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In Need of Advice...

TravelingBrother

Registered User
My Brothers,

I come to you in the most humble manner. I feel as though I should get advice on a troubling issue I have experienced for quite some time.

Some background.

My mother lodge, which I am currently a JD in, is predominately hispanic. I have grown to love many of my brothers very much, and I have truly done my very best to try and see through some of the other brothers' faults. However, more frequently than not, I hear very hateful, racist and homophobic remarks from a few of the “regulars” that come to lodge. These comments are made openly and are incredibly nonchalant in front of the senior members of the lodge – some of which have made these unacceptable comments themselves. I have spoken to a Past Master regarding this issue, but his best advice was to stay focused on my work and remember my Obligations where others don't.

Our lodge is considered “family friendly”. In a typical setting, this would be wonderful. However, many of my family members are mixed-race. My wife and I have an interracial marriage. My father-in-law is black. My adopted son is black. In the grand scheme of things, this should not matter whatsoever. As much as I love many of my brothers, I do not feel comfortable in bringing my family to the lodge. This saddens me incredibly much. Lodge installation last year was bittersweet for me as I opted for my family not to attend. My own father-in-law has expressed interest in becoming a Mason. I have since brought him over to another lodge that I belong to.

There are so many great Brothers in my mother lodge, and the hundreds I have met across my travels. They truly live their Masonic obligations, and remember these key principles throughout their daily lives.

As the Masonic year soon comes to an end, the process of elections has begun – even in the midst of this pandemic. During this time, I have taken advantage of the time given and truly studied my work and what it is I want from our Craft. A large part of me wants to “...be the change I want to see in the the lodge" (sounds cliché). There is a large part of me that wants to drop out of the line completely.

I am just so torn about whether to demit from my mother lodge altogether. If so, I will truly miss some of my Brothers. At the same time, if this level of behavior, which is truly unbecoming of a Mason, has been accepted for a number of years within this lodge, I don't know if anything will change going forward.

I humbly request your insight or words of wisdom.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
You mention speaking to a Past Master, have you spoken to the Seated Master or the Wardens? This is an issue that cannot be ignored, a behavior that goes against everything Masonry stands for.
I have seen it swept under the rug before and watched that action nearly destroy two Lodges and an Orient, and permanently damaged the relationship between them.
 

TravelingBrother

Registered User
I agree, wholeheartedly, that their behavior goes against everything Masonry stands for. Unfortunately, I do not feel comfortable discussing the matter with our current WM as he has participated in this behavior as well. He is also very close friends outside of lodge with the others in question.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
I agree, wholeheartedly, that their behavior goes against everything Masonry stands for. Unfortunately, I do not feel comfortable discussing the matter with our current WM as he has participated in this behavior as well. He is also very close friends outside of lodge with the others in question.

In that case I would have to find another lodge.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I would go the next Master and discuss it with him if the current one participates and/or tolerates this behavior.

You are in a tricky spot. I do not envy you. I had the same problem around homophobia with a few making comments. I think it lost us an applicant a few years ago. My tack was to speak to people I knew in the lodge and gently work as a force for good. My sister actually helped a lot, she was at a function and, in her special diplomatic way (no, I am not being ironic, she does have a special diplomatic way) while she and her husband was volunteering for us, pointed our her son (my nephew) was gay....

Sadly, I think the path is change the lodge or leave it, and if trying to change, try to work out how and how long you will try. For me, withdrawal was not an option, esp because we were talking about two guys who, although lovely, they are not the future of our lodge. And I want our future to be within Masonic values and this sort of prejudice, especially racism, is not within Masonic Values.

When I approached the next master, I would be talking about how you are struggling with something which seems to conflict with something you see within the behavior of some members which seems not to agree with the values of Freemasonry, but would tread gently.. I would be telling him you don't invite your family to the lodge to protect them (and it) from potential conflict, but that the possibility of that risk only arises because of prejudice you perceive.

At the end of the day, you are talking about your son. Any questions about him joining Freemasonry in the future should not be about his skin colour. And we all know where our priorities should be as good Freemasons.
1 Family
2 Work.
3 Lodge.
 

Tylerl90

Registered User
Now more than ever, Masons must remember and abide by the obligations the took upon the VSL. If we are in a regular Lodge where your Brothers aren’t very Brotherly, or you feel equality is not there (as it should always be), then you must seek to correct it. If that fails, do what you must and seek a Lodge that better adheres to their obligations.


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry mobile app
 

The Three Great Lights

Registered User
Brother when opening a lodge, its repeated about barring all PC and communities. Most importantly the WM should prevent this, next in line is SW, Last in line is the JW. It doesn't matter which order you go in because the gavel has sounded. If all three of them inter take in the action than it IMMEDIATELY goes to to youngest PM and keep working up in order. Its a chain of command. At top preides the GM. If you follow the chain I can guarantee you it won't make it. If it does, then there's a problem.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Brother when opening a lodge, its repeated about barring all PC and communities. Most importantly the WM should prevent this, next in line is SW, Last in line is the JW. It doesn't matter which order you go in because the gavel has sounded. If all three of them inter take in the action than it IMMEDIATELY goes to to youngest PM and keep working up in order. Its a chain of command. At top preides the GM. If you follow the chain I can guarantee you it won't make it. If it does, then there's a problem.
Most of that doesn’t make sense. I’ve never seen a ritual that has something I can identify as “PC and communities.”

I don’t know what “inter take” means.

When the gavel sounds, the WM is in charge. No one else. A PM has nothing to do with it. And getting the GM’s input while a lodge is in session is most difficult.

I don’t find Hamburg Lodge 232 on the list of lodges for the Grand Lodge of Arkansas.
 

Winter

Premium Member
Most of that doesn’t make sense. I’ve never seen a ritual that has something I can identify as “PC and communities.”

I don’t know what “inter take” means.

When the gavel sounds, the WM is in charge. No one else. A PM has nothing to do with it. And getting the GM’s input while a lodge is in session is most difficult.

I don’t find Hamburg Lodge 232 on the list of lodges for the Grand Lodge of Arkansas.
I wasn't able to find a list of MWPHGL of AR and the only reference I can find with a web search is a GM Emeritus that joined that Lodge in 1975.
 

The Three Great Lights

Registered User
Most of that doesn’t make sense. I’ve never seen a ritual that has something I can identify as “PC and communities.”

I don’t know what “inter take” means.

When the gavel sounds, the WM is in charge. No one else. A PM has nothing to do with it. And getting the GM’s input while a lodge is in session is most difficult.

I don’t find Hamburg Lodge 232 on the list of lodges for the Grand Lodge of Arkansas.
Sorry once again but I speak in parables because the site is open and I took a solemn oath or obligation. You can inbox me and we can go in further details. PC-> Private Cliques

And I’m not part of the GLofAR. That’s in Little Rock. I’m part of the MWPHGLofAR out of Pinebluff, AR.
 

Winter

Premium Member
Sorry once again but I speak in parables because the site is open and I took a solemn oath or obligation. You can inbox me and we can go in further details. PC-> Private Cliques

And I’m not part of the GLofAR. That’s in Little Rock. I’m part of the MWPHGLofAR out of Pinebluff, AR.
Speaking in parables is going to leave a lot of readers here scratching their head. Does the MWPHGL of AR codify what constitutes secrets? For the majority of us it is very little, only things like the modes of recognition and some words. The rest we can discuss here and routinely do.
 

The Three Great Lights

Registered User
I just have my prefences. Sorry, but I believe all is important enough. I swear/promise with an oath or obligation to hail, conceal, and never reveal. I only say if your interested I'll go talk to the uppers and I'll get back with you. I know who I'm going to talk to, but in my studies it tells me why i was hoodwinked. IMO,all is a secret except we take good men and make them better. Sorry for the behavior, but i believe im not wrong. Only truly lawful brothers I will reveal all I know!
 

Winter

Premium Member
I just have my prefences. Sorry, but I believe all is important enough. I swear/promise with an oath or obligation to hail, conceal, and never reveal. I only say if your interested I'll go talk to the uppers and I'll get back with you. I know who I'm going to talk to, but in my studies it tells me why i was hoodwinked. IMO,all is a secret except we take good men and make them better. Sorry for the behavior, but i believe im not wrong. Only truly lawful brothers I will reveal all I know!
Then I have to ask, why are you on a Masonic discussion forum if you can't or won't discuss anything?
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I just have my prefences. Sorry, but I believe all is important enough. I swear/promise with an oath or obligation to hail, conceal, and never reveal. I only say if your interested I'll go talk to the uppers and I'll get back with you. I know who I'm going to talk to, but in my studies it tells me why i was hoodwinked. IMO,all is a secret except we take good men and make them better. Sorry for the behavior, but i believe im not wrong. Only truly lawful brothers I will reveal all I know!
I also have an obligation to "hele, conceal and never reveal" (secrets)... but what is a secret ? For me, it mainly concerns modes of recognition. There are Easter Eggs I don't talk about, but there not really "secrets"..
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Those aren’t parables. PC is an abbreviation. And I see no reason why onewould think it necessary to abbreviate.
Sorry once again but I speak in parables because the site is open and I took a solemn oath or obligation. You can inbox me and we can go in further details. PC-> Private Cliques

And I’m not part of the GLofAR. That’s in Little Rock. I’m part of the MWPHGLofAR out of Pinebluff, AR.
 

MarkR

Premium Member
IAOGOT = I am often guilty of that :)
I dabble in guitar playing (retirement project.) Posters in a guitar group I frequent sometimes drive me nuts with this. The other day there was a thread with the title "DLR" Reading the post, he was apparently referring to some rock performer, but continued to only refer to him as DLR. From responses in the thread, I finally realized he was talking about David Lee Roth, but come on. Do people really expect others to know that on first reading? In another thread about the Rolling Stones, someone casually referred to EOMS. I finally had to ask for clarification; it was the album Exile on Main Street. Is this some generational thing that I'm simply too old to understand?
 
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