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GL of Louisiana withdraws recognition of GEKT

MarkR

Premium Member
I had read that Arkansas was not approving demits to allow their members to join in another state while still living in Arkansas. Is that not so?
 

CLewey44

Registered User
...Masonry, for the most part, does nothing except eat, meet and go home..

Unfortunately, that is the case in many lodges, hence the mass closings over the last 30-40 years. The need for men (or women; this all applies to OES as well) to just go somewhere for the heckuvit has been put on the back-burner. It's important Masonry develops some substance, or at least finds that in and of itself.
 

CLewey44

Registered User
Get the plural membership first, then demit. I can't speak for every state, but here, as long as your dues are paid up and there are no charges pending against you, you can't be denied a demit.

From personal experience, you are on the money. Get affiliated first. Then worry about demitting.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Get the plural membership first, then demit. I can't speak for every state, but here, as long as your dues are paid up and there are no charges pending against you, you can't be denied a demit.
Same here in Kentucky. As long as dues are current and no charges are pending a demit MUST be issued upon request.
It's important Masonry develops some substance, or at least finds that in and of itself.
Agreed.
Get affiliated first. Then worry about demitting.
Also agreed.
 

Companion Joe

Premium Member
Let's do a hypothetical (mainly because I like to be contrary :D), and I'll put myself in a situation as the example:
In addition to being a Mason, I belong to the Moose. Let's say sometime in the future, we get a GM who has a beef with the Moose because his brother-in-law got kicked out. He issues an edict that Tennessee Masons can't be members of the Moose. That leaves me with choices to make. Here's a problem that directly affects me that has nothing to do with me. I don't want to give up my Moose membership because that's where my wife and I like to go eat, and I don't take too well to ultimatums. Where I live, I could geographically transfer membership to five different states. I could keep my Masonic membership and still attend my local lodge as a visitor every time the doors open. What I lose: a vote in my local lodge. What my lodge loses: the voice of an experienced PM, a proficiency card holder which hurts the lodge in its annual grade, a member of numerous committees, someone capable of doing any part in the first section of all three degrees (if I was feeling spiteful and not willing to do it).

Where is the most harm done? When a peeing contest begins, the trickle down ripples do the most damage.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Let's do a hypothetical (mainly because I like to be contrary :D), and I'll put myself in a situation as the example:
In addition to being a Mason, I belong to the Moose. Let's say sometime in the future, we get a GM who has a beef with the Moose because his brother-in-law got kicked out. He issues an edict that Tennessee Masons can't be members of the Moose. That leaves me with choices to make. Here's a problem that directly affects me that has nothing to do with me. I don't want to give up my Moose membership because that's where my wife and I like to go eat, and I don't take too well to ultimatums. Where I live, I could geographically transfer membership to five different states. I could keep my Masonic membership and still attend my local lodge as a visitor every time the doors open. What I lose: a vote in my local lodge. What my lodge loses: the voice of an experienced PM, a proficiency card holder which hurts the lodge in its annual grade, a member of numerous committees, someone capable of doing any part in the first section of all three degrees (if I was feeling spiteful and not willing to do it).

Where is the most harm done? When a peeing contest begins, the trickle down ripples do the most damage.

My first reaction is that's outside of the authority of any Mason as the Moose are not a Masonic group. Authority is what the rules say you can do. Power is what you can actually get away with. Since this would be a flagrant violation of authority I would not grant such an errant GM the power to dictate to me on the topic. I would ignore the order. I have no idea how vocal I would be about doing so.

The Shrine and York Rite are Masonic. Except in Arkansas they both require all of their members to be Masons. Thus it is within the authority for a GM to his Masons to not be members or at least to not attend meetings until the issue gets sorted out.

Any Masonic body that has an organization that spans more than one state is going to be exposed to this type of event. I figure that's why the Scottish Rite works so hard to keep PGMs in SR positions and involved in SR activities. To stay close to the grand lines everywhere.

The Shrine in general could stop requiring their members to be Masons. At that point they would be in the situation you describe with the Moose. But how many members would they lose if they did that? Arkansas suggests that the answer is far too many for them to consider the move.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
The Shrine in general could stop requiring their members to be Masons. At that point they would be in the situation you describe with the Moose. But how many members would they lose if they did that? Arkansas suggests that the answer is far too many for them to consider the move.
I have to agree.
 
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