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Please leave your phone in the car.

Angler

Registered User
Last week we had two brothers who stared at their phones, non-stop, through the entire lodge. Neither had attended in months. This was one of the most important meetings of the year, a budget meeting where we would approve spending for the next year. It was a bloody mess where almost everyone disagreed (respectfully) along with discussing many other issues dogging the lodge. Yet, these two grown men sat there like teenagers glued to Facebook or some other site. They couldn't interrupt their entertainment for Even a few minutes.

I hope you brothers think about this when you attend lodge this week. I can think of nothing more disrespectful than to attend lodge and hold your phone in front of your face for everyone to see. It shouts "Whatever you are saying is less important than Pokemon or cat pictures.".
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
I have another angle.

The Worshipful Master can get away with calling out an Officer for being on his cell during a meeting....

HOWEVER! (sorry)

I would place it in charge of the Brethren around that man to whisper wise council and nip it in the bud to avoid disrupting the peace and harmony of the Lodge. If you see wise council being offered and it is not headed, then by all means speak to him after lodge. If he does it again ... then you have no choice.

You may have found a new master's message if you can phrase it properly.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
Im in the Army, i also have a wife and 2 kids. I keep my phone on me and if i feel it vibrate i discreetly check it, my alerts show on my lock screen so i dont even have to pull it all the way out. But never would i get in the internet and search around.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
If a phone comes out during the Stated for any reason other than adding an event to the calendar, my WM will have choice words to say, and said phone will not be seen again.
If a phone comes out during the Lodge of Instruction, the nearest Brother will stop it before it lasts more than a few seconds, and the WM will have something to say afterwards.
 

Companion Joe

Premium Member
I always put my on airplane mode so I won't receive calls or texts, but I don't leave it in the truck because I use it for my calendar. When it comes time for announcements, you see most people ranging from 18-80 reaching for their phones.
 

ej6267

Registered User
I also use the phone for the calendar function, but it remains on silent the whole meeting. It's just a sign of the times, our older brethren pull out their paper calendars to write down events.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
I also use the phone for the calendar function, but it remains on silent the whole meeting. It's just a sign of the times, our older brethren pull out their paper calendars to write down events.
I have no problem with this at all. I'm talking about Brothers that are texting or on social media almost the whole meeting.
 
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alterian

Registered User
Place them on vibrate, if they make a sound donate a $1 or 2. Its a good way to ensure everyone has them on silent. As far as keeping them of I would advice against that as people have families and an emergencies might happen. We were at a stated and a brother got a call from his wife about 2 guys trying to brake in his house.
 

MBC

Twice Registered User
Premium Member
Last week we had two brothers who stared at their phones, non-stop, through the entire lodge. Neither had attended in months. This was one of the most important meetings of the year, a budget meeting where we would approve spending for the next year. It was a bloody mess where almost everyone disagreed (respectfully) along with discussing many other issues dogging the lodge. Yet, these two grown men sat there like teenagers glued to Facebook or some other site. They couldn't interrupt their entertainment for Even a few minutes.

I hope you brothers think about this when you attend lodge this week. I can think of nothing more disrespectful than to attend lodge and hold your phone in front of your face for everyone to see. It shouts "Whatever you are saying is less important than Pokemon or cat pictures.".

This is just simply an act which one brother or a few brethren for not respecting the meeting(s).
I cannot see a point why it can be linked to teenagers or others.

P.S. I am now 22 and I am a both Facebook and Twitter users, also a hardcore Pokemon Go player, but I never took out my phone when the lodge is opened.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
P.S. I am now 22 and I am a both Facebook and Twitter users, also a hardcore Pokemon Go player, but I never took out my phone when the lodge is opened.
That shows that you have respect for The Craft and others around you Brother. Good deal!
 
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Scoops

Registered User
We're expected to have our phones off during the meeting. If you're expecting a possible urgent phone call (such as I was last week if my wife went into labour) then leave your phone with the Tyler.
 

rpbrown

Premium Member
We make an announcement at the beginning of each meeting. Turn phones to vibrate or if it goes off its a $25.00 donation to the scholarship fund. If it goes off during a degree, its a $50.00 donation with $25.00 going to the candidate.
We cannot say no phones allowed as we have brethren in the service industry that are on call from time to time such as myself, and we also have some first responders that are on call as well.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
I was at the RGL of Portugal this weekend. Looked at the row behind me. Some visitor had his phone out while sitting in the GRAND EAST AS A VISITOR.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
I was at the RGL of Portugal this weekend. Looked at the row behind me. Some visitor had his phone out while sitting in the GRAND EAST AS A VISITOR.
HOLY CRAP!! That's Crazy. I take it that since they were in the Grand East that they were a sitting or PGM?
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
HOLY CRAP!! That's Crazy. I take it that since they were in the Grand East that they were a sitting or PGM?
Not entirely sure of rank. They may have been head of delegation. I was one of the last to go in, and so didn't see/hear what was occurring before I entered.

Admittedly, it can get tedious sitting there for almost three hours, but it's part of the gig.
 
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