Trends in Masonic blogging

Our blogging brother at The North Eastern Corner wrote the other day about how the face of Masonic blogging has changed over time. He notes three trends: centralization, blog fatigue, and extraction.

He points out that the trend towards centralization tends to sublimate the personality of the individual bloggers, and I agree. Part of the pleasure of surfing Masonic blogs is in noting the design, graphics and layout of a particular brother's blog, as well as seeing which links he chose to put on his blog, and what, if any, advertising he showed. All these things, together with his writing, created the individual blogger's online identity and "personality." The centralizing of blogs, such as has been done recently at Bro. Greg Stewart's Freemason Information, lessens the appeal of reading Masonic-theme blogs, for me anyway. I'm not knocking the trend; I'm just adding to the discussion of it on The North Eastern Corner.

Personally I've been suffering blog fatigue for while. Regularly pumping out interesting stories is hard work. My dwindling interest in local Masonic events coupled with my growing knowledge of "improprieties" related to Shriner and Jester activities simply led me to abandon my keyboard for a while.

The North Eastern Corner article points out a third trend in Masonic blogging: extraction, or Masonic blogs going dark or totally disappearing from the web. We've seen a lot of that. For a while there were many newly raised younger Masons who eagerly jumped into blogging with an impressive enthusiasm. Most of these blogs didn't last long; there's only so much a new Mason can say about "next Tuesday I'm returning my Fellowcraft catechism."

The most notable "extraction" in the past year was the unexpected death of well-known Masonic know-it-all Bro. Theron Dunn. Next Wednesday will mark one year since he moved on to the Celestial Lodge.

Bro. Dunn and I seldom agreed on anything.

And I liked that. I found him pompous and self-righteous and often unmovable in his opinions and stance. In that, he was a lot like me.

Debating and arguing with him kept me on my toes. Publicly disagreeing with him helped me hone my writing and my logic skills and often made me think long and hard about an issue. Our "confrontations" strengthened us both, and made us both better Masons. Masons don't have to like each other — we never did — but Masons should ultimately respect each other and treat each other as brothers.

And that we did, even if sometimes it was begrudgingly.

The world of Masonic blogging, like all of life, is constantly changing. I'm glad I'm still here to enjoy it.

Masons | Masonic Blogs | Theron Dunn | Freemasonry | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Freemasonry: One journey, many paths

I present to you the sixth in a series of essays written by Masonic bloggers on the topic of Masonic harmony, unity and discord. This one is by Bro. Silence Dogood, publisher of The Middle Chamber. My thanks go out to Bro. Dogood and to all those who are participating.

One Journey, Many Paths
by Bro. Silence Dogood

There have been few Masons that I have had such a fundamental disagreement with as the late Brother Theron Dunn. Brother Dunn epitomized much of what I couldn't stand in mainstream Masonry: he was an ardent supporter of anything his Grand Lodge did and didn't see any need for improvement in the organization. I found his articles smug and condescending and I regularly checked his blog so that I could quickly post a scathing rebuttal to anything that he wrote. But nothing irritated me more than the day he posted a comment on my blog in reference to my invitation for guest articles of any viewpoint, when he actually doubted my willingness to post an article in disagreement with my own views.

So I asked him to write a guest editorial for The Chamber. "Take that," I thought.

Brother Dunn did produce an article and when I read it, I was very surprised. It was a well written analysis with which I actually agreed. Later, when I invited my readers to chat with me via Yahoo! Messenger, Brother Dunn was one of the first Brothers to take me up on my offer.

We had a nice conversation for about a half hour. We discussed Masonry, politics, our careers, and some of our future goals. We had to end the conversation when he received a phone call from his wife and we said good bye. When I logged off, I thought to myself "I really like this guy." Little did I know that it would be the last time I chatted with him. Brother Dunn became ill and passed away before we had another chance to talk. My heart felt great sadness for the loss of a Brother that I never knew. However, I found consolation in the fact that when we had last communicated, we met upon the level and parted upon the square as Brothers.

That is true Masonic harmony.

There seems to be a misconception, among some, that Masons cannot have differing opinions. There is a sense in many Masonic assemblies that there is only one correct way to do things and only one consensus that may be developed. However, dissent is at the very heart of Masonic ideals. In the lecture of the Entered Apprentice degree, we are taught that "Masonry unites men of every country, sect, and opinion." This is what makes Masonry so special. Unlike other organizations, Masonry accepts men of all political, religious, and philosophical convictions and unites them as Brothers. Masonry accentuates the concept of one journey, many paths. It promotes the journey towards enlightenment, while accepting that many paths may lead to that ultimate goal.

Unfortunately, too many Masonic assemblies no longer function by this concept. Masonry has become an organization where groupthink and yes-men are rewarded and those who think outside of the box are ignored. The Brothers who bring fresh ideas into lodge have not been allowed to bring there ideas to fruition and soon lost interest and stopped darkening our doors. Of course, this has always occurred due to the noble desire to not offend our older Brethren who have run the organization their way for many years. The last thing that we want to do is make these Brothers feel obsolete or that we don't appreciate their procedures, but the truth is that society is evolving and Masonry must continue to evolve with it.

Would it hurt to listen to the minority with a dissenting opinion? Would the fraternity cease to exist if we honestly tried something new? The answer is a simple "No." If we heed the advice of men with new ideas and implement them into the lodge we can at least observe what affect they have. We can learn from everyone's opinion, whether their idea is successful or not. As Masons, we are supposed to seek light and one of the best ways to do that is listen to the opinions of all of our Brethren.

So where does this leave the Masons who frequent the Masonic Blogosphere? The e-Masons that are able to make any comments they choose while hiding behind a false moniker. As Masons, we should be able to read the opinions of others without getting our feathers ruffled. We can have our disagreements, but they should be discussed with intelligence and courtesy. Name calling and the degrading tinkling contests which occasionally break out on the internet are unbecoming of the fraternity and do nothing to further Masonry.

The internet is an outlet for those with ideas to communicate them to other Masons. It is a forum for those concerned with the state of affairs in their lodge to vent their frustrations. It is also a place for those excited about the current events in their lodge to proclaim their pride in the fraternity. Who are we to degrade a Brother for communicating any of these things to us through the Blogosphere? Many of us are just looking for an attentive ear and an instructive tongue. Perhaps much could be gained from considering a Brother's motivation for his comments before denouncing his opinion. Perhaps we could benefit from a little more tolerance.

Regardless of our differences, Masons should always meet upon the level, act by the plumb, and part upon the square. Whether it is in lodge, on the street, or on the internet, we can all benefit from a little more brotherly love for one another. In my case with Brother Theron Dunn, I don't know how I would have felt had we never leveled with one another. We must always remember that we are all Brothers, regardless of opinion.

Masonry is one journey with many paths.

— Bro. Silence Dogood

Image: The late Bro. Theron Dunn

Masons | Masonic Harmony | Silence Dogood | Freemasonry | Theron Dunn | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Late Bro. Theron Dunn's family needs assistance

Shortly after The Burning Taper was locked down last month by Blogger for testing false positive for spammage, I received the following email from Bro. Manny Blanco. I told him I would post it as soon as The Taper was unlocked. I'm now posting it below in its entirety.

Dear Widow's Son,

I received the following from the Worshipful Master of our Lodge. Is there a possibility of having it posted on your web sites? Thanks in advance....

Sincerely,
Manny Blanco, PM


Worshipful Brothers: The late Brother Theron Dunn's family are having difficulty finding the Insurance our Brother thought to exist. A fund has been set up to assist the family in funeral and other expenses in the coming months. I am asking that each of our Lodges ascertain if there is a donation that can be made to the following fund:

This fund was set up by Theron's brother, James, for the purpose:

Theron Dunn Memorial Fund
Washington Mutual Bank
Acct#0401-0000041531-6
All checks should be payable to "Barbara Dunn"
22882 Giant Fir Place
Canyon Lake, CA 92587

Thanks so much for consideration.

Magic Happens... if you do something!!!
Sincerely & Fraternally,

John Cover Spear, PM
Master of Moreno Valley Lodge 804
Royal Patron of Mission Bell Court 156, Order of the Amaranth
Grand Lodge Long Range Planning Committee Member

Theron Dunn was a prolific and often contentious Masonic writer, blogger and forum participant who passed away in May after a brief illness. His premature departure has left a void among those who agreed with him and those who disagreed with his intractable positions and beliefs. He is and will continue to be missed.

Masons | Masonic Charity | Theron Dunn | Freemasonry | Grand Lodge of California | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

'Walk right in -- I see you've travelled some'

Worshipful Brother Theron Dunn, a California Freemason and well-known Masonic blogger and forum participant as well as co-publisher of Lodgeroom International magazine, passed away on Tuesday, May 13, after a brief illness.

Along with thousands of Masons throughout the world, I mourn his passing, and extend my sympathies and condolences to Bro. Theron's family and friends.

Bro. Theron and I seldom saw eye to eye on Masonic matters, but we had a grudgingly mutual respect for each other. While publicly we were often seen "fighting," in private we did from time to time exchange cordial and brotherly communications.

I'd always hoped he would voluntarily submit an essay for the "We All Shine On: This is Who I Am" series here on The Taper.

Last summer, I assisted him with some technical matters involving the set-up of his blog, Beacon of Masonic Light. One of the things I suggested to him was that his photo should have him facing into the text of the blog, not away from it, as it was originally. He flipped it so that he would be looking into the text, forever etching into our minds the flower in his lapel thus being on the non-traditional right side of his jacket instead of the left.

In his honor, I'm re-flipping his photo [see above] back to its original form.

He was fond of the nickname he gave to The Burning Taper. He called it "The Smoldering Stub."

In his memory, I am temporarily re-naming this blog The Smoldering Stub.

"When your final summons comes,
to take that last, long trip
Adorned with Lambskin Apron white,
and gems of fellowship;
The Tiler at the Golden Gate,
with Square and Rule and Plumb
will size up your pin, and say, 'Walk in —
I see you've Travelled some.'"

Masons | Masonic Brotherhood | Beacon of Masonic Light | Freemasonry | Theron Dunn | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Bro. Theron Dunn suffers renal failure, in grave condition

The Burning Taper joins with other Masons throughout the blogosphere and The Real World in sending our best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery to our brother Theron Dunn.

He suffered kidney failure on Friday night, and is as of this writing reported to be in grave condition, with some slight improvement overnight. Details can be found on Bro. Chris Hodapp's blog Freemasons for Dummies, and I hope he and others will keep us up-to-date on Bro. Theron's condition.

Bro. Dunn is the publisher of both an online magazine and a blog dedicated to Freemasonry, and is a moderator on several Masonic forums. He is a past master of his California blue lodge.

We also wish Bro. Chris a speedy recovery from his recent surgery.

Masons | Theron Dunn | Masonic Blogger | Freemasonry | Grand Lodge of California | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Goo goo goo joob

Our story so far:

This past Saturday I endorsed a candidate for president of the U.S. on The Burning Taper.

Immediately, Theron Dunn objected, decrying the use of a "Masonic blog" to endorse a political candidate.

You can read that article plus the follow-ups "'Every generation needs a new revolution,'" "Of Masonic political correctness and hissy fits," and the most recent one, Theron Dunn 'outs' The Widow's Son". Blah, blah, blah.

I realize this story is rapidly becoming a cheezy B-grade movie , but it's the holidays and there's a writers' strike on, so it's either this or reruns of Frosty the Snowman for you on the boob tube.

If you want to hit fast forward, I understand. You can just mouse down in this article to the text highlighted in yellow. (The highlight is for your benefit; it didn't exist in the original text I'm about to share.)

What? Still here?

Okay... here we go. I was working the daywatch out of homicide....

Just checking.

While I have and do freely re-post public comments made about me or this blog, as I did when there was a long list of quotes over in the sidebar, I hold private emails to be private and confidential, and ordinarily would never share their contents with anyone without permission.

However, I have made an accusation against Theron Dunn for breaking his obligation to keep private something that a brother asked him to keep private. He's denied I ever mentioned it. And others have asked for "proof" he knew I wanted my name kept out of the limelight.

So I'm submitting a couple of emails as evidence to you as judges, jurors and executioners in this chattering court of public opinion.

Some may quibble with words, saying I didn't specifically utter (or write) the phrase "Please don't reveal my name online." Already, we've seen in Theron's comments to the previous article his proclivity to stretch the definition of words, saying he wasn't "GIVEN" my name, but discovered it on his own. Whatever. He knew before he outed me the first time on the forum Novus Ordo Saeclorum (NOS) last July that I didn't want my name publicized, and after our exchange then, he damn well knew it before he did it again earlier today.

In July, 2007 someone told me via email that Theron, whom I knew little of but had seen around, mostly on the old Collegium Fabrorum forum years ago, had launched a diatribe against me and The Burning Taper in a series of posts on NOS.

On July 18, I wrote an article for the Taper about this, titled "Masons gone wild!"

You might remember those posts of his from the old sidebar. For a while, I featured this compilation of Theronisms in the quotations section:

The 'Smoldering Stub' has published half truths and innuendos against the fraternity. The Burning Taper offers NOTHING useful or constructive.... I am not sure if the guy running the blog is even really a Mason, or just an agitator poking Masons in the eye.... He is worse than FreemasonryWatch.org. At least they are honest in their hatred of Freemasonry. His hatred is a lie, because he pretends what he is doing is FOR Masonry, when it's actually for HIM... revenge against Masonry for his own personal failings.... He posts like an anti-masonic nutter.... Negative, useless, self-aggrandizing, a carper, whiner, moaner, accuser, not only unjustifiable, but unmasonic and unworthy.... As for 14,000 unique [readers per month], congratulations. You are doing more damage to Freemasonry than even I thought. — Bro. Theron Dunn, co-publisher of Lodgeroom International Magazine, on Novus Ordo Saeculorum

These are quotes I found in various posts by Theron on the NOS forum.

Before I reposted those comments here, I had ventured into NOS and posted a few responses, assuring them I was in fact a Master Mason.

Theron wrote to me privately on July 20 with a long email telling me I needed to be "cured." I'm not going to reprint all of that one, as this post is going to be way too long already.

He began that email with:

I am not sure who you really are, and I feel strange addressing a stranger as a brother. However, Chris [Hodapp] and Jeff [Peace], and for what its worth, 'Grand Leveler' [?] have all vouched that you are a regular Mason, so I will address you thus.

He closed that email with:

Now, you do what you want, I have no intention of pursuing you or your blog, that's not who or what I am about. The only thing that I ask is that you remove my comments from your home page. I did not post them on your forum, and the way you post makes it look as if I did, which is untrue. I stand by my words 110%. I have never considered your forum to be anything but an oubliette for complainers, and I have no use for men who do nothing but complain.

So please, take my comments off your page, or at the least post a note that it was taken from NOS, and NOT posted on your forum.

Best wishes, and sorry to hear YOUR freemasonry is so bad. Mine is just freaking awesome.

Theron didn't like that I posted them here for everyone to see, or that I'd writen the "Masons gone wild!" article, and in retaliation, he wrote a post on NOS revealing my name.

On July 23, on NOS I posted a response to a comment Bro. Bill McElligott had made against the Taper. I began my comment with "Bro. Bill bellyached..." and then repeated what he had said. I like alliteration. "Bellyached" just sounded better than "said." And he was bellyaching, something about writing an anti-Taper piece for the "Masonic" online magazine he and Theron publish.

Almost immediately I received one of those moderator "warnings," which said:

Dear Widow's Son,

You have received a warning at Novus Ordo Saeculorum - for masons, by masons.

Reason:
-------
Threats and Insults

This is the first of many to be handed out. You will cease and desist with the threats.

Theron was a moderator there. So, I think, was Bill. As they seem to be on several Masonic forums.

Was "bellyached" a threat or an insult? I never did figure out which.

I publicly replied to Theron's posting of my name on NOS this:

I'm holding out an olive branch of peace here, Bro. Theron. I hope you accept it, and drop your moral vendetta against me and The Burning Taper. I'll say no more about it, and let bygones be bygones.

The other option is my pen, which is, as they say, mightier than the sword. For some reason, thousands of readers across the globe care what I write, whether they agree or disagree with me. You really don't want your childish attacks on me to be the subject of another article, next time there's a slow news day. It wouldn't be good for the Masonry that you love and cherish for such a display of un-brotherly love to play out across the world, would it?

As you can see (if you're bothering to read this at all), we simply postponed the inevitable from July until now.

Here's his July 27 private response to me:

You say you hold out an olive branch while threatening to do a hit piece on me in your blog...

so lets see, I can shut up about how unmasonic I think your actions are in attacking freemasonry, or you will attack me on your blog? So, where is the masonry in that?

I am not afraid of your blog. I have an attorney that will gladly go after you if you libel or defame me on your forum. I have zero interest in shutting you down, you have a right to free speech, but you do not have a right to shut ME up either.

Can't take the criticism you are handing out??? Self righteous hypocrite is what you are, not an advocate for anything good or right.

Bill is also about to undertake a criticism of your forum, and if you pursue me as you threaten, I can categorically assure you, my first phone call will be to my lawyer, and my second to the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Georgia to get the phone number for the Junior Warden of your lodge to prefer masonic charges.

I have zero interest in your little "I hate Masonry" blog. But if you want to go to war, my brother, bring it on.

Or, take a break for a week, give it some thought. You seem very interested in shutting me up... how would you feel if someone tried to shut you up?

Here is an olive branch. Stay out of my face, take my comments off your blog, ignore me, and I will ignore you... entirely. Or pursue the course of action you have threatened, and have the weight of the legal system and the grand lodge of Georgia come down on you.

Ask Jeff about how it feels NOT to be a mason before you go chasing after a mason for a while for simply expressing my opinions, JUST AS YOU DO.

How is that for fair?

I'm not sure how, but I remained calm, and sent Bro. Dunn this private reply:

Brother,

This is what I wrote:

"I'm holding out an olive branch of peace here, Bro. Theron. I hope you accept it, and drop your moral vendetta against me and The Burning Taper. I'll say no more about it, and let bygones be bygones.

The other option is my pen, which is, as they say, mightier than the sword. For some reason, thousands of readers across the globe care what I write, whether they agree or disagree with me. You really don't want your childish attacks on me to be the subject of another article, next time there's a slow news day. It wouldn't be good for the Masonry that you love and cherish for such a display of un-brotherly love to play out across the world, would it?"

Bro. Theron, there is no threat there, nor do I have a desire to "libel or defame" you. Anything I would write would simply be about what you've said of me. It wouldn't be a "hit piece," as you said.

If I published something, how would that be any different from what you now say Bro. Bill is planning to write about me, or from all the nasty things you've written about me and the Taper?

I hold no hostility towards you. I have simply tried to respond to your postings on NOS. Had you simply written your opinions of me and the blog once or twice, I wouldn't have said a word. But you seemed to relish slamming me, over and over, and I had to speak up.

I'm unafraid of your threats of lawyers and Junior Wardens, but I see no reason we should escalate things. I have lawyers, too, and could easily get your lodge's JW's phone number. I don't think it would be wise for either of us to go down that road.

By posting my name, you've lost any defense you may have had where you could say you were just posting your opinions about an anonymous online writer. You've also skated arguably close to violating the obligation to keep the secrets of a brother Master Mason, since you knew full well I didn't want my name publicized.

You and I, between the reach of the Taper and your online newsletter, could make what is in reality simply a petty online squabble between us that no one really cares about into something ugly for the fraternity and grist for the gossip mill, and would serve no good purpose.

You and I should just agree that we hold vastly different opinions of Masonry, and let it go at that.

The offer of an olive branch was sincere. In hindsight, perhaps I should have not posted the final paragraph, but I did. As I said, I didn't and don't see it as a threat, just merely the pointing out of what could be, if we don't stop this disagreement between us now.

You and I both have a lot of supporters AND detractors. Neither of us is universally loved. Neither of us would "win" if we keep this up.

We both have different paths to walk in Freemasonry, and while you don't agree with my path, continually belittling it won't make me go away. It will only strengthen my resolve, and further prove to me that too many Masons talk the talk much more often than we walk the walk.

I know you don't think so, but you banging away at me as you have done lately is just as unmasonic as anything you accuse me of doing.

If you'll stop talking about me or the blog on NOS and elsewhere, including stopping Bro. Bill's planned expose' in your newsletter or otherwise, then I'll cease responding or posting about you, him and NOS.

Do we have a deal?

Fraternally,

Widow's Son
BurningTaper.com

Ten hours later, I was shocked to receive Theron's reply:

Yes.

I owe you an apology. I read your blog, and was very offended by what seemed your casual slamming of freemasonry. Jeff tells me you do it because you feel it will help.

I can accept that is what you think, and my comments were based on not knowing who you were. It SEEMED just another antimasonic site, and i have dealt with those folks for six years now, even had a stalker (connie berry of Durham North Carolina) as a result of defending masonry against those... folks.

I am sorry I offended you. I am sorry I mischaracterized you. I apologize for my unkind and short sighted comments.

I still think what you are doing is wrong and does NO service to freemasonry, but as I have noted elsewhere, it is your right, and I in no way am trying to force you to do or not do anything.

Please forgive me for my ill considered comments.

S&F

Theron Dunn

P.S.: If its not too much to ask, and since the comments are gone from NOS, and your name will be removed from the damn post sometime today (it was locked before I could remove it), would you remove MY comments from your sidebar?

In the spirit of moving on?

Thanks

I was shocked. I later found out that he and Bro. Jeff Peace had a long phone discussion about this at some point during those ten hours. Thank to Bro. Jeff, war was averted. Or, rather, delayed. In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't give Theron my cellphone number, or it would probably be plastered all over the Internet by now.

I immediately put up the asked-for "as posted on Novus Ordo Saeclorum" addendum to his comment, and then a day or so later, I just deleted his comment altogether from the list of quotes.

Though we were warily accepting each other as brothers or at least fellow homo sapiens from early August until last week, we didn't go skipping hand-in-hand down Tra-La-Lane. But I did give him a bit of of help and advice on layout and design and techno-tricks for his newfound passion, his blog, not that he implemented very many of the suggestions. If you saw his blog in its first few months, you'll recall it had his pointing-away-from-the-page face covering two thirds of the page, a huge bannerhead twice the size it is currently, and lots of gaudy multi-colored lettering. I never mentioned to him his silly parody of my yellow banner. Mine says, "Warning: This blog contains heretical tendencies," which is a reference to what some librarian wrote back in the 1920s on the inside cover of my copy of Morals and Dogma. Theron's banner, you may have noticed, proudly boasts that his blog DOES NOT contain heretical tendencies. I figured parody was a form of flattery, if not exactly sincere. Or maybe it was just mockery.

Anyway, I was happy to help him with a few technical aspects of blogging.

More or less, I ignored most of his articles on his blog, figuring they'd just annoy me.

But one October morning, I arose very early, and found myself inspired by Theron's "Who is the Widow?" article to write what I consider one of the most enlightening (to me) articles I've ever written, which I called "Then more light you shall receive!"

Well, that gets us pretty much up to Saturday, and you've seen the carnage since.

Do I think Bro. Theron Dunn sometimes comes across as a total jerk?

Yes.

Is he sometimes pompous, annoying, arrogant, egotistical, self-righteous, off-center, passionate, overzealous?

Yes.

And so am I.

And sometimes, so are you.

It's called being human. Or maybe we're those damn bloody apes.

Masons | Masonic Wars | Planet of the Apes | Freemasonry | Theron Dunn | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Theron Dunn 'outs' the Widow's Son

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of you know who I am. I've emailed back and forth with many of you using the gmail account that bears my name. I've have met and know many of you personally. And I assure you, my local lodge brothers and grand lodge officers know who The Widow's Son is. This blog began as a local response to a local Masonic issue.

My name might even be near the top of that "Enemies List" that Bro. Tim Bryce speculated about recently.

I simply haven't used my name in the Masonic blogging world so that I can keep separate my professional/business life from my Masonic blogging. When you google me, I don't want the business side and the Freemasonry side of my life to co-mingle. It would simply confuse my clients and customers, and perhaps annoy those who have anti-Masonic sentiments. And when I google myself, it's to see how well my business websites are being integrated into the search engines.

And while I may have a healthy ego, it's not so big that I need to see my real name up in lights when I post something relating to Masonry. That's the purpose of The Widow's Son as a pen name.

Bro. Theron Dunn knows my name. In fact, he posted it out of spite last summer in one of his earlier hissy fits on LodgeRoomUS, where he is a moderator.

Immediately I privately asked him to delete it, explaining why. I told him that I wanted it kept secret, and directly referred to his sworn obligation to "keep the secrets of a brother Master Mason, they being confided to me as such...."

He deleted it, and agreed to keep my name private in his Internet postings.

Apparently, while telling the rest of us exactly how to be "true Masons," he has conveniently broken his word — and his oath — with his most recent comment on this blog.

Here's what he wrote (I've deleted my name here, for now):

Hahaha, so, disagreeing with the oh so great and wise ___________ is now cause for personal attacks and denigration. How very masonic of you there....

I guess your opinion is the only one that counts, though the "intellectual" level of your discourse is a tad bit... coarse. When you cannot win in the forum of ideas, all you can do is ridicule.

Very sad indeed.

I would imagine he's posted my name by now on other blogs and forums; there's nothing I can do about that.

Bro. Dunn has made somewhat of a name for himself in the past several months, running from blog to blog, forum to forum, and on his own blog, pointing his finger and shouting "unmasonic!" at most anyone who disagrees with his version of "true masonry."

I believe his recent pious screeds have done much more damage, and caused more true embarrassment, to Freemasonry than anything I've ever written. His twaddle has become more shrill with each passing day. Even many of those who once agreed with him and supported his positions are turning away from him, shaking their heads in disbelief as his self-righteousness grows. I remember when even I, a few years ago, had a great deal of respect for his online writings. Once, back in 2003 or 2004, before I knew much of him at all, I emailed him for permission to use one of his articles as a short talk in my own lodge.

Alas, no more. After months of his calling other people "oath-breaker!", he stands accused of being one himself.

"I will keep the secrets of a Master Mason, they being confided to me as such, murder and treason alone excepted, and these being left to my discretion."

Bro. Theron, please provide the name and address of your lodge's Junior Warden.

Masons | Masonic Oaths | Online Freemasonry | Freemasonry | Theron Dunn | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Bro. Jeff Peace responds to Bro. Theron Dunn's 'Masonic Malcontents?' article

"Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content." — Louis L'Amour

Bro. Theron Dunn recently posted to his blog a piece called Masonic Malcontents?.

Below is Bro. Jeff Peace's response to Bro. Dunn's article.

---

Masonic Malcontents: Another Perspective

Bro. Theron Dunn has such a wonderful way of bending both reality and the truth to meet his own needs. After reading his essay Masonic Malcontents? I felt compelled to respond with a more realistic perspective.

Let's take a look at what he says in light of reality and the facts. Theron begins by saying "These brothers seem to feel that if only freemasonry would change, lock, stock and barrel to THEIR vision, that everything would be cool beans and freemasonry would grow."

I have to question this statement in relationship to the reality unfolding in American Freemasonry. The "malcontents" have not asked for any changes. They simply quit American Freemasonry to pursue their own interests. Based on the actual events that have taken place they would appear to have little, if any, concern with the old system. The argument that they are demanding change is simply without merit.

In his second paragraph he states: "The Problem is, their 'suggestions' for change
involve throwing away pretty much everything that makes Freemasonry, well, Masonic. This includes the Grand Lodge system, the lodges, the ritual, the tenets, how we meet, who we recognize... if all their plans were implemented, we would be something else, but not freemasonry."

While many of the "malcontents" have complained about the heavy handedness of the grand lodges, nowhere have I seen them call for an overall change to Freemasonry. Since each jurisdiction has its own unique rituals, and they change these from time to time (many were drastically changed in the 1920's and the Scottish Rite just re-wrote all of its rituals), the idea that the "malcontents" are calling for changes to the rituals is ridiculous. Nowhere have they said anything about changing the "tenets," or how lodges meet. They have, however, openly complained about the use of recognition to further racism in the southern United States. I feel this is justifiable on moral grounds, and that most of the modern world would agree with the "malcontents" on this issue.

They go on constantly about Grand Lodges being "monolithic" and "unresponsive." One of these brothers even recently wrote: "Monolithic systems such as Grand Lodges are well suited for mass production operations where everything is the same, but poorly suited to address individual needs. This, I believe, is the true nature of the problem. It's not about the needs of the ego but the spirit of the human being."

The problem is, this is incorrect, a sand foundation for all proceeding arguments, and in itself an ego driven position. These few brothers, and by few I mean less than a hundred (though they are quite vocal) out of, what, 4 million plus Freemasons worldwide, seem to hold the position that they are not bound by their obligation to Freemasonry, that they do not have to work within the system to effect change.

Theron shames himself in the above paragraphs by not revealing the whole truth, and only the part he wants his reader to believe. He claims that it's just a few brothers when he has no idea how many have been alienated by the existing system. He also twists the numerical statistics to meet the needs of his straw argument. The present situation is isolated to American Masonry and not the global fraternity of four million. Therefore, we are speaking of about two million Masons. Of these two million American Masons about 98% have not set foot in a lodge in the past twenty years and have no idea what's taking place in their lodges or Grand Lodge. To claim that two million American Masons agree that the present status quo represents their views is a rhetorical fabrication. Of the forty thousand that are actively involved in the fraternity about 30% of those are unsatisfied with the present system. This represents about twelve thousand dissatisfied active Masons.

Ego is the prime cause of this problem, and others like it. In masonic ritual, we are taught that we were first PREPARED to be made a mason in our hearts, then taught to circumscribe our desires, and "wait a time with patience." A lack of patience, and an over riding ego are the prime cause of these types of actions.

Is "ego" the real driving force in these events? Yes, but not in the way Theron would have us believe. When a Grand Master issues an edict or demand is it by its very nature unquestionable. Is it unreasonable for those affected by such edicts and demands to ask for the reasons and justifications behind them? Should Freemasons, as enlightened men, blindly follow the dictates of one man without reasonable justification? Past precedence has shown that asking for reasonable justifications is met with a heavy handedness by Grand Masters that includes threats and actions of suspension, expulsion, etc. designed to compel a blind submission to his whims and desires. So whose ego is truly driving the problem: that of the common blue lodge Mason or the Grand Master?

Theron even agrees on this point when he says: "If one cannot convince the majority of the correctness of his belief, then it strikes me as the height of chutzpah, ego and hubris...." The same applies to the actions of the Grand Master in regards to lodges and individual brothers. In the case of the Grand Masters they don’t even bother to try and convince anyone of the rightness of their actions or demands. They offer no reasonable justification at all, just "do what I say or else!" Again, I have to ask where is the real source of the ego problem: the Grand Master or the common brother?

With the RARE exceptions noted above, the universal experience has been one of friendship, support, study, contemplation, charity and brotherhood.

I would have to disagree with this statement based on the statistical data. If American Freemasonry were truly dedicated to "Friendship, support, study, contemplation, charity, and brotherhood." its lodges would be filled to overflowing at each meeting. Since 98% of the brethren haven’t attended in over twenty years it follows that it must not be the Utopia Theron would have us believe.

While Theron focuses on arguments of ego and malcontents American Freemasonry
continues its downward spiral into oblivion. Perhaps men like Theron could accomplish more if they focused on solving the problems that breed malcontent such as the egos of Grand Masters and other Masonic leaders.

— Jeff Peace

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