Monday, November 30, 2020

Random Building Thoughts - 2020-11-30

 

-------------- HUMOR --------------


-------------- COACH'S CHALLENGE --------------

You've been the lead person on the grand lodge named "masonic education committee" for near to 25 years. It's clear that what the committee has been doing is not helping to retain members. If anything, the more it makes effort to stress what it calls "masonic education" as the cure for the dreaded "Freemasonic Attrition Disease", the more everyone sees members' eyes gloss over, instant yawns and agitated disinterest. Further research reveals that you are not alone in this observation and that this very same disease has been infecting the Craft for over 100 years. You decide to take a different approach to Masonic Education. Your Task:
1) Explore what doesn't work and hasn't worked well, ever. What steps do you take?
2) Put together a poll for current members and past members to find out what initially attracted them to the organization and what eventually repelled them. What questions would you ask?
3) Restructure membership education to address what repels members and enhance what attracted them in the first place. What changes would you make?

-------------- MYTH --------------

"A mythological pantheon is fluid and as the needs and the realizations of the society change, so do the relationships and the gods. Deities are really time- and space-conditioned; they are shaped from inherited ideas, inherited traditional imageries, but they are put together in terms of a local context of time and space.

"One of the great disadvantages of a literary or scriptural tradition like the biblical one is that a deity or context of deities becomes crystallized, petrified at a certain time and place. The deity doesn’t continue to grow, expand, or take into account new cultural forces and new realizations in the sciences, and the result is this make-believe conflict we have in our culture between science and religion. One of the functions of mythology is to present an image of the cosmos in such a way that it becomes the carrier of this mystical realization, so that wherever you look it’s as though you are looking at an icon, a holy picture, and the walls of space and time open out into the deep dimension of mystery, which is a dimension within ourselves, as well as out there.

"This dimension can open through the science of today even more wonderfully than it opened through the science of the second millennium B.C. There is absolutely no conflict between science and the religious mood or the mythological realization—but there IS a conflict between the science of the twentieth century A.D. and the twentieth century B.C."

Joseph Campbell, Goddesses: Mysteries of the Feminine Divine, p.107

-------------- LIGHT --------------

-------------- TRUE FOCUS --------------

For Further Light: http://www.coach.net/TCU.htm
 

-------------- CRAFT FAILURE --------------

-------------- PHILOSOPHY --------------


It's most unfortunate that some people characterize the Seven Liberal Arts & Sciences as the medieval equivalent of a Complete Education, which it certainly was not. It was not offered as a Complete Education at that time. It was offered as a required Foundation that made Further Serious Studies possible. In other words, the Seven Liberal Arts & Sciences was not considered Complete Education; it was considered the Basis of Further Learning.

 

 

 

-------------- BLAME --------------

 For Further Light: http://www.coach.net/TLG.htm

 

-------------- TRAVEL --------------


 For Further Light: 

-------------- FOLK LORE --------------

Task: Investigate what Gnomes Guard

-------------- PLUG --------------

 

 

Metaphors and allegories are verbal or visual vehicles designed to deliver underlying truths about ourselves and what we deal with. When you take such vehicles as factual rather than the truths they are intended to convey, you lose all insight into what they were intended to communicate and use them to pursue things that never existed.

-- The Craft Perfected! Actualizing Our Craft

 

 -------------- VIDEO BONUS --------------


-------------- END --------------

 Be Well and Travel Light!

-- Coach Nagy ;-)

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You can also find me on:

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Educational Materials can be found here:

 
 
 
 

 

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Sunday, November 29, 2020

Random Building Thoughts - 2020-11-29

 

 


-------------- HUMOR --------------


 
Apparently, this is not a problem in some jurisdictions!
 
 -------------- COACH'S CHALLENGE --------------
 
Your candidates are interested in what Allegories offer. They want to discuss its more subtle qualities . Your WM is delighted to hear this and believes this is a suitable discourse to engage in with them and even the entire lodge. You are asked to lead a discussion on this topic. You accept and prepare for it immediately.

YOUR TASKS:

1) Develop a list of words and definitions related to this topic, including the following: Allegory, metaphor, parable, analogy, simile, symbol, mark, character, image, figure, sign, emblem, totem, token, crest, badge, device, insignia, stamp, seal, heraldic device, coat of arms, shield, logo, trademark, brand and anything else related that you come across.
2) Provide examples of each.
3) Provide examples where something is classified in multiple categories and explain how and why this occurs.

-------------- MIXED MEANINGS --------------

-------------- THE JOB --------------

-------------- THE QUESTION --------------

 -------------- WARM MEMORIES --------------

 
 
 
 
The New Brother study group has been proving this point. Br. John S Nagy is one of the brightest Lights on FaceBook. Follow him for more light in Masonry. -- Brother Mark Robson - November 29, 2015

 A Brother Asks: What should I keep in mind as I participate in Freemasonry?

 

 

 -------------- GOD --------------

-------------- ASSUMING --------------


-------------- TEASERS --------------
 
 

Chapter VI "The Mysteries", from The Craft Unmasked! 

Found here: http://www.coach.net/TCU.htm

 -------------- END --------------

 Be Well and Travel Light!

-- Coach Nagy ;-)

 PS: Subscribe to get daily notifications

You can also find me on:

https://mewe.com/i/john_snagy

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Educational Materials can be found here:

 
 
 
 

 

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A Brother Asks: Dealing with Bad Posters

 

A Brother Asks: What can we do to stop bad posters from dirtying our news feeds and group threads?

Coach: Here are the best practices for dealing with bad posters.

 

COACH'S RECOMMENDATION FOR ANYONE
UPSET ABOUT CERTAIN POSTERS...


WHEN ON YOUR NEWS FEED...

Just block them and move on!  It's your news feed!   

 

WHEN IN GROUPS...

FACT 1: Many groups have absentee owners who will not turn the group over to anyone else for proper stewardship.

FACT 2: Many groups have only a few moderators, all of whom are likely unpaid and  overworked. 

FACT 3: If you are a member of a group, remember: AS A MEMBER, IT IS YOUR GROUP TOO!

FACT 4: When YOU LEAVE a group due to bad posters, the BAD POSTERS WIN!

FACT 5: YOU CAN ONLY HELP the group by taking PROACTIVE ACTIONS! In other words: YOU HAVE POWER, USE IT!

If you want to help any group that has bad posters, start by personally blocking all those...

1) who are not following the rules

2) posting agendas that have nothing to do with the purpose of the group

3) who hijack threads for agendas that have nothing to do with the Original Posts

 Those who exhibit these behaviors are bad posters!

When you take these actions, eventually you will only see respectful, civil and considerate posters because:

1) Blocked posters cannot see or respond to your posts. What they cannot see or respond to, they cannot dirty with their responses.

2) You cannot see or respond to blocked posters. So anything that they do post, you will not have dirtying your feed.

 

THE NUTSHELL: IF YOU WANT TO HELP, BLOCK ALL THOSE WHO POST DIRT. Eventually you will no longer see dirt and your posts will no longer be sullied.

Please, help clean up all your group feeds and respond by blocking trash. Say goodbye to it by moving on.

BTW - You'd be helping the moderators of these groups as well and I am positive they would be grateful for your efforts.

DO NOT JUST COMPLAIN! TAKE ACTIONS THAT WILL HELP THE GROUP, THE MODERATORS, and YOU!!!!!!

AS A BONUS: When you post "BYE BYE" on their comments before you block them, you signal to your Brothers that they could do the same, thereby benefiting everyone.  It also signals the moderators that the poster is not benefiting the group as a whole and should be disciplined/blocked. That signal lets them know they too should take action for the benefit of the group.

Talk about EMPOWERING THE GROUP!!!!!

-- Coach John S Nagy  

PS - After posting this, I quickly identified two bad posters and treated them accordingly.

Is this censorship?

Absolutely! And for all the right reasons.

When posters break their social contract with you, they abuse you. They do this by not following the rules, by not honoring the intent of the post or group, and by not honoring the intent of your post. You have every right to distance yourself from their future abuse.

This abuse includes them shaming and guilting you with accusation of wrongful censorship.  This should be understood. They are by their very nature abusive and their abusive nature is to prevent you from stopping them from abusing you further. This is to be expected.

But don’t fall for it.  Discussing with them anything about the merits of blocking them is just another way for them to suck you into allowing them to further abuse you and others who see their posts.  There is no end to their game until you prevent them from using your posts to further their ends.

You do deserve to be treated better. You must believe this to take appropriate actions. That being said, bad posters will never agree to anything that prevents them from continuing to dirty threads.  

 

 



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Saturday, November 28, 2020

Random Building Thoughts - 2020-11-28

 

 -------------- HUMOR --------------

Do you see a content child or,
based upon social indoctrination,
you see far more than what is offered? 
----
If you cannot see the best of intentions in what is offered to you by your Brothers,
how do you think your un-subdued judgements of their best efforts to offer you humor
is going to train them to treat you as judgmentally in return?

Or

Would you prefer stripping it down like this?

Of course, the moment you allow your freedom of expression to be tempered by those who choose to have their freedom of interpretation to be imposed upon and to override everything you do, you then open up the door to further attacks, restrictions, censorship and restraints.

AND, there will be no end to it once you open that door.
 

 -------------- COACH'S CHALLENGE --------------

It seems the unimaginable has happened. The candidates in your charge have gotten a hold of some anti-freemasonic literature. They are asking about the differences between "religion" and "religious" and how it applies to Freemasonry. Your WM got wind of this (some how), is concerned and has put you to task to address this issue in a professional and informative manner.

Your Task:

1) Clearly research the differences between the words "religion" and "religious", carefully denoting their definitions and specific manners of use.
2) Draw clear distinctions between the two words and prepare sufficiently to present applicable examples of each where the other word is clearly not applicable.
3) Create a presentation for these and future candidates explaining how this information applies to Freemasonry.

 -------------- CREDIBILITY --------------

-------------- INSIGHT --------------

-------------- GRATITUDE --------------

 -------------- MEANING --------------

For Further Light:

-------------- ROOTS --------------

 For further Light: http://www.coach.net/TCU.htm

-------------- HISTORY --------------

-------------- END --------------

 Be Well and Travel Light!

-- Coach Nagy ;-)

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You can also find me on:

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Educational Materials can be found here:

 
 
 
 

 

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Friday, November 27, 2020

Random Building Thoughts - 2020-11-27

 

-------------- HUMOR --------------

(Hat Tip to Bro. Thomas Hamilton)
 

-------------- OLD STUFF --------------

-------------- COACH'S CHALLENGE --------------

The candidates are getting restless once again. They were very disappointed that they were not told before their initiation that they were to be setting foot on sacred ground during the ceremony. You find yourself scratching your head and wondering why they are making such a big deal about it.

Your Task:
1) Research Scripture for anything that denotes Solomon's Temple as being holy ground and write down each section you find.
2) Explain each passage's validity as to the claim that the ground is sacred and what difference this knowledge should make toward candidates' ritual experiences.
3) Justify either informing or not informing candidates before their ritual experience as to their treading upon sacred soil during ritual.

-------------- METAPHYSICS --------------

-------------- PRIORITIES --------------


  <sigh> ...and then there are those of us who seek and find Light and write those books that these Freemasons will never seek...

-------------- MYTHOLOGY --------------

"It has always been the prime function of mythology and rite to supply the symbols that carry the human spirit forward, in counteraction to those constant human fantasies that tend to tie it back. In fact, it may well be that the very high incidence of neuroticism among ourselves follows from the decline among us of such effective spiritual aid."
- Joseph Campbell, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" (Third edition copyright © 2008 Joseph Campbell Foundation), p.7

 

-------------- VISION --------------

-------------- PSA FOR THE DAY --------------


-------------- THE MOMENT --------------


 Furthermore, the moment you blame them is the moment you become responsible for taking your life in new directions.

-------------- NO FURTHER THOUGHT --------------

 
FOR FURTHER LIGHT:  https://buildinghiram.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-brother-asks-freethought-and-education.html

-------------- TESTIMONIAL --------------

Coach, We (lodges in NW, CO), have put on a handful of EA degrees over the summer. I'm guessing I'll be called upon soon to conduct these Brothers up a flight of winding stairs. These will be the first times that I give the lecture since reading "Building Athens". Thanks to you, it will be a different experience for ME this time! You have added many new layers of understanding of it for me and I'm anxious to start "shining it up" with a new and extra perspective. And about "Athens"..........this is weird...I went to Ohio U in Athens, and majored in Interpersonal Communication (Speech Communication, Persuasion, etc). Minor in Sociology. Just an observation..but ironic nonetheless.  

-- David Moran to John S Nagy -November 27, 2011 at 2:58 AM

 

 

-------------- END --------------

 Be Well and Travel Light!

-- Coach Nagy ;-)

 PS: Subscribe to get daily notifications

You can also find me on:

https://mewe.com/i/john_snagy

https://parler.com/profile/JohnSNagy

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Educational Materials can be found here:

 
 
 
 

 

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