A Brother Asks: What's Preventing what was Intended?

 

 

A Brother Asks: What's missing that prevents freemasonry from being what it was intended to be?

Coach: Its value behind the membership.

 

Brother: Value?  You mean, membership in the fraternity doesn't have the value it could?

Coach: Yes. Think about the focus of most all the activities my Brother, and do so as if it were a theatrical troop.

Brother: Okay, that's tough.

Coach: Yes, it can be, but try anyway.

Brother:  Okay, I can see immediately that the whole of its membership is too focused on putting on the play...

 

Coach: And?

Brother: And also maintaining the theater...

Coach: And?

Brother: And supporting the prop departments...

Coach: What is there not enough focus upon?

Brother: Well, for one, there's not enough building of each actor's heart...

Coach: And?

Brother: Or building their minds...

Coach: And?

Brother: Or building their skills toward living better lives outside the theater. 

Coach:  So, what occurs when members realize all this?

Brother: Members won't invest in any façade very long after they realize there's nothing backing it.

Coach: Why?

 

Brother: Because there's no value in it for them.

 

Coach: So, back to the original question...

Brother: What's missing that prevents Freemasonry from being what it was intended to be?

Coach: Yes.  What do you see missing that prevents Freemasonry from being what it was intended to be?

Brother: Well, looking back at the conversation and the metaphors being used, I'd have to say that there's nothing behind the curtain.

 

Coach: So, no substance?

 

Brother: Yes.  No substance!

 

Coach: If substance was added, and done so in a way to bring value to those playing along, would that contribute well to what Freemasonry was intended to be?

Brother: I'd have to say, "yes" to that.

Coach: At first glance, I would as well.

 

Brother: Okay, you've set me up.

 

Coach: How so?

 

Brother: You said, "at first glance...". That means you have a second glance and hence another consideration.

 

Coach: Indeed!

 

Brother: Well?

 

Coach: Well what?

Brother: I know well enough you're wanting me to ask what that second glance is.

 

Coach: Nice catch!

 

Brother: You're stalling.  Spit it out Coach.

 

Coach: Well, okay.  If you insist.

 

Brother: I do!

 

Coach: What do you think Freemasonry was intended to be?

 

Brother: Boom!  There it is!

 

Coach: Okay, who's stalling now?

 

Brother: Sure, I'll bite...

 

Coach: Good, go for it.

 

Brother: From what I see, it was intended to introduce men to opportunities to improve.

 

Coach: And?

 

Brother: And show them a path they can take to bring about those improvements.

 

Coach: And?

 

Brother: And give them opportunity to examine their morality, values, and choices.

 

Coach: What if members don't want to take advantage of these opportunities?

 

Brother: Then there would not be value in these opportunities for the members.

 

Coach: So, what you are saying is that the value the organization offers to its members is opportunities?

 

Brother: Yes.  I guess I am.

 

Coach: What do you think is the best way for an organization to offer opportunities to people who may or many not want to improve?

 

Brother: Ummm... perhaps get them involved in acting out activities that point them toward improvement opportunities coupled with shining spotlights on those who can improve?

 

Coach: You mean, like putting on morality plays where the focus is upon individuals who are coached through these plays with prompts and props making sure they are saying all the right things, doing all the right things and committing to do all the right things into the future?

 

Brother: You have a long way of going about saying the obvious.

 

Coach: Sometimes you have to walk through it before you can see it Bro.

 

Brother: Yep.  Thanks for the tour. 

 

Coach: You're most welcome.

 

Brother: So, the value is already there. 

 

Coach: Yes.

 

Brother: But it's the member's responsibility to take advantage of the opportunities and to make the best of them.

 

Coach: That's what I've concluded. 

 

Brother: So, your telling me that Freemasonry was intended to be a play ground?

 

Coach: Yes.  One that offers opportunities for improvement, pointing continuously toward what needs to be improved and directs its plays toward how a masterful player manifests when these opportunities are engaged in.

 

Brother: I see a lot of value in that.

 

Coach: Me too.

 

Brother: So, this elusive "substance" missing behind the curtain is not missing at all and has been there all along?

 

Coach: Yes, and?

 

Brother: And it can only be found in taking advantage of the opportunities?

 

Coach: Not found...

 

Brother: Not found?

 

Coach: Yes.  Not found!

Brother: Then how does it occur?

Coach: Great question!

 

Brother: Is this for dramatic affect?

Coach: But of course!

 

Brother:  Okay, I'll upstage you on this one.

 

Coach: Good!  Tell me then.

 

Brother: It's not found, it's created!

 

Coach: How?

 

Brother: Through masterful performance!

 

Coach: Bravo!  It's manifested only when the performers take time to perfect their Craft, acting better each time they engage in life, not just the plays put on within lodge rooms.

 

Brother: So, your telling me lodge rooms are staging areas that help prepare those who engage in its activities to better engage in life?

 

Coach: It can be.  But one must engage in these activities with that in mind.

 

Brother: Okay, that makes so much sense.

 

Coach: I had hopes it would.

 

Brother: So, the only thing that is preventing Freemasonry from being what it is intended to be is engaging in its activities without any intent to improve?

 

Coach: I'd say that is a fair assessment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Lodge Givin' the Bird... NOT!

Gobbler Gulch – In a long awaited, albeit “belated” for Thanksgiving, announcement made for the Grand Lodge by the Organization's Supreme Commander of Festivities, it was made quite clear that the society, known for its generosity, good will and charity, was continuing its long standing policy of not giving away any of its turkeys this Thanksgiving season. 

“We had to take a strong stand and not allow our much loved Craft turkeys to be subjected to any more basting than we ourselves would do to them,” said Grand Line officer Brother Chick N. Hider.  “After all, they're like family.”

The news was received badly and much to the chagrin of many of its outstanding and much involved members. “We can’t just sit still and allow so many of our turkeys to remain in safe harbor”, complained long time member Bro. Chop M. Wellman.  “We coddle them far too much and for far too long”. He shook his head and added, “And we do so in ways that prevent them from suffering what nature truly intended for them.”

Brother Char N. Smokem agreed and added, “These birds are definitely not part of our society, no matter how we want to label and treat them."  He continued, "They deserve a roasting befit them.  What's more, there are plenty of Brothers who would gladly volunteer to dress them down if given half the chance.”

“We could definitely afford to let go of a lot more turkeys than we do”, sneered one past master, who asked not to be identified. “The Craft suffers far too much for allowing so many of these Craft turkeys to go uncut for far too long.”

When asked if any changes to the Craft turkey policy should include additional considerations, Brother Burn Oinkment had this to say, “We considered swapping some of the Craft turkeys out with our lesser talented Craft hams in our holiday give away plans, but we honestly got overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of possibilities.”

It was expressed by many of those present at the announcement that the Grand Lodge itself needs to step in and make a significant change to the society’s well-established turkey policies. 

Unfortunately, most of the Brothers who have already made earnest effort to do so where themselves summarily divested and in ways that not even turkeys should suffer. 

For more about this egregious turkey situation, please contact the appropriate parties and ask about “Turkeygate”.

Fraternally and Sincerely,

Brother John S. Nagy

 

A Brother (?) Asks... What are the consequences of being something you're not?

 

A Brother(?) Asks: If you are not a freemason and you going around wearing a freemason pendant, what are the consequences of being something you're not?

My Response: First off, you're not being something you're not.  You're presenting yourself to be something you're not.  There is a difference. I shall take it though by your zinger question that the reason for wearing the pendant is to hold yourself out as something you are not and that the wearing of such an item is for that sole purpose.

In your stated case, it's like anything else that you do in life where you put yourself out there as one thing when you are truly something else, you'll eventually be shown for who you are (and aren't) by those who are what you are not.   

And this is not limited to wearing things physical.  This includes unearned titles that you might be tempted to wear, knowing full well that, in spite of what you are told by others who do the same, you should not be wearing because you truly do not represent what the title denotes. 

And no matter what the case, other than this inevitable and totally avoidable embarrassment, you can expect a lot of awkward interactions and discourse with those individuals who may push the boundaries of sanity and civility due to their heavily biased indoctrination and untempered zeal.  Trust me, once you experience this, it's not something that you will want to repeat, ever!

Of course, you might take such a deliberate action and you might impress those who don't know any better, at least for a little while.  You can be assured that the eventual confrontations to which you'll eventually subject yourself will far outweigh any benefits you might believe you'll receive as a result of your actions.

I've responded to your question. Now I have questions for you to respond to in kind:

1. Do you truly believe such actions and the eventual and unavoidable embarrassment and awkward discourse that one will wrought are truly worth the effort?
2. What perceived emotional benefit drives someone toward even considering such an action?
3. What's missing in anyone's life that would bring such an action to mind?

What Say You?

 

F&S,

 

Brother John S. Nagy