How do you get a candidate to take a SO seriously when he has seen it broken on TV by more experienced masons. It turns one of our most serious sides into a farce which can be discussed openly.

I know freemasonry has to come out of its shell more and be more publicly aware but give away our few treasured secrets and what is left.

We have stood the test of time through civil and world wars, our obligations have served us well through many times of troubles and distress, The one thing that has saved us is being able to find a brother through darkness and light, But now  Well how can we be sure ? The grip is public knowledge our words are online and our SO publicly broken without penalty.

Where did we lose controll after all these hundreds of years, And when did it become acceptable for one brother or one lodge to decide for a craft of millions

Cheers, Iain

Dumbarton Kilwinning Lodge No 18

Just to clarify: under the Obligation (Emulation) that I took as a Freemason under the UGLE I am obliged not to reveal the "secrets and mysteries" of Freemasonry, my obligation didn't say secrets + ritual + business etc etc. My Ritual does NOT bother to deliniate what those "secrets" so the GL of which I am a member has said it is the signs, tokens and words.

So according to the Obligations that I took in the 3 Degrees I could quite happily make a film or write a book divulging the entire Ritual including the full Lectures and as long as I do not illustrate any grips, tokens or words I would be true to the Obligations that I took.

So from my persepective (and any other UGLE Mason btw), the only part of the film that wasn't acceptable was the grip.

Of course it may be that other Constitutions actually specify what can't be disclosed within the body of their Obligation but I've never heard the possibility mentioned till this topic came about.

Mike 

But that the "Secret" yes this is the OFFICIAL secret of 1 degree of UGLE was so openly flaunted has upset me. if we were to do that of our own back, i am pretty sure we would be severely reprimanded. so why can they do it when they want without having to answer for it?

apart from that 2 or 3 second piece however, I thought it was well done and did reflect positively on the Craft as a whole.

Now my mate has always asked what the handshake was...maybe i should just tell him? or show him anyway???? :unsure:

S+F

James K
U.G.L.E
Stella Maris 7279
MMM, OSM

I Agree wit Mike. What I obligated to is the same as Mike has took.

Jim, for a second stop take a breath and look at it again not form a Mason's view but from the Public's eye.

What do they see - men over dressed having on strange garb greeting one another and doing something ritualistic.

If you were to come to my lodge yes you would get a hand shake, you may also get embraced. What would be read into that?

Tom Cherup 32°
Olive Branch Lodge #542
Dearborn, Michigan
Scottish Rite - Valley of Detroit
Detroit Masonic Temple - It''s bigger than yours!

Overall i liked the news items. end of....thats it :)

But I did take an obligation not to "let be known" the secrets of FM, which are officially classified as the G or T, S and W.

yes sometimes they accidentally occur f you do something you dont mean to, but this was planned and approved.

Tom, you say come to your lodge, yes I would get a grip yes i may even be embraced, but it would be done in private and not openly for the public. thats the only bit i didnt like.

I bet if I was to put a picture of the signs or write the words to a poster and place it in a window at GQS or any masonic centre for the public to see I would probably be disciplined.  there really isnt a difference for that single part of the show.

However im NOT saying that it didnt show FM in a good light, nor am i saying that it wasnt even handed.

I hope that clears things up a little about what im trying to say :)

S+F

James K
U.G.L.E
Stella Maris 7279
MMM, OSM

I would then have to say that the brethren involved in this clip are unworthy of being called masons.

That's my point Alan, my Obligation was :

"of my own free will and accord, do hereby and hereon most solemnly promise and swear that I will always hele, conceal, and never reveal any or either of the secrets or mysteries of or belonging to the Degree of a Master Mason to anyone in the world"

My Grand Lodge says that is the grips tokens and words and the Ritual doesn't specify any more than that.

That's why I asked if anyone's Obligation was more specific than ours? If they're not then it is purely a matter of interpretation and tradition alone.

I am still waiting to talk to someone as it has been mentioned that the grip may have been added later but to be honest I don't know.

sorry mike i must have missed this part, I have the above quoted part of the obligation in each of the degrees, so that i will always H, C, and never R any or either of..blah blah blah in each of the degrees, not just that of MM so that has broken the ob for grip. as to the mysteries, well thats never dictated but there wasnt much ritual there to consider the mysteries lost in my mind.

S+F

James K
U.G.L.E
Stella Maris 7279
MMM, OSM