Ashlar2006
Masonic Mafia
In the past few years I have read on Masonic blogs and forums how Grand Lodge's and Grand Master's are abusing their powers , expelling men for no reason , "kangaroo courts" etc; etc; as if this some sort of new phenomenon . I have talked to the old brethren who were around many years ago , I have read old Grand Lodge proceedings , old minutes and so on and so forth and this kind of stuff has been going on for many , many decades . I would bet if you go back in time to the formation of the first Grand Lodge , you will find a few members complaining that the Grand Master is abusing his power . I personally know a man suspend from his lodge in the 70's on trumped up charges (back when lodges in my jurisdiction still had the power to bring charges and hold a trial on it's own members ) because of warring factions in the lodge .
The only difference is now , unlike in the past and right up into the 90's , is that this information is now readily available to everyone with a a smart phone , a phone line/cable and a computer . Everything was kept in house in the past . We now have the internet and now every do-gooder with a keyboard has their soapbox to stand on and spew their hate and discontent at other jurisdictions . Masons now post all their own and outside jurisdiction's dirty laundry for the world to see .
My point being is that our Fraternity has survived in the past and it will continue to survive . Grand Masters come and go , they will pass edicts that most everyone will disagree with , that will be unpopular , that makes no sense . All we have to do is wait them out and vote in better men into our Grand Chair Lines or heck run for the Grand Line ourselves .
We are lucky in my jurisdiction , we have a GREAT Grand chair line . All the men now working their way around to the Grand East are all good men and Masons . I know them personally and they have nothing but the best interests in mind for our Fraternity .
So let me pose a few questions .... Should we be airing out our dirty laundry on the internet ? Should we be keeping most things in house ? How do you feel about someone on the other side of the country or the world passing judgment on your jurisdiction and it's members ? Should Masons from one jurisdictions be writing open letters to the Grand Masters of outside jurisdictions ?
The only difference is now , unlike in the past and right up into the 90's , is that this information is now readily available to everyone with a a smart phone , a phone line/cable and a computer . Everything was kept in house in the past . We now have the internet and now every do-gooder with a keyboard has their soapbox to stand on and spew their hate and discontent at other jurisdictions . Masons now post all their own and outside jurisdiction's dirty laundry for the world to see .
My point being is that our Fraternity has survived in the past and it will continue to survive . Grand Masters come and go , they will pass edicts that most everyone will disagree with , that will be unpopular , that makes no sense . All we have to do is wait them out and vote in better men into our Grand Chair Lines or heck run for the Grand Line ourselves .
We are lucky in my jurisdiction , we have a GREAT Grand chair line . All the men now working their way around to the Grand East are all good men and Masons . I know them personally and they have nothing but the best interests in mind for our Fraternity .
So let me pose a few questions .... Should we be airing out our dirty laundry on the internet ? Should we be keeping most things in house ? How do you feel about someone on the other side of the country or the world passing judgment on your jurisdiction and it's members ? Should Masons from one jurisdictions be writing open letters to the Grand Masters of outside jurisdictions ?
