Rainbows and Unicorns, Approaching Masonic Symbolism Gently

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Randy Sanders

I recently experienced a sad exchange where a Brother told me he liked Masonic education, but he didn’t want to hear about any rainbows and unicorns ie: esoteric stuff.  His Freemasonry had no room for such nonsense, even though he heard it in several appendant bodies.  He went on to tell me I was part of only a fraction of Freemasons, maybe twenty percent at most, that even cared about the deeper esoteric meanings of symbolism and ancient mysteries because “Freemasonry is a Fraternity”, a Brotherhood. 

He had a valid point.  Freemasonry was seriously diluted about a hundred years ago with the influx of membership into a social fraternity.  This is true.  The old lodge records of long discourse of philosophy during lodge show we used to encourage deep thought and reflection on Masonic symbolism.  That changed.  Mackey, Wilmshurst, et. al. wrote extensively about what they termed “Parrot Masons” who are perfect ritualists and can recite the basics of what each symbol means, but what about these same Masons who are so admired for their memory work and delivery?  They never seem to take it to the next level of contemplation and understanding.  Yet we give these Masons rewards.  We give them cards where they might proudly show others that they have tested and passed with only a handful of mistakes.  Many Masons simply stop there. 

A few weeks ago, I witnessed another sad exchange between Brothers again looking to remove a Brother from a group conversation because he had a different opinion that grated against the first individual.  This is hardly the first exchange I’ve witnessed of a Brother looking to ostracize another Brother for not doing Freemasonry the way another Brother thought it should be done.  I am saddened that societal influences crossed over into the fraternity to the point I see Brothers looking to kick out or censor other Brothers’ opinions, no matter whether good or bad.  The point is an open debate, dare I say, open rhetoric?  A difference of opinion is healthy, and all the way back to the early great works of the thinkers, open debate is the mark of civilization.  I may not like your opinion, nor your particular view on some moral issues, but to censure or expel based on opinion and views? 

The same Brothers who were wanting to ostracize another Brother may be shocked to see they belong to the (very vocal) minority.  Eighty percent of the Fraternity is not as esoteric as these Brothers would like us all to be, and attempting to ostracize those who don’t practice Freemasonry, in the same way, would backfire.  Those pushing would then be the ones pushed out.  Maybe that’s not a bad thing.  There, I said it.  Maybe the esoteric Masons who are pushing their opinions and beliefs on others SHOULD be kicked out of the Fraternity.  After all, are not these esoteric hot heads the ones being closed-minded as to giving the freedom to other Masons to do as they wish? 

That’s a lot to take in for the moment.  My position is to highlight the folly of both positions or opinions.  Expulsion from this Fraternity should be the VERY LAST RESORT and never spoken of in normal conversation.  Censure and other means of Masonic discipline exist for a reason, and they also should never enter a normal Masonic conversation.  What I witnessed in both extremes of not wanting any esoteric education, as opposed to kicking people out or shunning them for not being esoteric enough is just silly.  Both extremes are just childish.  We are Freemasons.  We are those set apart from society who are charged with approaching concepts and philosophies on the level, and that means being level-headed too.  I don’t see any explanation except neither side spent enough time working on Entered Apprentice lessons, and they speak from pop culture lessons and social values, not from Freemasonry’s philosophical teachings. 

We must take a step back from both extremes of philosophical approaches, and that requires a gentle touch.  Ritual is important, and how you approach your own personal ritual is even more so.  Esoteric symbolism is important, and how you approach your own understanding of your relationship with Deity?  How is that not the most important part of your life and work as a Freemason?  

The gentle touch might be too subtle for some.  We must go back to silence being the first lesson and simply listen.  What would happen if we held on to our opinion for just 24 hours of contemplation before stating it to others?  How much more powerful would it be to analyze our own opinions of Rainbows and Unicorns before telling others we are closed-minded to symbolism and philosophy?  Conversely, how much more powerful would it be to analyze our own opinions of those less esoteric before pushing the narrative the less esoteric should be expelled for not thinking the same way?  We do not live in the shoes, or lives, of our Brothers, and we must not push our beliefs onto others.  We are taught to use a very quiet whisper in the ear, almost never censure, and where would that leave expulsion?  Whether the other Brother wants to change?  Not ours to make happen, but we can and should always remember each other in our prayers.

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a bachelor's Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer, and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30-plus years of teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12-year span. Randy is a 32nd-degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, a full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

Freemasonry is Worth More Than...

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Robert H. Johnson

Often while swiping through the conversations on Facebook and social media regarding Freemasonry there are numerous threads talking about the lodge dues. Too high, too low… When we advocate for higher dues, the argument is that we’re pricing good men out of the craft. When we price too low, we argue that the craft will surely die.

Arguments for both sides are many. Some argue that dues should remain low and that a lodge should off set costs by holding fundraisers. Others say that the public shouldn’t flip the bill for an organization's existence.

Others maintain that the cost to join has been kept the same over the years, which is why the big temples closed. While the cost of everything around us increased the dues stayed the same. Those who advocate for higher dues structures will point out the Freemasonry doesn't cost that much, in many cases yearly dues are less expensive than the monthly cost of a service a brother indulges in.

Recently, a brother posted something interesting on Facebook. He said, “Add up all your dues, divide by 365 to determine the cost of Masonry per day, post your results below!” Tons of people did this. I decided to take the data and determine the average. Out of fifty random responses, the average a man pays for membership in total for all the bodies he belongs to is about $1.12 a day. The highest amount a man paid per day was $5.38 per day, whilst the lowest was a mere $0.10 per day.

Compare these numbers with the average services or indulgences we pay for today:

Sunday Ticket: $269 per year, $0.73 per day

Cable in whole: $1,188.00 per year, $3.25 per day

Starbucks: $1300.00 per year (5 days a week), $5.00 per day (5 times a week)

Tobacco: $2,321 a year, $6.36 per day

Netflix: $100.00 per year, $0.27 per day

Hulu: $96.00 per year, $0.26 per day

Microsoft Office: $84.00 per year, $0.23 per day

Alcohol: $548 per year, $1.50 per day (2011 survey adjusted for CPI)

Fast Food: $2,619 per year, $7.17 per day (2011 survey)

Lottery Tickets: $52 per year, $0.14 per day (One ticket a week)

Gym Membership: $360 per year, $0.99 per day

Freemasonry $408.80 per year, $1.12 per day.

So I think this is an interesting and solid way to look at things. The fraternity surely needs the funds, there is a lot to pay for. Meals, per capita, buildings, maintenance etc. Look at the gym membership numbers alone. To quote WB:. Scott Dueball, "Shouldn't we at least value spiritual and mental health as much as our physical?" Surely Freemasonry is worth more than all the things in the above list, isn’t it? In fact, I’d say it's worth more than all these things combined! When you say that Freemasonry isn't worth $100 or more a year, you're directly saying that you value any one of those things listed above (or anything else you want to figure out the values for) more than Freemasonry. It's hard to see the value in Netflix or Hulu when you don't turn on the TV, the same could be said by not attending the lodge. Perhaps, it might be time to reevaluate things.

~RHJ

RWB, Robert Johnson is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 where he is a Past Master. He also serves as the District Deputy for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry and is also an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

More Important Than A Wedding Ring?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Robert Johnson 32°

About a week ago, I was struck by how naked I felt without my lapel pin. I'm a "blue collar" worker, I work with my hands, I wear a uniform but, I always have my lapel pin pinned to the collar on my shirt. And I make sure my collar sits on top of my safety vest. But on this Monday, it wasn't there. I had taken it off of my dirty shirt in order to pin it to a clean one, and I plain old forgot. I packed my wallet, phone, keys, switched out my glasses for my safety glasses, but I forgot to pin my emblem on my collar.  

It’s a weird feeling and I am sure you all understand, even if it’s not a pin. It could be your ring, your favorite socks, your watch,  anything that you always put on. For me, its always my pin and my ring. I work outside so it is always apparent when I forget to wear my ring. I have the most amazing tan line on my right hand ring finger from wear my Masonic ring usually sits. This tan line has started a few conversations, mostly jokes, but one conversation in particular, which started as a joke among six brothers at a table became a heated debate and we aren't talking about “Points in or Out”.

“Your Masonic Ring is more important than your wedding ring.” That statement made several of the Brothers pipe up. And I am sure you may be thinking the same thing. “We are Family First Bro.!” I said. I know when I got home, and told my wife about it, she took offense. Before we let our emotions take us away, let’s consider the Brothers argument. “Are you, always you? And is your wife always your wife?” The question by all of us was answered “Yes, I am always myself and my wife is my wife, unless that is, you get a divorce.” The Brother was simply stating that you are always a Mason, since we are prepared first in our hearts to be Freemasons it is assumed two things - first, that if this is true, from the moment of conception you are a Mason. Second that upon your Initiating, Passing and Raising, you are a Mason forever, dues paid up or not. 

After that explanation, most of us at the table saw his point. In my own personal experience, I thought about my wife and how she once told me “Get all the tattoos you want, just don’t ever put my name on you.” When I asked her why, she explained that although we have every intention of being together for the rest of our lives, things happen and I’d be stuck with her name on me. Something there made sense. Through all the things in our lives, very few things are permanent. Life, marriage, cars, homes, income and yes Brothers, even our suits get tighter. But Masonry is in us forever, no matter what. Even if you demitt, it only means you are a member “at large”. 

So, in this way, I’d ask the question, “Is our Masonic ring more important than our Wedding rings?” Again we are family first, so who can say? I think it is a matter of opinion and I am sure there will be some heated comments and debates. My own feeling is that my Wedding ring and my Masonic ring are but material things that I could seriously care less about. My wife and Masonry live in my heart forever. However I’m proposing the question, let’s hear what you think…

~RHJ

Bro. Robert Johnson, 32° is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the First North-East District of Illinois. He belongs to Waukegan Lodge No. 78. He is also a member of the York Rite bodies Royal Arch, Cryptic Council, Knights Templar, AMD, The Illinois Lodge of Research and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago as well as a charter member of the Society of King Solomon, a charity organization run by the Grand Lodge of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts a weekly Podcast (internet radio program) Whence Came You? which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. In addition, he produces video shorts focusing on driving interest in the Fraternity and writes original Masonic papers from time to time. He is a husband and father of three. He works full time in the safety industry and is also a photographer on the side as well as an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays.