tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post2565747030029994533..comments2023-12-26T13:33:07.730-06:00Comments on The Midnight Freemasons: Using the wrong baitTodd E. Creasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12966451416841599132noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-40984461021863531702022-09-15T22:35:51.782-05:002022-09-15T22:35:51.782-05:00Bro. Greg,
I don't know about the obligation y...Bro. Greg,<br />I don't know about the obligation you took however in my jurisdiction we swear to not to assist or be present at the initiation, passing or raising of a madman. While I acknowledge that I should have probably said undiagnosed severe mental illness instead of undiagnosed mental illness, my broader point is that I believe that if there was some restraint by lodges to not hand out petitions like Halloween candy, but instead require prospective candidates to visit them regularly for a period of six to 12 months before giving them a petition, that a severe mental illness will show itself. In this particular case, the person in question was an internet inquiry, who then visited the lodge once, was handed a petition and rushed through the 1st and 2nd degree. I think he has been a Mason maybe three months. I believe that a more thorough vetting may have revealed that the candidate was suffering from severe mental illness. So I apologize if I came off as harsh, but my greater point is that we need to properly vet all candidates.Darinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08964995230169390735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-84142146389343361772022-09-13T13:44:39.341-05:002022-09-13T13:44:39.341-05:00Brother Darin, I agree that an ankle bracelet is a...Brother Darin, I agree that an ankle bracelet is a huge warning. However, without investigating why they have one, no decision should be made. <br /><br />Please explain how you know a person has an undiagnosed mental illness. Even if you knew that a person had a diagnosed mental illness, mental illness does not indicate a lack of morality or even incompetency. For example;<br /><br />Ted Turner became one of the wealthiest men in the US, founding CNN at the same time he suffered from Bipolar disorder. <br />Singer Donny Osmond & Quarterback Steve Young have Social Anxiety Disorder<br />Michael Phelps and I have ADHD<br />Abraham Lincoln - Depression<br /><br />I would suggest that, each one of these men would be worthy of receiving a petition, a recommendation, and fair consideration to join our worthy body, despite their mental illness.<br /><br />1 in 4 people will suffer from a mental illness in a given year, according to John Hopkins Medical. That includes existing Freemasons.<br /><br />I hope most Brothers have a compassionate view regarding mental illness in our fellow brothers and those who suffer from them that would like to join our ranks.<br /><br />Most people are successfully treated and live happy, productive, and moral lives.<br />Greg DiVilbisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14708660603692166818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-31824864571558801452022-09-10T14:52:24.643-05:002022-09-10T14:52:24.643-05:00My brother, we will have to agree to disagree. Th...My brother, we will have to agree to disagree. There is no argument that you can make where I will agree that we should be admitting men with ankle monitors and un-diagnosed mental illness into our lodges. Period. End of discussion. My brother, not every man deserves to be a Freemason, and if we're allowing men that are "Hearing voices" or serving sentences for criminal offenses, then we might as well just shut the doors. If you have read any of my work, I agree 100% with allowing brothers to grow and take their time through the degrees. But we need to have the right men. Darinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08964995230169390735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909814477098868440.post-31224840507695826532022-09-07T11:20:39.785-05:002022-09-07T11:20:39.785-05:00Brothers, though, I fully understand this post'...Brothers, though, I fully understand this post's sentiment and intention—the use of specific instances even without naming the lodges or the individuals. It makes me uncomfortable.<br /><br />Even with the disclaimer about not knowing the specifics, in my opinion, we should not judge the intentions of our fellow brothers and the decisions they have made.<br /><br />Should the West gate be guarded carefully? Yes! This idea has been on my mind for some time, and I appreciate the discussion.<br /><br />However, we do not know the circumstances of these men. We should understand the nature of the men we allow to join us. The ankle bracelet is concerning, and guidance, instruction, and even correction should be brought directly to the lodges to improve our brethren and ourselves.<br /><br />With a person who has a mental illness, in many cases, you would never know when you meet them that they have a mental illness. <br /><br />I am confident that you already know people with a mental illness that you like and maybe even love without knowing about their illnesses.<br /><br />A person who has bipolar disorder, for example, can and is controlled very well with medication. However, medicine can need adjustment, or for all we know, the man has just experienced his first psychotic break. <br /><br />In my opinion, there is no reason to blackball a person with a mental illness that has gone undiagnosed or is under control through medication generally.<br /><br />We are responsible for filling our lodges with worthy men, and great care should be given when upholding this weighty responsibility. However, we do not need to block honorable men suffering from an illness unnecessarily. <br /><br />If we discover someone is having an issue, whether legal or medical. We need to know more. Having a frank discussion with the individual, family members, and friends can tell us a lot about how we should vote.<br /><br />I know this is the point of this article; I feel that great care should be taken when a person is suffering to make sure we do not judge before we know.<br /><br />The West gate has been left open. I do believe it needs to be shut and guarded. The same goes for proficiency. I was raised under circumstances where my proficiency was tested, but with an open-book test.<br /><br />This shortcut was with the blessing of the Grand Lodge, as were the one-day raisings. However, I would tell you that though I had three separate degrees performed, the method I used to prove my proficiency did me no favors.<br /><br />We must return to a more conservative approach in who we bring into our brotherhood and how we advance in the degrees. <br /><br />Our fraternity may grow slower; the value is not in making it more accessible but in holding high entry standards and allowing the brothers the time to grow in each degree. It is not a race.Greg DiVilbisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14708660603692166818noreply@blogger.com