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Post by chodapp on May 4, 2008 3:27:42 GMT
"The ultimate success of Masonry depends on the intelligence of her disciples." - Albert Mackey
An exciting, new organization to cultivate a greater understanding of Freemasonry has been launched to serve the Craft throughout North America. Called simply The Masonic Society, we are gathering together brothers who have a deep and abiding desire to seek knowledge, explore history, discover symbolism, debate philosophies, and in short, who will be at the forefront of charting a path for the future of Freemasonry. While some of its Founding Fellows are among the best known writers, researchers and organizers in Freemasonry, The Masonic Society is made up of authors, historians, scholars, ritualists, administrators, internet authors - experienced veterans, and new Masons alike, embracing traditional and new forms of media.
The Masonic Society will publish its quarterly Journal, containing insights into the meaning of Masonry in a literary yet accessible voice. The writers you'll meet are many of the very same authors and educators you already know from the world's leading lodges and societies of Masonic research, and others from local lodges you may have visited in your travels. What brings them together in this enterprise is their never faltering love of Freemasonry and their mutual desire to shine that Light toward brethren who might not feel "at home" in a formal research lodge or research society. In each issue, you'll be informed and entertained by timely reporting of current events from around the globe; by its insightful opinions; by the scholarship of non-Masons in academia; and by many, many more thought-provoking attractions that have been absent from Masonic magazines for decades.
The Journal Of The Masonic Society will help to nurture research lodges around the US and Canada by featuring the best of their work that rarely gets distributed outside of their own meetings. And The Journal will be the only North American magazine devoted to Freemasonry that will feature advertising from the world of Masonic publishing, regalia, jewelry and collectibles - companies that currently have no way to tell Freemasons they are open for business.
The official launch date of The Masonic Society was May 1st, and the response has already been overwhelming. We hope you will see fit to join, and make The Masonic Society your own.
For more information, membership benefits and requirements, or to join online, go to: www.themasonicsociety.com
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imakegarb
Member
One wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie
Posts: 3,573
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Post by imakegarb on May 4, 2008 7:30:11 GMT
As I stated elsewhere (and not to worry, I am active only in three online Masonic forums, so you won't hear from me again on this ). . . It seems this new society feels my money is good enough for them to accept (they'll let me pay to subscribe) but I am not good enough to be a member (I'm not allowed to join). This is true of me and other Freemasons like me. Very unfortunate. I expect better from such a learned group. After all, other such Masonic organizations offer at least non-voting or affiliated membership to Freemasons such as me. It's not like they're letting me sit in lodge, it's just a research society. That such an impressive group would continue the practice of Masonic Apartheid . . . well, I do expect better. I wish you well in this venture.
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Post by billmcelligott on May 4, 2008 7:55:08 GMT
Well Karen , like most other things you have to accept it as it is. it is highly unlikely they have created this group just to tick you off.
But if you would prefer to pay me a monthly fee for not belonging to my group I am happy to accept.
Perhaps they will listen and think again, I don't know.
There certainly seems to be a distinguished list of founders which leads me to suspect there is a reasoning behind the new group. There are founders there that would not put their name on just anything, so I suspect we will find out more as time goes by.
So far we have seen groups created for a number of reasons then another group to counter the influence of that Group, so we will wait and see.
Reality is - everyone has an absolute right to create and form groups as they wish.
Leo and I have the Elvis Lookeelikee club.
Obviously I would take issue with the 'no way to tell the world of freemasonry line' as I seem to find a way. But other than that like you I wish the New venture well.
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Post by leonardo on May 4, 2008 8:51:45 GMT
Here's the restrictions. Membership in the Society is open to regular Master Masons in good standing of regular, recognized grand lodges in good standing with the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America (CGMMNA), or a grand lodge in amity with a member grand lodge of CGMMNA. Non-Masons, libraries, lodges, and members of other obediences may also subscribe to the Journal at the $39 annual rate.This really unfortunate - for them - as they have closed their membership to some of the greatest Masonic minds alive today. They place the likes of LDH and other great Masonic Obediences in the same league as Non-Masons and "Libraries."
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Post by penfold on May 4, 2008 9:15:19 GMT
This really unfortunate - for them - as they have closed their membership to some of the greatest Masonic minds alive today. Really? On what measure do you make such a claim? I wish the new venture success, but do feel it is a shame that it isn't more inclusive, there may well be operational reasons for that best known only to the founders.
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Post by leonardo on May 4, 2008 9:29:56 GMT
This really unfortunate - for them - as they have closed their membership to some of the greatest Masonic minds alive today. Really? On what measure do you make such a claim? Are you inferring that only those from "mainstream" Masonry have the monopoly on what is a "great mind" on the subject, that those of my Obedience, for example, are somehow less entitled to be considered as Luminaries? I know that there are great minds in my Obedience as there are in other areas/branches of the Craft.
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Post by penfold on May 4, 2008 9:36:05 GMT
No, I'm asking on what measure you claim "greatest Masonic minds"
You made the claim, not me, so don't twist it into something it's not.
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Post by leonardo on May 4, 2008 9:55:24 GMT
I am not twisting anything, not my style. You have simply misunderstood my comments.
The Masonic Society, by excluding their membership to only those considered "Regular," have lost an opportunity to avail of some of the Crafts greatest minds.
I have been very fortunate to have met some of these great Masonic mind and know how extremely knowledgeable they are on Freemasonry and feel their input or involvement in such a society would have enhanced them even further.
I am not saying the The Masonic Society does not have some great minds, only that by excluding certain Masonic groups they are not taking advantage of other, great Masonic minds.
Does that help you, Penfold?
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Post by penfold on May 4, 2008 10:04:38 GMT
I am not twisting anything, not my style. You have simply misunderstood my comments. Hardly - you accused me of infering something - quite an amazing assumption from one sentence, to whit, you posted As I said, quite an assumption to take from one sentence This I dispute - measured against what scale are they the greatest? This I have no argument with, does that now help you Leo?
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Post by billmcelligott on May 4, 2008 10:22:57 GMT
How about we accept , "some of the most progressive Masonic minds" ?
Greatest implies a superiority.
There are groups that will only include mainstream Freemasons, they have every right to do so. They may allow non mainstream to purchase items, but in truth you do not have to part with your money, no one is making to join.
here and at many other forum non mainstream are welcomed and indeed encouraged. So there is no shortage of welcoming mats. I enjoy chatting to all Orders in Freemasonry and I believe I learn from that.
You have as much right to complain as others have to have their rules.But, and I have said this before, I do think it is counter productive to complain if someone does not put out the said mat. It just enforces the reasons given for not doing so.
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Post by lauderdale on May 4, 2008 11:09:21 GMT
Their choice Bro Leo. I run a Masonic Forum where I have a policy that certain people will not be allowed to join and post there, assuming they wanted to in the first place.......my choice.
There are many bodies which have restricted membership. That's life I'm afraid.
As an example QCCC, considered by many to be the Premier Lodge of Masonic Research. As far as I am aware it only permits members of UGLE and those GLs Recognised thereby to join.
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Post by leonardo on May 4, 2008 11:58:46 GMT
Thanks Bill for that but my position remains: some of the greatest minds in freemasonry exist not only in the likes of UGLE and other so called "mainstream" branches of the craft.
That is my point.
No-one has the monopoly on greatness in this regard, and by excluding other Masonic groups they, the Masonic Society, are unfortunately not taking full advantage of what could be available to them.
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Post by leonardo on May 4, 2008 12:14:48 GMT
I am not twisting anything, not my style. You have simply misunderstood my comments. Hardly - you accused me of infering something - quite an amazing assumption from one sentence, to whit, you posted As I said, quite an assumption to take from one sentence This I dispute - measured against what scale are they the greatest? This I have no argument with, does that now help you Leo? The misunderstanding I was referring to was in relation to your first post. Your later posts suggested so to me, but this appears now to be academic as we seem to be in agreement In respect to Bill's point perhaps I should have initially worded things differently, but nonetheless the main premise of my position remains - great minds exist in all branches of the Craft.
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Post by leonardo on May 4, 2008 12:20:32 GMT
Their choice Bro Leo. I run a Masonic Forum where I have a policy that certain people will not be allowed to join and post there, assuming they wanted to in the first place.......my choice. There are many bodies which have restricted membership. That's life I'm afraid. As an example QCCC, considered by many to be the Premier Lodge of Masonic Research. As far as I am aware it only permits members of UGLE and those GLs Recognised thereby to join. I understand where you're coming from and have no problem with how they chose to conduct their affairs, I was merely pointing out that by excluding certain groups within Freemasonry they are failing to take advantage of some of the other great Masonic minds out there.
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Post by lauderdale on May 4, 2008 13:19:43 GMT
Yes I can accept what you are saying Bro Leo, there are many great Masonic thinkers who are not in Mainstream Freemasonry.
It is the nature of humanity that many societies, clubs etc are exclusive in some way or other. Indeed Mainstream Freemasonry excludes half of the human race simply on the grounds of their gender. However that is their choice.
For my part I will simply ignore "The Masonic Society" and walk on by, much as these days I would do if passing an UGLE Masonic Temple as I am no longer welcome there.
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Post by billmcelligott on May 4, 2008 14:04:04 GMT
Symantecs maybe, but not being able to attend is not the same as not being welcome.
You have always been and will continue to be welcome in my house, given the choice you would be welcomed in my Lodge. but it is not in my power to grant access.
For example Karen was welcomed as a contributor to A Masonic gathering , but likewise she is not able to attend a UGLE Lodge meeting.
So on any other gathering other than a Lodge meeting you should be welcomed to a UGLE Temple. How about a race night next Month at Upminster.
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Post by lauderdale on May 4, 2008 14:20:13 GMT
That is indeed a kind invite, Bro Bill, but I must decline. I am as is always the case very busy at weekends and work shifts during the week . I wish your event well and hope it raises a handsome amount for Good Causes.
I did visit the Upminster Masonic Hall one time as a guest at Minster Lodge. A very enjoyable meeting indeed. Is this one of our Lodges Bill or do you visit it?
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Post by maximus on May 4, 2008 14:24:58 GMT
Their choice Bro Leo. I run a Masonic Forum where I have a policy that certain people will not be allowed to join and post there, assuming they wanted to in the first place.......my choice. Yes, as I found out when I attempted to sign up.
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Post by penfold on May 4, 2008 15:57:53 GMT
We are in agreement Leo, however I still fail to see how you could have drawn the inference you made based on my post - it was one sentence asking you how you made the claim 'greatest', you chose to take this as a slight - overly sensitive, no?
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Post by leonardo on May 4, 2008 16:29:03 GMT
We are in agreement Leo, however I still fail to see how you could have drawn the inference you made based on my post - it was one sentence asking you how you made the claim 'greatest', you chose to take this as a slight - overly sensitive, no? No, not at all. Just curious. If you reread my post, the one in response to your original comments, you will see it was written as a question, seeking clarification, if you like. You edited yours after I made my comments. I replied yours as it was at the time when posing my question. If I had read what you later included your position would have been clearer.
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