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Prayer in Lodge

Bro Jaime Solis

Premium Member
on another site i found a post pertaining to prayer in a lodge setting. The question was should prayer be specific to ones believe or should we use a more universal prayer. i for one believe that we must be mindful and respect those brethren of other religious beliefs. i also believe that in our ritual there is an example prayer to use in lodge settings, so that harmony can prevail.....WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS,
 

anthonywilson

Registered User
on another site i found a post pertaining to prayer in a lodge setting. The question was should prayer be specific to ones believe or should we use a more universal prayer. i for one believe that we must be mindful and respect those brethren of other religious beliefs. i also believe that in our ritual there is an example prayer to use in lodge settings, so that harmony can prevail.....WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS,

At my Lodge the prayers start with "Heavenly Father" when the Chaplain gives it. I've heard a non-dominational prayer before at Lodge, but that was the only time. I think it's because of the location of the Lodge. Granbury is a little under 7,000 people and the vast majority of the population are Christians, thus returning back to the Lodge, 99.9% of the Brothers are Christian so I think that's why the prayer starts off the way it starts. I think in bigger cities like Dallas, Houston, Austin, where there is a bigger diverse religious population; the prayers would be more universal.
 

Michael Hatley

Premium Member
In the lodges I have attended (Houston area), the prayers are kept neutral. Supreme Architect, etc. Every now and then someone says a prayer and throws in a Jesus this or that, but being that there are pretty regularly Jews in our crowd, Unitarian Universalists, Deists, and a few Muslims, there is a real reason to stick to the monitor and its brand of neutrality. Respecting people of all faiths is just a good habit to get into, regardless of what religion is predominant in the lodge. Just my view.
 

chrmc

Registered User
I'm most familiar praying to Great Architect of the Universe or similar wordings. If you put a brother on the spot and asks him to lead prayer there is a great chance that he'll fall back to the wordings he's used to.
 

Benton

Premium Member
The chaplain in our lodge usually prays a Christian prayer, but I don't think he's trying to be inconsiderate, I think its just a) almost everyone in our lodge is a Christian with a few deists, if not all Christian, and b) as the above poster said, I think some of the older brothers just fall back onto what they're used to. If any brother were to complain, I have no doubt they'd try harder to be more considerate.
 

Dow Mathis

Premium Member
In our lodge, all I've ever heard used is Supreme Architect Of The Universe. Sorry, I don't know the demographic breakdown of Kendall lodge, but I suspect that it's overwhelmingly Christian.
 

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
I'm the trouble maker, so I make it a point when someone at Lodge calls us a "Christian" Lodge. As for prayers, for the most part they're generic prayers to whom you feel is your Supreme Being. As least that's how I take it.
 

Chalms

Registered User
As the currently serving Chaplain I have the opportunity to pray often. Being Christian I have some habits that I have to actively subdue.

When praying in the lodge I generally use Lord and God. Supreme Architect is usually a little cumbersome for meal blessings.
 
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