# Hypocrisy??



## owls84 (Apr 14, 2010)

-So we host an ALL Program night and go over protocol and cover how we should NEVER use the terms "Grand Master, Most Worshipful, Right Worshipful, Brother, etc." on the out side of an envelope just as I was taught by our Grand Secretary and and last years LIFE Program however I just recieved a magnet in the mail from GL with "A gift from your Grand Master" in big letters on the outside of the envelope. Really??? 

- EAs and FCs cannot wear a S&C but this years Gift of Life Program shirts (ones you receive when you donate) have a big square and compass on the back. I have a Lodge t-shirt I would like my EAs and FCs to wear during a March of Dimes walk this week with a big S&C on the back but I can't. Is that right? 

-I had an EA attend a Grand Masters conference and the GM pinned a S&C pin on him however they cannot wear such jewelery. (2 years ago)

How are we expected to follow GL protocol or teach it when it is not being followed from the top down?


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## Blake Bowden (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

Good point!


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## TexMass (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

This was  a topic in MA.  The question was since a candidate pays for his degrees after he has received a favorable vote is he then a Mason scheduled to receive his degrees or is he a Mason after he has received his degrees.  There had been a death of a candidate who was in that situation and members of the lodge knew him well and wanted to give him a Masonic funeral.  I believe the GL settled that you must be at least an EA to receive a masonic funeral.


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## dhouseholder (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*



owls84 said:


> -So we host an ALL Program night and go over protocol and cover how we should NEVER use the terms "Grand Master, Most Worshipful, Right Worshipful, Brother, etc." on the out side of an envelope just as I was taught by our Grand Secretary and and last years LIFE Program however I just recieved a magnet in the mail from GL with "A gift from your Grand Master" in big letters on the outside of the envelope. Really???
> 
> - EAs and FCs cannot wear a S&C but this years Gift of Life Program shirts (ones you receive when you donate) have a big square and compass on the back. I have a Lodge t-shirt I would like my EAs and FCs to wear during a March of Dimes walk this week with a big S&C on the back but I can't. Is that right?
> 
> ...


 
I think a lot of this has to do with the GM's prerogative. I know that a good friend of mine was given both a EA and a FC pin by the GM himself and was thus allowed to wear them, they are now on display at his lodge. If the GM OKs it, then so mote it be. With the MoD shirts, I would be willing to bet that they had to be approved by GL, thus by the GM. Is it hipocracy? By definition yes, but, does the GM not have the right to be hypocritical?


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## Bill Lins (Apr 15, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

As to the protocol on addressing another, "Grand Master", "Brother", or "Hon." are acceptable forms. Using "Most Worshipful", Right Worshipful", and "Worshipful" are discouraged _in public_ as the profane may misunderstand.

As to the wearing of the S&C by EA's & FC's, that is NOT permissible, _regardless_ of what the Grand Master does. I have to agree with you as to hypocrisy, but that's just the way it is.  :-(


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## JTM (Apr 15, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

how did i miss this rant earlier?

bill seems to have the answer, per usual, though.


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## dhouseholder (Apr 15, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*



Bill_Lins77488 said:


> As to the wearing of the S&C by EA's & FC's, that is NOT permissible, _regardless_ of what the Grand Master does. I have to agree with you as to hypocrisy, but that's just the way it is.  :-(


Not permissible as in "it shouldn't happen, but it does and we keep moving anyways"? 
or as in "it is illegal regardless of what the GM says"?


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## Huw (Apr 15, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

Hi All.

This discussion seems to point up another interesting difference between the practice over there and what we do over here.

On the one hand, our rules are stricter about written forms of address:  it would definitely be out of order here to use any form of masonic title at all on an envelope, even simply "Brother".  This rule is enforced.  That's only for written communications, however:  there's no restriction on oral forms of address if a conversation is taking place in public - that's left to the good sense of the parties involved.  The difference is because we take a firm view that it is each Brother's personal decision whether or not he is happy to be identified as a member - some Brethren might (for example) have relatives or colleagues who are anti-masons and therefore prefer to keep their membership private.  With an envelope you can't know who will see it (and therefore you might inadvertently embarrass a Brother who wanted his membership to be private), whereas with an oral conversation you're expected to exercise common sense depending upon the circumstances.

On the other hand, our practice is quite relaxed about wearing pins and so forth:  in theory we're not supposed to do it, but in practice a lot of us do and no-one says anything, and UGLE has itself approved a tie with an S&C design which members are allowed to wear in public if they're happy for their membership to be identified.  And for us, unlike GLoTX, that includes EAs and FCs, because here membership dates from Initiation, not from Raising.

T & F,

Huw


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## JTM (Apr 15, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

hypocrisy is the word, btw.  hipocracy would suggest a style of government, maybe?


/troll.  <3


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## Huw (Apr 15, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

Hi JTM.



JTM said:


> hypocrisy is the word, btw. hipocracy would suggest a style of government, maybe?


 
Indeed so. Maybe the title of this thread is an alternative spelling of "hippocracy", which would literally mean "rule by horses" ... but allowing for some evolution of usage, hippocracy might come to mean "rule by cowboys" 

T & F,

huw


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## JTM (Apr 15, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

you're a troll of my own heart, Huw.


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## Bill Lins (Apr 16, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*



TexMass said:


> This was  a topic in MA.  The question was since a candidate pays for his degrees after he has received a favorable vote is he then a Mason scheduled to receive his degrees or is he a Mason after he has received his degrees.  There had been a death of a candidate who was in that situation and members of the lodge knew him well and wanted to give him a Masonic funeral.  I believe the GL settled that you must be at least an EA to receive a masonic funeral.


 
Here, once he takes the EA obligation, he is a Mason and entitled to a Masonic funeral.


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## Bill Lins (Apr 16, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*



dhouseholder said:


> Not permissible as in "it shouldn't happen, but it does and we keep moving anyways"?
> or as in "it is illegal regardless of what the GM says"?


 
I'd say "it shouldn't happen...". As I cannot find anything in the law book regarding the wearing of Masonic jewelry by EA's & FC's, I believe the prohibition of such is a matter of Masonic protocol, which the GM _may_ ignore if he so chooses. I am not in favor of what he did, but he didn't ask me.  ;-)


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## Bill Lins (Apr 16, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*



JTM said:


> hipocracy would suggest a style of government, maybe?
> /troll.  <3


 
Rule by the "hip", perhaps?  ;-)


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## Huw (Apr 16, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*

Well at least you didn't suggest "rule by hippies", Bill!    "Aw-ull they-em day-ung law-ung-hay-ars", as a stereotypical movie-Texan would say.

T & F,

Huw


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## owls84 (Apr 16, 2010)

*Re: Hipocracy*



Huw said:


> Well at least you didn't suggest "rule by hippies", Bill!    "Aw-ull they-em day-ung law-ung-hay-ars", as a stereotypical movie-Texan would say.
> 
> T & F,
> 
> Huw


 
Huw, you are fitting in quite nicely here. LOL


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## ljlinson1206 (Apr 20, 2010)

We are all taught that we should not wear masonic jewelry until we have been raised. In my humble opinion I think that if the GM passed out coins that would be perfectly acceptable, but then again he didn't ask me either.


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## JEbeling (Apr 21, 2010)

Somebody droped the ball and didn't think this thru... ! with just a little thought they should have know better...? this should have been allow to happen and make the GM look bad...?


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## Wingnut (Apr 22, 2010)

a few years back RW Donny  Broughton gave out the pins to EA and FC at the conferences.  I dont have mine handy but I believe they were proper one for each degree.  He did make a comment that every mason should wear a S&C.  I later asked one of the Brothers selling items and he explained it this way.  "Yep the GM said you can, but to almost every MM you will meet they will say NO.  You do what you want, but you might think about offending or pissing off the members you will be around all the time..."


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