I know some of you don't like it when I talk about Christianity. If you're one of them, here's a choice of exit links for you: the Southern Baptist Convention's website, or the Roman Catholics' Vatican website. Pick your poison.No, seriously. If Christianity is your sacred cow, stop reading now. I'm about to throw a little leftover Memorial Day hamburger on the grill.
It becomes more and more obvious to me that there must be something inherently wrong with a belief-system that generates this kind of madness and mayhem.
First case in point: A 19-year old man in the Texas Bible-belt microwaved his infant daughter. His wife, who is standing by him, said "the devil made him do it" to keep him from becoming a preacher.
Second case in point: Jack Chick. This guy has to be one of the nuttiest Christians ever. A hate-filled "loving" Christian, he's been producing sicko Christian tracts for what seems like forever, bashing every faith and belief other than his own warped view of Christianity. Michael at Full in Bull was discussing his tracts, and said that when he was in college he and his friends voted "The Last Generation" as the most ridiculous Jack Chick tract of all. I haven't read (and won't) all of Chick's tracts, but I remember laughing at them even as a kid. The theme that runs through Chick's pamphlets is fear. Fear and love are opposites; you can't use fear to send someone running into the loving arms of Jesus.
Point the third: Several weeks ago I wrote about a Mason-basher I'd discovered on the MySpace knock-off site YourChristianSpace.com. I set up an account there, and poked around through the weeds. It didn't take long to find the rantings of a 15-year-old girl aglow with Christian compassion. In the bulletin section, where everyone was sure to see it, was her breathless exhortation: "Please!!!! Everyone!!! YOU MUST SEE THIS VIDEO!!!" On her page was embedded the warped little movie you'll find at the bottom of this post, titled "Letter from Hell."
Her webspace indicated she'd been "born again" at the age of six, which means she has been inculcated — brainwashed if you will — into an evangelical form of the world's largest cult for nine years. Is this the kind of thing an otherwise intelligent youngster should have on her mind? Worrying that she will be responsible for someone else going to hell if she doesn't proselytize on a daily basis? I can't even imagine the nightmares this woman-child must have, and the neuroses she'll carry into adulthood.
Sunday an old friend contacted me, wanting to ask my advice on a personal matter. We hadn't spoken in a long time. She is a woman I dated briefly several years ago. We didn't go the romantic route, but became friends. As divorced people are apt to do, we talked a lot about our marriages.
Saturday night her oldest daughter, age 21, broke up with her longtime boyfriend. Her daughter is a sweet, decent, happy, deeply spiritual but not conventionally religious, outgoing young college student who is active in liberal causes. Her boyfriend of seven years ( ! ) had been a rowdy, alcohol-and-drug-abusing going-nowhere punk.
When her daughter got home Saturday night, she had a daughter-to-mother cry, and told her mom things she hadn't heard before.
About a year ago, she was told Saturday night, the boyfriend had "date-raped" her daughter. After that, he used the excuse that since they'd already had sex, they should continue. The daughter said she went along with it, but found it "messy" at best, saying it "did nothing for her."
It gets worse.
Somewhere along the way this otherwise rational young women had picked up this self-judgmental belief system: That she is ruined, and can never marry anyone else because she's had sex. She can't "give herself" to another man as a "pure woman." She's also disgusted by the idea of ever having sex with a man who has been with another woman.
It's not about disease, or safe sex, or any reason remotely rational. It's a warped idea about self-worth, and not an idea, I'm guessing, she came up with without some external stimulus.
My friend was bewildered at her daughter's attitude, because it is not something the daughter learned from the mother. Her other two, younger daughters, do not share the same attitude, either.
While talking to my friend, I remembered our long-ago discussions about her ex-husband. He had considered himself to be deeply religious. He carried a Bible with him everywhere he went. I hate to admit this, but he was also a Freemason. (I do not know him, and his lodge is at least 150 miles away from me.) Whenever anyone asked about Masonry, he said he'd be killed if he spoke even a word about it. He was also a heavy drinker, and would tell you all about Masonry when he drank.
He strongly believed women should not experience sexual pleasure, that it was all for the man, and that women should be punished if they felt desire or responded to desire.
He was a sometime violent and very controlling man, she said.
My meager contribution to the conversation was to simply ask if her ex-husband, the father of the daughter, could have been the source of the daughter's skewed self image, and whether her seven-year attraction to her equally controlling, "screwed-up" boyfriend could have been an attempt to use him as a replacement father-figure.
My friend, who had put her ex-husband out of mind for years (he seldom sees his children) was shocked, not that I had asked, but that I was probably right.
Needless to say, her reaction opened up issues better left unmentioned here.
My point is this: There is something about religion that makes some people crazy. It's not just Christians; it's readily apparent in Islam, too. The zealotry and the better-that-thou attitudes taught by religions set up in followers the psychological need to convert others to their way of thinking, by physical force or mental intimidation, or both, if necessary. It creates an us-versus-them mentality, where the "us" are more righteous than the "heathens" who don't follow the same religious belief system. Often religious people even squabble with their own kind, who happen to believe only slightly differently; Protestants vs. Catholics, for example, or consider the hatred between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Religions have set themselves up as moral authorities which push its adherents to want to be judge and jury on private matters, like sex, or alcohol consumption, or the subjugation of women, or how many times you pray and what compass direction you bow towards. And religions have fostered beliefs in some odd, superstitious things, too, like Hell and Satan and that dead people can get up and walk out of their graves.
Just as Masons congregate on this blog and elsewhere to discuss the changes needed in Freemasonry, and debate what is the real point of Freemasonry and how best to get back to it, so too should Christians discuss and get back to — soon, I hope — the whole point of Christianity.
Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God, and the second to love your neighbor. He didn't say anything about judging them, or killing them, or treating your wife badly, or making your kids a bit crazy with bizarre attitudes about sex or fears of Hell.
I'm pretty sure Jesus wouldn't approve of his followers microwaving babies, either.
Masons | Masonic Trial | Small Town Freemasonry | Freemasonry | Grand Lodge of Georgia | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com
WS writes:
ReplyDelete> There is something about religion that makes some people crazy.... The zealotry and the better-that-thou attitudes taught by religions set up in followers the psychological need to convert others to their way of thinking, by physical force or mental intimidation, or both, if necessary. It creates an us-versus-them mentality, where the "us" are more righteous than the "heathens" who don't follow the same religious belief system.... Religions have set themselves up as moral authorities which push its adherents to want to be judge and jury on private matters, like sex, or alcohol consumption, or the subjugation of women, or how many times you pray and what compass direction you bow towards.
Substitute "FREEMASONRY" for "religion" in the text above, and see how uncomfortable the comparison becomes:
"There is something about FREEMASONRY that makes some people crazy.... The zealotry and the better-that-thou attitudes taught by MASONRY, set up in followers the psychological need to convert others to their way of thinking... FREEMASONRY creates an us-versus-them mentality, where the "BRETHREN" are more righteous than the "PROFANE" who don't follow the same MASONIC belief system.... MASONS have set themselves up as moral authorities which push adherents to want to be judge and jury on private matters, like sex, or alcohol consumption, or the subjugation of women, or how many times you pray and what compass direction you bow towards."
Although Masonry claims to "unite" men under the bonds of fraternity, in a much greater sense, it actually divides and separates its initiates from the rest of the world.
As new Masons are taught to perceive strangers as "brothers," they're also taught to perceive the world outside the lodge as "profane." Knowingly or unknowingly, the "beautiful system of morality" thereby instills an aire of superiority, and many Masons come to view the lodge as the most important element in their lives -- more important than their families, churches, or community responsibilities, etc.
As a specific example, I once heard a member of the Grand Line in my state, who's a "born again Christian" and a lifelong Southern Baptist, remark to a fellow Baptist Mason that if the Southern Baptist Convention ever voted to restrict Masonic membership, he'd resign his church affiliation. The other Mason said he'd do the same, which to me indicates that those men hold greater esteem for Masonry than they do for their church.
Like Christianity, or Islam, or anything else, Freemasonry can be (and frequently is) taken to extremes. Unfortunately, people who take it to such extremes, seldom realize what they're doing, and just like alcoholics and drug addicts, they believe they're in complete control, even when they clearly aren't.
"Freemasonry" alludes to "freedom," but there's really nothing "free" about it. Those who really want to live free, must free their mind, body, and spirit from all forms of servitude. Bow down to no man, and make no man bow down to you, but meet all on the absolute level of equality. If any man demands otherwise, and you willingly submit, you're surrendering the freedom that's been secured for you with the blood of those who were wiser, and infinitely more courageous. You're on your way back to bondage.
This is truly a frightening commentary on our society. As you so aptly point out, fear can't send a man or woman running to the loving arms of Jesus; moreover, Christianity shouldn't be fire insurance nor should it excuse bombing abortion clinics, microwaving children, drowning toddlers, and warping the minds of very young adult women.
ReplyDeleteOk then, so in the instance of the movie, the kid that DIDN'T tell the other about JESUS, would he still end up going to Hell for not saying anything, or is it just the bitter letter from someone who already knew about JESUS, blaming someone else for their own apparent failing.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that is the better point with the fundamental evangelicals of Christianity, Islam, Hindu, so on... They look to others to blame their faiths failing. The control comes from guilt and control through guilt. It reminds me of Jesus Camp, the movie. Indoctrinate them young, so one day, maybe one day, they will be willing to blow them selves up for God.
Onward Christian Soldiers....
Marching as to War.
With the Cross of Jesus.
Going on before(?)
I remember that song from my Christian school days. Faith by fear and guilt.
BTW, good to have you back ;)
Religion and fear go hand in hand. That movie really gave me a good laugh. "Tell me about your God or I'll be damned forever!" What a crock.
ReplyDeleteMasonicBuilder
"'Freemasonry' alludes to 'freedom,' but there's really nothing "free" about it. Those who really want to live free, must free their mind, body, and spirit from all forms of servitude. Bow down to no man, and make no man bow down to you, but meet all on the absolute level of equality. If any man demands otherwise, and you willingly submit, you're surrendering the freedom that's been secured for you with the blood of those who were wiser, and infinitely more courageous. You're on your way back to bondage." - Anonymous
ReplyDeleteI don't know who wrote the comment above because they posted as "anonymous," but if I did I would give them a gold medal for clearly stating what is entirely obvious to any reasonable person, but completely elusive to 99.9% of American Freemasons.
Thank you for posting.
I find it sad as well that the beauty and mystery of the Christian message has been twisted to form a sales pitch for better real estate. The You Tube cut you linked is rater disturbing. Not for the Hell bent nature of it but because of the earth based nature it reflects. I might be a little cynical here but when did dead people have hearts that beat in their chest or actually feel any thing. Isn't it a bit ridiculous to say a 'letter' was written when we can not confirm we will even have fingers when we go beyond earthly life. I can remember watching a christian fear film called "A Thief In The Night" when I was about ten years old and in that film Jesus had taken all the Christians from earth in the Rapture and people were left who were not Born Again. Those people then had a tough time getting necessities because they chose not to be 'marked' and eventually a type of genocide was organized to round up the marked from the none marked using helicopters, machine guns and guillotines. all in an attempt to sway conversion to accept the Mark.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say I was a terrified little boy for many years with constant fear that if I came home and couldnt find my parents I thought the Rapture came and I was 'left behind' (a distastful book series as well). Not a fun loving way to grow up. I sure hope these young christians realize sooner than I did that fear is not the message of the gospel and the gospel is not a means to heaven but a way of life today. This consumeristic Christianity that preaches a sinner centered faith instead of a God centered faith has drawn the beauty of Christianity to the nasty places of human actions.
When will these knuckle heads get it into their skull that Love and Hate stem from the same part of our soul and can not occupy the same thought space at the same time. The 'Devil' is not a know it all nor is 'He' a creator so there is not a means for him to make evil.
I wrote some more on this Idea on my blog as well.
http://shaperstudio.blogspot.com/2007/05/i-was-asked-to-expand-on-statement-i.html
S & F Brother
BTW: I am glad to read you are attending your Lodge meetings again.
Excellent post, David. In my humble opinion, if Hell existed, those who might feel at home there are the same people who, as fallible human beings, condemn there neighbours to eternal torment. That seems to be the real sin, besides constantly charakterizing God as hateful, vindictive and mean ("You didn't know Jesus? Well, too bad -- go to Hell, hahahaha"), just as they are themselves. That is not only poor theology, ignoring religious thinkers of more than 1500 years; these people are basically creating a God in their own image. In describing with relish how they would like their neighbours to be treated, these people expose their own sick imagination; and in doing it badly and featherbrained, they show that they are only a bunch of wannabe-authors of a cheap horror flick.
ReplyDeleteOne more word, W.S., since I am writing from Europe: Of course we have a lot of sickos and people with very weird religious attitudes over here, too; but I am quite puzzled again and again in reading that a large chunk of US populace seems to endorse what you are describing as the problem at the core of Christianity. I would like to point out that most Christians I know here in Germany, be it those from my own congregation or others, be it catholics, protestants or others, are shocked by what these people sell as Christianity. That is not my Christianity. That is not the Christianity of many, many people besides me. That is Christianity hijacked by some self-righteous and power-greedy *** who use religion as a means to control other (more stupid) people's minds.
When I was working in the US, a few years ago, I attended the services of a college congregation (weel, maybe that's the point: education), and they were wonderful people with a minister of great personal integrity and a wonderful inclusive theology full of love, compassion and forgiveness. And they call themselves Christians, too.
Bro. Ludwig
Jeff Peace:
ReplyDeleteI would give them a gold medal for clearly stating what is entirely obvious to any reasonable person, but completely elusive to 99.9% of American Freemasons.
99.9%?? America's Freemasonry is that bad? Or is this a good example of a radical view since this whole topic is about Radical and Fundamentalism it seems to fit in well with the subject.
WS,
ReplyDeleteYou are right on the mark. That isn't my Christianity. That isn't my Jesus. Maybe it was my upbringing or the church we went to when I was a kid. Basically, it came down to actions and deeds. Or rather, if you want to talk the talk, you had better be walking the walk. Most of the evangelicals or zealots out there are the same kinds of people that would have been converting people by the sword back in the day. I don't have much use for them.
"99.9%?? America's Freemasonry is that bad? Or is this a good example of a radical view since this whole topic is about Radical and Fundamentalism it seems to fit in well with the subject." - Anonymous
ReplyDelete"Radical" is a relative term. To those who follow blindly such a statement may be perceived as radical, but to those who look at it objectively it just points out what is apparent.
It saddens me to see how your sneering hated of Christians drives you to cherry-pick the nutcases to make your point, while ignoring the good. It nauseates me that a brother can be such an intolerant bigot himself. I'm glad I'm not in your Lodge, Widow's Son.
ReplyDeleteHow should that kind of zealotry influence our view of the York Rite?
ReplyDeleteIt is modeled after the Knights Templar, afterall. They were soldiers for the reclamation and protection of Jerusalem from 'heathens' -- Muslims, Jews, Kurds, etc. during the Crusades. They were as intolerant as fundamentalists are currently of other religions.
So if Masonry is all open and tolerant, how can it condone York Rite?
--- Posted by a Master Mason
To the saddened Anonymous:
ReplyDelete1. I advised you — twice — at the beginning of the article not to read it if you were gonna be sensitive about it. Plus, at the very top of every page, it says WARNING: THIS BLOG HAS HERETICAL TENDENCIES. There's even a bright yellow background so you don't miss it.
2. I don't have to cherry-pick to find nutjob Christians. It's like shooting fish in a barrel. Just read the news most any day.
3. Actually, you'd probably be right at home in my lodge. Fundamentalist and evangelical Christians run it.
— W.S.
I don't think Jeff is far off in his estimate of 99.9%. That's one in a thousand, and I'd say that's just about the ratio of Masons today who actually realize what's happening in the fraternity, and are willing to stand up for what they believe is right.
ReplyDeleteAt least 80% of American Masons today are so far removed from the government of their lodges, they have no idea who the Grand Master of their state is, or even who the Worshipful Master is at their own blue lodge. They don't know what's going on in the fraternity, they just "assume" that everything's fine, even when it clearly isn't.
That really leaves only 20% to consider, and of those, far too many are sad old men who don't have much "fight" left in them. They're just along for the ride because they're lonely and bored, and the lodge is their only social outlet.
I'd say that fewer than 1 out of 200 active Masons in the US today, fully realize what's happening in the fraternity. Instead, most are the sort of people who'll do virtually anything an authority figure tells them to, and they've proven that multiple times when they've repeatedly returned to take blind "obligations" on bent knees.
"Classical conditioning" further cements the relationship between "masters" and those who've effectively become "mental slaves." Just like military "basic training," Masonic "rituals" teach Masons to follow orders without question or thoughtful contemplation. Anyone bold enough to ask inconvenient questions, is quickly singled-out and removed before his passion for independent thought can affect the rest of the "craft."
In the American Civil War, a significant percentage of soldiers hesitated to fire their rifles when pointing them at other people for the first time. An analysis of that behavior revealed that most people instinctively think it's "wrong" to kill other people, and internal conflicts arose when their consciences told them not to do what they'd been ordered to do.
To overcome that, a surprisingly simple solution was developed. Rather than practicing with conventional round targets, soldiers were made to practice shooting at targets shaped like human beings. Thereafter, when confronting actual humans, they perceived them only as "targets," and shot them without conscientious thought. They were (and still are) conditioned to "dehumanize" humans in order to commit the ultimate act of inhumanity.
For hundreds of years, people have been developing and refining similar techniques for the "persuasion" (manipulation really) of other people. Those techniques are used in politics, advertising, and all sorts of applications where people want other people to do things without really thinking. Most people can be "conditioned," and those who can be conditioned to do one thing, such as jump to their feet when someone raps a gavel or automatically give a particular reply when asked certain questions, can be similarly conditioned to do almost anything else.
It's an unpleasant realization, but those are the techniques of mind control, and if a man can be made to take a step, with sufficient "persuasion" he can eventually be led down any road, including the road to his own destruction.
Those who truly want to learn some of the "sublime mysteries" of life, should begin by studying human nature, some of which is revealed through research like the following:
Milgram experiment
Stanford prison experiment
What percentage of "ordinary" people do you think would kill another person, simply because someone in a position of authority told them to? Make your best guess, then see how close you come to the actual results.
If you aren't saddened by the percentage with sufficient strength of character to follow their conscience, you should consider the implications it has in our world.
when did a GL have a REAL Leader, with a track record, be a Grand Master, and hold the position for more than 1 year, because he was such a great leader, his wisdom and leadership was needed for more than 1 year?
ReplyDeleteWhat leading business man/leader has been incharge of the multi million$$ corporation of Freemasonry?
We let unqualified men, who have lead nothing nor ran a business, at the helm of this instituion.
That is who is giving orders.
janitors and union thugs can be excellent masons, but are they qualified to LEAD?
should they be telling/ordering succesful leaders at the local levels?
If my GM is less of a leader than me, should I be obligated to follow him?
Just like military "basic training," Masonic "rituals" teach Masons to follow orders without question or thoughtful contemplation.
ReplyDelete*sigh*
Freemasonry is not a military order, and I think that to suggest that 99% of Masons blindly follow orders a la the Milgram studies is showing more of your own bias than pointing toward any particular truth.
I'm beginning to believe that Al Pike had it almost right when he wrote about how the lower degrees did not have all of the secrets. But it's not so much the degree, as the perception and intuition of our members. Anyone who really reads into their Masonic studies understands that blindly following orders is the antithesis of Masonry.
Bro. Tom,
ReplyDeleteI think when Anonymous and I and other southern Masons discuss Masonry, we tend to generalize our experiences to Freemasonry at large. When you and our northern brothers talk about Masonry, you do likewise, assuming that your positive experiences are universal.
When you describe it, it's more like our ideal of Masonry, but not like it is, here.
Here, blind allegiance is expected, even if it's not always directly stated. The mentality among many here is, unfortunately, "if you ain't with us, you're ag'in us." Free thought and questions butt against "how we've always done it here."
— W.S.
WS is right; my view of Masonry has been shaped by the Masonry I've observed in the American South, but my experiences have not been confined to the "lower degrees."
ReplyDeleteI hope that Masonry elsewhere is better, but I can't help wondering if the corruption there isn't just more covert. Masonic leaders in other jurisdictions have to know what's going on in the South, but instead of realizing that when true Masonic principles are violated in one area, Masonry everywhere is diminished, they pacify their consciences by saying: "We can't be responsible for what Masons do in other jurisdictions."
Like I said in a former topic: "evil that goes unchallenged, is evil that will eventually prevail." It's as simple as that, and the Grand Lodges that choose to ignore the obvious problems, are actually contributing to them. They're enabling the corruption to strengthen and expand, rather than saying: "If that's how you want to do things in your area, you have that right, but we aren't going to recognize you as a legitimate part of the Masonry we hold dear."
The sad truth is that corruption will never go away on its own. Either it's already spread to the majority of Grand Lodges in the US, or it eventually will unless the remaining leaders of honor and integrity are willing to take an active stand against it. If they continue passively supporting the devolution of Masonry through inaction, sooner or later, they'll discover the wolf has arrived at their own door as well, and they'll be hanging their heads in shame, just like our most senior Past Grand Masters are here.
i wonder if there are counselors out there for people to go to, to help people deal with the realization that Fundamentalist Christianity took them for a ride, because I am sure that a lot of reason why people stick with Fundamentalist Christianity is that they have nowhere else to go.
ReplyDeleteLiving with fear of walking away from the fundamentalist indoctrination that they have experienced since they were young.... then fearing if it is the Devil that is making them do it.
my grandfather told my mother to let me decide what path I take in this area, after she told him about the incident that happened when I was a very young baby at a Fundamentalist church in Mississippi.
The incident happened at a church with yellow walls, dark colored wood pews, and artificial green grass for carpet where I had a massive shouting "match" with the fundamentalist preacher there, who was screaming at me little baby that i was going to burn in hell and all of this. I wouldn't stop screaming, until we left. that was the objective :-)
When you and our northern brothers talk about Masonry, you do likewise, assuming that your positive experiences are universal.
ReplyDeleteI wish!
Look, we have our little bickerings and such up here. I've heard a number of brothers complain that the GL is now going to test the Wardens before they can be certified to be WM (short tests on ritual and GL rules and by-laws). And I hear stories about a few lodges that will defy anything that GL wants, and other things of that nature.
But consider: Conn is a small state; one could get to any lodge in less than 2 hours, we have a number of District Deputies and assorted GL officers that visit all the lodges perhaps once a quarter (or more). The members are a lot "closer" to the GL officers than they might be down there. Very few Masons in Conn can complain that they don't have the opportunity to speak their mind or to make their opinion known to the GL.
Also, PMs are not members of GL in Conn. As more and more lodges get younger members, it's easier to change both the rules, and more importantly, the culture.
A few years ago, we had a GM who was 48. A couple of years later, we had one that was maybe 51, and we have several officers now in their 50s. The progressive GL line keeps things from becoming too entrenched.
"Actually, you'd probably be right at home in my lodge. Fundamentalist and evangelical Christians run it." — W.S.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an evangelical Christian; in fact I'm from California and don't really know a lot about what goes on in churches in the South, nor do I care. I myself haven't set foot in a church in decades, except for wedding or funerals.
But what I do know is that your hateful bigotry is beneath a Master Mason. Of course, it's your blog and you can say what you wish, but the childish sneering against any and all Christians is again beneath a member of the Craft.
You're no brother of mine, WS. Goodbye, and have a great life.
--A Master Mason
nice tolerance, "a master mason"
ReplyDeleteOne of the many Anonymouses (Anonymice?) wrote:
ReplyDelete"But what I do know is that your hateful bigotry is beneath a Master Mason. Of course, it's your blog and you can say what you wish, but the childish sneering against any and all Christians is again beneath a member of the Craft.
"You're no brother of mine, WS. Goodbye, and have a great life."
+ + +
As Heinlein said, "Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes."
And in my eyes, I'm no villain. I don't feel hate towards Christians of any denomination, or think I'm a bigot. Bigotry is defined as "stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own."
In my writing about fundamentalist and evangelical Christians, I'm not being intolerant — they can believe what they want to believe and practice it in their hearts and in their churches without one word of protest from me. It's when their beliefs spill out in inappropriate ways into the world at large that I protest.
* Overt Christianity in Masonic lodges — inappropriate
* Overt Christianity in politics — inappropriate
* Blaming Satan for microwaving your child — inappropriate
There is nothing inherently hateful or bigoted in pointing out these things. In the article above, I said it seems to me that something must be wrong with a system that creates certain inappropriate mindsets. And I didn't attribute the craziness to all Christians, I wrote about particular individuals and speculated how the general fundamentalist/evangelical belief-system may have affected their thinking.
I'm not intolerant; I'm outspoken.
I said, "There is something about religion that makes some people crazy."
Some people, I said. I didn't point a finger at all Christians. I questioned the belief-system, that is, organized Christianity and Islam, that causes some people to do strange and cruel things in the name of Jehovah, Jesus and Allah. I think there are good lessons in Christianity that many who speak in its name have twisted, forgotten or never understood.
You disowning me as a brother and stomping off to your corner of the world seems to me to be more intolerant than anything I've ever written, and hardly Masonic. There are many Freemasons with whom I disagree on major points — Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson immediately come to mind, as well as some of the men in my own lodge. But I still consider them to be my Masonic brothers. I am (or would be if I met them) cordial with them, and I'm willing to listen to and respect their opinions as I hope they would listen to and respect mine.
Just as you can't stop being a brother to a man who was born of the same parents as you, no matter how much you dislike him, you can't pick and choose who is a Masonic brother, unless you have voting rights in every lodge on the planet. While you may choose to disagree with him, mistreat him, judge him, ignore him or shun him, he's still your brother. As I am still your brother, whether you like me or not.
In the end, I would hope my writings about my opinions of organized religion are more than "childish sneerings," but you're welcome to your own opinion.
Travel well, brother.
— W.S.
nice tolerance, "a master mason"
ReplyDeleteAre you suggesting that a brother can not express his exasperation, especially on this blog?
From my own perspective, I think that WS has gotten a bad rep not because of what he writes, himself, but from some of the more extreme rantings by our brother Masons who have vented out of their own feelings of frustration with the Craft.
I imagine that it's got to be difficult to be a member of a fraternity, and see one idea after another stymied, blocked, or shouted down because "that's not the way that we did things in the old days." Likewise, those jurisdictions that allow the Grand Lodge to fill up with the "old guard" members who actively resist change must seem hopelessly outdated, especially when those younger members look around (through the various internet groups) to see the greener grass elsewhere.
But let's keep in mind that nothing is going to change unless the members themselves make it happen. Carping and moaning might let off a little steam, but it takes consistent and concerted effort to get the purple aprons in your area to listen to new ideas.
I might also add that sometimes it also takes tact and patience, two things that often seem to be lacking in some of the anonymous commenters.
I run a small business. I have several employees that comes that come to me all the time with ideas. One of them will give me a rough idea of what it would cost to implement it, and what I can expect to get in return. A couple of other guys simply say "Why don't you do this?" without giving me any usable information. Naturally the first guy has more of his ideas approved. My point is that it takes a lot of effort to change things, which means research, prep work, and yes, a bit of schmoozing.
Don't get me wrong - there are definitely issues in the fraternity (even in Connecticut), and it's great that people can sound off about them here. But after you've vented, then you really need to ask if you're willing to get into the hard work to change things or not. If not, then maybe it's better to stop complaining and apply ourselves to more positive endeavors.