Very much agreed. These edicts and cessation of degree work has done more damage to Freemasonry in the last 14 months than all the other problems we have and are facing over the last 10 years. Blind obedience to illegal orders is not a good thing. The argument of the financial liability from a possible covid infection from a Masonic gath…
Very much agreed. These edicts and cessation of degree work has done more damage to Freemasonry in the last 14 months than all the other problems we have and are facing over the last 10 years. Blind obedience to illegal orders is not a good thing. The argument of the financial liability from a possible covid infection from a Masonic gathering is also a denial of science. Proving a connection from a Masonic event that would somehow convince a CIVIL judge or jury there was a direct responsibility or connection to that Masonic event is damn near impossible.
Contrary to the narrative a lot of Grand Lodges are putting forth, Grand Lodges can easily exist without constituent Lodges since there is a real disparity between the wealth and asset bases of Grand Lodges and the constituent local level Lodges. The legal separations between such would easily protect Grand Lodges from any perceived legal threats so that
argument holds no water.
The false narratives and numbers used by governments to perpetuate the controls are flawed in many ways. Being connected to the medical and emergency services field I have first hand knowledge of how that works. I can make my own decisions about how to behave in these situations. To apply these onerous restrictions based upon politically generated data and "guidelines" is slowly hammering the nails in local level Freemasonry coffin that much faster.
Given the perspective you are sharing here, I wanted to let you know that I just dropped a question in today's Live Open Thread that I think you will find to be of interest. Please check it out, and if you feel compelled, give us your thoughts about it.
The Grand Lodge of Oregon has now chosen to treat Masons differently based upon a medical status and vaccination status. This is no big surprise, but the wording and manipulative form is surprising. We no longer meet on the level in Oregon. Grand Lodge has injected politics into the Lodge room and is separating Masons based upon its political views. The heavy hand with which the GL has chosen to deal with this is going to further erode the harmony that has effectively vanished from our Lodge rooms as Brothers disagree on the impact this will have on constituent Lodges.
There is currently much disharmony in our Redmond Oregon Lodge around these issues and the impact Grand Lodges decisions is having on how we do degrees and operate our Lodges. This edict in less than 24 hours has already caused disagreements and dissent. Grand Lodges non communication at all levels unless it is to issue restrictive edicts has not helped.
As a Mason of 39 years who was raised from the horizontal by my father ( WB Donald Wiley, PM, Past Secretary Holbrook Lodge # 30) in 1984 I have become too emotionally involved in this issue and for my own health need to step back from active involvement. I had already been looking at my exit / slow down strategy for some time and had anticipated doing my year as Master next year and then being on one committee and hopefully doing degrees after that.
I will not be doing my year as Master because I simply cannot enforce what I feel are illegal and discriminatory orders, nor will I tolerate the division of Masons in any form based upon any status. Grand Lodge of Oregon has chosen to divide the members in response to a control pattern by political groups. You can attend Lodge, degrees and other functions but you will be treated differently that anybody who has been vaccinated. The implication of consent and assent by silence is one of the oldest manipulative tricks in the book and for Grand Lodge to utilize such tactics in its governance shows a lack of Masonic respect for its members. Just another way to weed out members who disagree with the leaders.
Masonry is a group of men and my opinions are one of many. It will be absolutely no loss to either of my Lodges when I choose to step back and not be involved in leadership or other active Lodge roles anymore. Masonry was there a long time before me and will be around a while longer, although with the declining membership numbers in Oregon who knows how long that will be for.
The culture of a group is set by its leaders, and Masonry has spoken that this culture of discrimination and difference in members is how Oregon Masonry will operate in the future. I have beat medical illness's a hell of a lot worse that covid in the past 10 years, and will likely face those same issues again in the next 10 years. Oregon Masonry will be just fine without me, and for my own emotional health I have to move away from a group who's culture and dogma I now disagree with. I realize my opinions are strong as presented and would ask that they be respected and not flamed.
Life is too short to live and operate in an environment of disharmony and dissent. The Freemasonry I grew up in and that grew to be a huge part of my life is no more and will not return. Life moves on and so do I . So Mote it Be.
Very much agreed. These edicts and cessation of degree work has done more damage to Freemasonry in the last 14 months than all the other problems we have and are facing over the last 10 years. Blind obedience to illegal orders is not a good thing. The argument of the financial liability from a possible covid infection from a Masonic gathering is also a denial of science. Proving a connection from a Masonic event that would somehow convince a CIVIL judge or jury there was a direct responsibility or connection to that Masonic event is damn near impossible.
Contrary to the narrative a lot of Grand Lodges are putting forth, Grand Lodges can easily exist without constituent Lodges since there is a real disparity between the wealth and asset bases of Grand Lodges and the constituent local level Lodges. The legal separations between such would easily protect Grand Lodges from any perceived legal threats so that
argument holds no water.
The false narratives and numbers used by governments to perpetuate the controls are flawed in many ways. Being connected to the medical and emergency services field I have first hand knowledge of how that works. I can make my own decisions about how to behave in these situations. To apply these onerous restrictions based upon politically generated data and "guidelines" is slowly hammering the nails in local level Freemasonry coffin that much faster.
Given the perspective you are sharing here, I wanted to let you know that I just dropped a question in today's Live Open Thread that I think you will find to be of interest. Please check it out, and if you feel compelled, give us your thoughts about it.
The Grand of Oregon has issued its new edict, which is the first communication from them about anything in 3 months. Link to edict https://www.masonic-oregon.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/5.17.2021_Edict_GM-McGuyer.pdf
The Grand Lodge of Oregon has now chosen to treat Masons differently based upon a medical status and vaccination status. This is no big surprise, but the wording and manipulative form is surprising. We no longer meet on the level in Oregon. Grand Lodge has injected politics into the Lodge room and is separating Masons based upon its political views. The heavy hand with which the GL has chosen to deal with this is going to further erode the harmony that has effectively vanished from our Lodge rooms as Brothers disagree on the impact this will have on constituent Lodges.
There is currently much disharmony in our Redmond Oregon Lodge around these issues and the impact Grand Lodges decisions is having on how we do degrees and operate our Lodges. This edict in less than 24 hours has already caused disagreements and dissent. Grand Lodges non communication at all levels unless it is to issue restrictive edicts has not helped.
As a Mason of 39 years who was raised from the horizontal by my father ( WB Donald Wiley, PM, Past Secretary Holbrook Lodge # 30) in 1984 I have become too emotionally involved in this issue and for my own health need to step back from active involvement. I had already been looking at my exit / slow down strategy for some time and had anticipated doing my year as Master next year and then being on one committee and hopefully doing degrees after that.
I will not be doing my year as Master because I simply cannot enforce what I feel are illegal and discriminatory orders, nor will I tolerate the division of Masons in any form based upon any status. Grand Lodge of Oregon has chosen to divide the members in response to a control pattern by political groups. You can attend Lodge, degrees and other functions but you will be treated differently that anybody who has been vaccinated. The implication of consent and assent by silence is one of the oldest manipulative tricks in the book and for Grand Lodge to utilize such tactics in its governance shows a lack of Masonic respect for its members. Just another way to weed out members who disagree with the leaders.
Masonry is a group of men and my opinions are one of many. It will be absolutely no loss to either of my Lodges when I choose to step back and not be involved in leadership or other active Lodge roles anymore. Masonry was there a long time before me and will be around a while longer, although with the declining membership numbers in Oregon who knows how long that will be for.
The culture of a group is set by its leaders, and Masonry has spoken that this culture of discrimination and difference in members is how Oregon Masonry will operate in the future. I have beat medical illness's a hell of a lot worse that covid in the past 10 years, and will likely face those same issues again in the next 10 years. Oregon Masonry will be just fine without me, and for my own emotional health I have to move away from a group who's culture and dogma I now disagree with. I realize my opinions are strong as presented and would ask that they be respected and not flamed.
Life is too short to live and operate in an environment of disharmony and dissent. The Freemasonry I grew up in and that grew to be a huge part of my life is no more and will not return. Life moves on and so do I . So Mote it Be.
>>"I realize my opinions are strong as presented and would ask that they be >>respected and not flamed."
Worry not Brother, Emeth is not Facebook. All who participate here are respectful, and no one does any trolling or flaming.
While I can not comment on what is happening within your Grand Lodge, please know that you will always have Brothers and an online Masonic home here.