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Cell Phones

Blake Bowden

Blake Bowden

Founder
I haven't attended Lodge in a very long time so tonight I decided to drop in and visit a nearby Lodge. They provided a wonderful meal and received me with open arms....no complaints. That being said, during the meeting I saw at least 5 members, 2 of whom were the wardens, on their cell phones. Maybe I'm just a crotchety past master now, but it drove me crazy. If I was sitting in the east there wouldn't be any of that going on. Maybe this is a bigger issue than when I attended Lodge regularly, but I'd encourage those Brethren who sit in the East to remind people to put their phones on vibrate and stowed until after the meeting.
 
E

Elexir

Registered User
After having an alarm go of in the middle of a lodge I dont have it on me in lodge anymore.
It makes it a bit more intressting actuly.
 
Companion Joe

Companion Joe

Premium Member
It really depends on what you are doing with them and when you are doing it. Any time you are checking scores or texting, there is no need for that. There is no reason to have your phone out during degree work. Either participate or go hang out in the lobby.

During stated meetings, when it comes time for announcements, most people reach for their phones to plug stuff into their calendars. Sometimes, guys will report on something they were emailed or whatever and read it from their phones. That's fine. I am the treasurer of our YR bodies, and my phone is linked to my computer at home, so when it comes time to give the treasurer's report, I have all the information right there.

It certainly irritates me when someone's phone rings during a meeting.
 
Bloke

Bloke

Premium Member
My phone is my " pen and paper", the new notebook....i use it almost every meeting. I never have it set to vibrate because in a quiet lodge room the buzzing is LOUD so I have it on dead silent and often set it to airplane mode..... but I hear you Blake, I don't like seeing Bros who are not engaged in lodge
 
CLewey44

CLewey44

Registered User
I think a general rule would be if you are using the phone simply to put dates in your phone/calendar, I would have something to jot it down on or ask someone after the meeting. It's that simple really. I know a lot of people use their calendars but that can wait because it is simply a distraction. And if someone new saw that, they may think, hey if the SW can text I can too. If a person were to pull an electronic pad out, it'd probably be ok, but a phone is primarily a communication device and even if you mean nothing by it, it's all about perception.
 
CLewey44

CLewey44

Registered User
I would say that's fine. It's an IPad, not a cellphone (primarily a communication device). Obviously not a distraction but a reference. Some or most lodges now use some sort of laptop or computer for certain things. I would always run it by the WM first maybe and just explain. If the guy was incessantly checking his phone while giving the talk, that'd be different. Saying, 'hold on' and then obviously texting someone back etc or mouthing words as he typed something. Before people say "my wife is due any time now and I was checking my phone" or "my dad is in the hospital" or 'I'm a doctor and always on call" if something is pressing like 2 out of those 3, I would say you probably don't need to go to lodge that night.
 
Companion Joe

Companion Joe

Premium Member
Unless you have a flip phone, a phone is not that different than an iPad. You can text and make calls from an iPad, and you use your phone for note taking and information storage.

I am a huge proponent of handwriting, and I'm never without a couple of pens, but when it comes time for announcements and calendar notations, its silly to write it down on a piece of scrap paper just to turn around and plug it in your electronic calendar. I say that as a self-avowed Luddite.

I'm sorry, but the phone genie is out of the bottle. It's all about what you are doing with it and when you are doing it.
 
CLewey44

CLewey44

Registered User
I would agree Bro. Bowden. It's really not necessary and there are some 'security' risks that will eventually be broken or compromised, if they haven't already. I think another option is for the WM to have some notes to pass around for any upcoming events or he could say, 'myself or the secretary will email you all on the details of XYZ' I know Masonry should evolve with the times but way too many distractions with electronics these days. I know most are using for honest reasons but it gives the green light to others to use it to play some game or be texting.
 
rpbrown

rpbrown

Premium Member
I have to admit, I do take my cell phone in lodge with me. I am in the service industry (A/C) and have to answer or return calls within 10 minutes of receiving them. Although I own my business, this is a requirement that I put on my employees so I feel I must adhere to them when I am on "duty" as well.
With that said, within our building there is no cell phone service or if there is it is very spotty for some reason. No carriers and no phones are exempt. Everyone that has a cell phone inside should silence them during a meeting anyway just as a precaution. We do have Wi-Fi within the building that can still become annoying. Besides myself, we have a detective, a doctor, and a funeral director as well as others in the service industry. We have all made arraignments with our answering services to email or private message us for a call. With them silenced, we will just get the vibration from the phone quick glance and then properly leave the lodge room and go outside to make a call.
Now, if a brother is caught texting, or if a phone goes off in a meeting, is a $25.00 fine that goes into the scholarship fund. If it happens during a degree, its $50.00 fine with the candidate getting 1/2 and the other 1/2 going to the scholarship fund. This has cut our phone usage to almost nothing. There is an occasional ding for someone that forgot to silence it, but the WM always makes an announcement before opening.
 
Warrior1256

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
rpbrown said:
Now, if a brother is caught texting, or if a phone goes off in a meeting, is a $25.00 fine that goes into the scholarship fund. If it happens during a degree, its $50.00 fine with the candidate getting 1/2 and the other 1/2 going to the scholarship fund. This has cut our phone usage to almost nothing. There is an occasional ding for someone that forgot to silence it, but the WM always makes an announcement before opening.
Click to expand...
Sounds good.
 
CLewey44

CLewey44

Registered User
Companion Joe said:
If there is a security risk by having an electronic device in lodge, the security risk is with the man you let in the west gate, not the inanimate object.


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry
Click to expand...

This is certainly true but that happens. People can act one way and be another. People are constantly trying to make a name for themselves nowadays. I think overall, it's just not worth the risk. People got by just fine without it before. And the real issue is the distraction and some folks getting a little carried away with texting and whatnot.
 
B

Benjamin Baxter

Guest
I agree with you Blake. It is a respect thing. At the beginning of our meeting we have a ceremony of silencing before we begin. We as a lodge decided we needed to put more of a stress lodge room etiquette, it seemed like we were getting too comfortable with not using it properly.


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry
 
C

Carl_in_NH

Site Benefactor
My personal preference would not be to ban any such devices - there are appropriate and inappropriate ways of using any technology. It is simply understanding the decorum, and acting accordingly (which I would phrase as respectfully). Those that don't use it appropriately, have a private discussion with them after lodge. Should the behavior continue, don't fear using the gavel. Playing Candy Crush during a degree? No - that's disrespectful not only to those engaged in the degree work, but especially to the candidate. Declaring that cell phones need to be off during degree work I have no issue with. As was suggested, if something that important is happening leave your phone with the Tyler.

Security risks? I agree that it's the man that creates that risk, and not the technology. I work on secret technology projects outside of the lodge, and wouldn't think of giving those secrets away any more than I would anything deemed secret in Freemasonry. That's simply being a man of your word.

Now, I do have one useful smartphone in lodge story. One Stated our secretary was on vacation and I was requested to take the minutes. I did it with my phone and a Bluetooth portable keyboard. Typed the minutes up in an email to the secretary, capturing them on-the-fly during the meeting. Worked great. I type at a pretty decent speed (as I've been pounding on a keyboard since the 70's), but being left handed don't chicken scratch all that well with a pen. If I had to do it on paper it would have been a disaster. If I'd had to drag along a computer to do the work I probably would have requested someone else do it. A 4 ounce Bluetooth keyboard in my apron case made this work - and my phone, being on silent, didn't ring once during the meeting.

Everything has its place - first and foremost, an understanding of the decorum required in any situation. Everything else descends from that understanding and the proper respect displayed for it.
 
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