Over the years I’ve seen a few men I would really like to get to know, but nothing ever came of it. I’m not attracted to men romantically, but occasionally I’ve seen a man whom I admired and would have liked to know better.
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The ideas in this series of posts came an hour or so before the alarm went off. (I’ve found this time when I awaken early to be strangely thought-provoking, whether in what I need to do during the day or in more abstract thoughts.)
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So I petitioned for membership in the Unity Lodge No. 198 and and then I waited.
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I can’t remember anything special about the first social hour I attended (not an official Lodge meeting, just the dinner before). It was casual and I felt comfortable.
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Though I wasn’t certain I would be accepted in the Lodge, but I felt confident I had a good chance, so I went to the Internet to learn more about Freemasonry and about the local Lodge.
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The other day I thought there must be some videos on YouTube that provided information about Freemasonry. There is a part of fringe fundamentalist Christianity that believes Freemasonry is a Satanic cult snd rails against it and Masonson the Internet.
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I am most impressed at the power of the way Freemasonry communicates deeper truths. I haven’t been initiated in any degree yet, but from my reading I see the connections between the tools of the stonemason and the suitable actions of a man of initiative, integrity and self-determination.
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Voting on God?
UnpublishedThis article from the Seattle Times on November 4, 2015, sites studies indicating declining numbers of people who identify as "religious" and who believe in a higher power. It says:
In the Seattle area, however, just 52 percent of residents identify as Christian, while the figure in greater San Francisco is 48 percent. The "nones" make up 37 percent of Seattle's population, with 10 percent atheist, 6 percent agnostic, and 22 percent "nothing in particular." Thirty-five percent of Bay Area residents list no religious affiliation.
Because a blieve in a Supreme Being is a cornerstone of Freemasonry, we may need to refine the way we approach religious belief. The fact that fewer people (and possibly a higher percentage of men) seem to be possible candidates for Freemasonry challenges our need and desire to share Freemasonry's emphasis on integrity, morality and humaneness.
Is there a way to "spin" the fact that Freemasonry is not a religion, although it requires personal believe in a higher power? I'm not suggesting changing requirements. But perhaps believ in a "higher power" is more generalized and easier to "sell" than Religion or belief in God.
How?
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After I was accepted for initiation I received access to some documents for a project I am to begin working on once I have been accepted in a degree. For the 75th anniversary of the Lodge several Masters put down their recollections of people and experiences that were influential in developing North Bend from the early days after the turn of the 20th century.
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In my searching the Internet for information about Freemasonry I’ve found as much negative furor as I have good information, suggesting that there might be a good bit of animosity in the local community.
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Frustrated? Yes, sometimes I want this process of becoming a Freemason to move faster. I’ve noticed that I more often “learn at” rather than learn from.
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