A Brother Asks: Civility War

 

A Brother Asks*:  Coach!  Sometimes a question enters my head that I can't clear.  

Coach: I can so relate.  What's up?

Brother: I wonder about the formation of our nation and the dynamic that must have existed between our ancestors who wanted to leave England, and those who considered us traitors.

Coach: You're not alone. The simple response that I have toward this is that they were responding to traitors within the government that they were under. This government did not honor them as citizens.  The governing body of men were traitors to the relationship with their citizens first.

Hence the citizen's response was to get a divorce. The citizens rebelled by leaving the relationship and did so justly by declaring themselves independent from that established disrespectful government.

Brother: I'm going to focus on Freemasonry.  We know there had to be Brothers in both camps.  Do you think they just agreed to disagree, or did they actively work against each other?

Coach: If you have ever read the Federalist Papers and read through the accounts of the interaction played out by members who put together the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, they were verbally at each other's throats. But they did work together to do what was necessary to establish a new government.

Brother: Let's bring that situation to present day.  There is a very good reason why we don't discuss politics in lodge. 

Coach: Yes, there is.  It's because having such discussions is not the purpose of the Lodge experience. It never was the purpose and should never be the purpose!

We as members are charged to install roadmaps into our members that, when followed, can mature and bring about mastery for the soul that follows them.

As a fraternity, we do help new members install those maps. However, we do not as a unified body of men encourage following them.

This is all that we can do currently and, as a result, getting immature and unmasterful souls to engage in anything like talking politics-religion would be out of both the purpose and the scope of our general member's true abilities. Talking politics (or religion) in lodge is simply beyond the general membership's abilities. And this is all the more reason not to engage in it, even though it is not our purpose.

Brother: If we each knew where the other stood, it would have a dividing effect.  

Coach: This is only when one or more parties are hostile, uncivil, disrespectful, and/or inconsiderate toward the others. I have many masonic relationships with those who do not hold my views as dearly as I do. We have absolutely no problems or troubles because we are cordial, civil, respectful, and considerate of each other.

However, I have blocked Brothers who were purposefully hostile, uncivil, disrespectful, and/or inconsiderate toward me and others online. We still are friendly in Lodge, but they are no longer part of my online life. And this is as it should be!

Brother: However, it's pretty easy to discern the likelihood of opinion, based on statements, actions, and simple associations. If it ever came to a form of Civil War, in the USA - how do you think that might manifest itself in our ranks?

Coach: If you have members who are hostile, uncivil, disrespectful, and/or inconsiderate of others, they will be treated accordingly. If you have members who are cordial, civil, respectful, and considerate of each other, you know, being mature and well-informed about the things that cause challenges, problems, and troubles in discourse and lodge activities, it'll be business as usual, at least, as it relates to the Lodge experience.

Brother: This is rhetorical, just something to think about.  

Coach: And well-worthwhile discussing since it is always a possibility on every scale!

Brother: We don't need to out each other, nor do we need specifics. 

Coach: But of course!

Brother: I'm speaking in generalities.  

Coach: As you should!

Brother: This might be something worth exploring in our own minds, and hearts - because I see all the signs of it heading in that direction. 

Coach: I agree.

Brother: Whether it gets there, or not, will be largely dependent upon how we, as a society, react - and more importantly, whether or not we, as an organization take a leadership role. 

Coach: All the more reason we should be both installing these maps in every member and encouraging and supporting the maturing of our membership so that they can Work toward mastery, rather than just making more members.

* shared  in this way with permission of the Brother!

A Brother Asks: Proscribing Religion & Politics

Brother: Why are religion and politics not permitted in Lodges?
Coach: Why do you think they’re proscribed?

Brother: It causes a giant chasm between Brothers.
Coach: So, division?

Brother: Yes, they’re divisive topics.
Coach: I'll have to respectfully disagree then.

Brother: Why's that?
Coach: My experience has been that mature, respectful and civil souls have no problem at all discussing such things.

Brother: Then what type of member does have a problem?
Coach: Immature, disrespectful and uncivil ones. They absolutely have a problem discussing these topics.

Brother: Why is this?
Coach: They have not done the Work that enables them to easily subdue their passions and to keep their desires within due bounds. They’ve not brought Order to the Chaos of their hearts or minds. These members are divided within themselves, literally severed in two or more directions. These inner divisions show up as discordant conversations with others when they begin talking. It’s quite disturbing to be involved with such souls, especially when they’re passions are flowing all over the place and impacting others.

Brother: Okay, I agree with all this. However, that implies the reason we don't talk religion or politics in Lodge is that we know there will be uncivil people there.
Coach: And your point is?

Brother: The purpose for not talking religion or politics is to maintain civility.
Coach: Can I offer another reason?

Brother: Please do.
Coach: The purpose for not talking religion or politics is that it reveals the symptoms of immaturity, disrespect and incivility in those who have not done the Work. The proscription is meant to mitigate Lodge situations where these characteristics are present in those who have yet to do the Work. And by virtue of having new members who have yet to do this very important and crucial Work, you will have these characteristics present.

Brother: In other words, the lodge is full of immature, disrespectful, and uncivil men?
Coach: No. The lodge, by virtue of bringing new members in, contains them; more in some than others. The proscription is there to assure that even when the Lodge has these elements, they are less likely to interfere with the work to be done.

Brother: Again, I agree.
Coach: Thanks! Why are you pursuing this line of thinking?

Brother: I'm noticing a ton of division in online discussions right now, even to the point of Brothers being called "unmasonic" for expressing their religious or political ideas.
Coach: And you'll notice the cause of all this behavior is not politics or religion begin discussed. The disharmony is caused by immaturity, disrespect and incivility. In other words, it is the “Ruffians” in the mix that cause the descent, not the Master Masons who have cultivated maturity, respect and civility for themselves and others.

Brother: Agreed. Ruffians love their opinions and love to attack those who don’t share them.
Coach: Ruffians by their very nature are undisciplined. They have not done the necessary Work to build their inner temples. As a result of this lack of cultivation, their performance suffers, especially when their passions and desires are involved. They have natural deficits in dealing with others. They are immature. They are disrespectful. They are uncivil.

Brother: This makes so much sense.
Coach: Thanks! So, you understand now why Lodges proscribe such conversations?

Brother: Yes. It allows Brothers to interact on topics that are less likely to have their uncircumscribed desires and unsubdued passions interfere.
Coach: Exactly! The rule helps them work upon conversations that have less complicated issues and focus with the hope they will take the skills they need to develop and hone in Lodge out into the world.

Brother: And when they don’t take the time to do this import and crucial Work?
Coach: You end up blocking them within your on line activities.

Brother: Why?
Coach: Because they’re so immature, disrespectful and uncivil that they'll mess up, redirect and ultimately hijack for their purposes any worthwhile thread that you make effort to create.  That's how damaging their internal baggage actually is to others when they have yet to subdue and circumscribe it.

Brother: Ah!  Back to doing the internal Work.
Coach: Mastery starts there my Brother.  Without it, nothing you say can be taken seriously.

Brother: And if your word cannot be trusted, it might as well be taken out and disposed of.
Coach: Yep.  Without the proper circumscription and subduing, your word are going to cause more harm than good, especially when your desires and passions are fully engaged.  

Brother: Hence the proscription.
Coach: Indeed!