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Tom Cherup
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Posted 02/02/2010 19:06:08
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DHS
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Posted 03/02/2010 09:03:48
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I think his suggested prescription for a cure is unsound (and possibly unmasonic :unsure: ) but his description of the symptoms and the probable causes of those symptoms is so close to target that I think this should be compulsory viewing for every MM, either because they are responsible for "switching off" our newest laid stanes or because they might otherwise become responsible.
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lauderdale
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Posted 03/02/2010 10:51:28
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I find a lot of truth in this from 18 years of my own experience and applying as much to this side of The Pond as the USA. We don't tend in the UK to use the slogan about "Making Good men Better" and no insult intended to American Brethren but I have never really liked it as I feel it is too "cracker barrell" and that to my mind anyway Freemasonry is far deeper and can have different effects and different meanings for individual Brethren. I would like to think that some of the Rulers in the Craft would view this video and take heed of the points made but somehow I doubt this and that instead they would, like the Management of the Restaurant Chain in the the video, dismiss it and say "We have always served it that way" and "The diners must like it for they never complain!"
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Mike Martin
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Posted 03/02/2010 11:32:26
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I know that Stephen (who has been trail blazer for Freemasonry on the Net) has had some problems in the past with some people within Canadian Freemasonry who have applied some pretty rigid and proscriptive interpretations on what he has done for the Craft there over the years.I can fully see what he is saying and I partially agree with him, in that we are neglecting some of our Candidates who don't just join so that they can eat dinner and listen to speeches. Also the report he refers to "It's About Time" by the Masonic Information Centre from 2005 is a very interesting read, I'll see if I can re-find it online to post it up separately.
MikeMersey Lodge No. 5434 WebsiteThe Freemasons'''' Grand Charity WebsiteSee my BALLS here
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DHS
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Posted 03/02/2010 12:29:16
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Thanks for that explanation Mike, I really did get the feeling that there was some underlying personal issue at the end of the video. If the final minute was re-worked along the lines of, "What are you doing as a Freemason to advance the Craft?" rather than blame the mysterious "They," who as we all know should "Do something about" whatever it is that we are not prepared to fix ourselves then I would quite happily forward the link to every e-mail addressee in my own Lodge.
As it stands I think the final minute undermines badly what otherwise would have been an excellent masonic lecture.
I recognise the counter-argument that he may feel that he has been prevented from implementing/continuing to promote his own fix but I feel that - to be effective - the argument must remain centred around what is the correct thing to do rather than who must do it, especially if those who he thinks must "do it" disagree with his opinion.
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lauderdale
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Posted 03/02/2010 12:51:50
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Perhaps the "diner" Dafoe could not get his complaint to the "Management" heard? He asked to see the Maitre D who smiled at him and paid no attention. He could not go into the kitchen to talk to the Chef, the head office of the restaurant chain "Hirams" sent him a "There, there, there didums" letter if they replied at all.The ordinary Diner, I have found, can do very little by themself, the change has to come from the top, those who run the show be it in the Restaurant Chain used as an example in this video or a Grand Lodge (or equivalent).
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DHS
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Posted 03/02/2010 13:37:46
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Lauderdale (03/02/2010)
The ordinary Diner, I have found, can do verylittle by themself,
I agree 100%. Very little. It is those who are unwilling to do anything other than complain to those who can do nothing other than offer a sympathetic ear with whom I would always take issue.
Lauderdale (03/02/2010)
the change has to come from the top, those who run the show be it inthe Restaurant Chain used as an example in this videoor a Grand Lodge (or equivalent).
In this case the Restaurant Chain is a poor analogy because those at the top almost certainly started at the top and any market forces which might remove them from the top would remove everyone else in the organisation at the same time.
In freemasonry we all start as poor blind candidates and work our way up from there. Even the Grand Master Mason had to work his way up from EA regardless of how certain, or otherwise, his eventual election was.
If freemasonry has taught me one thing, it is that we are constantly in a position to exert influence for good or ill, both by action and by inaction. In support of that observation I have also learnt that many a Bro. wants to be freemason without having to "do" freemason.
One of my favourite quotes comes from the Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf:
"Behaviour that is admired is the path to power amongst peoples everywhere."
Throughout the video the Diners in the restaurant are leaving because of the poor behaviour of their fellow diners and of the local management. I still don't get the mental-leap at the conclusion to that being solved by changing the top management of the organisation.
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dp
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Posted 03/02/2010 14:08:18
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Certainly at times those at the top are curtailed in how much they can change by the overriding opinion of those around and below them. I am sure that Lord Northhampton would have pushed things further if he could.However with the issue of changing those at the top aside, I agree in toto with the video.
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Tom Cherup
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Posted 03/02/2010 14:42:12
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I saw this video link and copied it form "The Detroit Masonic Temple" facebook page.
I have seen this first hand in my travels to other lodges, if you didn't belong to a click you just didn't fit. I stopped visiting those lodges. What I pleased to say is that i haven't seen this in my lodge. Yes we have Grand Lodge officers, and officers in Scottish Rite, and York Rite. They too will set-up tables, wash dishes. The reason I joined this lodge is that we have always treaded the visitor, GL officers, candidate, and member sitting on the sideline as an equal. I would hope this is the reason we are having a growth in membership.
Tom Cherup 32°
Olive Branch Lodge #542
Dearborn, Michigan
Scottish Rite - Valley of Detroit
Detroit Masonic Temple - It''s bigger than yours!
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dp
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Posted 05/02/2010 18:39:16
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As I said on another post we had our meeting today with one of the 2 candidates for the next GM of Spain.I gave him the "It' about time" document along with a link to this video. Don't know how well it will go down... :Whistling:
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