# Message for Arkansas Shriners



## My Freemasonry (Dec 14, 2012)

Imperial Potentate Alan Madsen's Video Message for Arkansas Shriners 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






More...


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## chrmc (Dec 14, 2012)

It get's more and more interesting I must admit. I find it sad that men in such prominent positions that have been masons as long as hey have cannot come together and reach a solution. I'm in no way close to the situation, but to me it sound like pride is still doing a lot of talking. 

I do also find it interesting that the Shriner states that he cannot follow the Grand Lodge directive as it would violate the oath he took as a Shriner. However didn't he take an oath as a brother of a blue lodge as part of his Raising much before that? Seems interesting that though the 3rd degree is the highest honor that can be bestowed, the oath taken there does not carry as much weight as the one that comes with the fancy title of head of the shrine...


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## JJones (Dec 14, 2012)

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I'm no shriner but it sounds as though somewhere along the line there are oaths taken that contradict blue lodge oaths.  I probably am misunderstanding though.


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## Plustax (Dec 23, 2012)

what was the REAL reason for expelling the Mason from Lodge? I think there is more than being told.


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## widows son (Dec 24, 2012)

Internal politics got them in this situation. And you guys said it the best. In order for them to be Shriners, they took an oath as a master mason FIRST. The shrine and other recognized Masonic bodies wouldnt exist without the blue lodge. As far as I'm concerned they should comply with the AR GM.


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## Plustax (Dec 24, 2012)

Rec'd the following email........  You decide.... . Also will try to attach the letter.... Or cut & paste the letter contents of the incident that caused all this.


"Dear Friends:

This letter is more than I ever intended to say about this matter Howeve8r, my inbox has been full of questions, comments, etc... and I felt that I owed it to members of the list to cover this, hopefully, one last time so that accurate facts are out there.

Attached you will find the letter from the Imperial Potentate covering some very important information about the situation between Shriners and Ark Grand Lodge. This is important information for several reasons. First, it outlines exactly what took place that got us to where we are today. Next, it covers the letter from the Ark GM, line by line, with Imperial Sir Madsenâ€™s response. This is important as Imperial Sir Al said exactly what I was thinking when I first read the letter from the Ark GM. I kept my opinion to myself because I thought â€œI must be missing something. The GM of Arkansas, surely canâ€™t mean â€˜thatâ€™.â€ But, in fact, he did mean what I thought he meant as I first read his letter. As wrong as wrong can be. He still meant it.

Brothers, this is one of the EXACT reasons why Iâ€™ve maintained this list over the years. When something comes up that needs to be said, I want to be able to say it without any worries over some Grand Lodge editing what I say. And that is precisely why many current and former GL and Imperial officers are on the list. They want to know what people are thinking without their comments going through any kind of sterilization process.

Itâ€™s also very important for you to know the FACTS. There are several things in here that are different than what some of us originally thought were the facts of this situation. The truth is that the facts, are even STRONGER to support the Shrineâ€™s position than what we originally thought.

At first, many of us thought this was a matter that came from an issue that while antiquated in design, was still in fact Ark GL Law. Therefore, it â€œcouldâ€ but not SHOULD, be decided similarly to what Ark GL did. But in reality, this is a matter, based on the information in this letter from Imperial Sir Al, that should NEVER have been an issue in the first place. Therefore, in my personal opinion, this is yet another example of somebodyâ€™s head getting too big for the hat they are wearing.

Ultimately, all of us are Masons and we all should put Masonry above any other fraternally related group.  But when a disagreement in the Shrine due to jealousy and a desire for revenge is the underlying cause for Masonic actions, let alone Masonic actions on a scale this big, itâ€™s wrong to hold allegiance to a GL just for the sake of it being a GL. As an example, if a GL were to say â€œwe donâ€™t believe you need to carry auto insurance any longer and if you do, you must self-expel yourself from Masonry.â€ Youâ€™re thinking, â€œCarl, that is nuts. NOBODY would say that.â€ You are right! But if they did, would you follow their rule? No! Why? They are dead wrong. Brothers, as Dr. Seuss said, â€œwe still have brains in our head and feet in our shoes, we can steer ourselves in any direction we choose.â€ And I choose NOT to be swayed to an untenable position just because somebody with an impressive title SAYS that they are right.

Having spent many years in the Shrine both as a member of a Temple and later an elected member of that Templeâ€™s Divan, I can assure you that I have seen first hand how nasty, ugly and unmasonic some â€œbrothersâ€ can be when they are trying to get their friends lined up in a position of leadership in the Shrine. Their motives are as obvious to others as the stain upon their masonic dues cards, which, by the way, should have been taken from them years ago and used to start a bonfire in the backyard of the Temple â€“ all for the betterment of the Fraternity. Iâ€™m glad to report that in one particularly rancid situation I am aware of, a Potentate ripped the heart out of a hotbed of unmasonic acting nobles and cleaned house. We need more Brothers like that who will stand up and say, â€œyou are bad for our fraternity and we donâ€™t want you or your kind to be here any longer.â€

In my estimation, this matter is yet another example of that kind of posturing and I for one think itâ€™s ridiculous. The actions outlined in the letter from Imperial Sir Al that were taken against a Mason and Noble, were, in my personal opinion, uncalled for, unmasonic, unreasonable, ill-advised and unthinkable â€“ just to put it mildly. Totally wrong from the â€˜get-goâ€™ is maybe a simpler way to put it.

In my personal opinion, the actions taken by the GL of Ark were as wrong as wrong can be.

Please read this letter and see if you agree.
Fraternally Carl"

end of email that I received.


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## sands67 (Jan 2, 2013)

As Squire Bentley saids in another part of the board. In the event the GLoA is acting in an unmasonic manner what is to happen then?


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## scialytic (Jan 3, 2013)

As with the military, right or wrong (short of murder...in most cases) never disobey a direct order. (And in this analogy I am using the Craft Lodge as your Commanding organization.)

Self-expel from the Shrine and round up some Past Grand Masters and follow your Grand Lodge Laws to remove the Grand Master (if appropriate, I have no idea if it is in this case), over-rule/repeal the edict, or concur with the decision based on the evidence. 

The last thing you want is to be kicked out of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas; and _*when*_ this all blows over, *still *be expelled from the Grand Lodge of Arkansas...which would ultimately make you eventually expelled from the Shrine--_*when* _this all blows over.

This will also ensure all of the information is on the table and appropriately assessed. It's obvious that there is a lot of conjecture associated with this issue right now. It's sure as hell hard for me to follow...don't know about all of you.
*
Cool heads always prevail. Take it to the mat, but do it in accordance with Grand Lodge Law. Good luck Arkansas Brethren!*


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