SEVEN BLUNDERS OF THE MASONIC WORLD
Courtesy of Sami Dagher
1. Ritual without Meaning
2. Fellowship without Frivolity
3. Quantity without Quality
4. Education without Philosophy
5. Charity without Connection
6. Frugality without Discretion
7. Leadership without Competence
Ritual Without Meaning
Ritual is the oldest language in the world. It’s a powerful form of art (which is always about honor) that clarifies your intentions and communicates them to the world. Performing a ritual is like telling a “universal story”.
Too many times, we are more concerned about performing the ritual perfectly without understanding what it means. I know many men that give great lectures, but will confide that they don’t even know what something means. Ritual for the sake of tradition is worthless. Ritual for the sake of enlightenment is valuable. An understanding of the ritual’s meaning is far more important than just memorizing it.
Fellowship without Frivolity
Whenever Masons decide to hold a function for fellowship, a discussion typically ensues about how to make the function have the smallest impact on the lodge’s coffers and the wallets of the members. This results in paper plates, meager meals, and boring events. To spend money wisely in order to make fellowship a grand time is wise for the lodge that wants to be successful.
Quantity without Quality
A lodge with seven great men that believe in the Masonic ideals and actively labor to improve themselves—and therefore the lodge—is far better off than a lodge with one hundred men that show up to lodge just to show up to lodge.
Education without Philosophy
Many times, we think of Masonic education as being a lesson on the local lodge’s history, a famous Mason, the history of the world wide fraternity, or how to do the ritual properly. But if no philosophy is covered in Masonic education, then little self improvement is accomplished. Discussing Masonic lessons in terms of philosophy, ideas, and a man’s conduct is what truly transforms men into Masons. It is important to discuss topics that are foreign to a lodge’s membership and it is sometimes even necessary to challenge our preconceived ideologies through Masonic education.
Charity without Connection
Big institutional charities often require that fund raisers be conducted and large cheques written to the people that actually perform the charity. This type of charity is devoid of self improvement because it has no real connection. If we extend our hands to our needed Brethren and devote our own skills and time to their problems, then we are engaging in true, meaningful charity.
Frugality without Discretion
Frugality is not a tenet of Freemasonry, a cardinal virtue, or a Landmark. It is okay for the lodge to spend its funds on worthwhile activities that will enhance the Masonic experience of its Brethren. Not everything should be done in the cheapest way, a habit to which we have become accustomed.
Leadership without Competence
A man does not deserve to be Master of the lodge solely because he has spent a certain amount of years in the lodge. We elect leaders without any regard for the skills that they possess to function in that capacity. Only competent, qualified men should be elected to preside over the Craft.
Great post! I could not agree more with what you have written here. I write a blog titled The Philosophical Freemason (as I also believe strongly that philosophy is a major component of Masonic development) and a Facebook page of the same name. I am going to share this on both.
I won't go beyond the first point, but I must point out that it doesn't matter if the ritualist doesn't understand the words; they are not for him, but for the candidate, who, if properly qualified and prepared by life experience to undergo transformation, as is a beaker full of supersaturated solution is ready to lock up into a solid mass when tapped with a glass rod, will undergo a profound metamorphic experience, sometimes immediate, sometimes marked by epiphany after epiphany over the course of years. The ritualist is the messenger. Of course his accuracy and presence is vital to the transmission of the Symbols. But that is all. Those who train ritualists must, therefore, insist on their pupils' accuracy and reliability. There is no need, however, to insist that they understand the message they propagate, and in any case, a test of whether they had absorbed that meaning, such meanings being private to every Mason, would be impractical and frustrating and may even lose a great lecturer to the Craft. With charity we must conclude that being "right" is trumped by necessity and fraternity.
Very well stated! Unfortunately, until the majority of the masonic leadership accepts these blunders as being actual blunders, we are in for a rocky ride. It seems to me that most of the leadership seems to think that increasing each of these blunders is the way for real growth and stability, "oh we have removed meaning from the ritual, and lost our philosphical roots, well then… remove it some more, make the ritual public! No secrets or meaning here! Hey why are even fewer people coming to our doors?!"
Fortunately, I do see real change on the horizon. Keep up the good work brother!
Nice article. Simple, short but meaningful. More of this please.
I think sometimes we quote from work without attributing the work to the author who originated it. We don't do this maliciously. Somebody sends us an E-mail that we like without authorship and we send it along to those on our list. Many, many people see a great work of creation without any credit to the author. Many will will just write – "author unknown." What a shame.
In your February 2013 issue of GFN Cybermason you publish "The Seven blunders of the Masonic World." No author just who passed it on – Sami Dagher. He is not the author, my friend and Brother Terence Satchell is the author and he should get the credit.
http://www.freemasoninformation.com/2009/09/the-s…
Brother Frederic L. Milliken
By Charles Barreras, Jr.
I recall a meeting where the Grand Master of Masons in South Carolina in attendance said that Freemasonry should be fun. If it isn't fun, then why bother coming to lodge? he asked. That made a profound impression on me. We should take our duties seriously, and learn from Freemasonry what it has to teach, but we also should not be so serious as to make it unpleasant and tedious. Levity, gaiety, and happiness aren't bad things, in context.
By Charles Barreras, Jr.
Well said, my brother. This is a lot of what I have been saying for a long time. Blindly following the ritual is not what we should be taught, although I would argue that following the way it is taught can lead a man to ask the naturally arising question of why and prompt some introspection. I am working on a paper on this topic.
I fully agree with your comments. But I feel you may be preaching to the converted majority.
i AM 35 YRS OF AGE. sORRY TO SAY I HAVE BEEN SLEEING FOR A WHILE NOW, BUY HOPE TO AWAKEN THIS YEAR. I HAVE RETIRED NOW AND HAVE A FEW GOOD YEARS TO GIVE . HAVE A NICE DAY. GOD BLESS.
Charity without Connection – right on. How often are we asked, read that as told, how much we should give from OUR Lodge's charity account and where it should be given. We give a lot of money to causes that are worthy but its the Big Wigs that pool the Lodges' money and present while getting the pat on the back. Charity begins at home. Lodges to give to local causes and the recipients should know who the Lodge is and who its members are that raised the money.
I could not agree more with this analysis. I love the Masons. I love Masonic Life. I love Masonic Principles. I do not love attending meetings that are nothing more than business meetings or unfortunately what Brothers we have lost in the last month. To go forward, we need to change a lot of what we do. We need to market our ideas and ideals more effectively. We need to engage in charity to brothers first, and then focus on higher profile charity agendas.
It seems like every meeting spends too much time on nickel and dime requests from people who view us as an easy way to get money. I know that there is a tradition of doing good without need for recognition, but these are different times, and we are losing members and lodges at a staggering pace.
We need to engage the 30 somethings with more vigor. We need to embrace the history but also the future. We need to focus on improving the state of the lodges. We need fresh ideas. I for one have experienced too much resistance in trying to save our lodge and the future of Free Masonry. Just because it wasn't the way it was done in the 50's isn't a reason to resist change. Change is here. You either adapt or die.
A good person being accepted and made a worthy mason by the brethrens of the fraternity; is akin to the saying, that many are called by few are chosen. QUALITY instead of QUANTITY, is the essence of a masonic fraternity. smib.