Thomas Stright
Premium Member
I wouldn't mind seeing our dues doubled.... Would still be cheap IMHO.
Great!Now in a couple of days I'm joining the York rite in a one day festival. At the end of the day I will be a member of the Knights templar
They think it cost alot because of all the disinformation on the Internet. It's because they don't really know what it about.
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Is there disinfo that says we are expensive online? Serious question because I haven't seen it.
... disconnect begins the moment they walk into many of our doors and realize that entire masonic generations have done everything they could to make the fraternity as mundane as possible....
See i dont think that quality necessarily needs to be expensive, and i guess technically im a millenial(that was so hard to type)
I think levis are better quality then Lucky brand jeans and luckys are WAAAAY more expensive. As for dues if they had been as much as is being called for in the article i wouldnt have been able to join when i did.
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I'm a Wrangler guy, myself!I think levis are better quality then Lucky brand jeans and luckys are WAAAAY more expensive.
See i dont think that quality necessarily needs to be expensive, and i guess technically im a millenial(that was so hard to type)
I think levis are better quality then Lucky brand jeans and luckys are WAAAAY more expensive. As for dues if they had been as much as is being called for in the article i wouldnt have been able to join when i did.
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My step daughter told my wife" he's not a real freemason that would cost $100,000 lolIs there disinfo that says we are expensive online? Serious question because I haven't seen it.
I think younger generations perceive our fraternity as something that's old, exclusive, mysterious, and respectable and, because of this, they assume it will be expensive. Millenials know that quality things should be expensive and we should be flattered that they associate our fraternity with quality, but I think the disconnect begins the moment they walk into many of our doors and realize that entire masonic generations have done everything they could to make the fraternity as mundane as possible.
I think the disconnect begins the moment they walk into many of our doors and realize that entire masonic generations have done everything they could to make the fraternity as mundane as possible.
Yep.Unfortunately, this is true in many cases.
Yes.I'm in agreement that raising dues jsut for the sake of raising them is likely to run people off. Now, if that money is going back into the making the lodge a better/nicer place and improving the overall lodge experience (better food/catering, guest speakers, new carpet, paint the walls, etc.) then the dues increase won't seem so arbitrary to the membership.
Yes.if the money was put to good use it would provide for better experiences and potentially a better 'selling point' to potential new members. To me, it's not just about raising the dues but improving the lodge and the lodge experience.
Lol!My step daughter told my wife" he's not a real freemason that would cost $100,000 lol
Well said Brother. Not sure what generation i fall in at 45yrs old. But you said something that's strikingly 'old school' and makes you even more ok with me.See i dont think that quality necessarily needs to be expensive, and i guess technically im a millenial(that was so hard to type)
I think levis are better quality then Lucky brand jeans and luckys are WAAAAY more expensive. As for dues if they had been as much as is being called for in the article i wouldnt have been able to join when i did.
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True.One point of this article was not only 'lets charge more and buy flamboyant xyz articles for the lodge and act like arrogant pricks' One of the points was also that by charging more, it does allow for less members being herded in like cattle. For 50 bucks you can learn all the secrets of Masonry type of thing which cheapens the entire fraternity.
Cheap dues (and a lax West Gate) allow for lots of dabblers to enter the fraternity. A dabbler is someone who's 'kind of' interested and goes ahead and petitions because it's so cheap and easy to get in. We're really practically giving away the secrets of our fraternity at bargain bin rates.
Higher dues may run a few men off, but from what I've read over the years this number tends to be very low, provided the lodge invests that money back into the Masonic experience. It would also seem that those that remain are more likely to be active in the lodge. This is likely because they are paying more money so they are determined to get everything out of their membership that they can.
Agreed!Higher dues may run a few men off, but from what I've read over the years this number tends to be very low, provided the lodge invests that money back into the Masonic experience. It would also seem that those that remain are more likely to be active in the lodge. This is likely because they are paying more money so they are determined to get everything out of their membership that they can.
W. Bro. Jones, I think we're on the same page with this.
Cheap dues (and a lax West Gate) allow for lots of dabblers to enter the fraternity. A dabbler is someone who's 'kind of' interested and goes ahead and petitions because it's so cheap and easy to get in. We're really practically giving away the secrets of our fraternity at bargain bin rates.
Higher dues may run a few men off, but from what I've read over the years this number tends to be very low, provided the lodge invests that money back into the Masonic experience. It would also seem that those that remain are more likely to be active in the lodge. This is likely because they are paying more money so they are determined to get everything out of their membership that they can.
W. Bro. Jones, I think we're on the same page with this.