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Cell phone use in the Lodge

Bro_Vick

Moderator
Premium Member
Some lodges has strict rules that phones are to be kept outside the lodge room at all times. One in San Antonio, TX has a basket outside the lodge room where you are to put your phone, almost like a COMSEC procedure. :)

Texting when someone is talking is rude in general, drives me nuts when I am having a conversation with someone and they bring out their phone. I don't think it's appropriate, but that is my personal preference. In these instances I refer to the lodge brain trust.

S&F,
-Bro Vick
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
In Virginia, cell phone use is taboo. Some lodges charge $10-$20, if a phone rings in a tyled meeting. (Exceptions are made for law enforcement, paramedics, doctors on call,etc.).

Frankly, I prefer to leave the outside world behind, and have a quiet and peaceful lodge experience. I am on the phone and computer at work all day.
 

Mac

Moderator
Premium Member
I try to avoid it all costs. I've managed to be good for the most part, and mainly just check email and social networking during the reading of all minutes not previously read and approved. ;)
 

cutter2001

Premium Member
In Mississippi, year before last the Grand Master fined a brother and banned all cell phones from lodge. He also instituted a fine system for violators. As a physician, I just put mine on vibrate if I was on call and the brothers understood if I would need to slip out.
That said, texting during a Masters degree is one of the rudest things that I think a person could do. For me, my raising was one of the pivotal events in my life, and to have a brother treat it so trivially is not just an insult to the candidate, but to the lodge, and to the order.

Just my .02
 

Mac

Moderator
Premium Member
That said, texting during a Masters degree is one of the rudest things that I think a person could do. For me, my raising was one of the pivotal events in my life, and to have a brother treat it so trivially is not just an insult to the candidate, but to the lodge, and to the order.
Brother, I agree wholeheartedly. I think it's rude and disrespectful to do anything of the sort during any of the degrees. We provide our candidates with dramatic and meaningful initiations whose value would be cheapened if somebody didn't have the class to avoid texting during them.
 

Scott J

Registered User
I can understand about "marking" your calander on your phone. I would be lost without mine. As a personal rule of thumb, I put mine on vibrate and leave it in my pocket. I've always been taught that it is just plain rude not to give whoever is speaking your full attention. Just hope I can remember what I need to until after Lodge.
 

LukeD

Registered User
I visited a Lodge last night in Mississippi. One of the Brothers reminded me to turn my phone off. They had a $50 fine if it went off during a meeting.
 
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M.M.Wood

Registered User
Dang.....$50 fine, that will get your attention. Once again I will say I am glad I brought this up. I was wondering what kind of replies I would get.
 

Joey

Co-Founder
Staff Member
I've done the same thing. If I've forgotten a printout at home I'll pull my phone out and look it up. I also use it to add things on my calendar. But texting is a whole different situation.... I feel that's it's distracting and how could you possibly pay attention to what's going on?
 
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