Making Good Men Better

[brandt]

One of the tenants of Masonry is that it exists to "make good men better". Like many aspects of the Fraternity, what this means to the individual Mason is largely left to his experience and study. Therefore I'm asking this diverse and august group, what, in your experience, is it about Masonry that fulfills this axiom?

Keith


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[Brother JC]

The tenets of Freemasonry are Relief, Truth, and Brotherly Love. "Making good men better" is more of a marketing slogan. And one I feel is as tired as any other ad.
Personally, I feel that we give good men the tools for self-improvement, but the real change is up to the individual.

 

[coachn]

One of the tenants of Masonry is that it exists to "make good men better". Like many aspects of the Fraternity, what this means to the individual Mason is largely left to his experience and study. Therefore I'm asking this diverse and august group, what, in your experience, is it about Masonry that fulfills this axiom?

It 's not a tenant of Masonry to make good men better. It's what occurs for men who apply its principles. The Fraternity won't do it. Your Brothers won't do it. No one will, can and shall do it but you. That's message hidden within the 3rd Degree Legend. You're on your own in making yourself a better man. That doesn't mean your Brothers won't assist you in YOUR efforts. It just means that the Betterment is by YOUR efforts, and no one else's.
Furthermore, we don't provide a man any tools to do this. The Fraternity tells men what tools can and should be used (and developed since the tools are truly internal and require internal disciple for them to manifest), but it is up to the man to make the tools to use.

 

[pointwithinacircle2]

Making a good man better is a lot like digging a ditch. If you want to dig a ditch I can tell you that you need a shovel. I can explain to you how to use a shovel. I can even lend you my shovel. If I really want to help you become a better ditch digger I might demonstrate that I am willing to dig the ditch with you.

What I can't do for you is instill in you the pride and sense of personal worth that comes from accomplishing a necessary task or a worthy goal. Those things that you feel inside of you are what I call light. Of course, if I was willing to do all the things explained above you might find the light on your own.

 

[Morris]

I agree with what everyone says but for me my first thought is a slogan of a prerequisite. When I hear it I think we don't make bad men good, if that makes sense. I see it as a screening tool.


Jeff

 

[dfreybur]

We sometimes mention the hidden mysteries but we rarely define what they are. They are not the simple secrets we teach at the altar during the degrees. The hidden mysteries are topics that are visible in the open but that remain secret anyways.

Some are the type of secret you can shout from the rooftops and it remains secret. We treat we each other as kin. There is no how we just do it.

Some are the type of secret that don't get noticed because they are part of the environment like the foundation of a building. These are the diverse types that make good men better. We don't discuss sectarian religion or partisan politics in lodge so we become long term friends with men across those divides long before we discover, if we ever do discover, their stances. We memorize proficiencies even though many men believe they can't memorize thus blasting away a self imposed limitation. This comes in handy later in life when we face other self imposed limitations. We encourage lifelong learning. We learn how to handle the grief of losing brothers and use it as a push to excel not a push to mourn. The list goes on and on like that with little pieces that are just there without anyone discussing why they are there or how they got there.

The more you're open to this sort of encoded meaning and embedded practice the more they act to make you a better man across the years.

 

[Warrior1256]

As a new MM I don't feel that I am qualified yet to comment on this subject but am paying closed attention to the other Brothers' replies for educational purposes. These forums are teaching me a lot.