What "hecatombs" are we to sacrifice on our discoveries in our work?

BukeyeJackson

BukeyeJackson

ViMH Advisory Board
I'm currently the MM Lecturer for my Lodge. This has been a great chance to continously go over the story and emblems. While I've started to read between the lines the more I have a chance to review; I'm still not sure how to express my thoughts. I thank a many of you for getting out what I can't seem to grasp.

Recently the wording itself made me think of the topic. It pops to me as a headslap that it so plainly put forth in the wording.

When we do our work and the discoveries are made what is the sacrifice? The time we put in? The bit of ourselves we give to the communtiy and our interactions that make us bind? The monetary seems to simple to be the answer?
 
G

Gary

Guest
BukeyeJackson said:
When we do our work and the discoveries are made what is the sacrifice? The time we put in? The bit of ourselves we give to the communtiy and our interactions that make us bind? The monetary seems to simple to be the answer?
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My thought about this is: The "sacrifice" can be the shedding of vices and superfluities. What was once a pattern or association is now sacrificed for the sake of the work. Sacrifice isn't necessarily a bad thing IMHO.

I'll give you an example: In the process of doing your work you may wind up distancing yourself from people you once thought were friends, but now have nothing in common with because you no longer have a vice (such as drinking/partying to great excess for example).

The giving of ourselves to the community is a form of charity not a sacrifice in my view.
The dues we pay to the Lodge, shouldn't be a sacrifice, but to some they may be financially.

I'm sure there are others with a different take on this topic. Let's see what they have to say. Good question Buckeye!
 
CoachN

CoachN

Builder Builder
BukeyeJackson said:
I'm currently the MM Lecturer for my Lodge. This has been a great chance to continously go over the story and emblems. While I've started to read between the lines the more I have a chance to review; I'm still not sure how to express my thoughts. I thank a many of you for getting out what I can't seem to grasp.

Recently the wording itself made me think of the topic. It pops to me as a headslap that it so plainly put forth in the wording.

When we do our work and the discoveries are made what is the sacrifice? The time we put in? The bit of ourselves we give to the communtiy and our interactions that make us bind? The monetary seems to simple to be the answer?
Click to expand...
I recommend that you do a deep word study of the true meaning of the word "sacrifice."

Hint: It does not have anything to do with hardship or giving something up - that is a profane understanding and view.
 
Winter

Winter

I've been here before
Coach, as usual, is absolutely right. The conotation of the word sacrifice is mostly (if I remember correctly from one of my classes last year) from the Christian use of the word. i.e. that of giving up now to gain more later. But the historical view was different.

From my own Jewish perspective I was taught that the animal sacrifices at the 1st and 2nd Temple were a way for the people to become closer to the Divine. Not in an effort to appease or "pay-off" G-d. And although animal offerings were not the preffered method of drawing closer to the Divine, like anything, if the mindset is correct it works.

A sacrifice can therefore be seen as going out of your way to do something altruistic with no thought of gaining anything in return.
 
G

Gary

Guest
I was close, but didn't win the cigar! You might look at it as winnowing with no thought of gain, but rather a lack of need. You get a prize in the end, even though you didn't plan on it.

I agree with Winter though. I really enjoy these discussions. It makes you re-evaluate what you think you know, and in the process you gain new interpretations of things.

Coach will likely chime in with his thoughts as his time permits. He is currently traveling and teaching. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he braves the highways.
 
Winter

Winter

I've been here before
If you get a chance, look up the etymology of the word sacrifice. That's fairly interesting in itself.
 
CoachN

CoachN

Builder Builder
Winter said:
If you get a chance, look up the etymology of the word sacrifice. That's fairly interesting in itself.
Click to expand...
yep.

(and thanks for your prayer suggestion Brother G., much appreciated - talk with Friday afternoon.)
 
BukeyeJackson

BukeyeJackson

ViMH Advisory Board
I will remember my brothers on my prayers.

I want saying that we sacrifice for the sale of gain but as the lecture shows upon discovery there was given a massive (IMHO for the time it must have been) sacrifice. To me it could be a form of esteeming GAOTU the source of all good. Gary's answer is pretty close to what um trying to say originally but it is the different views that help me see more of the light.

Side note this was extremely weird to do on my phone.
 
BukeyeJackson

BukeyeJackson

ViMH Advisory Board
an enLIGHTening conversation this morning on this topic. I think the better question is "How can we sacrifice our hectombs?" and when we do "Who deserves to help?"

Only those seeking to do the same with their hecatombs. That's my answer to the latter.
 
CoachN

CoachN

Builder Builder
I: What's a hecatomb or two between Brothers?
R: When in Greece...

;-)

(Gosh, it's fun speaking in code...)
 
G

Gary

Guest
I was thinking more on the lines of steak, ribs, and all the beef you can eat. Got a 100 angus bulls? Let's throw us a HUGE party! We can always burn the bones later. ;)
 
jonesvilletexas

jonesvilletexas

MWSA Secretary
Ancient Greek was a sacrifice to the gods of 100 cattle.

As to sacrifice, how do we put a price to this, e.g. money, time? What would be a sacrifice to me might not be a sacrifice to you. I believe each man must look inside himself for the true meaning to this question.
 
Bob Franks

Bob Franks

Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer
For the last couple of years, hearing the reference to the Sacrifice of the Hecatomb (or giving the MMD Lecture), makes me smile: Pythagorus was a VEGETARIAN!
Doubtful he would sacrifice living animals.

S&F
 
Winter

Winter

I've been here before
I don't know Brother. There is a lot of evidence to support that Pythagoras wasn't a vegetarian. That it's just been repeated so much that people accept it as fact and is used by veg-heads to legitimize their lifestyle.

Now I just have to remember where I read that argument... Google here I come!
 
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