Sometimes we can’t see the message for the meme

   by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

A few years ago, while mindlessly scrolling through social media I saw, what I thought was a funny meme. In the top panel, it showed the actors playing the couple from a recent blockbuster movie adapted by a book women bought in droves. The caption which was from a line in the film read: “I have a pleasure room; do you want to see it?” The panel below showed a garage full of muscle cars. Obviously being a guy, this made me chuckle. I decided to create one of my own. I took the first panel of the young couple and I replaced the garage with a photograph of the most beautiful lodge room Google could provide me. Pleased with myself, I posted my newly minted meme to my author Facebook page and on the Midnight Freemasons Instagram account.

Of course, many of the Brethren who viewed the meme got the joke and they replied with a “lol” or a laughing emoji. But many of the viewers lost their minds and a long discussion began on how this little meme of a couple and a lodge room was “Disgusting” and “Inappropriate” and even (wait for it) UNMASONIC!

Honestly, there isn’t much that surprises me anymore but I can say I was taken aback at the reaction of some of the Brethren who viewed this photo of a young couple, fully clothed, engaging in nothing scandalous, and the photo of a lodge room. They were basing their opinions on the knowledge that this photo came from a make-believe movie with a script that came from the author of the work of fiction the movie was based on.  (And from what I heard it was not even a good movie). If they did not know about that movie they would not have thought twice about those people. This got me thinking.

At first, I started thinking about how much symbolism we miss in our daily travels because of our biases and prejudices? Do we not see things that will make us better men or Masons because we refuse to look past the things, we think we have learned already? I realize symbolism is subjective and not everyone finds the same meaning from the same symbol, but is this why? Esoteric scholars can answer these questions much better than I can. I am a layman on the subject, so I will let others with much more experience pick up the mantle and take it from here.

I have also wondered how much we all would be different if we were stripped of our preconceived notions and prejudices. I admit I have some, I believe we all do to some extent. These days everyone’s minds automatically jump to the topic of race when they hear the word, prejudice. I believe these biases go much deeper than that.

I’m sure you have heard someone give their opinion on a political candidate or an election that may differ from yours and you may perceive them to be something they aren’t from that belief.  You may discover someone practices a religion (Or does not believe in religion at all) and you might think they are either on the wrong track or they can be harmful to society. They might have the best intentions in the world, but you might think they are a bad person because of your bias.  These are just examples, but it could be a bias on any topic, institution origin, or anything else someone else does that you don’t agree with or feel is wrong. Do you judge them for it?  If so, look in the mirror and remember the below from Matthew 7 1:3.

7 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 

~BH

WB Bill Hosler was made a Master Mason in 2002 in Three Rivers Lodge #733 in Indiana. He served as Worshipful Master in 2007 and became a member of the internet committee for Indiana's Grand Lodge. Bill is currently a member of Roff Lodge No. 169 in Roff Oklahoma and Lebanon Lodge No. 837 in Frisco, Texas. Bill is also a member of the Valley of Fort Wayne Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in Indiana. A typical active Freemason, Bill also served as the High Priest of Fort Wayne's Chapter of the York Rite No. 19 and was commander of the Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4 of the Knight Templar. During all this, he also served as the webmaster and magazine editor for the Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne Indiana.

 

Where Do You See Beauty?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert E. Jackson

Over the years, I've been involved in several conversations about the physical attributes of others. Beautiful, handsome, hot, sexy, ugly, homely, but it all comes back to 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'

As a society, we seem to be infatuated with beauty. Fancy material items, medical procedures, expensive clothing, extensive workout regiments, all things we do to make ourselves appear to be more beautiful. It is a common joke, that some people are just “too ugly for TV”, or that performers have a “face for radio”. We have television shows that never, never, never die that are completely focused on outward appearance…that which society thinks is “beautiful”. And yet, starting at a young age, we are taught that, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. Why as a society, do we seem to lose sight of that simple and common phrase?

The origination of the term is actually a paraphrase from Plato’s Symposium:

"Remember how in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may."

This phrase was later simplified by Margaret Wolfe Hungerford in her 1878 book, Molly Bawn. This is where we get “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, but like many things in our life, in order to truly understand the meaning, we need to dig for the foundation.

Thinking about Plato’s original statement, through our human eyes, we may perceive beauty. However, beauty is subjective, qualitative, and there is no Truth in perception. It is important here to distinguish between a Truth, and an agreement. Truth is a quantifiable measure. A divine attribute that can not be argued. There is a Truth in mathematics, a Truth in geometry, a measurable Truth in astronomy. And although there may be a Truth in nature (golden ratio), there is no truth in a persons physical attributes. After all, when discerning the beauty (or lack thereof) of a human, isn’t that where we often apply this common phrase?

I don’t know if I’ve ever heard the phrase “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, in reference to anything but physical beauty. And not just physical beauty, but physical beauty of a human. We see a couple, and we aren’t physically attracted to either party, it doesn’t bother us. It doesn’t cause us to emotionally erupt in a storm of verbal artillery. Why not? We remember the phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and we move on.

So now I must ask, why do we only seem to apply this philosophy to physical beauty? Why is it so easy to accept that physically, our attraction (or lack thereof) to another can vary so greatly, but when we have discussions about food, music, politics, religion, we suddenly become more polarized? Yes these are topics we can feel very passionate about, but just because I find the music of Iron Maiden to be beautiful, that doesn’t make it Truth. One may be incredibly dedicated and passionate about a political or religious belief, but that doesn’t make that belief Truth (isn’t that why we call it a belief)?

Now, I’m not suggesting that anybody abandon their personal beliefs. I would simply like to posit that the term "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" does and should apply to far much more than our physical attributes of the meat suit. I can’t believe that Plato was merely thinking about the figure of a woman (or man) when he wrote his Symposium, but without summoning him, we’ll never know. 

However, if you were able to apply this phrase more universally, think of how it would help you. If you’ve ever seen the movie ‘Shallow Hal,’ think about how happy Hal’s character was. His friend couldn’t accept it, and was nearly driven mad! Instead of an elevated heart rate driven by anger and confusion, accept that our perceptions and beliefs are different. If you’re ambitious, try to understand that beauty that another might see. And the next time you see a post, or hear a discussion, that you don’t agree with…simply remember, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

~REJ

Robert Edward Jackson is a Past Master and Secretary of Montgomery Lodge located in Milford, MA. His Masonic lineage includes his Father (Robert Maitland), Grandfather (Maitland Garrecht), and Great Grandfather (Edward Henry Jackson), a founding member of Scarsdale Lodge #1094 in Scarsdale, NY. When not studying ritual, he's busy being a father to his three kids, a husband, Boy Scout Leader, and a network engineer to pay for it all. He can be reached at info@montgomerylodge.org