Goodbye Facebook

To all of my brethren out there who have supported my posts over the years, and contributed to absolutely wonderful and educational Masonic discussions.

I, unfortunately, can no longer, in good conscious, support Facebook, or it's policies and procedures.

My posts have always been, and are still always free to share, by anyone.

As always, my endeavors, will continue at:

masonicinsights.blogspot.com

Peer Group

One of the first things that changes when you join a lodge, is your peer group.

How does this affect you "Becoming a Mason?"

Memento Mori

How meaningful would our lives be if people lived forever?

How important would relationships be, if you knew you would never run out of time?

Would we be able to love, if death was not a reality?

Memento Mori

Plato Trivium and Quadrivium

Why are students no longer taught the Trivium and Quadrivium?

Why must these be sought, outside of traditional education?

Aren't they considered "classical?"

Wasting Time

Can you think of one thing that we all have a limited amount of?

Why would anyone want to waste it?

Keep this in mind during "Stated Meetings."

Appreciation

Appreciation comes from working toward, and achieving a goal.

If we hurry men into the fraternity, and push them through the degrees just to make members, you will end up with a bunch of guys who aren't really sure why they "joined" a fraternity.

Take the time to find out if they are instead, interested in "Becoming a Mason."

Confusion

Has someone ever told you something about the Craft of Masonry that you didn't quite believe?

How did you resolve this situation?

Did you find it to be true, or false?

Face Value

Don't take things at face value! Look into the situation yourself, and you will learn more than you ever thought possible.

This applies to Life, Spirituality, and most definitively, Masonry.

Hope and Faith

Is "hope" an integral part of "faith?"

Substitute

Why do we congratulate our candidates when they only receive a substitute?

Wilmshurst

"Seldom or never do we employ our Lodge meetings for that purpose for which, quite as much as for ceremonial purposes, they were intended, viz.: for "expatiating on the mysteries of the Craft," and perhaps our neglect to do so is because we have ourselves imperfectly realized what those mysteries are into which our Order was primarily formed to introduce us."

When was the last time you had a Masonic Meeting when you had an open discussion about the mysteries of the craft?

Trivium Proverbs

The three paths of the Trivium mirror the biblical pattern of learning expressed by Proverbs 24:3-4:

Grammar = Knowledge

Knowledge fills the metaphorical house of the soul with treasures;

Logic = Understanding

Understanding holds the house together, giving it integrity;

Rhetoric = Wisdom

Wisdom builds it, providing it with its final purpose.

Declaration of Independence Prince Hall

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

A special thanks to Prince Hall Masons who continue to honor the trials and tribulations of their predecessors who "altered and abolished" this corruption of equality and rights.

Offended Question?

How is it possible to get offended when you have been simply asked a question?

It's in the code...

"It's in the code..."

is one of the most ridiculous things that can be said when someone asks why we, as Masons, do things a certain way.

Priceless...

Reserve Hotel for upcoming Masonic event.

Catering for meals.

Projector for Power Point Presentation, because the one at the hotel is broken.

Adapter to connect to laptop/phone, because the Hotel hasn't heard of anything newer than VGA.

Coordinating the location and event ideas with attendees.

Having no one show up on the day of the event, and have to pay for the whole thing yourself... Priceless.

Burnout

Burnout comes from having your continuous efforts get wasted.

Ask, Seek, Knock

Ask
Did the candidate ask about Masonry?

Seek
Did the candidate follow up by coming to the Lodge and inquiring on becoming a Mason?

Knock
Did the candidate prepare himself to open the door when he was ready?

Superfluous Business

What happens if the Business of Freemasonry starts to become superfluous?

Freemasonic Business

Why is the Craft of Masonry put aside in lieu of Freemasonic Business?

Progressive Line

Does your Lodge or Grand Lodge have the tradition of a "progressive line?"

Unless something happens that causes one of the officers to leave, why do we keep voting on the officers every year they "move up?"

Meaning of Masonry

What does Masonry mean to you?

Pizza Truth

What is truth?

Is it subjective?

Respect for Masonry

Where does respect for the craft of Masonry come from?

Education Time

How much time should be allocated for

Masonic Education

during a stated meeting?

Dues

"...it is the internal qualifications of man, not the external, that define the Mason.

Assuming, of course, you can pay your dues."

Weak Men

"If you think tough men are dangerous, wait until you see what weak men are capable of."
- Jordan Peterson

Does this quote apply to guarding the west gate?

Bills

Some things just do not belong in open lodge.

What is a better way to handle things like this?

Not a Religion.

Freemasonry is not a religion.

Yet, many of the concepts, philosophies, and tenets are similar to many different religions.

What makes Freemasonry different than a religion?

Social Distractions

Does "social media" distract us from just being social?

Does it distract from the fraternal, or social, aspect of Masonry?

House of Cards

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Matthew 7:24-27

Better Yourself

We all attempt to better ourselves in one way or another.

What makes Masonry so different?

Suit & Tie

If a requirement to wear a jacket and tie was keeping brethren from coming to lodge, how would you handle it?

Lodge and Bar

A man went to Lodge. He forgot to switch off  his cell phone and it rang during opening. The Master scolded him. The brethren admonished him after opening for interrupting the ritual. His brethren pulled him aside and lectured him about his carelessness after Lodge. One could see the shame, embarrassment and humiliation on his face. After all this, he never stepped foot in the Lodge again.

That evening, he went to a bar. He was still nervous and trembling. He spilled his drink on the table by accident. The waiter apologized and gave him a napkin to clean himself. The janitor mopped the floor. The female manager offered him a complimentary drink. She also gave him a huge hug and a peck while saying, “Don’t worry man. Who doesn’t make mistakes?”

He has not stopped going to that bar since then.

Apathy

Apathy is described as "a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern."

In certain cases, can apathy be a good thing?

Freedom

If "true freedom" is not having to conform to rules and regulations...

...why then are we constantly conforming to rules and regulations?

Tarzan

Etymology Quiz:

Find the mistake in this sentence:

"Tarzan was literally swinging through the jungle on vines."

Schrodinger's Cat

The paradox of quantum superposition teaches us that observation is required for assessment.

Does this mean that Masonry is both "alive" and "dead," or "active" and "inactive," unless it is observed correctly?

What is "Observant Masonry?"

Principals of Masonry

The principals of Masonry should act in your mind like a ...

Integrity

What is integrity?

Is it worth dying for?

Changing the Rules

If you start winning by playing by the rules, and getting better at the game, you may find that they will try to change the rules in order to win.

Innovation

Freemasonic customs, traditions, lodges, and ritual differ all over the world.

However, if there is not supposed to be any "innovation" in the ritual and customs...

Why are there so many differences?

Shared & Personal Wisdom

What is the difference between Shared Wisdom, and Personal Wisdom?

How do both affect the Organization of Freemasonry, and the Individual Mason?

Do we need both?

St. Patricks Day

Known as the "Apostle of Ireland," St. Patrick was the primary figure in adapting Irish culture into Christianity.

Can this type of work and adaptation apply to modern Freemasonry?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Pi Pie

Pythagoras was not the one who yelled out "Eureka!"
Archimedes did...

So, to honor Archimedes "other" discovery, denoted by today's date...
Go have a piece of Pie!

Romans 16:17

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause division and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

- Romans 16:17

How does this scripture apply to Masonry?

Opinions

A disagreement, especially one of opinion, does not have to be disrespectful.

This is viewed as a prime attribute of maturity.

Math Mastery

How can one become a Master in any skill, if the rules of operation keep changing?

Kirk & Picard

When an organization, such as Freemasonry, has been around for so long, it must have gone through significant changes.

Can you name some of the changes?

Were they good or bad?

Divest Themselves?

Can vices and superfluities eventually divest themselves?