon for member-wannabes. Members detecting non-friendship motives for the relationship connection will likely continue to be friendly, but not likely friends.
6. Should seekers try to discuss becoming members before the approached members determine if the motives for joining are acceptable, the seekers shall most likely never be supported toward membership.
   • Once again, members are very keen on detecting motives that are outside those that should be influencing the relationship coming together and driving it  forward.

Brother: But, that game doesn't sound insane at all?

Coach: Yes.  It truly doesn't.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:  According to research done by a trusted Brother regarding obtaining membership in lodges that reside in and around Ghana, the following should be understood:

1. To obtain a petition from a lodge you want to join, you must be proposed by a member of that lodge.
2. To be proposed by a member of any lodge, that member must know, like and trust you.
3. To be known, liked and trusted by a member, you must first have an ongoing relationship with that member outside of your seeking membership.

RELATED POST:

 https://buildinghiram.blogspot.com/2017/06/help-aid-assist-distant-membership.html

F&S,

Brother Nagy

A Brother Asks: Passions' Radius?

 
 

A Brother Asks: We've been told that we are supposed to circumscribe our passions.  What specifically should be the radius of a Brother's Passion?
 
Coach: That's a great question.  How would you define "Passion"?
 
Brother: Something that a person feels very strongly about.
 
Coach: That's a great start.  I add to your thought that, while a desire is something that someone wants, a passion is something that a person wants so strongly that he is compelled to take action to pursue it, even if it means that he suffers in his pursuit and does so willingly!
 
Brother:  That makes sense.  How can that be translated into a specific radius for circumscription?
 
Coach: Knowing that he is willing to suffer, a Brother, by virtue of being held to account for his passions as prescribed by Freemasonic ritual, should set the radius of his passions short of causing any and all sufferings upon others that he is compelled to embrace for himself.
 
Brother:  I get it.  No other person should be made to suffer as a result of a Brother's passionate pursuits.

Coach: Exactly!  Let's make it personal. 

Brother: Sure!

Coach: When anyone other than yourself suffers because of your passion, you've gone too far. 

Brother: But what about those who are willing to suffer with you?

Coach: Then they by their engagements have revealed aligned passions with yours and are either directly or indirectly willing participants who, by their very willingness,  engage in suffering also, and do so by choice!

Brother: But wouldn't you agree that if such suffering results in damage then you've went too far?

Coach: Wouldn't that truly depend upon what you want and what you are willing to sacrifice to obtain it?

Brother: How so?

Coach: I agree that collateral suffering even to the point of damage is an unwarranted imposition upon those who have not agreed to suffer along with you in your pursuits. 

However, if you willingly suffer to the point of damage to your person, yea even your life, then you have a desire in your heart that is to you worth more than your person.

This does occur when passions run high and is usually viewed as heroic by those who benefit from such passionate actions without suffering themselves. 

Brother: Have you an example to offer?

Coach: Do you think Christ went too far?

Brother: Point taken.