A Brother Asks: Freemasonry vs Masonry - Why the distinction?

 

A Brother Asks: Why is it so important to draw a distinction between Freemasonry and Masonry?

Coach: That is an extremely important question to ask. 

Brother: Why do you say this?

Coach: Because those who draw distinctions between them and act upon their crucial differences enrich their experience of what the Fraternity offers them.

Brother: What about those that don't?

Coach: An equally important question to ask.

Brother: Why?

Coach: Because those who don't bother to consider or who dismiss such an important activity never distinguish for themselves the differences between 1) the activities and focus that the organization engages in for the benefit of the organization and possible cost to members, and 2) the actual Work that makes good men better.

Why

Brother: So, what's the answer to the first question?

Coach: Ah!  Thanks for cycling back and not loosing sight as to why the conversation was started.

Brother: You're most welcome... so, what's the answer?

Coach: Drawing distinctions is at the very core of the staircase lecture.

Brother: You appear to be going off on a tangent.  But I'll bite on the bait. Where did you draw that conclusion?

Coach: From the way the lecture is structured.  

Brother: How do you see it structured?

Coach: It's structured to show groups within groups, presenting first the group and then drawing distinction between each member of the group.

Brother: Give me an example, please.

Coach: The first three steps. 

Brother: What about them?

Coach: These steps are presented as a group and then each step is given a label as a way to differentiate one from another.

Brother: Please, explain this to me.

Coach: The first represents the first degree, the Junior Warden and the Working Tool called, "The Plumb."

Brother: Wait!  You just told me that this very first step represents three entirely different things.  

Coach: Yes. I did indeed do just that.  But what's more, Ritual is saying this as well.

Brother: Are you implying that the other two steps follow suit?

Coach: Yes. I am.

Brother: If I follow your offered trend, I get that the second step is differentiated from the first and third in that it represents the second degree, the Senior Warden, and the Working Tool called, "The Level."

Coach: Yes. The lesson is not lost to you as you  have taken the pattern presented to you by the first step distinctions, recognized the patterns and applied each to the second through projecting the lesson onto them as well.

Brother: And I can easily do this for the third step as well.

Coach: I believe that you can do just that.  But can you take this lesson and expand it to the next five steps?

Brother: I think I can. But rather than go through them, let me integrate the lesson and put to you the following: Each of the next five steps represents both one of the primary human senses and one of the five primary columns used in ancient architecture. It is not enough to state one group or another. One must know what patterns exist within any one group.

Coach: I agree with your assessment.  How does this apply to the next seven steps.

Brother: Ah!  In the next example, we find that we have two levels of groupings and differentiations.

Coach: Yes. You're a quick study!

Brother: Thanks. The primary levels tell us that they represent the seven liberal arts and sciences. The second level breaks these seven into two groups, The Trivium and the Quadrivium.

Coach: And what is the distinction between the two subgroups?

Brother: The former focuses upon studying symbols as words and the latter focuses upon studying symbols as numbers.  

Results

Coach: Are you telling me that the entirety of the staircase lecture is designed to tell members that they would benefit by training the mind in differentiation?

Brother: Yes!  And it does so by drawing distinctions between members of groupings... Hey!  Wait a minute!  Are you going down this rabbit hole to prove a point to me?

Coach: Yes.  When you recognize the fraternity is a group and that within that group there are two major subgroups: Members who are focused upon the Organization and Members who are focused upon building men, as in, making good men better.

Brother: And to keep clear between the two types of members, you call the former "Freemasons," after the Organization of Freemasonry, and you call the latter "Masons," after the activities required to Build Better Men?

Coach: Yes.  You got it.

Brother: But do I have to use your terms when I do this?  

Coach: You do not. However, I encourage you to have some rational basis for the terms that you use.

Brother: Why?

Coach: So you can explain how you arrived at them when others take interest in your conclusions.

 

The Answer

Brother: This goes back to the first question, doesn't it?

Coach: But of course. 

Brother: Are you telling me that we are encouraged to draw distinctions?

Coach: I certainly am.  And when we do not draw a distinction between what we do as members of an organization and what we do as a member of the Craft, we will loose sight of what both have to offer.

Brother: Wait!  You just implied that being a member of the organization and being a member of the Craft are two different things.  I thought they were two different ways to say the same thing.

Coach: The truth be told, they are the exact same thing in the minds of most members.  

Brother: Then why did you imply that they weren't?

Coach: To offer you an opportunity to draw a distinction between those individuals who join and focus upon organizational activities that will not directly make them better men and those who join and focus upon personal development activities designed to make them better men.

Brother: Is that why you say that Freemasonry is not Masonry? That being a member of the organization is not the same as being a member of the Craft? That a Freemason and a Mason are two entirely different manners of being?

Coach: Yes.  I have taken the staircase lesson and applied it to what I focus upon when I am participating on group activities offered by various jurisdictions of members.  In all this, I do recognize there is overlap of these distinctions and that they are not mutually exclusive.  They merely denote a member's focus and activities.

Brother: And you look closely at which activities are focused upon supporting the organization as a whole, including mastery of things that support the organization and which activities are focused upon nurturing the individuals within the organization toward mastery of themselves and their worlds.

Coach: Exactly!  If you joined the organization to better yourself, you would not want to spend all your time plugged into activities that do not serve that end. 

 

The Loss

Brother: Ah!  And if I don't draw a distinction between what I joined to do and what the organization offers activity-wise, then I could spend decades thinking that I'm engaged in activities to improve myself, but, in reality, I'm only supporting the organization with no direct activities focusing upon making me a better man.

Coach: Good!  You got it.  When you do not draw the distinction, and create language to help you remember the distinctions you have drawn, you will get pulled into a fuzzy way of thinking that doing one thing is the same as the other.  You'll never get the outcome you joined for.

Brother: But by my drawing the distinction, differentiating one from the other, I am forever clear in what I wanted from my participation and I can then choose wisely between what I want to engage in, and what I don't want to engage in.

Coach: Yes.  So, why do you think I have drawn the distinction, differentiated one from the other, and labeled them as I have?

Brother: To assure you are clear in what you engage in.

Coach: Yes.  It's called, "informed consent," and without it, you can give your consent to a lot that the organization offers that will not improve you one iota.

Brother: But what if that's okay and my participation is merely rewarding to me in other areas?

Coach: Then you have chosen with a clear understanding as to what you have opted to participate.  The point is not about drawing the distinction so that you can engage in only personal growth activities. The point is about drawing the distinction so that you can choose with clear understanding as to what you can expect from your engagements.

The Labels

Brother: Does it matter if I use the same labels?

Coach: No.  What matters is the drawing of the distinction, but only if you truly want to remain clear on your end-in-mind as it relates to what the organization offers you.

Brother: Are you implying that it makes no difference whatsoever to someone who has no interest in the personal growth aspect that Freemasonic Ritual points members toward?

Coach: Yes, I am.  For members to draw any distinction in this realm who don't desire to improve themselves would be a waste of time.  Why draw a distinction that has no relevance to what you want to do?  To talk about such differences with these people would bring contempt and ridicule for in their minds there are no difference at all.  And in truth, for them, there are no differences since that is not their focus.

Brother: What if there are differences for you and those differences are relevant to what you want to accomplish by your organizational participation?

Coach: Then you get to draw distinctions, differentiate what is offered so that you know when what is offered will support your desired ends, label these activities as one thing or another, and then keep this in mind as you make your future choices.

Brother: Get to?

Coach: Yes.  All of this is about getting to do things by making better choices.  How are you going to get to make better choices if you aren't clear on what you're actually choosing?

Brother: Ah!  So I don't have to do any of this.  But if I want to be clear on what I am doing and the results I expect, I get to take proactive actions to support that very end.

 

The Warning

Coach: Yes.  You don't have to do any of this.  But when you want better for yourself, you get to take actions that support that end.  But I will warn you of one thing.

Brother: What's that?

Coach: Much like the guy who returns to the cave in Plato's Allegory of the Cave, you're going to get push-back from members who do not view this in the same light as you.

Brother: Push-back?  How?

Coach: You'll be accused of making things up, innovating, and redefining things.  You may just upset and anger some members to the point where they will try to kill your reputation among members they have great influence over.

Brother: Much like what's described within Plato's Allegory of the Cave, writing to the man who tried to bring light to the cave dwellers?

Coach: Exactly!  To individuals who are dead-set in what they have been taught and who refuse to look at things in any differentiated way, your light will be viewed as non-canonical, unorthodox and, in some cases, blasphemy.  Your offered light will be attacked and, if you do not fold to their social pressures, you'll be attacked as well.

Brother: So, it's best to stay clear of these sorts?

Coach: No.  It's best to share your light and move on.  Those individuals who see the light as relevant to their lives will integrate it into their understanding and those individuals who see the light as irrelevant to their lives will soon forget you even shared it. 

Brother: So, the point is, share, but don't shove it.

Coach: Yes. And do so in a way that explicitly expresses that this is your understanding of what is truth, and it may not apply to others.  If it does, you'll see an awesome conversation unfold as a result.  If it doesn't apply, you'll often see both dismissals and attacks.

Brother: Why?

Coach: Because there exists a cross-section of members who are threatened by anything that doesn't conform to their view. Some of them might even recognize, as a result of your shared light, that the dogma about the organization making good men better they've been shoving at members for years simply isn't true, based upon what the organization really does offer.  It's best to agree to disagree when you encounter such members. They may try to kill the messenger, rather than risk allowing the message to be heard by others.

Brother: What about sharing this light within groups where you have both types engaging you?

Coach: Engage with those who find your light relevant to them.  Agree to disagree with those who find fault with your light.  It truly isn't relevant to them and  there is no need to engage them any further.  It simply doesn't apply to them.  If some get abusive because they see that you are not going to agree with them, distance yourself from them as best as you can.

Brother: Thanks for the Light on this topic my Brother.

Coach: You're most welcome. Thanks for asking!