I think that lots of things are wrong, and evil, but at least I can articulate why. That's what's so baffling to me about these folks. They will declare Freemasonry evil, but can't articulate anything evil our Fraternity has ever done.
We did, I imagine, murder Wm. Morgan way back when our country was young, but beyond that, I think one would be hard pressed to find anything at all evil done in the name of Masonry.
I’ve always wondered where these recording “immense evil” are kept.
These people absolutely baffle me, and as a 4th gen Mason I have issues not engaging because the insulting of the institution and its members is a direct insult of my family. But I try to just let it bounce off as you did so well.
I do wonder if I missed out on something during my GM year. I mean, the evil cabal of European bankers that run the world didn't invite me to their evil planning meeting or nothing! 🤣🐿😂
When I petitioned to join Masonry, I asked a co-worker if he would be a reference. We had worked together for many years, had work and non-work related discussions, and got along well. I thought he woud be happy to be a referral.
He asked me what it was for and when I mentioned Masonry, said he could not help.
So, we sat down and discussed the whole thing. He asked if I knew that he was very religious. I told him I knew he was but didn't know his denomination. He said he was non-denominational and that he led the group in their services.
He told me that he would not be a referral because he believed that Masonry was involved in questionable acts like advertising and aggressively recruiting people. I told him that was not the case but he shared some articles with me that he found on the internet. I had to remind him that the internet is full of untruths and that he should not believe everything he reads on there.
At any rate, he did not put his name down as a referral, we continued our friendship and working relationship, and nothing more was said about Masonry.
I won't try to sway anyone's mind because I believe it's best for them to discover the truth on their own, should they choose to.
We know who, and what, we are. That's all that matters.
Converting Fanatics and fundamentalist's isn't the purpose of the institution. Fanatics will always rage, Fundamentalist's will always condemn, damn and point. They are scared, and will remain so forever.
We however, should be who we are. Gentlemen and community leaders and workers. My advice would have been The public recognizes the square and compass. Keep it simple.
No, I don't think so. My hunch is that it is spot on.
If we add up all our Appendant and Concordant orders we have such a vast array of symbolism that it could lose all meaning. I think you are right, keep it to that which is recognizable to all.
I met someone that believes every conspiracy you can think of that involves evil. So much so that she will not believe that Shriners are Masons since they actually do good.
I remember this radio talk show called the “Power Hour”, about 20 years ago. It was on Short Wave, same channel that featured Alex Jones’s early talk shows. This “Power Hour” host was bad-mouthing the Fraternity, and the other host said, “hey, aren’t those people the ones who wear the goofy hats and ride in tiny cars in the parades, things like that?” The first host said, “No, those are the Shriners. They’re good people – they have the hospitals, and do good for society. No, I mean the Freemasons. They’re the ones who believe in the God of their choice. That scares me.”
I couldn’t stop laughing. Divisive, yes. Credibility? Zero.
During one of our parades, I had a gentleman run out to me and inform me that we Masonry is devil worship. I gave him my card, asked him to come for breakfast and we would talk about it.
No, it isn't worth trying to convince them. He never showed up. I believe he just wanted to let me know that Masonry is evil and nothing we can do will ever convince these people.
Yeah, I’ve had to deal with that crap in my downtown business for many years. One of them had become friends with Nick and I over the years, and then he found out I was a Freemason. Of course, once he found out, he proceeded to try to debate me on Freemasons being “dualists”, etc. Never mentioned anything about satan or anything like that, but eventually I asked him if this issue was going to affect our friendship, and was it worth it to him. In the end, he did back off, and we remained friends until he passed. Another one made some bad comments about the Fraternity, and I must admit I lost it on this fellow. It went something like, “Dude, what is your problem with the Freemasons? Did they do anything to you? Did they hurt your family? Or is it something they told you? Or something somebody else told you about them? What compels you to say these things? Does saying it make you feel better?” He didn’t know I was a Freemason, but he made the comments when we had a couple of Lodge members in the business and they were discussing upcoming Lodge functions. I never did reveal that I was also a Freemason, and as far as I know, he never knew, although he might have surmised that I was one due to my comments. I don’t know if doing that lost him as a customer, as he ended up moving due to attending a college in another state, but at that point, again, I must admit I lost my cool. It’s the only time I came down on someone for speaking ill of the Fraternity. Now, it’s just an eye-roller. I like how you handled it, Linc. “Here! Here’s my card, you want to discuss it later, I’m open to it.”
There are nut cases out there – there always has been. Now, with technology, we see and hear them more.
A swastika in a Hindu Temple is not the same as a swastika in Berlin in 1940. But neither is the swastika flag brought home from the war by my wife's grandfather that is on display in a veterans museum here.
Unfortunately though, so many people will do all they can to overlook context, often purposefully so.
I think we should care what people think, because crazy people can do crazy things. BUT as to symbols we should never surrender a symbol to uninformed interpretation. Pre 1930s the swastika was a positive symbol used by many organizations. Our local sports team had it on their uniforms as a symbol of good luck (deosil swastika). In the 30s we surrendered that symbol to the Nazis, and NOW it's a symbol of hate and a rallying point for evil people. The eastern star pentagram is not a satanic symbol, and the opinions of uniformed individuals should not be allowed to change that. If we hide it, we are acting as f their opinions are fact. I do however wonder about the wisdom or displaying our symbols publicly to people who have not had their meaning explained before hand.
I had mentioned it before, but a woman I briefly dated dumped me because I was a freemason. She initially only dated me to see if I did have horns growing out of my head or something. Our two dates were basically her asking me questions about it over dinner. As others have said, as much as I tried to tell her freemasonry is a good organization, she simply didn't believe me.
The entire "higher ups" are the super cabal masons/illuminati/bohemian grove doods of the shadow government, ranks much higher than the public 33° masons. One video I watched was from a man claiming to be a 90th degree Shriner and said that there is an inner circle that the public masons don't know about, and the government is filled with lizard people aliens cleverly disguised as G. W. Bush, the Royal Family, etc. No one, even the 33° masons and Grand Masters knows about this inner circle, you have to be in the inner circle to know - thus presenting zero proof such a thing exists, and we can't prove it doesn't.
Same arguments about ghosts I guess. Lack of any evidence doesn't mean they don't exist. Can't prove a negative.
As far as the symbolism in the public, I'd say stuff like the inverted pentagram is going to be misconstrued, might as well use it to invite conversation.
Maybe she was into BDSM and was hopeful that you would be one of the Evil Masons who could overpower her? 🤣🐿
Seriously though, I do keep looking around for these 365th Degree Masons. I must not travel in the right circles!
Your comment does remind me that Freemasonry isn't the only organization that is so badly misconstrued. I get emails, fairly frequently, from guys begging me to let them into the Illuminati. I try to convince them that the outfit hasn't existed for a really long time, and that it didn't amount to anything when it did, but they never believe me. Bohemian Grove is another one, those folks aren't out doing evil. Indeed Charlotte who posts here from time to time has an ex-husband who was a member of that organization.
Years ago an old friend wanted to join a Lodge in my District and he told me he went there and saw that OES star and told them they had the wrong star and it was supposed to be the Star of David and he never went back but still talks about Masonry like he is a Mason.........only because he reads about it.
In my town where I am WM this year somebody put a thick coat of black paint over our porcelain Masonic Lodge sign and the OES sign as you come into town so we took them down and I brought them home and after a few hours removed that black paint off of both signs and a Brother helped bring them back and hang them up and he went up in a tree near by and placed a camera.......and we informed the city police........so far no further problems there and after cleaning them up I put several coats of car wax so the paint might not stick like that if it is tried again.
Crazy. Some of our Orders do use a Star of David, but for a non Mason to declare to a Lodge of Masons that they had the wrong symbolism strikes me as just a wee bit nuts! 😁
We have had some vandalism at two of my Lodges, but luckily nothing we haven't been able to take care of yet.
I've been chair of our Grand Lodge communications committee for Nova Scotia for several years. Recently we had an issue with anti-Masonic & Anti-semitic stickers being placed around the city. I managed to get our GM interviewed by local news media and it worked out well. It was a very rare case where we spoke out. But yes, 99.99% of these just aren't worth responding to. When one does, it just adds fuel to an already toxic fire. We evaluate them on threat to personal and Lodge or GL level and act accordingly. Which is mostly just ignore.
We currently have a couple nuts on the radar in Seattle. One makes seemingly credible threats, but never carries them out or shows up. The other keeps trying to get into a Lodge, but so far has been kept out. Lord only knows what he would do if he got through the front door.
Years ago, we had a chap go through the EA degree and then threatened to sue us because he didn't receive the supernatural powers...can't make that stuff up! :-)
Didn't anyone tell him that you have to become a 103rd Degree, Grand Rooster Monkey Pontiff, Mason in order to get access to Freemasonry's supernatural powers? Not to mention the really cool Grand Rooster Monkey Pontiff hat one gets to wear! 😎🐿😈
Yes, by all means use the Eastern Star inverted star, but ONLY if the parade goers all Masons. If not, don't use it.
The title of your post today is Public Relations. I majored in Accounting so I'm not sure about this, but I think the purpose of Public Relations is to relate to the public. So what do we know about the public? We know that many, or probably most, don't know the first thing about Eastern Star but they do believe that the inverted star is a satanic symbol. We also know that our nation is in the depth of the most divisive period during my lifetime and that too many people seem to be looking for the next scandal so they can take sides.
Whether it's the Eastern Star logo or anything else Masonic we're in a period in which effective PR requires us more than ever to control the narrative. If we know that a symbol will start the narrative on questionable footing is it worth it to use it? How can we control the narrative if based on a well intentioned first impression we're not invited into the narrative?
Surely 99.9% of the general population has never heard of the OES. But, I would guess that a fairly large percentage of the population believes the inverted pentagram to be a symbol for satanism.
People fear what they don't understand and it seems the human condition tends to thinking the worst. For centuries Freemasonry has been around the public, keeping them at arms length and concealing who the Masonic man truly is. If we're not willing to be accessible in public without sharing our secrets, well it seems to me that we're doomed to continue repeating history.
In the example of using the OES' star emblem, we must recognize that our society has been heavily indoctrinated, through media, into thinking it's to be viewed with fear and/or disgust. I'm am fortunate to count myself among the brotherhood. However, I am reticent to discuss Freemasonry outside of lodge for fear of the centuries old view that we're evil.
There are plenty of words and symbols that have evolved in meaning over the centuries. Take manji in Buddhism is a symbol meaning good fortune. Unfortunately, someone decided to rotate it slightly and adopt it as a symbol for a new German regime rising in the 1930's. The swastika was transformed into a symbol of hate and mass genocide. How many people in the USA today even know to view a swastika on standing on a tip forming a triangle symbolizes something positive?
Our fraternity, and related others, have plenty of symbols and words whose meanings carry with them an old meaning. Since our fraternity and related are about making a good person better, I fail to see where adopting a level of education for the public might not be a healthy approach for us.
These negative understandings drive people away, question our conduct, and create disharmony around the fraternities. Perhaps a little public awareness would be a good thing. Regardless, I believe we're at the point where we can't hide and let time heal wounds. Instead we should start taking an active role in healing misconceptions.
I work in an extremely emotionally/politically sensitive environment where people seemingly parse every word and look for things to be offended by. (Most of this is an act of course, but acted well.)
But, I've managed to survive that environment as an extremely open Freemason without any trouble at all. Everyone knows, and even those who would be opposed to Freemasonry for idiotic reasons (we are devil worshipers) or legitimate reasons (we practice and tolerate discriminatory practices) are A-OK with it.
But, I believe that I'm able to get away with it because I was a known quantity in that environment before I became a Freemason. So, they already knew who and what I was, I simply added a quirk.
I have advised others, new to the environment, that they keep their own Masonic involvement quiet.
Everett Lodge No. 137 received hate mail letters slipped under our front door. The papers were turned over to the Everett Police Department. For a few months, I moved into a back room, and posted large notes on each door: "Custodian ON SITE"!
This is a topic that often crosses my mind just in a different fashion.
If we are willing to change any aspect of ourselves due to misconceptions by others, when does it end? When it’s “done” who or what will we be?
I do think a healthy dose of self reflection is essential. I think the tools we are taught through study reflect that perfectly.
Altering things central to our organizations, and what we are about for the sake of public relations, in any of our stations in life is a disservice to ourselves, and our communities.
If we fail to stand tall in the face of minor challenges… what will happen should we face real troubles?
I think if we were more active in our communities and establishing programs that build trust people will ask.
We may even find a few new members who were intrigued, but misinformed.
I think the quote “To thine own self be true” is the best course of action.
However, I am early in my wanderings and have much to learn.
I do think that there is much wisdom in your reflection here. Masonry was changed in the U.S. during the Anti-Masonic period, and not for the good in my view.
But, I do think that there is a balance between not changing what is important within Masonry, and doing things in public that harm our reputation.
No. We shouldn't care. The fundamentalists think everyone else is evil, While no atrocity is evil if committed in the name of their religion.
Their opinions don't matter.
I think that lots of things are wrong, and evil, but at least I can articulate why. That's what's so baffling to me about these folks. They will declare Freemasonry evil, but can't articulate anything evil our Fraternity has ever done.
We did, I imagine, murder Wm. Morgan way back when our country was young, but beyond that, I think one would be hard pressed to find anything at all evil done in the name of Masonry.
I’ve always wondered where these recording “immense evil” are kept.
These people absolutely baffle me, and as a 4th gen Mason I have issues not engaging because the insulting of the institution and its members is a direct insult of my family. But I try to just let it bounce off as you did so well.
I do wonder if I missed out on something during my GM year. I mean, the evil cabal of European bankers that run the world didn't invite me to their evil planning meeting or nothing! 🤣🐿😂
I hope when I hit the Grand East I will be able to keep our banker overlords happy…
I hope so too, I'd hate to see you get killed by the lizard people masquerading as European bankers.
🦎
When I petitioned to join Masonry, I asked a co-worker if he would be a reference. We had worked together for many years, had work and non-work related discussions, and got along well. I thought he woud be happy to be a referral.
He asked me what it was for and when I mentioned Masonry, said he could not help.
So, we sat down and discussed the whole thing. He asked if I knew that he was very religious. I told him I knew he was but didn't know his denomination. He said he was non-denominational and that he led the group in their services.
He told me that he would not be a referral because he believed that Masonry was involved in questionable acts like advertising and aggressively recruiting people. I told him that was not the case but he shared some articles with me that he found on the internet. I had to remind him that the internet is full of untruths and that he should not believe everything he reads on there.
At any rate, he did not put his name down as a referral, we continued our friendship and working relationship, and nothing more was said about Masonry.
I won't try to sway anyone's mind because I believe it's best for them to discover the truth on their own, should they choose to.
We know who, and what, we are. That's all that matters.
>>>We know who, and what, we are. That's all that matters.
An excellent point. Thank you Brother!
Its nearly impossible to change the opinion of one with a closed mind.
Yep. That has been my experience.
Converting Fanatics and fundamentalist's isn't the purpose of the institution. Fanatics will always rage, Fundamentalist's will always condemn, damn and point. They are scared, and will remain so forever.
We however, should be who we are. Gentlemen and community leaders and workers. My advice would have been The public recognizes the square and compass. Keep it simple.
perhaps that advice was too simple.
>>>perhaps that advice was too simple
No, I don't think so. My hunch is that it is spot on.
If we add up all our Appendant and Concordant orders we have such a vast array of symbolism that it could lose all meaning. I think you are right, keep it to that which is recognizable to all.
Agreed.
I met someone that believes every conspiracy you can think of that involves evil. So much so that she will not believe that Shriners are Masons since they actually do good.
Some folks are that stubborn.
I remember this radio talk show called the “Power Hour”, about 20 years ago. It was on Short Wave, same channel that featured Alex Jones’s early talk shows. This “Power Hour” host was bad-mouthing the Fraternity, and the other host said, “hey, aren’t those people the ones who wear the goofy hats and ride in tiny cars in the parades, things like that?” The first host said, “No, those are the Shriners. They’re good people – they have the hospitals, and do good for society. No, I mean the Freemasons. They’re the ones who believe in the God of their choice. That scares me.”
I couldn’t stop laughing. Divisive, yes. Credibility? Zero.
The Fez is at least as recognizable in North America as the Square & Compasses. Perhaps we should continue making efforts to place the two together.
I believe you are on to something with that simple sentence.
Now that's stubborn!
During one of our parades, I had a gentleman run out to me and inform me that we Masonry is devil worship. I gave him my card, asked him to come for breakfast and we would talk about it.
No, it isn't worth trying to convince them. He never showed up. I believe he just wanted to let me know that Masonry is evil and nothing we can do will ever convince these people.
Yeah, I’ve had to deal with that crap in my downtown business for many years. One of them had become friends with Nick and I over the years, and then he found out I was a Freemason. Of course, once he found out, he proceeded to try to debate me on Freemasons being “dualists”, etc. Never mentioned anything about satan or anything like that, but eventually I asked him if this issue was going to affect our friendship, and was it worth it to him. In the end, he did back off, and we remained friends until he passed. Another one made some bad comments about the Fraternity, and I must admit I lost it on this fellow. It went something like, “Dude, what is your problem with the Freemasons? Did they do anything to you? Did they hurt your family? Or is it something they told you? Or something somebody else told you about them? What compels you to say these things? Does saying it make you feel better?” He didn’t know I was a Freemason, but he made the comments when we had a couple of Lodge members in the business and they were discussing upcoming Lodge functions. I never did reveal that I was also a Freemason, and as far as I know, he never knew, although he might have surmised that I was one due to my comments. I don’t know if doing that lost him as a customer, as he ended up moving due to attending a college in another state, but at that point, again, I must admit I lost my cool. It’s the only time I came down on someone for speaking ill of the Fraternity. Now, it’s just an eye-roller. I like how you handled it, Linc. “Here! Here’s my card, you want to discuss it later, I’m open to it.”
There are nut cases out there – there always has been. Now, with technology, we see and hear them more.
Yeah, I just don't think we can ever convince them.
I might get some cards made up and do the same going forward. Seems like a very simple and passive way to respond to "confrontations".
It would be a good, non-confrontational way to deal with some of these things that might happen at public events.
I believe in the freedom of symbols and the right to have them mean what people want them to. But is there a limit?
The Confederate (battle) flag comes to mind. I know many fly it without racist intentions but also know it is used heavily by racists.
Should a Hindu temple cover over their swastikas?
I don't have an answer. I'm just agreeing it's a conversation worth having and we can dismiss considering it lightly.
Context is so important.
A swastika in a Hindu Temple is not the same as a swastika in Berlin in 1940. But neither is the swastika flag brought home from the war by my wife's grandfather that is on display in a veterans museum here.
Unfortunately though, so many people will do all they can to overlook context, often purposefully so.
I think we should care what people think, because crazy people can do crazy things. BUT as to symbols we should never surrender a symbol to uninformed interpretation. Pre 1930s the swastika was a positive symbol used by many organizations. Our local sports team had it on their uniforms as a symbol of good luck (deosil swastika). In the 30s we surrendered that symbol to the Nazis, and NOW it's a symbol of hate and a rallying point for evil people. The eastern star pentagram is not a satanic symbol, and the opinions of uniformed individuals should not be allowed to change that. If we hide it, we are acting as f their opinions are fact. I do however wonder about the wisdom or displaying our symbols publicly to people who have not had their meaning explained before hand.
Outside of the US and Europe, the swastika is still found everywhere. I even saw a flag with a swastika on it outside of a monastery in South Korea.
Yep, it's still used in Asia. I've seen statues of Buddha with a swastika on them. Variations exists in most cultures.
You bring up two really excellent points here.
There is some measure of danger in displaying our symbols to those who will misinterpret them. Nuts do sometimes decide on violence.
But, we can't allow our symbolism to be degraded by those who hate us.
It's a tough question.
I had mentioned it before, but a woman I briefly dated dumped me because I was a freemason. She initially only dated me to see if I did have horns growing out of my head or something. Our two dates were basically her asking me questions about it over dinner. As others have said, as much as I tried to tell her freemasonry is a good organization, she simply didn't believe me.
The entire "higher ups" are the super cabal masons/illuminati/bohemian grove doods of the shadow government, ranks much higher than the public 33° masons. One video I watched was from a man claiming to be a 90th degree Shriner and said that there is an inner circle that the public masons don't know about, and the government is filled with lizard people aliens cleverly disguised as G. W. Bush, the Royal Family, etc. No one, even the 33° masons and Grand Masters knows about this inner circle, you have to be in the inner circle to know - thus presenting zero proof such a thing exists, and we can't prove it doesn't.
Same arguments about ghosts I guess. Lack of any evidence doesn't mean they don't exist. Can't prove a negative.
As far as the symbolism in the public, I'd say stuff like the inverted pentagram is going to be misconstrued, might as well use it to invite conversation.
Maybe she was into BDSM and was hopeful that you would be one of the Evil Masons who could overpower her? 🤣🐿
Seriously though, I do keep looking around for these 365th Degree Masons. I must not travel in the right circles!
Your comment does remind me that Freemasonry isn't the only organization that is so badly misconstrued. I get emails, fairly frequently, from guys begging me to let them into the Illuminati. I try to convince them that the outfit hasn't existed for a really long time, and that it didn't amount to anything when it did, but they never believe me. Bohemian Grove is another one, those folks aren't out doing evil. Indeed Charlotte who posts here from time to time has an ex-husband who was a member of that organization.
Years ago an old friend wanted to join a Lodge in my District and he told me he went there and saw that OES star and told them they had the wrong star and it was supposed to be the Star of David and he never went back but still talks about Masonry like he is a Mason.........only because he reads about it.
In my town where I am WM this year somebody put a thick coat of black paint over our porcelain Masonic Lodge sign and the OES sign as you come into town so we took them down and I brought them home and after a few hours removed that black paint off of both signs and a Brother helped bring them back and hang them up and he went up in a tree near by and placed a camera.......and we informed the city police........so far no further problems there and after cleaning them up I put several coats of car wax so the paint might not stick like that if it is tried again.
Here it is at my house for a week https://i80.servimg.com/u/f80/19/36/49/57/44555810.jpg
Crazy. Some of our Orders do use a Star of David, but for a non Mason to declare to a Lodge of Masons that they had the wrong symbolism strikes me as just a wee bit nuts! 😁
We have had some vandalism at two of my Lodges, but luckily nothing we haven't been able to take care of yet.
I've been chair of our Grand Lodge communications committee for Nova Scotia for several years. Recently we had an issue with anti-Masonic & Anti-semitic stickers being placed around the city. I managed to get our GM interviewed by local news media and it worked out well. It was a very rare case where we spoke out. But yes, 99.99% of these just aren't worth responding to. When one does, it just adds fuel to an already toxic fire. We evaluate them on threat to personal and Lodge or GL level and act accordingly. Which is mostly just ignore.
We currently have a couple nuts on the radar in Seattle. One makes seemingly credible threats, but never carries them out or shows up. The other keeps trying to get into a Lodge, but so far has been kept out. Lord only knows what he would do if he got through the front door.
Years ago, we had a chap go through the EA degree and then threatened to sue us because he didn't receive the supernatural powers...can't make that stuff up! :-)
Didn't anyone tell him that you have to become a 103rd Degree, Grand Rooster Monkey Pontiff, Mason in order to get access to Freemasonry's supernatural powers? Not to mention the really cool Grand Rooster Monkey Pontiff hat one gets to wear! 😎🐿😈
Yes, by all means use the Eastern Star inverted star, but ONLY if the parade goers all Masons. If not, don't use it.
The title of your post today is Public Relations. I majored in Accounting so I'm not sure about this, but I think the purpose of Public Relations is to relate to the public. So what do we know about the public? We know that many, or probably most, don't know the first thing about Eastern Star but they do believe that the inverted star is a satanic symbol. We also know that our nation is in the depth of the most divisive period during my lifetime and that too many people seem to be looking for the next scandal so they can take sides.
Whether it's the Eastern Star logo or anything else Masonic we're in a period in which effective PR requires us more than ever to control the narrative. If we know that a symbol will start the narrative on questionable footing is it worth it to use it? How can we control the narrative if based on a well intentioned first impression we're not invited into the narrative?
Thank you VW. Your points are well taken.
Surely 99.9% of the general population has never heard of the OES. But, I would guess that a fairly large percentage of the population believes the inverted pentagram to be a symbol for satanism.
People fear what they don't understand and it seems the human condition tends to thinking the worst. For centuries Freemasonry has been around the public, keeping them at arms length and concealing who the Masonic man truly is. If we're not willing to be accessible in public without sharing our secrets, well it seems to me that we're doomed to continue repeating history.
In the example of using the OES' star emblem, we must recognize that our society has been heavily indoctrinated, through media, into thinking it's to be viewed with fear and/or disgust. I'm am fortunate to count myself among the brotherhood. However, I am reticent to discuss Freemasonry outside of lodge for fear of the centuries old view that we're evil.
There are plenty of words and symbols that have evolved in meaning over the centuries. Take manji in Buddhism is a symbol meaning good fortune. Unfortunately, someone decided to rotate it slightly and adopt it as a symbol for a new German regime rising in the 1930's. The swastika was transformed into a symbol of hate and mass genocide. How many people in the USA today even know to view a swastika on standing on a tip forming a triangle symbolizes something positive?
Our fraternity, and related others, have plenty of symbols and words whose meanings carry with them an old meaning. Since our fraternity and related are about making a good person better, I fail to see where adopting a level of education for the public might not be a healthy approach for us.
These negative understandings drive people away, question our conduct, and create disharmony around the fraternities. Perhaps a little public awareness would be a good thing. Regardless, I believe we're at the point where we can't hide and let time heal wounds. Instead we should start taking an active role in healing misconceptions.
I work in an extremely emotionally/politically sensitive environment where people seemingly parse every word and look for things to be offended by. (Most of this is an act of course, but acted well.)
But, I've managed to survive that environment as an extremely open Freemason without any trouble at all. Everyone knows, and even those who would be opposed to Freemasonry for idiotic reasons (we are devil worshipers) or legitimate reasons (we practice and tolerate discriminatory practices) are A-OK with it.
But, I believe that I'm able to get away with it because I was a known quantity in that environment before I became a Freemason. So, they already knew who and what I was, I simply added a quirk.
I have advised others, new to the environment, that they keep their own Masonic involvement quiet.
Everett Lodge No. 137 received hate mail letters slipped under our front door. The papers were turned over to the Everett Police Department. For a few months, I moved into a back room, and posted large notes on each door: "Custodian ON SITE"!
I hadn't heard about that. I hope that it has stopped.
That was over 12 years ago. Everett Lodge and 17 Masonic related sister units moved out of that facility.
Ah, at the old building. I remember being there on a couple of occasions back when I was new to Masonry.
WB.
This is a topic that often crosses my mind just in a different fashion.
If we are willing to change any aspect of ourselves due to misconceptions by others, when does it end? When it’s “done” who or what will we be?
I do think a healthy dose of self reflection is essential. I think the tools we are taught through study reflect that perfectly.
Altering things central to our organizations, and what we are about for the sake of public relations, in any of our stations in life is a disservice to ourselves, and our communities.
If we fail to stand tall in the face of minor challenges… what will happen should we face real troubles?
I think if we were more active in our communities and establishing programs that build trust people will ask.
We may even find a few new members who were intrigued, but misinformed.
I think the quote “To thine own self be true” is the best course of action.
However, I am early in my wanderings and have much to learn.
I do think that there is much wisdom in your reflection here. Masonry was changed in the U.S. during the Anti-Masonic period, and not for the good in my view.
But, I do think that there is a balance between not changing what is important within Masonry, and doing things in public that harm our reputation.