# what the obligations mean to you?



## Brother Mark (Feb 18, 2012)

I was asked today by a brother, what the obligations meant to me. 
 To me they are closely related to the Ten Commandments. What do they mean to you?


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## RedTemplar (Feb 18, 2012)

Living up to my obligations to the best of my abilities is what makes me a Mason.


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## Brother Mark (Feb 18, 2012)

I agree 100 % to that statement


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## Kenneth Lottman (Feb 19, 2012)

To treat everyone equal. To try and live a moral and just life. To help when help is needed. Finally to praise the name of God and thank him daily for the blessing of life.


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## Traveling Man (Feb 19, 2012)

To me they are the very essence of Masonry.


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## tom268 (Feb 19, 2012)

Well, I'm not sure, that we have the same obligations, but for me, taking the obligations mean a lesson on humblyness, to take the whole as the focus, the whole, that is bigger than all of us together.


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## Traveling Man (Feb 19, 2012)

Hum, very interesting; If both our lodges are bound by Anderson's constitutions and both deemed as recognized and regular, then we both took an oath upon a VSL to abide these Landmarks, did we not? Do we not share all of these principles regardless of the verbiage in our specific obligations?


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## tom268 (Feb 19, 2012)

No, Andersons Constitutions are not part of my GLs lawbook. The rules of my GL are based on the General Regulations of Georg Payne in 1720. I'm sure, that we share the same principles, but surely not word by word. So it is difficult to compare what is part of your and my obligation.

And yes, I'm also sure we have mutual recognition.


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## Cigarzan (May 20, 2012)

Silence, circumspection and respect for all men, more especially a brother Mason.  In my travels, these have never failed.


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## SeeKer.mm (May 20, 2012)

To me living by the obligations are what make me a Mason.  I have to say though I do not disagree with anything anyone ha said thus far in response to this thread...I guess all I can say is me too!


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## Colby K (May 22, 2012)

SeeKer.mm said:


> I guess all I can say is me too!



. . . Me too!!  Living by the obligations makes me a Mason.  Being a Mason helps me be a better man for my family and brothers.


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## Michael Hatley (May 23, 2012)

Personally speaking they are most important for how they bind us together.  For almost all of us, they are not mere words but a code.

They also bind us to the men that came before us, and the men that will follow.  A bridge through time itself in a very real way.


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## jermy Bell (Feb 7, 2020)

I know thread is 8 years old, I read each response and reread them again, they seemed very sincere. I was raised 5 years ago this past November. When I was first raised, it seemed like everyone I met lived their obligations to the fullest. But these past 2 years, it seems like these were just words to say to get to one step closer to being raised. But I now ask myself, how much longer do I want to do this ?


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## coachn (Feb 8, 2020)

re: *what the obligations mean to you?*

The obligations I have said/heard/read cover three specific areas of behavior.

1) Commit yourself to improving and bettering yourself along specific moral and skill level lines.
2) Support your Brothers in doing so and do so at the level the obligation is taken.
3) Don't ruin this experience for others who have yet to have the opportunity to experience this level yet.

What do they mean?  Exactly what they cover.  

1) Work upon myself to improve and better, constantly.
2) Support others in doing so, and in such a way as to not harm anyone.
3) Keep things appropriately walled off and confidential.



jermy Bell said:


> ...But I now ask myself, how much longer do I want to do this ?



If you're like me, probably for as long as engagement in it has meaning for you.


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## Pointwithinacircle3 (Feb 8, 2020)

jermy Bell said:


> I know thread is 8 years old, I read each response and reread them again, they seemed very sincere. I was raised 5 years ago this past November. When I was first raised, it seemed like everyone I met lived their obligations to the fullest. But these past 2 years, it seems like these were just words to say to get to one step closer to being raised. But I now ask myself, how much longer do I want to do this ?


For me personally, part of what it means to be a Mason has become forgiving those whose interest and level of commitment is different than mine.  If I wish to excel in any area of life I have to accept that many of my Brothers, friends, and family are not going to have a desire for, or even understand, what I see and what is important to me. This doesn’t make them bad people, they are simply at a different level of perception.


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## bro.william (Feb 9, 2020)

jermy Bell said:


> I know thread is 8 years old, I read each response and reread them again, they seemed very sincere. I was raised 5 years ago this past November. When I was first raised, it seemed like everyone I met lived their obligations to the fullest. But these past 2 years, it seems like these were just words to say to get to one step closer to being raised. But I now ask myself, how much longer do I want to do this ?



I think part of the problem is simply that human beings are flawed creatures; we have a hard time living up to ideals, and freemasonry's bread and butter is ideals.  That said, the person whose behaviour I am ultimately responsible for is me, so if I want my lodge always to strive for better, then I have to be a part of making that happen, whilst nonetheless allowing others to make their own journey in their own way.  That doesn't necessarily mean subjecting oneself endlessly to a situation where people are just going through the motions; it's perfectly sensible to seek out and associate with brethren who are of a like mind and/or a lodge whose culture fits what one was hoping for.  But if the ideals were worthy when I joined, then they will remain so, and I find it worthwhile trying to live up to them.


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## Bloke (Feb 9, 2020)

jermy Bell said:


> I know thread is 8 years old, I read each response and reread them again, they seemed very sincere. I was raised 5 years ago this past November. When I was first raised, it seemed like everyone I met lived their obligations to the fullest. But these past 2 years, it seems like these were just words to say to get to one step closer to being raised. But I now ask myself, how much longer do I want to do this ?


I zeroed in on "to do this?". I've had the same problem. It begs the question, what are you actually doing ? For me, its trying to improve myself and support those around me, to learn, to grow, to sustain my lodge and be happy and communicate happiness to others. It's a good test of what I actually "do" in Freemasonry as an organisation... bearing in mind one's cable tow is only so long..


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