# The Decline of Men, and What Freemasons Need To Do About it



## Squire Bentley (Apr 11, 2018)

You may not agree with this. You may not like this. But I think it worth presenting for your consideration. Think about it, hard, and reflect once again on the importance of what we do as Masons and of our role in society.

You may have already seen this and commented on it already. I think that it is important enough to run around the circuit another time.

https://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-decline-of-men-and-what-freemasons.html?m=1


----------



## CLewey44 (Apr 11, 2018)

This topic is a little too political for my taste. While I think men are getting the short end of the stick for the most part and I'm quite aware of the new 'men's rights' movement, I won't divuldge on this site about all of that.


----------



## coachn (Apr 12, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> This topic is a little too political for my taste. While I think men are getting the short end of the stick for the most part and I'm quite aware of the new 'men's rights' movement, I won't divuldge on this site about all of that.


It appears to accurately reflect our times and does so neutrally.  How is it "political"?


----------



## CLewey44 (Apr 12, 2018)

coachn said:


> It appears to accurately reflect our times and does so neutrally.  How is it "political"?


I've seen it debated a lot between feminists and I guess non-feminists in political forums? To me it shouldn't be a political issue but it has become such since we are so polarized nowadays.  Unfortunately, it's a new movement that is catching a lot of flack. Since a handful of rich guys out of 3.3 billion committed terrible sexual acts, it reflects on all men in every facet of life despite the overwhelming data of how men are actually treated overwhelmingly worse than women in our country.


----------



## coachn (Apr 12, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> I've seen it debated a lot between feminists and I guess non-feminists in political forums? To me it shouldn't be a political issue but it has become such since we are so polarized nowadays.  Unfortunately, it's a new movement that is catching a lot of flack. Since a handful of rich guys out of 3.3 billion committed terrible sexual acts, it reflects on all men in every facet of life despite the overwhelming data of how men are actually treated overwhelmingly worse than women in our country.


Then how can we as men and masons discuss the facts surrounding this issue without making it political or filled with political opinions and political agendas.  

Bare in mind, I LOVE discourse that is civil, respectful and supported by facts, not out of context factoids.


----------



## CLewey44 (Apr 12, 2018)

coachn said:


> Then how can we as men and masons discuss the facts surrounding this issue without making it political or filled with political opinions and political agendas.
> 
> Bare in mind, I LOVE discourse that is civil, respectful and supported by facts, not out of context factoids.



That's a good question and believe me, I know you do.   I would imagine most Masons would agree with it because Masons are men, usually, and would likely see the message here. However, there are "feminist" men out there that may see women as oppressed by guys and so on. I like facts myself. There is a lot of interesting data out there that is simply true. Now how someone perceives it is another thing.

We can research things such as more men die from suicide by far, war/conflict casualties overwhelmingly men, on the job injuries, homelessness, parental rights and so on are overwhelmingly against men.  Again, what we take from that is another story. That's where it can get dicey in my opinion.


----------



## dfreybur (Apr 12, 2018)

This is why I am glad to see the young men approaching us in large numbers.  We need to work fiercely in their service.  Far too often we fail them and it's not always because they want instant gratification where our zeroeth lesson is patience.

I have been delivering Masonic education talks for over a decade.  It started with talking to candidates who wanted to know what the ritual means and what those hidden mysteries mentioned in the obligations were.

Toxic masculinity pervades current American culture.  We are the treatment.  We need to shine our light.  Which is why I constantly repeat that the recent American habit of refusing to do invitations was supposed to be a temporary aberration during the anti-Masonic movement of the 1840s.


----------



## coachn (Apr 12, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> That's a good question and believe me, I know you do.   I would imagine most Masons would agree with it because Masons are men, usually, and would likely see the message here. However, there are "feminist" men out there that may see women as oppressed by guys and so on. I like facts myself. There is a lot of interesting data out there that is simply true. Now how someone perceives it is another thing.
> 
> We can research things such as more men die from suicide by far, war/conflict casualties overwhelmingly men, on the job injuries, homelessness, parental rights and so on are overwhelmingly against men.  Again, what we take from that is another story. That's where it can get dicey in my opinion.


LOL!  I was one of those knights in shining armor.  After I recovered my manhood (not an easy task!), I discovered I was trained by the women (and men) in my life to play that role.  I realized all too late how much on my manhood I gave away to causes and fights that were not my own. 

I feel much better now...

However, I run into those poor souls who have yet to wake up to a bill of goods that they were sold before they could reason or see through their own eyes the insanity of playing a knight in shining armor.  They are not sound fellows and they, through their behavior and attitudes, are deeply wounded and scared by the harpies and trolls of their past.  Unfortunately, when you point this out to them, they get irrationally defensive.


----------



## coachn (Apr 12, 2018)

dfreybur said:


> This is why I am glad to see the young men approaching us in large numbers.  We need to work fiercely in their service.  Far too often we fail them and it's not always because they want instant gratification where our zeroeth lesson is patience.
> 
> I have been delivering Masonic education talks for over a decade.  It started with talking to candidates who wanted to know what the ritual means and what those hidden mysteries mentioned in the obligations were.
> 
> Toxic masculinity pervades current American culture.  We are the treatment.  We need to shine our light.  Which is why I constantly repeat that the recent American habit of refusing to do invitations was supposed to be a temporary aberration during the anti-Masonic movement of the 1840s.


There is an equal amount of toxic femininity pervading American culture.  Yes, we are the treatment for both, if we can only get our act together before the post mortem is required.


----------



## Warrior1256 (Apr 14, 2018)

Wow! What an eye opening article! I have been told that I am just a Neanderthal that needs to get in touch with my sensitive side, whatever that means, lol.


----------

