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I question the questions.

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
We should all be familiar with the questions on an investigation for the degrees of freemasonry but I was looking at an investigation for affiliation and I have some questions. Now my questions aren't why are we asking but why are we asking them now. This is a for for a Brother. One that is already in the Fraternity yet there is nothing this in depth on the candidates form. Does anyones else see a problem with this picture?

These are all the questions:
1. What is his age? ________________________________________________
2. Is he married or single? __________________________________________
3. If married, is he living with his wife? ________________________________
4. What is the character of his associates?_____________________________
5. Does he gamble?_________________________________________________
6. Does he habitually use profane language?____________________________
7. Has he licentious or immoral habits? _____________________________
8. Is he a law-abiding citizen?
 

Raymond Walters

Premium Member
I have asked similar questions to these you ask now. Had a proper investigation been done before admitting any man into OUR fraternity, some questions would not need be asked on a petition for affiliation.

The questions themselves seem slightly outdated, but a simple revision & update could address what you have brought up.

Additionally, if so many brothers were not mentally living in the year 1861, progressive steps could be made to bring this GL into the current century.
[My opinion only, and I must stress that simply because there are those who, though I AM a dues paying member, have informed me I cannot have an opinion nor express it.]

Fraternally,
 

Nate Riley

Premium Member
I think all the questions should be asked on all of the petitons (initiation, reinstatement, affiliation).
 

RedTemplar

Johnny Joe Combs
Premium Member
Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? Is this question still relevant?

What about this one? What is the religious affiliation of your mother's parents?

These questions are still on our personal interviews.
 

Raymond Walters

Premium Member
I cannot pretend to know what is deemed acceptable in Kentucky.
I do know this, that a thorough investigation will actually provide answers to SOME of the questions, not ALL.

I also have noticed that our fraternity doesn't seem to get petitions for membership from members of the Communist party, but we do get them from those who are members of groups that preach other forms of hatred or superiority against their fellow men.

Wording was changed in the Masonic Code of the Grand Lodge of Ohio a few years back to include any group that exist to subvert principles of the US Constitution and is thereby considered a "terrorist group".

Since freemasonry requires no religious test, what can be gained by knowing a person's mothers religious affiliation? I ask because I do not know the answer to that question, not because I AM stupid.

Fraternally,
 

Nate Riley

Premium Member
Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? Is this question still relevant?

What about this one? What is the religious affiliation of your mother's parents?

These questions are still on our personal interviews.

We ran the Communists out of Texas with the Comanches! So no need to ask that here.:biggrin:

We must that sent them to Louisiana and Kentucky.:24:

Seriously though, asking questions like that sort of takes away from the importance of the other more realistic questions.
 

RedTemplar

Johnny Joe Combs
Premium Member
I must admit we have our share of Communists in KY. The Govt. sends them a check each and every month.
 

jonesvilletexas

Premium Member
Josh, I have no problem with the questions, transparency, where have I heard that? haha

I think, and it’s just me, the brother could have changed after becoming a MM and the brothers did not see his original petition.
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
Josh, I have no problem with the questions, transparency, where have I heard that? haha

I think, and it’s just me, the brother could have changed after becoming a MM and the brothers did not see his original petition.

Well it is not that I have a problem with the questions but why make it mandatory on the affiliation but not the candidate investigation. I mean as an investigator we can go further and most do but we can only report what is on the form. Anything else could be considered campaigning. I personally would like to see like a 1 - 3 page questionnaire that is added to the petition for review of the investigation team to build off of. JMO
 

TxManx

Registered User
A lot of the questions that are now prevalent were likely added during the 40's and 50's, when membership was skyrocketing, and in-depth investigations were not happening.

During this period, there was a limited time from petition to acceptance, even to the MM degree due to the war. Men who wanted to pursue Masonry and were faced with military obligations were often only required to petition, learn / repeat the obligation and that was it.

It's documented in many places that they would hold a one-day class in which you could go through only the obligations for EA, FC and MM...and that was it. They did not require any of the ritual.

It's my understanding that even in the state of Texas, it wasn't until recent years that all lodges were mandated to require all of the esoteric work and the obligation - only the obligation was required.

The questions asked on the affiliation may well be so that the Brother's wife could be introduced to the local chapter of the OES, and the local lodge could better recommend ways for the Traveler to integrate himself in the community.
 

Nate Riley

Premium Member
A lot of the questions that are now prevalent were likely added during the 40's and 50's, when membership was skyrocketing, and in-depth investigations were not happening.

During this period, there was a limited time from petition to acceptance, even to the MM degree due to the war. Men who wanted to pursue Masonry and were faced with military obligations were often only required to petition, learn / repeat the obligation and that was it.

It's documented in many places that they would hold a one-day class in which you could go through only the obligations for EA, FC and MM...and that was it. They did not require any of the ritual.

It's my understanding that even in the state of Texas, it wasn't until recent years that all lodges were mandated to require all of the esoteric work and the obligation - only the obligation was required.

The questions asked on the affiliation may well be so that the Brother's wife could be introduced to the local chapter of the OES, and the local lodge could better recommend ways for the Traveler to integrate himself in the community.

Thats kind of hard to imagine. I thought the one day conferrals were something rather new and primarily going on in the Northern States. I know the ritual work and questions and answers have been part of Texas Masonry since the 1950s when my grandfather was intitiated, passed, and raised.
 

TCShelton

Founding Member
Premium Member
Not sure on the one-day conferrals in Texas, but the part about not having to learn the entire proficiency is true enough. Wasn't until last year that Grand Lodge required the learning of all of it. It was up to the individual lodge.
 

Hippie19950

Premium Member
Not sure on the one-day conferrals in Texas, but the part about not having to learn the entire proficiency is true enough. Wasn't until last year that Grand Lodge required the learning of all of it. It was up to the individual lodge.

You might know that Last Year was the one I chose to come in.... But I enjoyed the challenge, and would have it no other way, at least for myself.
 
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