FILED UNDER: How To Spot A Cowan

 

Good Day Fellow Traveler!

Our fraternity offers Light to it's members.  We do this through ritual instruction and proficiencies.

Even with this offering, there are many Brothers who do not have the slightest idea how to practically apply the light our Craft offers to them.  

A case in point could be easily made with the Light surrounding our collective understanding of Cowans.  Sure, most members can spout off the Craft dogma about them if asked.  Some of that dogma might actually sound good to the ignorant listener; like, Cowans are pretenders to the Craft or are non-members who pretend to be members to get our secrets.  These are great to respond to, but they do not go into detail as to how to spot them, much less handle them once you spot them.

We know they are pretending for a specific reason - they want our "secrets!"   However, we should know that these individuals, try as they may, will never get our secrets.  This is because every one of our secrets is an internalized discipline that cannot be obtained in any other way then Working diligently upon ourselves to develop them.  Such secrets cannot be handed over!

Sure, they can find out what they believe to be our modes of recognition. But even these modes are symbolic and they only reflect the internalized disciplines that can only be recognized by those who have them. Those who do not have these internalized disciplines are blind to them.

So, this raises a question. How does one apply this Light?  More specifically, when it comes to practical every day interactions with others, how exactly does one pick up on and apply the Light this organization offers and do it in such a way as to be able to deal effectively with a Cowan should one cross our path?

Here's a typical example of a Cowan interacting with a Brother.  The Cowan's behavior drips with shoddy work, slipshod thinking, and heartless justifications.

In other words, their very behavior betrays them.

 Sound familiar?

 Enjoy!

 Coach Nagy

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Cowan (sharing this statement in a meme):  Freemasonry is a completely tolerant organization.

Coach:  hmm... not really... Freemasonry does not tolerate the following:

1. Immorality

2. Unmasonic behavior

3. Evesdroppers

4. Cowans

5. Ruffians (Remember what KS ordered be done to them?)

6. NPDs

7. Disrespect to or ignoring of its traditions & etiquette

8. Atheists!

9. Libertines!

10. Nonage!

11. Fools!

12. Non-believers!

And this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface on having illicit intercourse.

So, go ahead, change my mind...

Cowan:  Well, opinions among Freemasons are divided. [1]

Coach: That’s a red herring. The issue is not about opinions among Freemasons. The issue is the statement that you yourself made about Freemasonry as an organization. It is clearly wrong.

Cowan: But some would consider the phrase "Freemasonry is a completely tolerant organization" to be true.  For example, the Dallas Freemasons. [2]

Coach: “Some”?!  That’s a purposefully vague claim offered in an effort to divert attention from the point. Your statement is clearly false and any offered logical fallacy based excuse used to justify your original statement is bogus specifics. The statement that you originally made is clearly wrong on far too many levels and points.

Furthermore, it’s clear now from your shared website link that you have actually stolen the statement from someone else’s  website and have presented it out of context as an ideal, with no attribution, as your own, and unsupported by its original surrounding text.

This action is both misleading to those who were not privy to the source material and is an example of plagiarism since you have presented the statement as your own and have not given credit where it is actually due.

That would also make it a clear violation of at least one of Freemasonry’s many obligations.

Cowan: I guess this is about a possible lack of tolerance towards those who think differently, not towards those who act unethically. [3]

Coach: No. Your “guess” is not even in the ballpark. You’re offering up yet another red herring to excuse your unethical behavior.  It is NOT about those who think differently.  It is clearly about those who think and act unethically; much as you have done here by your posted comment.

Freemasonic organizations clearly DO NOT tolerate unethical behavior; at least, not the legitimate ones.

Cowan:  The big question is how to wisely distinguish between the two, with distance from the limited nature of our power to judge... [4]

Coach: Strike four... "The big question"?!?!? Yet another red herring put forth to distract from the fact that you reposted a stolen and clearly wrong generalization out of context as you own.  

Perhaps “the big question” is offered up from you to distract rather than address your behavior and character. Grand Lodges, and those members who are part of them, would disagree with your claim and your subsequent behavior!   

Thinking differently is not the issue; thinking and acting unethically is.   

And if you truly believe that our power to judge is somehow too limited, then you missed the entire point of one of Freemasonry’s  most important Charges. We ARE to judge our Brothers. those pre-masons who would knock upon our doors, and those who would pretend to be one of the Craft!

It’s pretty clear you got caught with your pants down on this one and have tried unsuccessfully to justify your bad behavior and cover the fact that you clearly do not know what you are talking about.  

Moreover, your comments would embarrass even a sophist, had they been your trainer. Your justifications are poorly constructed excuses that have noting to do with what you did, what you are doing, and who you are at your core.

Furthermore, if you are indeed a Fellow of the Craft, your behavior is an embarrassment to your Brothers.

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Coach's Notes:

How did I know this poster is a Cowan?

1. He (re)posted things he didn't understand.
2. He didn't square his work.
3. He didn't use cement in what he built.
4. He had holes in all his arguments.
5. He did much to avoid addressing items 1 through 4. 
   

It really isn't about these people getting into the lodge. It's about these people getting into your life!

 [1] Offering an issue-redirection strategy. (Red Herring)

[2] Logical Fallacy - Appeal to authority & stolen work

[3] Offering an issue-redirection strategy. (Red Herring)

[4] Offering an issue-redirection strategy. (Red Herring)

 

Cracking Ritual

“The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.” 
– Obadiah 1:3-4 (AKJV)

How subtle Ritual truly is.  Its soft embrace cleverly disguises many nuances unseen by those who seek them not.  Returning its embrace often brings forth Light hidden by the Shadows of Ignorance.  Seek it and you shall Find wonders.

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Sometimes it’s the little things that go unnoticed, until they begin to irritate you.  This occurred recently when I was tickled in a most annoying way by the phrase, “cleft of the rocks”.  I didn’t know why it kept fluttering under my nose, but it was clear that it was not going away on its own. 

After numerous unwanted assaults, I finally took a mindful notice of it and grabbed hold.  As I did, I was reminded that I was a Mason and I Work on Rocks.  This hard reminder compelled me to look up the word, “cleft[1]” to obtain a more solid understanding. I’m glad I did!

Upon its examination, I connected further to subtle Allusions within Ritual. There was the obvious connection to the Ruffians that were found hiding in the cleft of the rocks.  There was another one to the hollows where our heels find solace as we progress from candidate to Master but no more once there!  There was also the not so common connection to the now obsolete meaning of the word, “cowan”, that meant at one time “hollow, gap, crevice, indent or hole”.

The matter continued to roll around within my mind as I found more associated Allusions and connections.    When I laid each of them out upon my working slab, I had a profound insight.  These Allusions point to Unfinished Work! 

Masons are told that specific Work must be Completed to Achieve Mastery.  That Work is clearly pointed toward by Ritual (but is not the Ritual itself.)  Even the Third Degree Allegory directs us back to Completing that Work.  This Allegory also warns us about making any effort to dismiss any of Work.  Ritual also tells us through Allusion that, when our Work remains unfinished, our Word’s Value is ripped from us, our Desires become fodder for beasts and fowl and our very Being is Torn in Two differing Directions; Allusions and Warnings that few Brothers glean initially.   

But do all Brothers heed such warnings?  Many don’t.  Ritual tells us how to recognize them though. Their very looks betray them!  How?  Let’s review this!

It tells us that we can Recognize Cowanistic Brothers[2] by their unfinished Work. 

1) The cowans of their feet are only used as resting places for heals that have yet to walk the path. 

2) You’ll always see gaps in their Work. 

It is not their concern though.  They remain complacent to Progress no further and to receive less for unfinished Work.

It also tells us that Ruffian Brothers are quite a different matter. 

1) They desperately want what they have yet to earn. 

2) They feel entitled to more and attempt to dishonestly receive it but are unwilling to legitimately Work for it. 

3) Their Ashlars are wholly divided.  Their entire being is “Severed in Twain!”  Recognize them by their arrogance but more so by the cleft in their Ashlars, where you shall find their true selves hiding.

It’s truly amazing the insights you can glean when you take a crack at probing what irritates you.  Sometimes you get to view new holes.  Every time though, you get whole new views!

Points to Perpend:

1. What have you yet to Pursue?
2. How does this Affect you and others?
3. What can you Do about this?

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[1] Cleft (noun) – a fissure, rift, break or split; a deep division between two parts of the body.

[2] Brothers who remain complacent with their unsquared Ashlars and untempered Cement.