Are You supposed to keep your membership a secret?

[Windrider]

PNR,

If I understand you correctly, you did your EA separately from your FC and MM degrees. The EA Obligation has a bit of advice about dealing with closed-minded individuals that you might want to review. If you've given it your best shot and she is not listening, just break off the discussion and agree to disagree. Sometimes confusing people with the facts is a losing proposition and the EA Obligation has a lot of wisdom in it for just this circumstance. The best way to convince the closed-minded is through actions, not words.

 

[Bob Franks]

I'm currently being questioned about it by a colleague that saw my ring. She keeps emailing me all these quotes about Masons being pagans, etc. She's stuck on the fact that we're not supposed to talk about religion and politics in lodge. She is a devout Christian that "wants to share her love of her Lord and Savior." I'm having trouble continuing to explain what I can without telling more than I should.

One problem is that I was on the fast track to being a MM. I was initiated in November then went to a day long ceremony in February with 30 other brothers where we received our 2nd degree in the morning, ate lunch, and then got our 3rd degree. That being said, I don't know as much as everyone else. I have spent my time, what little I have, reading other books to gain the knowledge that I lack.

PNR,

If I understand you correctly, you did your EA separately from your FC and MM degrees. The EA Obligation has a bit of advice about dealing with closed-minded individuals that you might want to review. If you've given it your best shot and she is not listening, just break off the discussion and agree to disagree. Sometimes confusing people with the facts is a losing proposition and the EA Obligation has a lot of wisdom in it for just this circumstance. The best way to convince the closed-minded is through actions, not words.

It's in the EA Charge, which is in open language:
"...neither are you to suffer your zeal for the institution to lead you into argument with those who, through ignorance, may ridicule it."

S&F

 

[removed12612]

it's in the ea charge, which is in open language:
"...neither are you to suffer your zeal for the institution to lead you into argument with those who, through ignorance, may ridicule it."

s&f

smib............

 

[KevinL]

Don't forget that a very integral part of masonry is tolerance. As master masons, we use the trowel to cement the human family into "one common mass." Hence the reason for forbidding sectarian discussion within lodge. There are some people who feel threatened by that sort of acceptance (for the life of me, I could never understand why this is), perhaps this is the reason for your colleague's objections? Masonry shows us that it's fine to have our own personal belief system, and encourages us to do so, but prohibits us from taking it to the extent where it encroaches on others. I believe that acceptance is firmly tied in with the cardinal virtues (maybe they will paint it on my lodge room wall along with fortitude, prudence, temperance, and justice). It's for this reason (and many others) that a mason should be proud of his association with the craft, and willing to show it through the use of rings, pins, etc., in addition to sharing certain details to non-masons that are within the limits of the obligation. When asked, I usually say that there's very little that's secret about masonry, aside from modes of recognition. Even though there are many other things I choose to keep to myself, as long as you're operating within the obligation, you're well within your right to talk about whatever you'd like. Minus the human sacrifices, of course. Oops.

 

[Windrider]

It's in the EA Charge, which is in open language:
"...neither are you to suffer your zeal for the institution to lead you into argument with those who, through ignorance, may ridicule it."

S&F

Absolutely, my mistake... charge not obligation.