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California and Illinois at present. Currently waiting on the dual membership paperwork to wind through the offices of 2 lodges and 2 GLs to affiliate with a Texas lodge. All 3 states soon enough. Boss Lady says - I am not to go through the line again while here. We'll see how long it takes...

I didn't notice Fonda's part (small enough to be called a cameo?) until well into the movie. Like "Forrest Gump" it's a historical movie that tells the tale of an era now past using plenty of historical facts tied together with a fictional story line. It is the sort of movie the Academy like...

It doesn't quite work that way. Each GL is sovereign and makes its own recognition decisions. For example because of the recent problems in France some GLs have pulled recognition others have not. Most GLs follow UGLE's lead most of the time and most US GLs follow the lead of the Commission...

For us book SF fans, the World Science Fiction Convention is in San Antonio over Labor Day weekend. It's too late to get the media package to be able to vote on this year's Hugo awards. The last time I was to a fan convention of any sort was mid-1990s when Babylon 5 was still first run. I'm...

My attitude towards classes changed when a brother failed to show yup to his second degree at lodge then he did show up at a class and then became active after that. This in Illinois where classes are FC+MM not all 3 in the same day. Variation of a theme.

My jurisdictions are listed in my signature on each post.

Ask which PHA jurisdiction they are in. Check for them in the United Grand Lodge of England list, North America tab: http://www.ugle.org.uk/about/foreign-grand-lodges If possible go to the page for that PHA grand lodge and confirm they did in fact charter that lodge.

I suggest "symmetrical tolerance" as a policy. Start out tolerating. When presented intolerance by intolerant of that. Tolerance is not a long list if stuff. Not acceptance, not approval, not agreement and so on. Tolerance is mutual peace and respect. It tends to be a stretch to learn how...

The topic does make wording difficult, doesn't it? As Masonry isn't a religion a literal view of "religion in Freemasonry" could lead to an answer of "There is no such thing". If I get your point correctly you mean the set of religions that have practicing members who are Masons. That would...

Some sects of Buddhism deal with deity some don't and none of them have rules against dealing with deity. As a result it is up to the individual Buddhist to address the topic or not. Many do and as a result there are practicing Buddhists who are Masons. The brother who raised me is a...

It does not. Actual persecution as is happening in Egypt as well as the riots against Muslims in a Buddhist majority country several months ago and other parallel examples across history is to be opposed. It's not that it's Christians in specific who are being persecuted it's that anyone is...

Other appendent bodies can and do charter research chapters/councils/etc in many states. I had expected that the Texas Grand York Rite bodies had chartered one. It should be no problem if the Star or Amaranth charter a Chapter of Research. I suggest you ping other states. At least one other...

Sing a paraphrase of an old song and march as you sing. These boots are made for walking, and my wallet too. Right now my boots and wallet walk away from you. Come on boots, start walking. These folks preach against orders that teach morality and that says all I need to know about them.

Crusades bad. Doesn't matter which religion is the one currently doing the crusade. Persecuting anyone using religion as a basis is terrible. Should the US pull foreign aid over it? I'm glad I don't have any control over such issues. I'd screw it up worse than any administration I've ever...

Astronomy is in a golden age. It's a century ago that galaxy nebulae were recognized as being other "island universes". Now we have these stunning photographs taken by amateurs. It's a decade ago we finally figured out that our own galaxy is a barred spiral. The symmetry of creation repeats...

This is the result of merging church and state. The military would not fire on civilians to keep a dictator in power but once a government was voted in that merged church and state the military is now firing on civilians. Plus as in this case the military is failing to intervene when civilians...

Illinois recently (2009 or so) published a floor work book that goes with our ritual book. In the case of Illinois I think that's a bad idea but not for the usual reasons expressed by Texas Masons. Being a member of a cipher jurisdiction and a written-out jurisdiction I don't object to ritual...

I suggest this is a generational difference on what masonry is to most. Very many of the previous generation joined for the fellowship and social activities and that really is what Masonry is to them. I've heard former military describe the camaraderie we experience as parallel to what they...

Most of the jurisdictions in the US are now back to the worldwide standard of conducting business meetings in the first degree. Some use the men in attendance to decide which degree to open on - I rather like this rule as it keeps the line in better practice. Now it's time to address the...

To me this sounds like "More masonry in men". To me this sounds like "More men in Masonry". When discussing "More Masonry in men" versus "More men in Masonry" we really do need both. It's like discussing if the purpose of a lodge is to make more Masons. Of course that's the purpose of a...