Do you feel that watered down chatecisms are hurting the fraternity?

[Brother_Steve]

We take the long form oaths and get all of the long form lectures in our degrees in new jersey. Our inner chamber lecture was 20 minutes long. Our Master Mason lecture was just as long or longer. At least we got to sit down for the MM lecture.

However, the memory work for proving proficient as a MM is gutted. I could probably recite the memory work in under five minutes.

Thankfully we have a ritual officer who is giving us the long form to study after my line proves proficient after our lodge returns from summer break.

 

[coachn]

Do you feel that watered down catechisms are hurting the fraternity? Only if it no longer matters that Masons have internalized road maps to follow.

 

[rhitland]

Its kinda like drinking watered down beer, sure it is decent but only a matter of time before you move on to the good stuff!

 

[LittleHunter]

I'm grateful that my Lodge requires us to learn the entire (long form) of each degree before progressing to the next. I'm proud that I had to work for each degree and I have a much better understanding of everything that goes on than I would otherwise


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[widows son]

My jurisdiction uses the long form. We have pretty good officers that know the work very well and enjoy doing it. I'm currently learning the JW lecture. It's very long. Usually about a 20-25 minute lecture.

 

[widows son]

But yes I think watered down catechisms can
Potentially hurt the fraternity. I feel it takes away from the spirit. I personally love the archaic language, and the exhaustively long lectures.

 

[Aeelorty]

Watering down the catechisms is deleterious to the craft. Masonry is supposed to cause some form of improvement in a man, paring down the memorization and relaxing our expectation on behavior, dress, etc is to lower the mark we are expected to reach. We should expect the most from our initiates and brothers, we should require them to be assiduous.

 

[kaveman]

Yes I believe that watering down the craft only takes away from the value of the lessons


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[Brother_Steve]

To clarify, our degrees use the long form. Our lectures are long form. Our charges are also long form.

It is the memory work to prove proficient that is gutted.

That is a big difference.

 

[MarkR]

Meh, I think that understanding what it was all about is more important than rote memory of a long question/answer catechism. How many brothers never crack another Masonic book or journal after they return their proficiencies?