Civilized men agree to disagree. No one has the monopoly of the fountain of knowledge hence, has the last word on this exchange of ideas i.e. "Period." When politicians run out of arguments, the common tactic is to divert the topic and talk about personal issues including grammar and spelling. This is the basis why civil discussion fails within the Lodge room. It is not the topic e.g. politics, religion, or best beer brand but the mentality that some people were already enlightened thus does not need to be challenge because what presented was the Truth.

Freedom of speech is still guaranteed by U.S. Constitution and that should include discussion inside the Lodge. Moral person knows what is right and what is wrong, finding the balance between the two extremes is a lesson all Masons labours to find --- of searching that which was lost. Equilibrium is not just a word, it is an axiom not only reserved for Scottish Rite Masons but also applies to the entire human race.


Political and Religious Discussion.

As with most lodges, our lodge brethren meet at a local tavern aftwards to enjoy beers and fellowship. Often the conversation is lose and fun; however I have begun to use the opportunity to engage my brethren in topics of importance to the fundementals of Masonry such as Astronomy, Alchemy, and Math, etc. etc.

One such topic arose from another Brother this week regarding "Evolution"

I personally regard Evolution as a scientific topic; however a few others regarded it as a religious discussion and were upset by the discussion.

When Masonry comes to the point that any and every topic is regarded as a taboo religious discussion there is a serious problem. I realize the reason for keeping religion out of lodge as well as out of the tavern; but I DO NOT AGREE that evolution is a religious discussion of any level.

In my humble opinion; EVOLUTION only becomes a religious discussion when a man allows his personal belief set to interfere with his rational reasoning. Although some of the other brethren complained; I am taking the moment here to voice my complaint as thus:

In Masonry: Do not let your personal belief sets tred on my pursuit of knowledge. If a Mason is offended by science, then why is he a mason at all. Reasonable minds can disagree, but only when allowed to present ideas and discuss ideas freely.

Im tired of religion rearing its ugly head everytime one man disagrees with ANY topic being discussed. If I cannot discuss topics to increase my knowledge of the world, then why am I bothering to continue my career as a Mason?


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www.MasonicMatrix.com

Masonic Internet Resources - Global Lodge Directory

To me, Masonry is above Politics and/or Religion in its civility. There is an understanding that neither politics or religion are "correct" in any ONE form, but in its many forms; that gray areas may be plucked from those topics where it is virtually, universally understood that Masonic principles supersede the ignorance of their being any "one true belief" system, be it political or religious.

Those principles that advance the Man in their lives for the benefit of themselves, their family, and their fellow men, are those principles that count most despite religious or political difference.

I agree with Masonic matrix... there are times when the self appointed "masonic police" feel they are being "masonically correct" when in reality they are dragging their religious intolerance into freemasonry instead of leaving it at the door!


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Fraternal regards

Larry Jones
P.Prov.Grand Mentor
Province of Cheshire. UGLE

MasonicMatrix wrote:

...I personally regard Evolution as a scientific topic; however a few others regarded it as a religious discussion and were upset by the discussion.

In my humble opinion; EVOLUTION only becomes a religious discussion when a man allows his personal belief set to interfere with his rational reasoning. Although some of the other brethren complained; I am taking the moment here to voice my complaint as thus:

I agree that it is a scientific topic. I also agree that it is a religious topic. For me, evolution is the method of the maker.

The dificulty comes when to discuss evolution one must believe it existed... it cannot be removed from the religious discussion because unlike other sciences, math, biology, etc, One must accept that the articles in existence to 'prove' evolution are in fact related and not individual entities and species of themselves.

If you sepak of evolution on a bilological scientific level, with more modern, documented evidence such as;
American Whitetail deer: Male of the species antlers becoming smaller and rounder. Females of the species gaining antlers. Due to the unatural selection occuring due to the pratice of antlered only hunting,,,,, then you have a discussion based in science.

To discusse evolution based on fossils, one must assume a belief that those fossils existed in sucession and not at the same time. etc etc etc.

Politics can be discussed as it were, but under the guise of philosophy. Just the parties must be careful to steer away from vocalizing about current events.

Like The_Spear said...the gray areas.


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Darylee, 3°; (I am a women in Ohio, USA)
My posts are my personal opinions and not of my Masonic Loge, Grandlodge or any other Masonic jurisdiction. American Co-Masonry; The American Federation of Human Rights: http://www.co-masonry.org/

Larry wrote:

I agree with Masonic matrix... there are times when the self appointed "masonic police" feel they are being "masonically correct" when in reality they are dragging their religious intolerance into freemasonry instead of leaving it at the door!

Yup, I had to learn the hard way many years before my initiation. Interesting the subject then was also Evolution.

I accept evolution as a scientific fact... I discovered that to have that acceptance, one must believe it existed. Many do not.. hence it will be a religious topic and a vilitile one at that, untill the missing links and DNA proof are irrevocable.


_________________
Darylee, 3°; (I am a women in Ohio, USA)
My posts are my personal opinions and not of my Masonic Loge, Grandlodge or any other Masonic jurisdiction. American Co-Masonry; The American Federation of Human Rights: http://www.co-masonry.org/