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Lodge Officer Duties - Chaplain

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
His Jewel of office is an opened book, symbolizing the Volume of Sacred Law (the Christian Bible, Hebrew Torah or Tanach, the Muslim Qur'an, the Hindu Vedas or other Holy Books).

The Chaplain of a Masonic Lodge is an appointed officer of the Lodge. He sits to the left of the Master.

The Chaplain is the spiritual leader of the Lodge. While he may or may not be a real-world Minister, Priest, Rabbi or Imam,... in the lodge, the Chaplain is responsible for non-denominational prayers at both the opening and closing of meetings, during degree ritual ceremonies and before meals. Most Chaplains have no religious training and prayers are non-denominational.
 

Rick Seekman

Registered User
I've been a member of the fraternity for 31 years. Many titles and honors which I feel honored and blessed every day!
I have served as Chaplain many times, many different bodies.
I have also spent 21 years in the US Army. I've had many friends die or be killed due to our camel smelling, goat f---ing muslims. I will never mention or give them the time of day, as long as I live. Some will call this unmasonic, call it what you will. I always address God and His son Jesus Christ in my prayers. Not until recently had anyone complained about my prayers. I simply stated that if they didn't like the way I prayed, don't listen or find someone else. Sounds a little brash, but I'm still thinking of my Brothers that didn't make it home. SMIB
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
Not sure which jurisdiction you are in but in both of mine the prayers specifically sate GAOTU not God or Jesus. As a fellow soldier i understand ur sentiment however i have served shoulder to shoulder with Muslims, both soldiers and civilan terps. Those terps i served with were some of the best men ive ever met. Its not the religion its the people. Are you saying you wouldnt sit in lodge with a man just cause he was a muslim?

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Bloke

Premium Member
I've been a member of the fraternity for 31 years. Many titles and honors which I feel honored and blessed every day!
I have served as Chaplain many times, many different bodies.
I have also spent 21 years in the US Army. I've had many friends die or be killed due to our camel smelling, goat f---ing muslims. I will never mention or give them the time of day, as long as I live. Some will call this unmasonic, call it what you will. I always address God and His son Jesus Christ in my prayers. Not until recently had anyone complained about my prayers. I stated that if they didn't like the way I prayed, don't listen or find someone else. Sounds a little brash, but I'm still thinking of my Brothers that didn't make it home. SMIB

Nor will we complain of your prayers brother, but visit our lodge and you would be in the company of respected Muslims. We would respect your decision not to be among us because of that, but if a applicant spoke as you just did, i would back ball him.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Not sure which jurisdiction you are in but in both of mine the prayers specifically sate GAOTU not God or Jesus. As a fellow soldier i understand ur sentiment however i have served shoulder to shoulder with Muslims, both soldiers and civilan terps. Those terps i served with were some of the best men ive ever met. Its not the religion its the people. Are you saying you wouldnt sit in lodge with a man just cause he was a muslim?

Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app
Nor will we complain of your prayers brother, but visit our lodge and you would be in the company of respected Muslims. We would respect your decision not to be among us because of that, but if a applicant spoke as you just did, i would back ball him.
I agree with above.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
That first link is not an official prayer book but a book of prayers the author has used in lodge


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Bloke

Premium Member
That first link is not an official prayer book but a book of prayers the author has used in lodge


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I hear you, yet, apparently there are official masonic prayer books - GL Wisconsin apparently issuing one. Yet, this has no bearing on the "Freemasonry is a religion" or "theology" argument. No doubt Congress and Parliament has official prayers, and open and closes with a prayer much like lodge does, but just like Congress and Parliament using prayers as a Lodge does, that does not make Congress or Parliament a religious meeting, any more use of a prayer in Lodge makes our meeting a religious one.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
No doubt Congress and Parliament has official prayers, and open and closes with a prayer much like lodge does, but just like Congress and Parliament using prayers as a Lodge does, that does not make Congress or Parliament a religious meeting, any more use of a prayer in Lodge makes our meeting a religious one.
Exactly.
 

MBC

Twice Registered User
Premium Member
Just saying that I installed my successor last Tuesday and got appointed as Chaplain of the Lodge


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dfreybur

Premium Member
OMG, our DDGM would have a cow if someone went "off script." I don't think they would do that again or they wouldn't be Chaplain any longer.

While the lodge is tiled that's exactly what should happen. The ritual has prayers that are to be used. They are designed to be as non-denominational as the imaginations of the ritual authors could achieve.

At other gatherings the Chaplain is often called to offer spontaneous prayers. I've actually heard gasps when an unpracticed Brother offered a denominational prayer out of habit.
 

Ajay Chandar

Registered User
I've been a member of the fraternity for 31 years. Many titles and honors which I feel honored and blessed every day!
I have served as Chaplain many times, many different bodies.
I have also spent 21 years in the US Army. I've had many friends die or be killed due to our camel smelling, goat f---ing muslims. I will never mention or give them the time of day, as long as I live. Some will call this unmasonic, call it what you will. I always address God and His son Jesus Christ in my prayers. Not until recently had anyone complained about my prayers. I simply stated that if they didn't like the way I prayed, don't listen or find someone else. Sounds a little brash, but I'm still thinking of my Brothers that didn't make it home. SMIB

Brother, I will not mince my words on this. I am appalled.

Thehe Muslims who killed your Army brothers form a minuscule percentage of the billion-plus adherents. Most Muslims I know are decent, hardworking people who are appalled at the activities of their fundamentalist co-religionists.

In your strong dislike for Muslims, you seem to have forgotten that Islam and Christianity aren't the only two religions represented in Freemasonry. There are Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Zoroastrian Freemasons too. Bear in mind that none of these Masons pray to Jesus (although they do respect his teachings).

I am a Hindu, as is every other member of my lodge - Chaplain included. This notwithstanding, he doesn't chant mantras or recite the Vedas. Our prayers are strictly non-denominational, and have always been.

My lodge opens as many as five Vs of SL, including the Bible AND Qur'an.

One of the greatest things about Freemasonry is the harmony and religious tolerance it engenders. Don't ruin that, Brother, for the rest of us.
 
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