What's new
By:
Advanced search…
My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Decline in Freemasonry

Dontrell Stroman

Dontrell Stroman

Premium Member
Do you think the internet and socail media has played a major part in the decline of our membership ? At anytime a potential candiate can at the press of a finger learn and read anything he wants about freemasonry (not just the ritual, but the problems that we try and fix behind the scenes without exposing to the public but some how always find it's way in a online article leaving a man saying I dont want to be apart of an organization like that ? Although it has opened many doors for education that we didnt once have.... What are your thoughts ?

Sent from my LG-LS997 using My Freemasonry mobile app
 
D

David612

Registered User
My DGIW is on a big Facebook kick currently, he’s been getting huge results (like 30+ partitions IIRC) but and while there are many people willing to fill in the paperwork the questing of “are they Brother material?” Will take time to find out.
I’m guessing that the core problem remains and that is, what will people find when they are admitted? Will they like what they find?
 
Bloke

Bloke

Premium Member
Travelling Man91 said:
Do you think the internet and socail media has played a major part in the decline of our membership ? At anytime a potential candiate can at the press of a finger learn and read anything he wants about freemasonry (not just the ritual, but the problems that we try and fix behind the scenes without exposing to the public but some how always find it's way in a online article leaving a man saying I dont want to be apart of an organization like that ? Although it has opened many doors for education that we didnt once have.... What are your thoughts ?

Sent from my LG-LS997 using My Freemasonry mobile app
Click to expand...
I think it supports membership growth - you can read all you want about Freemasonry, the only way to know it is to live it and that starts by joining.

 
Glen Cook

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
David612 said:
My DGIW is on a big Facebook kick currently, he’s been getting huge results (like 30+ partitions IIRC) but and while there are many people willing to fill in the paperwork the questing of “are they Brother material?” Will take time to find out.
I’m guessing that the core problem remains and that is, what will people find when they are admitted? Will they like what they find?
Click to expand...
Help me out: DGIW = ?
 
MarkR

MarkR

Premium Member
Membership was in a steep decline long before anyone had heard of "social media." Today, I think it's a mixed bag; people can find out enough to determine if they're interested, and find out how to become a Mason (in years past, many men waited and waited for someone to ask them to join) so that's good. They can also see Masons bickering, name-calling, and generally acting in a way that is not very inviting, so that's bad.
 
LK600

LK600

Premium Member
Admittedly personal thought here, but I think possibly the Freemasonry process continues to be set up to receive people who are eager to join with little needing to be done by the Craft itself whereas maybe people today are not so automatically attracted and are expecting more up front? Just a thought.
 
dfreybur

dfreybur

Premium Member
History matters. Our numbers grew out of line in the era of WW1 and WW2. We are currently right-sizing to our long term fraction of the population that we held before that.

Brothers come to lodge for 50 years and see a trend for that entire time. They think that trend was always there and will always be there. Nope, not how history works. Our numbers move up and down across the centuries always centered around the same percentage of the population.

History matters and 50 years is a blink of the eye. Perspective needs to be wider.

Also notice that for decades the number of degrees has been increasing. We tend to be members for decades. Degrees are the "leading indicator". Membership count is the "trailing indicator". Focusing on membership numbers automatically loses the perspective that anything whatsoever might have changed in the last 2oish years. Guess what, a lot has changed in the last 2oish years. Some jurisdictions so much they have seen membership increase already.

Okay, that said, plenty of lodges are dying. Given that plenty of lodges are so busy they can't keep up with their degree calendar I'm okay with lodges dying. That too is how it always worked before WW1! History matters. Perspective.

Still, if you want to lament dropping numbers, my challenge to you is to do something about it. Go through line and go vote GL. Vote to drop the nonsense against invitations. Invite a few of the best men in the neighborhood near each lodge. Bingo. There is something real to be done about numbers. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. Break through the encrusted resistance to improving our order through inviting a few of the best and brightest.
 
hanzosbm

hanzosbm

Premium Member
dfreybur said:
Okay, that said, plenty of lodges are dying. Given that plenty of lodges are so busy they can't keep up with their degree calendar I'm okay with lodges dying. That too is how it always worked before WW1! History matters. Perspective.

Still, if you want to lament dropping numbers, my challenge to you is to do something about it. Go through line and go vote GL. Vote to drop the nonsense against invitations. Invite a few of the best men in the neighborhood near each lodge. Bingo. There is something real to be done about numbers. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. Break through the encrusted resistance to improving our order through inviting a few of the best and brightest.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I strongly disagree. First, in regards to lodges dying. While I am okay with a decrease in the number of lodges, I'm not okay with what is causing it. Why do some lodges grow so fast? Why do some initiate 10 men a week? Do you really expect me to believe that 10 men a week found it in their heart the desire to improve themselves and already hold not only the intellect but also the germ of sincere morality necessary to become a Mason? And that those 10 men were dutifully investigated and their character was understood by the brethren making the vote? Absolutely not. And if you disagree, I'd then ask, how many 'no' votes did that lodge hand out?
And that brings me to the next point; invitations are a terrible idea. If you just want to grow numbers, then, sure, it MIGHT accomplish that (although we've seen what happens in terms of retention to those men) but if you want to grow the fraternity, you need quality, not quantity. Inviting people only brings in people who are not interested enough to come to our door on their own. I have no desire to become the rotary club.
 
Bloke

Bloke

Premium Member
dfreybur said:
...The entire point of extending invitations is to invite the best and brightest.
Click to expand...

Exactly, it's the other extreme of the ballot box exactly on that single line of logic. We want the best, nor perfect, but men fit to be Freemasons, and the best Freemasons are the best men, and often good leaders..
 
billyjfootball

billyjfootball

Registered User
It's a mixed bag. The internet is crazy. Some of the theories are nuts about us. In a lot of ways, it builds us up to this mythological beast. My brother was so passionate to learn about us and had an image in his head about what we are. All these esoteric thoughts banging around in his skull. He was disillusioned a bit. He told me, he's done because he attends enough "business meetings" with his job. It hurt. But I feel if the internet hadn't built things up so much, he would have been good. Or maybe it's his Lodge. I dont know. On the other hand, Freemasonry is the best thing I've ever done. It's truly made me a better man


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry
 
JJones

JJones

Moderator
dfreybur said:
Vote to drop the nonsense against invitations. Invite a few of the best men in the neighborhood near each lodge.
Click to expand...

You had me until right there. I like to think there's a reason for everything, even if it isn't obvious. I like to think the "no invitation" policy encourages us to be more as lodges and individuals so that we attract men to us.
 
CLewey44

CLewey44

Registered User
I think, as Bro. BillyF stated, his friend overanalyzed Masonry via the internet and then was disappointed when he realized he was not joining 'the illuminati' and unfortunately not presented terribly esoterically product as he expected. But a great point would not be that he overanalyzed it or not or that he was over informed (because many candidates nowadays are more informed than some members) but that he was let down by a society that has the potential to be very esoteric and unlike the rest of our day to day lives. Bottom line, many new members are very disappointed on so many levels. If the newer folks, myself included, want that esoteric society vs. the current Rotary club we have, then our lodges need to be providing that and evolve with the times. The ingredients are there for a gourmet meal but we're presenting T.V. dinners for the most part.
 
dfreybur

dfreybur

Premium Member
CLewey44 said:
If the newer folks, myself included, want that esoteric society vs. the current Rotary club we have, then our lodges need to be providing that and evolve with the times.
Click to expand...

You petitioned a group run by a generation that wanted to give service. Guess who's duty it is to cause the evolution you want? Be the change you want in the world.

I'm interested in the mystical but I knew when I petitioned that not one in a thousand shared my interest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top