I realized today that Emeth has been active and growing for a bit over a month and a half now, but we’ve never had a discussion about it. I figure we should.
So, let me ask you. Why are you here? What do you hope to get out of the time you are spending on these discussions, and reading my essays? Is it fulfilling those hopes?
Perhaps most importantly to me, do you think it can help or enhance your own Masonic journey? And by extension your Lodge?
What a great topic. I can see this thread being the First topic for a Masonic Education Round Robin discussion in Little Falls Lodge. I would follow that discussion with a reading of all the Topics on Emeth and then get a consensus of the Lodge which one we would like to discuss at the next meeting.
I would encourage all the Brothers to read that thread prior to the discussion and then continue the discussion at the next meeting. I would encourage all members to get a paid subscription of course.
I have gotten a lot of great ideas by reading Emeth. One idea I had on awakening this morning is for the Lodge to sponsor a driver at South Sound Speedway. We could as a Lodge go and cheer on our potential candidate....er I mean driver with our families and friends. A Saturday night gathering after the Lodge meeting. We might even invite other Lodges to join us.
Thank you. I do hope that the discussion topics can serve as needed to help Lodges find things to talk about. Our ritual is also quite rich in topics I think.
As for your South Sound Speedway idea, I think that is truly superb! I've never been, but I understand that the races are a lot of fun, plus it is super close by, and likely something that would appeal to a lot of people.
As far as improvement I would think that a "read" button might be added in addition to the heart. To me the heart implies agreement with the comment. I'm currently using the heart as a "read and considered" button so I keep track of what I have read and considered.
Thank you. And, yep, I agree. The heart button does imply agreement, but I'm using it exactly as you mention. The people who run this platform ask for improvements we want to see on a fairly regular basis, I'll put it forward next time they do.
I find myself reading this to better educate myself. Most of Masonic education has been out of books and magazines, not an interactive setting. If I can take back to Lodge an idea or two from the Brothers on here, then this is time well spent.
I'll share some of the discussion questions with my Lodge and maybe a few of them will join us.
There is a lot we can learn from each other and using the technology available as in this site allows us to be able to learn from more Brothers than the few in our own Lodges.
I sincerely hope that as we continue to grow the membership of this site, more and more people will join the discussions, because I wholeheartedly feel that the more voices we have participating, the better resource it will be. I've been very pleased to see that we are now getting commenters from outside, well outside of our own Jurisdiction.
I chose to participate for a couple of reasons. The first was to expand my knowledge base. To learn what other brothers thought about different topics and to share my thoughts. Second, I saw it as a great way to network and grow within the Fraternity. To be able to interact with incoming GM and other brothers on a more personal level has been great. It’s been like a Lodge visitation tour. Having moved to Arizona in the past year, along with enduring the pandemic, has made Masonic Fraternity difficult. Zoom has been a stop gap but can’t replace the shaking of a brother’s hand, an embrace and a hand on the back. The essays have been educational and thought provoking as have the daily Q&A. So, thank you RW for creating a forum for exchanging thoughts and ideas, it’s been a fantastic experience that I look forward to every morning.
Thank you for your kind compliments, I'm thrilled to read that you look forward to the newsletter each morning.
I agree with your thoughts about Zoom I think. It is great for taking care of business things, and it is great for seeing Brothers from afar, but I certainly miss seeing everyone in person. I'm rather curious to see what people, and our Lodges end up doing with it after the pandemic.
At first, I was simply reading the comments, then I subscribed and started “putting my two cents in.” One thing that I have found is there are varied views on each of the topics, usually associated with those Brothers who make the comments. Some are inquisitive, some are sharing their experiences on the topic, and some give very candid opinions. But in each case, it causes me to give consideration on what I know, and why I agree or disagree with the opinions. Is there a reason why I disagree? Did the Brother bring up another point of view that I haven’t considered? Perhaps my point of view has been flawed all this time, and the Brother I disagree with actually pointed the flaw out in his opinion. There have been times where I’d ruminate over a comment I strongly disagreed with while I’m mowing my lawn or stacking firewood, to make sure I’m not missing another point of view, or that I’m truly justified in my own opinion. And that’s what I need. It’s what we all need.
I think the big difference between this forum and a Lodge meeting that features a ‘Round Robin” discussion is I can kick back and think about it for an hour or more, perhaps even a day, before offering a comment, while I’d have to give a quicker response in a Round Robin meeting. Both are much better than a business-only meeting with no education, which has been all-too-common in years past.
It’s also a major improvement over trying to make meaningful posts and comments on social media, which is almost beyond repair. The only reason why I still muddy myself in social media is that Brothers do make posts about getting married, perhaps lost a parent, or became a parent (or grandparent) themselves. Things like that. It’s good to celebrate great moments in someone else’s life, or share sympathy in their tribulations. But unfortunately, you have to wade through the overburden to find the gems. But I’ll be honest, I’m hitting Emeth first thing in the morning and making comments before I even bring up the Social Media. Forums like this is where I have an opportunity to actually learn something.
And for me, “Putting pen to paper” also helps me make sure my thoughts are clear on any subject that might be introduced. It helps my writing skills, too.
I too have just about given up on social media. I think that years ago, it actually was good for the Fraternity. Lodges were able to effectively advertise their events, but that is no longer effective as it was in the past. Likewise, one could find quality content, now there is very little with any depth, and it seems like it takes endless scrolling to find.
I really hope that we will be able to create a viable and enjoyable alternative here.
I love interacting with the brothers here. As others have said, it does open my mind to other opinions and ideas, and spurs commentary. Everyone's life journey though or craft is going to be different, and their perspectives can shed light on things I might not have considered before. Typewritten thoughts are (mostly) better organized and allows me to review and edit, condense, expand and filter as needed. Some great topics have been brought up as well, some very much needed to be talked about openly.
I'm glad that you have enjoyed the topics. I've tried to come up with a mix so that we aren't always discussing similar things. I too find that these discussions help to refine my thinking, and my priorities.
I think that it also will be great when you have been following a Brother's comments that you have not met in person yet and then one day finally actually meet that Brother face to face. I've had that experience several times now with "friends" on Facebook reading my nametag and there is that feeling of "I know this Brother". It is always an amazing experience.
You're right, that is cool. I've really had a good time meeting people that I'd been interacting with on social media for quite some time. It's been great over 99% of the time.
There was this one time though...
I'd followed a Grand Master from an east coast Grand Lodge for quite awhile, and I really liked some of the things he had to say online. When I saw him, and met him, in person though, what an asshole. And I don't mean that he was ornery to me, I mean that he couldn't even act in a civil manner when addressing a formal meeting. That was super disappointing.
I joined for one reason: to create a ground swell of Masonic enthusiasm for making EDUCATION the first item in every blue lodge in America.
When I was the two-year president of the Tampa Sons of the American Revolution, my task was to find a relevant guest speaker for 11 out of 12 months a year. I accomplished that 2 year goal.
There's no reason why a similar goal can't be accomplished for blue lodges:
A] Retired Military
B] Active Military
C] Architects
D] College Professors of every known topic
E] Engineering, especially MILITARY Engineering.
I hope we don't spread ourselves too thing on EMETH's scope.
Thank you Brother. That is my thinking exactly as well. Our Brothers became Masons to learn about Freemasonry, enjoy friendships with Freemasons, and better themselves. Not a one joined to hear minutes read or argue over paying the bills. Lodges forget that at their peril.
Why am I here? What do I want? What (more importantly) can I offer/give?
I am *always* willing to learn from others, to exchange ideas and philosophies, to civilly discuss these topics in an atmosphere of conviviality. That's why I'm here. I want the opportunity, especially in these troubled times to do these things, to gather and spread knowledge, to interact with others. Man--*homo sapiens* is a social animal, and NEEDS this activity to grow, to interact with his kind. You may have seen pictures and videos of simians grooming each other. This is as much a social event as it is a hygienic one. We need this.
What can I offer? The experiences of 37 years of being a Mason, 36 years of military service, and 76 years of Life. I have many opinions, many of which conflict with other's opinions. Here, on Emeth we can discuss these opinions with others, in an atmosphere of civility. And above all, *LEARN*!
>>"I have many opinions, many of which conflict with other's opinions. Here, on Emeth we can >>discuss these opinions with others, in an atmosphere of civility."
I think that this is what has impressed me the most with our discussions here. We are all opinionated, and we don't always agree, but every conversation here has been completely civil, and in that way, I think we can all learn from each other.
I know that I for one have greatly enjoyed these discussions, and equally important, I've had a lot of things to really think about, and that is vital, because I think that everything we can learn improves our own Masonic lives, and ultimately our Lodges as well.
What a great topic. I can see this thread being the First topic for a Masonic Education Round Robin discussion in Little Falls Lodge. I would follow that discussion with a reading of all the Topics on Emeth and then get a consensus of the Lodge which one we would like to discuss at the next meeting.
I would encourage all the Brothers to read that thread prior to the discussion and then continue the discussion at the next meeting. I would encourage all members to get a paid subscription of course.
I have gotten a lot of great ideas by reading Emeth. One idea I had on awakening this morning is for the Lodge to sponsor a driver at South Sound Speedway. We could as a Lodge go and cheer on our potential candidate....er I mean driver with our families and friends. A Saturday night gathering after the Lodge meeting. We might even invite other Lodges to join us.
Thank you. I do hope that the discussion topics can serve as needed to help Lodges find things to talk about. Our ritual is also quite rich in topics I think.
As for your South Sound Speedway idea, I think that is truly superb! I've never been, but I understand that the races are a lot of fun, plus it is super close by, and likely something that would appeal to a lot of people.
As far as improvement I would think that a "read" button might be added in addition to the heart. To me the heart implies agreement with the comment. I'm currently using the heart as a "read and considered" button so I keep track of what I have read and considered.
Thank you. And, yep, I agree. The heart button does imply agreement, but I'm using it exactly as you mention. The people who run this platform ask for improvements we want to see on a fairly regular basis, I'll put it forward next time they do.
I find myself reading this to better educate myself. Most of Masonic education has been out of books and magazines, not an interactive setting. If I can take back to Lodge an idea or two from the Brothers on here, then this is time well spent.
I'll share some of the discussion questions with my Lodge and maybe a few of them will join us.
There is a lot we can learn from each other and using the technology available as in this site allows us to be able to learn from more Brothers than the few in our own Lodges.
I sincerely hope that as we continue to grow the membership of this site, more and more people will join the discussions, because I wholeheartedly feel that the more voices we have participating, the better resource it will be. I've been very pleased to see that we are now getting commenters from outside, well outside of our own Jurisdiction.
I chose to participate for a couple of reasons. The first was to expand my knowledge base. To learn what other brothers thought about different topics and to share my thoughts. Second, I saw it as a great way to network and grow within the Fraternity. To be able to interact with incoming GM and other brothers on a more personal level has been great. It’s been like a Lodge visitation tour. Having moved to Arizona in the past year, along with enduring the pandemic, has made Masonic Fraternity difficult. Zoom has been a stop gap but can’t replace the shaking of a brother’s hand, an embrace and a hand on the back. The essays have been educational and thought provoking as have the daily Q&A. So, thank you RW for creating a forum for exchanging thoughts and ideas, it’s been a fantastic experience that I look forward to every morning.
Thank you for your kind compliments, I'm thrilled to read that you look forward to the newsletter each morning.
I agree with your thoughts about Zoom I think. It is great for taking care of business things, and it is great for seeing Brothers from afar, but I certainly miss seeing everyone in person. I'm rather curious to see what people, and our Lodges end up doing with it after the pandemic.
At first, I was simply reading the comments, then I subscribed and started “putting my two cents in.” One thing that I have found is there are varied views on each of the topics, usually associated with those Brothers who make the comments. Some are inquisitive, some are sharing their experiences on the topic, and some give very candid opinions. But in each case, it causes me to give consideration on what I know, and why I agree or disagree with the opinions. Is there a reason why I disagree? Did the Brother bring up another point of view that I haven’t considered? Perhaps my point of view has been flawed all this time, and the Brother I disagree with actually pointed the flaw out in his opinion. There have been times where I’d ruminate over a comment I strongly disagreed with while I’m mowing my lawn or stacking firewood, to make sure I’m not missing another point of view, or that I’m truly justified in my own opinion. And that’s what I need. It’s what we all need.
I think the big difference between this forum and a Lodge meeting that features a ‘Round Robin” discussion is I can kick back and think about it for an hour or more, perhaps even a day, before offering a comment, while I’d have to give a quicker response in a Round Robin meeting. Both are much better than a business-only meeting with no education, which has been all-too-common in years past.
It’s also a major improvement over trying to make meaningful posts and comments on social media, which is almost beyond repair. The only reason why I still muddy myself in social media is that Brothers do make posts about getting married, perhaps lost a parent, or became a parent (or grandparent) themselves. Things like that. It’s good to celebrate great moments in someone else’s life, or share sympathy in their tribulations. But unfortunately, you have to wade through the overburden to find the gems. But I’ll be honest, I’m hitting Emeth first thing in the morning and making comments before I even bring up the Social Media. Forums like this is where I have an opportunity to actually learn something.
And for me, “Putting pen to paper” also helps me make sure my thoughts are clear on any subject that might be introduced. It helps my writing skills, too.
I too have just about given up on social media. I think that years ago, it actually was good for the Fraternity. Lodges were able to effectively advertise their events, but that is no longer effective as it was in the past. Likewise, one could find quality content, now there is very little with any depth, and it seems like it takes endless scrolling to find.
I really hope that we will be able to create a viable and enjoyable alternative here.
You're definitely heading in the right direction!
I love interacting with the brothers here. As others have said, it does open my mind to other opinions and ideas, and spurs commentary. Everyone's life journey though or craft is going to be different, and their perspectives can shed light on things I might not have considered before. Typewritten thoughts are (mostly) better organized and allows me to review and edit, condense, expand and filter as needed. Some great topics have been brought up as well, some very much needed to be talked about openly.
I'm glad that you have enjoyed the topics. I've tried to come up with a mix so that we aren't always discussing similar things. I too find that these discussions help to refine my thinking, and my priorities.
I think that it also will be great when you have been following a Brother's comments that you have not met in person yet and then one day finally actually meet that Brother face to face. I've had that experience several times now with "friends" on Facebook reading my nametag and there is that feeling of "I know this Brother". It is always an amazing experience.
You're right, that is cool. I've really had a good time meeting people that I'd been interacting with on social media for quite some time. It's been great over 99% of the time.
There was this one time though...
I'd followed a Grand Master from an east coast Grand Lodge for quite awhile, and I really liked some of the things he had to say online. When I saw him, and met him, in person though, what an asshole. And I don't mean that he was ornery to me, I mean that he couldn't even act in a civil manner when addressing a formal meeting. That was super disappointing.
Other than that one time...
It has always been great, just as you point out.
I joined for one reason: to create a ground swell of Masonic enthusiasm for making EDUCATION the first item in every blue lodge in America.
When I was the two-year president of the Tampa Sons of the American Revolution, my task was to find a relevant guest speaker for 11 out of 12 months a year. I accomplished that 2 year goal.
There's no reason why a similar goal can't be accomplished for blue lodges:
A] Retired Military
B] Active Military
C] Architects
D] College Professors of every known topic
E] Engineering, especially MILITARY Engineering.
I hope we don't spread ourselves too thing on EMETH's scope.
George Brooks
GBrooks9@outlook.com
Text Only: 813-215-0670
Thank you Brother. That is my thinking exactly as well. Our Brothers became Masons to learn about Freemasonry, enjoy friendships with Freemasons, and better themselves. Not a one joined to hear minutes read or argue over paying the bills. Lodges forget that at their peril.
Why am I here? What do I want? What (more importantly) can I offer/give?
I am *always* willing to learn from others, to exchange ideas and philosophies, to civilly discuss these topics in an atmosphere of conviviality. That's why I'm here. I want the opportunity, especially in these troubled times to do these things, to gather and spread knowledge, to interact with others. Man--*homo sapiens* is a social animal, and NEEDS this activity to grow, to interact with his kind. You may have seen pictures and videos of simians grooming each other. This is as much a social event as it is a hygienic one. We need this.
What can I offer? The experiences of 37 years of being a Mason, 36 years of military service, and 76 years of Life. I have many opinions, many of which conflict with other's opinions. Here, on Emeth we can discuss these opinions with others, in an atmosphere of civility. And above all, *LEARN*!
>>"I have many opinions, many of which conflict with other's opinions. Here, on Emeth we can >>discuss these opinions with others, in an atmosphere of civility."
I think that this is what has impressed me the most with our discussions here. We are all opinionated, and we don't always agree, but every conversation here has been completely civil, and in that way, I think we can all learn from each other.
I know that I for one have greatly enjoyed these discussions, and equally important, I've had a lot of things to really think about, and that is vital, because I think that everything we can learn improves our own Masonic lives, and ultimately our Lodges as well.