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Post by devoutfreemason on Feb 26, 2007 15:49:33 GMT
I ask that we pray for those "Brothers" who are supposed to be Masonic yet only seem to get pleasure out of bashing anyone who they feel are "irregular" or "clandestine." It is really a sad event that such unenlightened people are zealots of the Craft and yet they have missed the meaning of it's light compleatly.
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Post by lihin on Feb 26, 2007 17:15:56 GMT
Greetings Sisters and Brethren, Although often subject of hot controversy or even polemics, the ability to conduct a brotherly conversation on Freemasonic regularity may be in the spirit of the prayer opening this thread. Yours truly is aware that many contributors here apparently belong to "irregular" Lodges. AFAIK France is the only major country of Freemasonry with a considerable majority of "irregular" Freemasons. In France, there are two distinct definitions of irregularity: 1. Political irregularity, i.e. no subordination to the UGLE. In view of the history of Freemasonry in general and in its connexion to Franco-English history and relations in particular, this does not come as a surprise, at least not to yours truly; 2. Ritual irregularity, e.g. no requirement of recognition of TGAOTU, no specific VOSL in the Lodge, co-Freemasonry. There are several French Grand Lodges which are ritually regular but politically irregular according to the stated definitions. As far as political irregularity is concerned, yours truly sees low probability of any significant change in the current situation, bearing in mind that for example the AASR, by far the world's largest Rite, is mostly directly derived from French Freemasonic practice. In respect of ritual regularity, members of ritually regular Lodges, in yours truly's humble experience, feel no less inclined to abandon regularity than their English brethren. In his excellent work La Franc-Maçonnerie comme voie spirituelle: De l'artisan au grand architecte[/url], Bro. Jean-PIerre Schnetzler devotes the entire Chapter 3 to the question of Freemasonic regularity.
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imakegarb
Member
One wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie
Posts: 3,573
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Post by imakegarb on Feb 26, 2007 20:54:25 GMT
I maintain I *am* regular. Ritual says so. But is beside the point, not the topic of this thread.
I've come to believe that all things serve the All. And so their blindness, made manifest in their failure to recognize me, must, likewise, be of some service to the All, a service I cannot comprehend. I pity them their blindness but I'm careful, so far as I am able (and I don't always succeed) to not allow it to upset me. For I cannot help their blindness, or their feelings. I can, to a far greater extent, help my own.
And so, if I'm to pray for them, am I to complain to God about the situation and, in so doing, pass some sort of judgment upon them ("Forgive us our tresspasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us" rings loud in my ears)? Or am I simply to ask God to bless all my brethren, including those who do not know me to be?
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Post by maat on Feb 26, 2007 23:44:51 GMT
A good prayer ...
Mentally hug the Earth and all in/on and through it.. and pray Thy Will not Mine O Lord. Oh and - can you give me the strength to handle it and psssst and make it as enjoyable as possible?
A point to ponder when praying for someone else.... they may not want for themselves what you want to give them. Maybe the 'good fortune' you wish for them is not what they want or need. Even praying for a health recovery - someone may well be ready for death and there you are fighting off the Grim Reaper (who is really a Most Beautiful Angel of Mercy). Death is a health remedy too you know.
Maat
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Post by wayseer on Feb 27, 2007 3:04:46 GMT
Maat writes -
A point to ponder when praying for someone else.... they may not want for themselves what you want to give them.
Well said Maat - the path to Hell is often paved with good intentions.
My prayer is that all beings receive awakening and enlightenment.
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Post by Hubert (N. Z.) on Feb 27, 2007 4:42:35 GMT
I'm with you there Wayseer & Maat. Esoterically i have been taught only to pass on a wish that the recipient receives that which they themselves require, for my interpretation of an issue may not necessarily be others.
The beauty of fora such as these is that we all communicate in open dialogue. There will always be those at extremes and those in the middle. My hope is that we ALL grow from being involved in some way with the Craft. Keep the debate going.
W.H.G.W. Hubert
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Post by billmcelligott on Feb 27, 2007 6:08:53 GMT
"irregular" or "clandestine."
Surely like beauty this is in the eye of the beholder ?
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Post by devoutfreemason on Feb 27, 2007 18:40:27 GMT
"irregular" or "clandestine." Surely like beauty this is in the eye of the beholder ? True, but in this case the beholder effects others.
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Post by wayseer on Feb 28, 2007 0:55:44 GMT
Bill writes -
"irregular" or "clandestine."
Surely like beauty this is in the eye of the beholder ?
Well said Bill. Unfortunately politics oft times muddies the water and distills that beauty.
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imakegarb
Member
One wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie
Posts: 3,573
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Post by imakegarb on Feb 28, 2007 3:05:21 GMT
"irregular" or "clandestine." Surely like beauty this is in the eye of the beholder ? True, but in this case the beholder effects others. The beheld is equally able to "effect" others. But how others will be effected is up to those others. When I and my brethren file out of lodge, we sing a beautiful song in which we refer to ourselves as "bearers of thy light". However we are perceived, that is what all the brethren are. The key is to know that is true and to live it, even if the entire world were to say otherwise. It's not an easy thing to do but it is part of what we're called to do. And believe me, there is a happiness in it that transcends any frustration at being called irregular; or anything else contrary to what I am.
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Post by lihin on Mar 2, 2007 9:30:47 GMT
Greetings Sisters and Brethern,
Freemasonic regularity seems symbolised by the square and the ruler more than by the compass.
Even the sublimest feelings neither always nor necessarily offer universally valid conclusions.
It would IMHO be interesting and serve mutual understanding to read here what those belonging to "irregular" Lodges consider to be Freemasonic regularity.
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