Just an observation from a California Mason of 25 years.
When I came into the fraternity, it was required that a member wait a year after they received their 3rd degree so that they could learn more about what they had joined and to be better involved with their new brothers. An observation period. About three years later that requirement was taken out of the CMC and so one could now join any of the concordant bodies immediately. This was done as they were worried about loss of membership to the other groups.
A few years later, the Shrine took out the requirement of being a member of the Scottish or York Rites as a prerequisite to membership. The effect to those two entities is that there was a loss of membership, thankfully not as bad as it could have been but definitely noticeable. I have heard from the local valley of SR that some of the Shrine people, who had never come to an SR meeting after joining it to become a Shriner, are now looking into getting involve in something they bypassed. The Shrine at that time was worried about decreasing membership and felt that they needed to make this move and not worry about what it meant to the other groups. Some are coming back because of the increase in Shrine dues and their fixed incomes are preventing them from travel and participation at that level.
I have met those that would become a Shriner but would not join if they that had to join another group, a loss for all involved. Within one of the local lodges was the man who, after receiving his 3rd degree and SR degrees and becoming a Shriner, did not realize that he had to keep all the memberships in order to actively participate in the only group that he wanted to belong to, the Shrine.
A good friend and lodge brother of mine has had the fortune of having two sons who have become members. After the making of the first a MM, I found that the dad had the son signed up for the Shrine initiation that was happening the following week. My understanding is that the second son is to have the same treatment after his 3rd. Both young men are or were at the minimum age and were or are in high school (senior year). I have no problem that they wanted to follow in dad's footsteps, I have a problem that they will really never know what they have joined or the growth the local lodge could have used if they had stayed out of other bodies until they had had a chance to grow first. Ironically the father is involved with the Blue Lodge but like many is tired of being a retread officer, but cannot see how moving the younger members to Shrine and not having Lodge participation for them is not a concern for local growth. New members who are willing to be active in Lodge and present new ideas are needed, farming them out to other groups is not a way to solve a perceived public persona in the community of doing nothing. New blood and new ideas tend to go together if they are allowed to grow them.
Many Shrine friends have actually made light of their Lodge membership to me and to others publically. Statements of dissatisfaction are not uncommon as it is felt that there is too much petty in fighting going on so why bother with it. Or you get the boisterous laugh and the opinion of what fools there are in the Blue Lodge. So, why did they join in the first place? Shrine and it alone. Most of the local Lodge members don't attend a Lodge meeting but will attend a local Shrine event or dinner. If the Lodge needs help, it is not there. If the local Shrine Club needs help you see people you would not expect were Masons show up.
The Shrine, when they dropped the requirement to be in the SR and the YR, had made an intriguing thought and option available. It was to allow non-Masons to join the Shrine initially with the understanding that after a short period of time they would need to join the Blue Lodge in order to continue their existence as a member. During this time the new member could be observed as to if they really wanted to be there and involved. Maybe after a period of time this may have worked to all involved.
Right now we seem to have ego's and semantics at play and all those who are members are being drawn into a Noh Play of drama and tragedy. Maybe it is time for a cooling off period and reflection of what it means to be Masonic both as a person and as an institution.
These are just observations and nothing more of things said and seen. Maybe, just maybe, we will be able to get past the silliness and get back to the business of truly Fraternity.