“Treason and murder ever kept together,
As two yoke-devils sworn to either’s purpose”
(King Henry V, act 2, sc. 2)
A Brother Asks: Why are murder and
treason exceptions to keeping our Brother’s secrets?
Coach: Because
they clearly put forth the standard one should measure one’s liabilities in
keeping one’s word to another.
Brother: But why
just murder and treason?
Coach: As
opposed to what?
Brother: What if
it involves other illegal, immoral or unethical activities?
Coach: What
about these?
Brother:
Shouldn’t we not keep such activities to ourselves.
Coach: We
shouldn’t.
Brother: But
they’re not murder and treason!
Coach: Aren’t
they?
Brother: Wait?
Are you saying they are one in the same?
Coach: I’m
saying you might want to look up the words before you come to erroneous
conclusions.
Brother: But I
have.
Coach: And what
did you find?
Brother: Murder
is “the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another”.
Coach: And
treason?
Brother: It is
“the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the
sovereign or overthrow the government”.
Coach: Thanks. Do you want to delve into these?
Brother: You’re
welcome and yes!
Coach: Good! Let’s
start on the first one.
Brother: Okay.
Murder
Coach: The first
one speaks to premeditation.
Brother: That’s
where it is not a spontaneous act. It’s actually planned.
Coach: Are you
seeing the connection to the ruffians?
Brother: Yes!
I am indeed. They plotted to extract the master’s word and were willing to do
so even if it meant death to their victim.
Coach: Good!
Murder is a premeditated act where harm is involved.
Brother: Why do
you say it that way?
Coach: Because
this is a symbolic lodge.
Brother: And
rather than take what was communicated literally, you’re trying to pull out the
symbolic information to see how it applies to our lives?
Coach: Yes.
That’s how this Works. You take the general communications, boil down its
essence and distill the lesson.
Brother: So the
lesson here is to keep his secret unless it involves doing harm.
Coach: Yes. And
if it does involve doing harm, then you are no longer obligated to keep his
secret.
Brother: Wow!
I would have never gathered that by taking it literally.
Coach: Most
Brothers don’t. But does it have to be premeditated harm?
Brother: No. I see now that it doesn't.
Coach: How so?
Brother: Harm is harm whether it is
planned for or after the fact.
Coach: Agreed!
Treason
Brother: What
about Treason?
Coach: What
about it?
Brother: Can you
boil it down for me?
Coach: Yes, I
could, but I think I’d rather walk you through it and let you do the Work.
Brother:
Awesome! What’s first?
Coach: Look up
the other definitions.
Brother: Okay. I
get the following information. “the action of betraying someone or something”
Coach: What do
you gather from that?
Brother: Well,
it differs from the first definition in that the betrayal is now generalized to
just betrayal…
Coach: As
opposed to?
Brother: …one’s
country.
Coach: Break it
down.
Brother: It’s
pretty straightforward.
Coach: How so?
Brother: It’s
telling me that I’m not obligated to keep any secrets that betray anyone or
anything.
One More Level
Coach: I get the
same thing. Do you have any other definitions?
Brother: Yes…
treason is “the crime of murdering someone to whom the murderer owed
allegiance, such as a master or husband”
Coach: Wow!
Back to murder?
Brother: Yes. It
appears that treason is linked to murder.
Coach: And in
this instance you gather what?
Brother:
Symbolically?
Coach: But of
course!
Brother: Okay…
symbolically treason is not just betrayal, which it is, but in this instance it
is also harmful betrayal.
Coach: Does that
sound familiar?
Brother: It sure
does!
Coach: Of what
does it remind you?
Brother: The
ruffians once again!
Coach: It
reminds me of them as well. Why?
Brother: Because
they betrayed the Grand Master to whom they owed allegiance.
Coach: Exactly.
Do the definitions drive home some points as to what you need to be aware of
when deciding whether or not you should keep another’s secrets?
Brother: They
sure do.
Takeaways
Coach: On what
points are you now clearer when it comes to the exception for murder or
treason?
Brother: If
there is any harm planned for or committed, I have an obligation to assure I inform the
proper persons to guarantee that this harm will not occur, prevent it myself
if within my power or assure that amends are made for harm that is done.
Coach: So,
murder is symbolic for any harm planned or after the fact?
Brother: Yes!
Coach: And you
are obligated to prevent it if you can or assure proper amends?
Brother: Yes.
Coach: And what
about treason?
Brother:
Betrayal in any form, but more especially, betrayals that do harm.
Coach: And
you’re equally obligated to prevent it if you can?
Brother: Yes.
One Step Further
Coach: What
about how all this applies to one’s morals?
Brother:
Interesting. Please continue.
Coach: Can you
murder your own morals?
Brother: You
mean, plot to cause them harm?
Coach: Yes.
Brother: I
imagine trying to figure a way around something that is clearly illegal,
unethical or immoral would be undermining one’s morals, thus causing them harm.
Coach: How about
betrayal of your morals?
Brother: Yes. I
can see where this could occur when one’s standards get biased toward anything
or anyone that would require those standards to be “relaxed”.
Coach: I agree.
What is worse, murder of one’s morals or betrayal of them?
Brother: I’d
have to say that the Murder of one's Morals is only overshadowed by one's Betrayal
of Them.
Coach: Why?
Brother:
Because, in the extreme, murder kills them dead while the betrayal leaves them
as festering reminders of the harm one consciously undertakes or undertook in the face of
dishonor.
Coach: So, if
you take Exception to Murder and Treason literally when keeping within your
chest the unworthy Secrets of others, you have yet to practice Masonry.
Brother: Yes!
That brings it back to the Craft.
Coach: Thank
you. I agree.
Brother: Would
you consider the Work that it takes to come to these interpretations to be the
practice of Masonry?
Coach: As in?
Brother: If
one takes a literal view of that issue, he has yet to practice Masonry.
Coach: Agreed!
Brother:
Wouldn't the process of getting from taking things literally to figuratively be
considered the practice of Masonry?
Coach: Yes!
Absolutely! Masonry is a process for sure, and moving from the literal to the
figurative is part of that.
Brother: Are you
saying that one is not working masonically when one does keeps secrets for
secrets' sake?
Coach: If I
understand your question correctly, let me respond as follows: When you keep
secrets that should not be kept, because you think it is more moral to keep
them, even when what is shared should not be kept a secret especially because
of the immorality that would unfold because of keeping it a secret, you are not
practicing Masonry.
Brother: This
makes good sense.
Coach: Thanks!
General Guideline
Brother: Do you
have a general guideline on all this?
Coach: I do.
Brother: Would
you share it with me… …I promise to keep it secret.
Coach: LOL!
Thanks! No need to. Share it to your heart’s content.
Brother: And it
is?
Coach: I keep
confidential information sequestered that would harm if shared. Should that
information cause harm if kept sequestered, then I have a moral obligation to
share it.
Brother: Is it
that cut and dried?
Coach: No. It
takes a lot of soul searching and prayer at times so I make sure anyone who
wishes to share secrets knows that I do not want anything shared with me that
would cause me or others a moral bind.
Brother: What’s
a moral bind?
Coach: Anything
shared that creates a moral dilemma where conflicting standards exist to choose
between and someone or something suffers no matter what.
Brother: Such
as?
Coach: You’re
enjoying this too much.
Brother: Yes…
and?
Coach: Let’s
make it personal.
Brother: Okay.
Coach:
Situations where I’m told something that will cause harm if I share it, but
will equally cause harm if I don’t.
Brother: What do
you do in such situations?
Coach: When it’s
after the fact, and I am now holding on to the secret, I pray for the right
insights into the situations, while I act in love, hope for the best and have
faith in all involved.
Brother: I guess
that’s all one can do in these situations.
Coach: I agree.
Brother:
Wait a minute!
Coach:
Ah! An insight to share?
Brother:
Yes! Is this why the twelve fellow craft recanted, albeit a bit too late?
Coach:
What do you think?
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