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Not wanting to go to lodge anymore.

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
I once went to a self-awareness/experiential learning seminar that lasted for eleven days spread out over four weeks. The self examination was intense. If you answered "I don't know" the reply would be "What would the answer be if you did know?" I always knew the answer to THAT question, I just usually didn't want to admit it.

Sometimes when I feel stuck I still ask myself "What would the answer be if you did know?"
And most of the time we already know the answer and don't like it.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Are we not obliged to withdraw from the lodge room if there is a brother with whom we are at variance?

This rule is not arbitrary. It is because the Blessings from On High only enter where there is harmony.

What I was taught is we are to emulate as best we can work and agreement.

It did not say work on what so I took it as work on myself. If a Brother wanted to use me as a tool that amounted to tax evasion I'd blow him off on that, very explicitly in private, and act like he'd never tried that, in public. Praise in public, chastise in private.

It did not say agree on what so I took it as agree that we are all working on the principles. The goal is to be better this year than you were last year, not to be better than him. The goal is to be holier this year than you were last year, not holier than him.

If possible let it wash over you and pass you like water off a duck's back. Or to the extent it's possible do that.

This too shall pass - One day you'll be PM and it'll all be a lesson to teach others. Maybe that will have to be in some other lodge.
 

pointwithinacircle2

Rapscallion
Premium Member
I was taught that a Freemason's lodge extends from E to W and N to S and from the center of the Earth to the Heavens, and I doubt that faking it fools the brethren in the temple in the heavens.
I find that the only person I am usually fooling is myself. My capacity to fool myself appears to be limitless. In order to protect me from myself I have adopted certain principles. There are two principles that I find most useful.

The first is to assume that everything is my fault. This allows me to see past the defenses I build to protect myself. let's face it, if I am in a bad situation I have done SOMETHING to get me there. Unless I can find and face that something I have little chance of dealing with the situation appropriately.

The second way I protect myself is to be ruthlessly honest about my faults. Even if I believe that I am only one percent at fault I try to focus ONLY on that one percent. The reason is that MY faults are the only thing that I can change. If I want things to be different I will have to change me. Ever hear the saying "You can't cheat an honest man"? Well, "You can't manipulate an honest man". If I have no secrets, no secret guilt or desire, then I have no buttons that you can push to manipulate me. And yes, sometimes I walk away from things I really want because I am not willing to compromise myself to get them.

If remember right, the first of Buddha's four noble truths is "Life is Difficult". The other three seem to be about how to deal with the first.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Fake it until you make it?

I was thinking in terms of figuring out how to blow off those who irk me, to ignore those who attempt to engage me in illegal activities like tax evasion, to be not bothered by the chattering of others by listening to the quite inside of me.
 
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BullDozer Harrell

Registered User
If a person does not want to speak to you in general, the WM really cant do nothing.

And i REFUSE to beg for peace and friendship. Gave too much to try to mend this.


Sent from Mossy Oak Swamp Bottom
Not so true. The WM has the perogative to order a sitdown between you& this brother to find out what's really going on especially if it's causing disharmony in his lodge.

Sent from my SM-N910P using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app
 

BullDozer Harrell

Registered User
The PM council members should never allow this beef to grow worse in the following election year.
If you two can't reach an agreement about how to act professionally as the 2 top lodge officers then neither he should be WM nor you SW.
I hope the Past Masters are looking at this sad situation.

Sent from my SM-N910P using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app
 

acjohnson53

Registered User
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Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
The PM council members should never allow this beef to grow worse in the following election year.
If you two can't reach an agreement about how to act professionally as the 2 top lodge officers then neither he should be WM nor you SW.
I hope the Past Masters are looking at this sad situation.

Sent from my SM-N910P using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app
Not all jurisdictions have such a council, though I agree with the result you suggest.
 

Levelhead

Premium Member
So i had sent a "heres a problem , can i have advice, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, " email to the grand secretary.

And i guess he didnt read the part that said "please keep this to yourself and let me know what you think needs to be done and who needs to see this BEFORE you forward it to anyone so i can see what the outcome of it would be. "

Well it went to the MWGM and i got a call from my DDGM tonight. Oh well ummm ill see where this goes.


Sent from Mossy Oak Swamp Bottom
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
So i had sent a "heres a problem , can i have advice, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, " email to the grand secretary.

And i guess he didnt read the part that said "please keep this to yourself and let me know what you think needs to be done and who needs to see this BEFORE you forward it to anyone so i can see what the outcome of it would be. "

Well it went to the MWGM and i got a call from my DDGM tonight. Oh well ummm ill see where this goes.


Sent from Mossy Oak Swamp Bottom
And the GSec acted appropriately. He answers to the GM.

This may be a good thing. It doesn't appear the situation can get worse between the two of you. What's the worst that can happen? He really, really, doesn't like you?

Remember, Freemasonry doesn't put bread in the table or make our wives and children love us more. At the end of the day, there is little harm that can come to us because we do, or do not, have success in the fraternity
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
So i had sent a "heres a problem , can i have advice, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, " email to the grand secretary.

And i guess he didnt read the part that said "please keep this to yourself and let me know what you think needs to be done and who needs to see this BEFORE you forward it to anyone so i can see what the outcome of it would be. "

Well it went to the MWGM and i got a call from my DDGM tonight. Oh well ummm ill see where this goes.


Sent from Mossy Oak Swamp Bottom
I surely do hope that everything works out well for all concerned Brother.
And the GSec acted appropriately. He answers to the GM.

This may be a good thing. It doesn't appear the situation can get worse between the two of you. What's the worst that can happen? He really, really, doesn't like you?

Remember, Freemasonry doesn't put bread in the table or make our wives and children love us more. At the end of the day, there is little harm that can come to us because we do, or do not, have success in the fraternity
Very true.
 
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