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The Philosophy of "Making Good Men Better"

hanzosbm

Premium Member
Absolutely, and don't get me wrong, it is important to me that ritual is done well. The words need to be right and flow naturally with the emphasis in the right places to help make the material more digestible and easier to understand. In addition, I think that when the floor work is done well, it helps the candidate focus more on the lessons being taught rather than wondering why that guy walked a different way than that other guy. But, I think those things are icing on the cake and unfortunately, I see a lot of time devoted to them while the cake itself (the lessons of the ritual) get pushed to the back burner.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
The argument on the gavel is dumb, it makes no difference to the lesson received. I often say, Freemasons often approach ceremonial like an occultist trying to cast a spell, every thing must be done right or it wont work. We're not doing that in lodge, we're teaching and learning (including those delivering the work),
Correct!
The really sad part is, just like any form of politics, only someone willing to immerse themselves in all of the political BS would be able to rise to a position capable of making meaningful changes. Sadly, the kind of people who have the desire to make those changes wouldn't be able to stand all of the politicking long enough to reach those levels. Myself included.
Sad but true.
I see a lot of time devoted to them while the cake itself (the lessons of the ritual) get pushed to the back burner.
I think that this is true in a LOT of lodges and GLs. I have seen it many times myself in my short Masonic career.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
It’s a system of making Members, not Masons. GLs are worried about getting another dues payment and lodges become account managers. Once you buy the product it’s like pulling teeth to get customer service to give you the instructions.
 

pointwithinacircle2

Rapscallion
Premium Member
It’s a system of making Members, not Masons. GLs are worried about getting another dues payment and lodges become account managers. Once you buy the product it’s like pulling teeth to get customer service to give you the instructions.
While I agree with what you have said, I think that perhaps it is only the tip of the iceberg. I think there is a reason why Lodge members today are not given the instructions to become Masons. I think it is because we stopped teaching the instructions so long ago that few Masons actually have them anymore, and those that do possess the instructions probably found them outside of the Lodge. I know that's where I found the few instructions that I possess.
 

hanzosbm

Premium Member
While I agree with what you have said, I think that perhaps it is only the tip of the iceberg. I think there is a reason why Lodge members today are not given the instructions to become Masons. I think it is because we stopped teaching the instructions so long ago that few Masons actually have them anymore, and those that do possess the instructions probably found them outside of the Lodge. I know that's where I found the few instructions that I possess.
I agree. ACTUAL Masonic education seems so foreign to so many that even when it's brought up, it confuses people. I mentioned to someone a few months back that I really wanted our lodge to focus more on Masonic education, particularly surrounding the lessons taught in our rituals. His initial response was "oh, you mean like better floorwork?" No, I mean understanding the symbolism taught and how we can put those lessons into practice in our every day lives. "oh, you mean like the history of who wrote the rituals?". This kept going on and on. Unfortunately, I would say that the majority of Masons today see the ritual simply as something that has to be memorized and performed in order to make members, as Brother JC put it. It's almost as if its just a required step while going through the motions, which is a shame, because in my opinion, the ritual and the lessons it/they teach IS Freemasonry.
 

hanzosbm

Premium Member
I once read something which was very meaningful to me, it went: "The purpose of ritual is that it allows those who do not understand the truth to pass the truth on until it reaches someone who can understand it".
Wow, perfectly said. I need to make it a point to remember that.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
I once read something which was very meaningful to me, it went: "The purpose of ritual is that it allows those who do not understand the truth to pass the truth on until it reaches someone who can understand it".
The purpose of ritual is to serve as a vehicle that carries directions to light.

The purpose was never anything other than this.

Some members will never do anything more than maintain that vehicle, never looking inside it, never pulling out the roadmaps that direct those who can read them toward Light.

Yes, it allows those who will never understand it to maintain it.

No, it does not contain the truth men seek; it only points them toward that truth when they seek it.
 
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richardmcmullan128

Registered User
Hi guys I just recently joined freemasonry, March 2017 to be exact. I am just waiting on my master Mason next month. It’s all a bit confusing to me at the minute, I know I probably shouldn’t know that much at my stage, I would just like to gain a knowledge and know what it is ‘all about’ ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

hanzosbm

Premium Member
Hi guys I just recently joined freemasonry, March 2017 to be exact. I am just waiting on my master Mason next month. It’s all a bit confusing to me at the minute, I know I probably shouldn’t know that much at my stage, I would just like to gain a knowledge and know what it is ‘all about’ ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Freemasonry is unlike pretty much anything else that most of us will experience in this lifetime. It's not surprising that it starts off confusing. Tell us a little bit more about yourself (for instance, which Grand Lodge you're with for starters) and if there is anything in particular we can help you with. As you learned in the first degree; seek, ask, knock. It has been my experience that most brothers are happy to help answer questions or give you a helpful point in the right direction.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
It’s all a bit confusing to me at the minute, I know I probably shouldn’t know that much at my stage, I would just like to gain a knowledge and know what it is ‘all about’ ?

Before a man petitions, it's about decided to join our assemblies.

Until the presentation of the third degree proficiency, it's about doing the work required for each degree. This is arguably the only time it's easy to answer that question.

After that it's about becoming a better man this year than you were last year. Some of that happens by regular attendance to associate with those here longer to work to emulate them. Some of that happens by regular attendance to set a good enough example that the newer guys find you worthy of emulation. As such we have a gradual escalation of excellence.

Thus the ritual is to have something to meet about and to have something to train the new guys on while they are getting an invisible education by association. Plus it's all those virtues and stuff mentioned in the lectures. And all the meaning you care to pour into it. I happen to care to pour vast amounts of meaning into it.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Hi guys I just recently joined freemasonry, March 2017 to be exact. I am just waiting on my master Mason next month. It’s all a bit confusing to me at the minute, I know I probably shouldn’t know that much at my stage, I would just like to gain a knowledge and know what it is ‘all about’ ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Step 1 - show up.
Step 2 - listen & learn
Step 3 - think.
Step 4 - read
Step 5 - think
Step 6 - be patient
Step 7 - go back to step 1 and start again.

I've been a Freemason for over 10 years and am still following the above process
 

Athena

Registered User
Blake I like what you have to say.

Well the one thing I firmly agree with is that you guys take in people who are already good. If an organization good or bad just tries to mass recruit and get as big as possible even if it's to make bad people better. It causes ALOT of chaos within there group. Even the act of wanting to get bigger and bigger is CHAOTIC regardless of the organizations purpose due to how we are.

One thing that I find that is good. The true light that we must all pursue and continue to grow before we pursue other lights. Is to understand ourselves, and aknowledging that it is very important. Once we found this light it will continue to be a craft we must pursue that we will never fully grasp but to keep going until understanding oneself is no longer important as in.. There isn't a need we are gone to the next life which is much better then what we go through now.

Understanding that there is good and evil in this world is a fact and product of mankind and through mankind it manifests. Maybe the godless and or evil people that congregate within each other are powerful and perhaps.. Even more powerful then the good ones. The effort to fight this is what matters. In the end the only thing that matters is God (or supreme being), other people, and the knowledge that it will be better when it is all over.
 
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