The Shrine - My personal take on the organization

G

Gary

Guest
Honestly its the cost that's always kept me from joining in the past months. It's the first body I wanted to join after I was raised and then I looked at the costs involved.
What kind of cost? Why is it so significantly more than the other bodies? :confused:
 

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
BroLiberty, I agree with what you posted. I was bombarded after I was raised at every lodge meeting I attended by 2 brothers for the SR, YR and Shrine, I kept telling them NO but they persisted. I finally told them that if they didn't cease I would not attend Blue Lodge any more, (I used some language that I now regret using) they quit hounding me. I joined YR and Shrine on my own after about 10 years of being a MM. My dad joined YR and Shrine after being a MM about 30 years. I enjoy Shrine but I will not hound (or tolerate any brother doing so) any MM about joining Shrine because I know how much I disliked it. If they ask, I will give them information.
While not as bad, I got the most "recruitment" from the SR at my Lodge. Shrine was second, only because the YR is just about dead for my Lodge. I know of two people who are YR at the Lodge, one does not visit the YR much anymore, and the other does not visit our Lodge much.

Both the SR and Shrine I feel put a lot of pressure on new members after joining to join a club, or spend their time down there. It seemed between every degree at the SR they were asking for people to join a degree team, or to do stage work.

The Shrine at every meeting you get asked if you are a member of a club or unit and they keep asking. It is a slight turn off.
 

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
Maybe I am out of bounds, but if a Shrine org is dying, and men from the Craft Lodges are not joining, then I see that as a potentially good thing.

All of that energy and resources that might have gone to the Shrine can be redirected back where it belongs.

Their Craft Lodge.

I know this will annoy some people, but MASONRY IS YOUR HOME CRAFT (BLUE) LODGE.
But then as Masons we can no longer use that 2 Million a day for charity figure, if 1.5 million a day comes from the Shrine. You then have people that think Masons are evil and out to control the world will also say Shriners are great and the world needs more of them. They are a great public image for use in today's world when Lodges are unwilling, or unable to do any community service.

Now the whole community thing is changing, at least in our Lodge. This was our first year ever doing the Child ID program. Why? The older brothers felt no need. None of them had children, as they were all grown. And they just did not feel the need apparently to do community work. Thankfully we have younger people coming through who are willing to do this work.

Yes, Masonry begins at the Blue Lodge. But some feel the need for more, or the Blue Lodge is unable to fulfill with a Brother is looking for. That is why there is a SR, YR, Shriner, High 12, Tall Ceders, etc..

On a side note, I know the Shrine has previously considered dropping the Mason requirement. I would still be a member either way. After dealing with All Childrens, which is supposed to be non-for profit, and them screwing all sorts of things up with their billing and unwilling to help people, and the attitude of their employees, and then seeing how my niece was treated at Shriners, I think the world needs more of the Shriners Hospitals.
 

Winter

I've been here before
We should stop using the Shrine nubers for charity to make the Freemasons charity numbers look good. Maybe it would shame some Brothers into stepping up! LOL

If the Craft Lodges are not providing the experience that they should, forming a new org that gives that experience to them is not the answer.

Fix our Craft Lodges. If we are "doing" Masonry, the experience is rich and rewarding and fulfilling.

As for our image, can you imagine what the world would think of us if each Lodge had an Angel Fund?

Masonic Angel Foundation

We have the tools available, we just need to use them.
 

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
We should stop relying on the Shrine Numbers, but many still do. Either to sound more impressive, or they do not realize that the Shrine makes up most of those numbers.

As far as fixing the Craft Lodges. I agree. But again, many Brothers are against change. Not sure how your Lodge is, but ours still has a lot of the "old guard" who seem to attend only to get away from the house. Heck, it took a few years to get even a small "Christmas party" out my Lodge. I even volunteered to get 4 or 5 pre-made turkey meals from Publix so the Lodge did not have to put up any money, and that was still turned down. The only reason I was able to do some Christmas Cards for Widows this year, was because I did all the work and bought everything out of pocket. Then it was like pulling teeth with some people to get them to sign the cards. Some even just avoided me.

Yeah, we are fighting for a change, but it is a long road. A lot of the infighting in our Lodge has turned a lot of Brothers away too. Hopefully one day we can do what we are supposed to do, but for some, they coasted for so long doing the bare minimum, they are against anything else.

Our Lodge is fortunate that we usually have two or three degrees a month going on. We have a steady stream of people coming through. Yet we still have the same 15-20 people at the stated meetings though. Many are not finding what they are looking for at the Blue Lodge level, are seeing trying to get the charity work that the Shrine does, the beautiful degree work that the SR does, and the teaching that I understand the YR does. They did not join to fight for those things, but to do them. So they seem to leave for what organization does what they are looking for.

Now this is all based on my personal experiences, from my Lodge and talking to Brothers. Other people may feel different. But it easier to say what we should be doing, then to find people who are willing to fight for the change to do it.
 

Winter

I've been here before
Brother Jason,

Is there a rule in your by-laws that says you can't gather up the new members that are looking for that experience and make it happen.

This is our Masonry as well as the "Old-Guards". I fought that fight about 12 years ago in my last Lodge, and won.

With charity work like the Shrine, and beautiful degree work like the SR and YR we CAN, and must, make the Lodge experience meaningful for the young men that are looking for the Lodges in the stories.

We can do this.
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
I have found I can change my Lodge , but slowly , so as not to throw the old guard into shock .

If there was programs or committees I wanted to start , I would casually bring it up to an older member a few times , plant the seed in his mind and allow him to bring it up , put it into action and allow him to take credit for it . I do not care who gets the credit for my ideas , I only care that they get done .
 

DavisB

Member
I have found I can change my Lodge , but slowly , so as not to throw the old guard into shock .

If there was programs or committees I wanted to start , I would casually bring it up to an older member a few times , plant the seed in his mind and allow him to bring it up , put it into action and allow him to take credit for it . I do not care who gets the credit for my ideas , I only care that they get done .
Have you seen the movie Inception? I think you would relate to it very well. :D
 
I think the cost and the time commitment are reasons why the newer brethren are not rushing to join.

But one thing I would like to point out is mdonahues post is that their shrine has 2000 members. 2000! That is over 10 times what my lodge has for membership, and I come from a bigger lodge. .
The 2000 is for the temple that is one of 3 in Minnesota. In the Shrine, Temples are made up of many clubs and units. Our area Shrine Club has maybe 80 members. Many of them aged. I'm 44, and am very frequently the youngest member at a club event. I've heard some animosity against the Shrine, I've heard statements saying the Shrine has outlived it's usefulness. I'd have a hard time explaining that to the twelve children that our club referred to the Shriners Children's hospital this year, none of whom's family, by the way, will ever see a bill for their treatment. And that's just from our small town of Owatonna, MN, which I'm sure no one out there has ever heard of.
 

Bob Franks

Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer
(snip)And that's just from our small town of Owatonna, MN, which I'm sure no one out there has ever heard of.
No, but I have many ancestors in my maternal grandmother's line from Northfield...and there was that redhead from Fairmont I met in New Mexico at 15. [sigh]

(lost in revery)
 
The 2000 is for the temple that is one of 3 in Minnesota. In the Shrine, Temples are made up of many clubs and units. Our area Shrine Club has maybe 80 members. Many of them aged. I'm 44, and am very frequently the youngest member at a club event. I've heard some animosity against the Shrine, I've heard statements saying the Shrine has outlived it's usefulness. I'd have a hard time explaining that to the twelve children that our club referred to the Shriners Children's hospital this year, none of whom's family, by the way, will ever see a bill for their treatment. And that's just from our small town of Owatonna, MN, which I'm sure no one out there has ever heard of.

Heck....I cant even pronounce it.......:eek::D
 

Custer148

Masonic Traveler
The 2000 is for the temple that is one of 3 in Minnesota. In the Shrine, Temples are made up of many clubs and units. Our area Shrine Club has maybe 80 members. Many of them aged. I'm 44, and am very frequently the youngest member at a club event. I've heard some animosity against the Shrine, I've heard statements saying the Shrine has outlived it's usefulness. I'd have a hard time explaining that to the twelve children that our club referred to the Shriners Children's hospital this year, none of whom's family, by the way, will ever see a bill for their treatment. And that's just from our small town of Owatonna, MN, which I'm sure no one out there has ever heard of.
I don't recall ever hearing of Owatonna, Minnesota -- but saying it out loud sounds really cool:D:D.
 

DavisB

Member
BroLiberty, I agree with what you posted. I was bombarded after I was raised at every lodge meeting I attended by 2 brothers for the SR, YR and Shrine, I kept telling them NO but they persisted. I finally told them that if they didn't cease I would not attend Blue Lodge any more, (I used some language that I now regret using) they quit hounding me. I joined YR and Shrine on my own after about 10 years of being a MM. My dad joined YR and Shrine after being a MM about 30 years. I enjoy Shrine but I will not hound (or tolerate any brother doing so) any MM about joining Shrine because I know how much I disliked it. If they ask, I will give them information.
At my FC degree this past week, the brother that signed my petition showed me the shrine petition that he was carrying around in his wallet to give me as soon as I got my MM. I immediately remembered this post. It appears my fate may be similar. I just don't think the Shrine is for me. Our local club meets at Logan's once a month to have fun and drink. I think the philanthropy is great and I would love to volunteer but sitting around with a bunch of guys who are drinking while i'm sipping on my Dr. Pepper (only 18) just doesn't sound appealing. And I don't think I want to be the kind of person who joins a body and doesn't participate. If I am paying dues I want to be active.
 

PatrickWilliams

I could tell you ...
At my FC degree this past week, the brother that signed my petition showed me the shrine petition that he was carrying around in his wallet to give me as soon as I got my MM. I immediately remembered this post. It appears my fate may be similar. I just don't think the Shrine is for me. Our local club meets at Logan's once a month to have fun and drink. I think the philanthropy is great and I would love to volunteer but sitting around with a bunch of guys who are drinking while i'm sipping on my Dr. Pepper (only 18) just doesn't sound appealing. And I don't think I want to be the kind of person who joins a body and doesn't participate. If I am paying dues I want to be active.
Stick to your guns, Bro. You're probably going to get hit from more than the Shrine. It used to be that the appendant bodies ran on the idea that a man needed a year to 'get used' to Blue Lodge before you jumped on him. These days, the wisdom is: get 'em as soon and as fast as you can!
 
I agree with Patrick. Get your feet wet in Lodge, and take some time to see if the other bodies are something you have interest in. With that being said, if the Shrine is something you believe to have interest, check out if your Temple has a program for potential members. Our temple (Zuhrah in Minneapolis) has a PAL program. This allows potential members to recieve our monthly newspaper, participate in our social meeting, help in our fundraising activities, etc. Basically, you can do about everything except wear a Fez and vote on Shrine issues. It gets you some time to see if it's really for you, without a financial obligation (PAL is free). I'd be really suprised if your local temple doesn't have a similar program.
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
At my FC degree this past week, the brother that signed my petition showed me the shrine petition that he was carrying around in his wallet to give me as soon as I got my MM. I immediately remembered this post. It appears my fate may be similar. I just don't think the Shrine is for me. Our local club meets at Logan's once a month to have fun and drink. I think the philanthropy is great and I would love to volunteer but sitting around with a bunch of guys who are drinking while i'm sipping on my Dr. Pepper (only 18) just doesn't sound appealing. And I don't think I want to be the kind of person who joins a body and doesn't participate. If I am paying dues I want to be active.
And some will not let up on you . After all these years , I still have Shriners pestering me to join knowing full well that I have no interest in the Shrine . I have thrown away more Shrine petitions than I care to count because they hand me one every time they see me .

And now I have SR Masons pestering me to re-join since I demitted . I told them that I have no interest in paying dues for something that I can not be active in and that I can study and learn on my own for free .
 

PatrickWilliams

I could tell you ...
And now I have SR Masons pestering me to re-join since I demitted . I told them that I have no interest in paying dues for something that I can not be active in and that I can study and learn on my own for free .
But, Ash, how will you become a Supermason?
 
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