Please clarify, is your statement parallel to condemning ten innocent men rather than risk setting one guilty man free?
No, as I do not equate lodge with salvation and in my belief system, men do not decide the eternal question.So to deny a man a house on Earth is not the same thing as to deny him one eternal in the Heavens.
People often behave differently when not hiding behind the cloak of Internet anonymity.Here is an example to make my point;
If there were a vote on this forum right now about my own candidacy for Masonry, there us no doubt in my mind that I would be rejected
However, if that vote were taken at my home lodge, the outcome would be different
I'm sorry if this comes off as cold or callous, but if he has failed up to this point to properly prepare himself, I see no reason, regardless of what his last hope may be, that I should endanger the Craft for his sake. Him facing the consequences of his (in)actions has absolutely no bearing on my determination as to whether or not he is worthy. From the standpoint of character, every man has the exact same opportunities in life. If he has squandered those opportunities, I see no need to reward his lack of preparation by advancing him regardless of whether or not he is out of time.Yes but again there is a point to it
We have made Members at our lodge who if rejected would have not continued their pursuit due to age and opportunity
Sometimes we must acknowledge that we may be that mans last hope
So, what if you know he is just a very difficult individual who would sow dissension in the lodge?
I'm sorry if this comes off as cold or callous, but if he has failed up to this point to properly prepare himself, I see no reason, regardless of what his last hope may be, that I should endanger the Craft for his sake. Him facing the consequences of his (in)actions has absolutely no bearing on my determination as to whether or not he is worthy. From the standpoint of character, every man has the exact same opportunities in life. If he has squandered those opportunities, I see no need to reward his lack of preparation by advancing him regardless of whether or not he is out of time.
to deny a person on the basis of worthiness is judgmental to the extreme
I would not, but that's a different situation, we are taught that we must make the effort to gain light, that is why even a candidate must seek out Masonry and ask to join.Charity and the relief of those in dire and destitute circumstances are wonderful aspirations and virtues that I always try to uphold. But that doesn't go as far as making a man a Mason.
Let me try this a different way. Would you pass a brother could not make suitable proficiency and who had not properly prepared himself simply because he desired it?