Brethren,
Many of you certainly have heard about the recent events involving the Grand Lodges of Georgia and Tennessee. For the benefit of those who have not, in short, they have decided to exclude men from being masons in their jurisdictions based on their sexual orientation. As a result, some Grand Jurisdictions have taken the action of withdrawing recognition of Georgia and Tennessee.
I believe that discrimination runs contrary to our beliefs as Masons, that Masons unite men of every country sect and opinion. I have recently read the opinion of the Grand Master of Washington, D.C., an ordained minister, who feels as I do that this action, imposes one set of religious values on the entire Craft. Masonry has always been a place where a man’s faith does not matter, so long as he believes in one ‘Supreme Architect of the Universe’. We need to remain an inclusive society and not an exclusive one.
Brethren this is my position on this subject. I am not, at this time going to unilaterally issue a judgement that the Grand Lodge of Maine remove recognition. We have a Grand Lodge session coming up in a few weeks, where the Committee on Fraternal Relations will offer a report which will cover this topic, along with their recommendation. We will have the opportunity to discuss this issue at that time and then vote as a body.
In the meantime, I pray that we remain the society of tolerant men that we have always espoused to be and that the actions of these two Grand Lodges do not set up a rift that threatens all that we have professed for generations.
Your Friend and Brother,
Dave
David A. Walker
Grand Master
Grand Lodge of Maine, A.F. & A.M.
Many of you certainly have heard about the recent events involving the Grand Lodges of Georgia and Tennessee. For the benefit of those who have not, in short, they have decided to exclude men from being masons in their jurisdictions based on their sexual orientation. As a result, some Grand Jurisdictions have taken the action of withdrawing recognition of Georgia and Tennessee.
I believe that discrimination runs contrary to our beliefs as Masons, that Masons unite men of every country sect and opinion. I have recently read the opinion of the Grand Master of Washington, D.C., an ordained minister, who feels as I do that this action, imposes one set of religious values on the entire Craft. Masonry has always been a place where a man’s faith does not matter, so long as he believes in one ‘Supreme Architect of the Universe’. We need to remain an inclusive society and not an exclusive one.
Brethren this is my position on this subject. I am not, at this time going to unilaterally issue a judgement that the Grand Lodge of Maine remove recognition. We have a Grand Lodge session coming up in a few weeks, where the Committee on Fraternal Relations will offer a report which will cover this topic, along with their recommendation. We will have the opportunity to discuss this issue at that time and then vote as a body.
In the meantime, I pray that we remain the society of tolerant men that we have always espoused to be and that the actions of these two Grand Lodges do not set up a rift that threatens all that we have professed for generations.
Your Friend and Brother,
Dave
David A. Walker
Grand Master
Grand Lodge of Maine, A.F. & A.M.
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