True, but on the other side of the coin, Lodges also undergo a change when a member moves away, passes to the Celestial Lodge, or otherwise ceases to be active in the Lodge.
We can't do anything about members who move, or who pass away, but we can endeavor to keep men active in the Lodge. And many of the changes we talk about, like ensuring the very best Degree experience possible, and keeping meetings interesting, help with those things.
I understand your point, and can't disagree with it in a way, but I would argue that such is only the case if the man remains active. If he disappears immediately following his Degrees that won't really hold true, and if we are not retaining members, I think that points to needed change.
It's a weird dichotomy, many men like the unchanging nature of Freemasonry...but that doesn't mean we can't use things like technology to make everyone's lives easier.
Heck, I love the unchanging nature of the fundamentals of Freemasonry. That's probably one of the big reasons I'm an active Mason.
But, I also celebrate change. Here's a quick example:
When I first became a Mason, it was super common here for nonsense from the sidelines during a Degree. Jokes about Goats, bad prompting, remarks at key moments. All that stuff really badly detracted from the Degrees for the candidate.
Now, I almost never see that sort of thing here. The Degrees are performed in a solemn and sincere manner.
This change has been so stark here that not long ago I was sitting through a Degree when at a particular moment someone from the sidelines made an idiotic remark such as one used to hear all the time. Unlike when I joined, this time the men in the room were shocked by it, and at least some were angry about it. (Including men who probably did it themselves 20 years ago.)
That's a really positive, and important change. For far too long, in too many Lodges, Degrees weren't taken very seriously, and that communicated that they were unimportant to our new Masons. This is better, and it is certainly a fairly fundamental change.
I also stopped having brothers clap after a brother performs a lecture, charge, working tools, etc during a degree. I hate it. Takes the focus away from the candidate and puts it on the brother. Everything should be for the candidates benefit.
MWPGM BAILEY,
C'mon? Masonic Lodges undergo a "change" as each Candidate is "Raised"!
True, but on the other side of the coin, Lodges also undergo a change when a member moves away, passes to the Celestial Lodge, or otherwise ceases to be active in the Lodge.
We can't do anything about members who move, or who pass away, but we can endeavor to keep men active in the Lodge. And many of the changes we talk about, like ensuring the very best Degree experience possible, and keeping meetings interesting, help with those things.
I understand your point, and can't disagree with it in a way, but I would argue that such is only the case if the man remains active. If he disappears immediately following his Degrees that won't really hold true, and if we are not retaining members, I think that points to needed change.
It's a weird dichotomy, many men like the unchanging nature of Freemasonry...but that doesn't mean we can't use things like technology to make everyone's lives easier.
Heck, I love the unchanging nature of the fundamentals of Freemasonry. That's probably one of the big reasons I'm an active Mason.
But, I also celebrate change. Here's a quick example:
When I first became a Mason, it was super common here for nonsense from the sidelines during a Degree. Jokes about Goats, bad prompting, remarks at key moments. All that stuff really badly detracted from the Degrees for the candidate.
Now, I almost never see that sort of thing here. The Degrees are performed in a solemn and sincere manner.
This change has been so stark here that not long ago I was sitting through a Degree when at a particular moment someone from the sidelines made an idiotic remark such as one used to hear all the time. Unlike when I joined, this time the men in the room were shocked by it, and at least some were angry about it. (Including men who probably did it themselves 20 years ago.)
That's a really positive, and important change. For far too long, in too many Lodges, Degrees weren't taken very seriously, and that communicated that they were unimportant to our new Masons. This is better, and it is certainly a fairly fundamental change.
That’s an awesome change for the better. Nothing makes my blood boil more or faster than nonsense during degrees.
I also stopped having brothers clap after a brother performs a lecture, charge, working tools, etc during a degree. I hate it. Takes the focus away from the candidate and puts it on the brother. Everything should be for the candidates benefit.