I'm sure everybody is now officially sick of this.
Grand Masters across the US and internationally continue to weigh in on the actions of the Grand Lodges of Tennessee and Georgia regarding homosexual behavior and cohabitation. Instead of making constant, individual posts about this as they are issued, I am going to try to restrict them all to this one single message from now on, and will try to update it as more occur (if they do). Further, I am listing links below to previous posts about the subject, so the whole story can be followed from this one place.
If a major action DOES occur, such as one Grand Lodge actually suspending Masonic relations with another, that will, of course, warrant its own post, because it's important enough to affect Freemasons in an entire state or two. But the bulk will be put here.
Hopefully, this will finally put a stop to what may look to some like a constant flood, which is not what I intended. It just sort of kept growing. As I have said, I am no gay rights advocate or protester, but I do have my own strong views about it as regards the fraternity.
(And to answer a question posed in several emails lately, no, I am not gay. I have happily been with the same lovely woman since I was 17 - coming up on 40 blissful years. Thanks for asking.)
I am simply trying to keep up with this story as it unfolds.
The Story So Far...
Wikipedia Entry: Supreme Court Rules on Obergefell v. Hodges (Same Sex Marriage Case)
Supreme Court Ruling: Obergefell v. Hodges (Complete Text)
• 10/21/10: Grand Lodge of Kentucky Votes Against Gay Ban
• 4/15/11: Openly Gay Mason Suspended in Kentucky
• 3/20/12: Controversial Kentucky Man Arrested For Lodge Theft
• 9/15/15: Gay Marriage and the Grand Lodge of Tennessee (and Georgia)
• 10/28/15: Anti-Gay, Fornication Edict Upheld In Georgia
• 11/12/15: GL of DC Issues Statement Concerning Eligibility For Masons
• 2/9/16: Gay PM and Partner Suspended In Tennessee
• 2/24/16: NPR Radio: Tennessee Masons Oust Married Gay Couple
• 2/29/16: GLs of California, Utah, and District of Columbia Statements on Gays In Freemasonry
• 3/5/16: UCLA Masonic Conference Protested On Gay Issue
• 3/8/16: GL of DC Suspends Relations With GA and TN
• 3/9/16: Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium Splits With Georgia
• 3/10/16: A Reflection On What Is Tearing Us Asunder
• 3/12/16: GL of Mississippi Votes Down Proposal Adding Gay, Transexual Wording To Petitions
• 3/13/16: Grande Loge Nationale Francaise To Consider Action in GA, TN Situation
• 3/14/16: GM of GA Responds To Actions of GLs of CA, DC, and Belgium
• 3/14/16: GM of TN Responds To Actions of CA and DC; Grand Secretary of DC Clarifies Effects of Edicts on Members
• 3/14/16: GM of Maine Weighs In
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UPDATEIf a major action DOES occur, such as one Grand Lodge actually suspending Masonic relations with another, that will, of course, warrant its own post, because it's important enough to affect Freemasons in an entire state or two. But the bulk will be put here.
Hopefully, this will finally put a stop to what may look to some like a constant flood, which is not what I intended. It just sort of kept growing. As I have said, I am no gay rights advocate or protester, but I do have my own strong views about it as regards the fraternity.
(And to answer a question posed in several emails lately, no, I am not gay. I have happily been with the same lovely woman since I was 17 - coming up on 40 blissful years. Thanks for asking.)
I am simply trying to keep up with this story as it unfolds.
The Story So Far...
Wikipedia Entry: Supreme Court Rules on Obergefell v. Hodges (Same Sex Marriage Case)
Supreme Court Ruling: Obergefell v. Hodges (Complete Text)
• 10/21/10: Grand Lodge of Kentucky Votes Against Gay Ban
• 4/15/11: Openly Gay Mason Suspended in Kentucky
• 3/20/12: Controversial Kentucky Man Arrested For Lodge Theft
• 9/15/15: Gay Marriage and the Grand Lodge of Tennessee (and Georgia)
• 10/28/15: Anti-Gay, Fornication Edict Upheld In Georgia
• 11/12/15: GL of DC Issues Statement Concerning Eligibility For Masons
• 2/9/16: Gay PM and Partner Suspended In Tennessee
• 2/24/16: NPR Radio: Tennessee Masons Oust Married Gay Couple
• 2/29/16: GLs of California, Utah, and District of Columbia Statements on Gays In Freemasonry
• 3/5/16: UCLA Masonic Conference Protested On Gay Issue
• 3/8/16: GL of DC Suspends Relations With GA and TN
• 3/9/16: Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium Splits With Georgia
• 3/10/16: A Reflection On What Is Tearing Us Asunder
• 3/12/16: GL of Mississippi Votes Down Proposal Adding Gay, Transexual Wording To Petitions
• 3/13/16: Grande Loge Nationale Francaise To Consider Action in GA, TN Situation
• 3/14/16: GM of GA Responds To Actions of GLs of CA, DC, and Belgium
• 3/14/16: GM of TN Responds To Actions of CA and DC; Grand Secretary of DC Clarifies Effects of Edicts on Members
• 3/14/16: GM of Maine Weighs In
-------------------------------------
3/17/16: GM of Wisconsin Statement
Yesterday, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin F&AM, MW Franklin J. Struble, issued a statement that was sent to all lodges regarding the position of his GL on lawful homosexual marriages, and his opinion concerning the suspension of recognition by other GLs.
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