Radical540
Registered User
Greetings All! I'm going to try and make this as to the point as I can.
My interest in Freemasonry started in the Summer of 2013. I began doing some research & reading, and developed a small library of enlightening books by guys like S. Brent Morris, Christopher Knight, & Christopher Hodapp and a few others. All respected Masons indeed; and I learned a TON!!
Toward the end of last summer I petitioned the local lodge of my city. I was told it was a lodge of about 30 members, thought I've only ever met about a dozen, and of that dozen only about 6-8 show up to communication meetings on a regular basis. (Concern #1). Prior to be voted and accepted, I met a few of the brothers at the lodge for the "after meeting" snack, and one time at the prior WM's home. Nothing special and rather uneventful.
Much of the reading I've done prior to petitioning had portrayed the Craft as one of brotherly love and ambivalence, so I've taken that to heart.
In December I had my Entered Apprentice Degree. The bare minimum members showed up to even open lodge, but the ceremony took place and I went through it. Having experience this "lodge" for several months now, even though I'm only an EA I'm starting to question whether I chose the right lodge. Having taken the EA oath, and taking it literally means a certain allegiance to the lodge and it's brothers..but I've yet to feel this lodge values it's brothers or what lodge stands for beyond just a bunch of guys that might be on the same bowling team. I know I'm the "new brother" but based on how the other brothers react to each other, I'm not seeing the "brotherly love" that Freemasonry is supposed to be all about. One thing that shocked me was the WM saying this around the holidays "...we won't be having lodge on XMas day, because I sure don't wanna see your mugs (faces) on the holiday...I'll be with my family!" REALLY? Is that brotherly love? Also, I recently had a birthday. ALL my non-mason friends wished me birthday greetings; but my Mason "brothers"-- the ones in which I took an oath to support, and show brotherly love to.....NOTHING AT ALL!
Many times, it's like pulling teeth just to get brothers to show up, and when they do their late, and sometimes not even dressed properly. (in my most recent lodge communication meeting, the JD was wearing jeans, sneakers, and simply a polo shirt with a Square & Compass embroidered on it. Very unmasonic & unprofessional in my opinion). I'm not sure if most Lodges have this hard to a time to actually get members to a meeting, but it seems as though the members of my lodge put just about EVERYTHING in life before lodge, and the excuses simply seem rampant.
Mainly what I'm getting at is that this Lodge doesn't seem very committed to taking to the Craft very seriously, and when they do even show up, I just don't see the cameraderie or brotherly love that Freemasonry allegedly purports!
Just seems like a bunch (maybe) of co-workers hanging out for an hour or 2 usually just once a month- if that.
Help! Did I pick the wrong lodge?
Thanks everyone!
My interest in Freemasonry started in the Summer of 2013. I began doing some research & reading, and developed a small library of enlightening books by guys like S. Brent Morris, Christopher Knight, & Christopher Hodapp and a few others. All respected Masons indeed; and I learned a TON!!
Toward the end of last summer I petitioned the local lodge of my city. I was told it was a lodge of about 30 members, thought I've only ever met about a dozen, and of that dozen only about 6-8 show up to communication meetings on a regular basis. (Concern #1). Prior to be voted and accepted, I met a few of the brothers at the lodge for the "after meeting" snack, and one time at the prior WM's home. Nothing special and rather uneventful.
Much of the reading I've done prior to petitioning had portrayed the Craft as one of brotherly love and ambivalence, so I've taken that to heart.
In December I had my Entered Apprentice Degree. The bare minimum members showed up to even open lodge, but the ceremony took place and I went through it. Having experience this "lodge" for several months now, even though I'm only an EA I'm starting to question whether I chose the right lodge. Having taken the EA oath, and taking it literally means a certain allegiance to the lodge and it's brothers..but I've yet to feel this lodge values it's brothers or what lodge stands for beyond just a bunch of guys that might be on the same bowling team. I know I'm the "new brother" but based on how the other brothers react to each other, I'm not seeing the "brotherly love" that Freemasonry is supposed to be all about. One thing that shocked me was the WM saying this around the holidays "...we won't be having lodge on XMas day, because I sure don't wanna see your mugs (faces) on the holiday...I'll be with my family!" REALLY? Is that brotherly love? Also, I recently had a birthday. ALL my non-mason friends wished me birthday greetings; but my Mason "brothers"-- the ones in which I took an oath to support, and show brotherly love to.....NOTHING AT ALL!
Many times, it's like pulling teeth just to get brothers to show up, and when they do their late, and sometimes not even dressed properly. (in my most recent lodge communication meeting, the JD was wearing jeans, sneakers, and simply a polo shirt with a Square & Compass embroidered on it. Very unmasonic & unprofessional in my opinion). I'm not sure if most Lodges have this hard to a time to actually get members to a meeting, but it seems as though the members of my lodge put just about EVERYTHING in life before lodge, and the excuses simply seem rampant.
Mainly what I'm getting at is that this Lodge doesn't seem very committed to taking to the Craft very seriously, and when they do even show up, I just don't see the cameraderie or brotherly love that Freemasonry allegedly purports!
Just seems like a bunch (maybe) of co-workers hanging out for an hour or 2 usually just once a month- if that.
Help! Did I pick the wrong lodge?
Thanks everyone!