29th June 2016 - Musing on the Level

Thought for the day: "I just wrote a book on reverse psychology - Don't buy it .."

Thought I would put the below chart here as a link for information for myself and for anyone else who thinks that Freemasonry is just the subject of the investigative crazy and the sensational press, full of the paranoid fantasies of the conspiracy therorist...   I am just waiting for the current backlash to find its way into deciding that Freemasonry is at the source of the world's problems and current financial and political frenzy...    I will be surprised if it does not happen ..

But for your interest, or otherwise, there are only two orders on this chart that I am not fully familiar with - the Order of Knight Mason - and the Royal Order of Eri - the latter of which is an invitation only order for higher levels of the SRIA ( Society Rosicruciana in Anglia )
  

So, "a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian, an Indian, and African and a Pole walk into a Masonic Lodge" ...
Not a joke - a reality in most parts of the country. When we declare that we will not discuss Politics or Religion - we mean it....  As a serving Police Officer and a Rotarian, I sat in Rotary meetings with a badge stating "police Service" on my lapel - and as Rotary is a Business fellowship I would be expected to discuss matters of my profession, equally to the bank manager or the surgeon. Not in Freemasonry. In principle, rank and opulence have no bearing. When I joined Freemasonry, a Chief Superintendent was at the bar as a steward serving while constables held higher office through tenure as members..  And so it is in many professions. I would like to say that it works all the time in this ideal manner - It does not.. because people are people, and individuals are individuals, but the principles of the craft prevail over all - and though there may be cases where individual self aggrandisement is sought - over a period of time the Craft becomes a great leveller....

So, I enjoy my hobby, particularly at the moment where it seems to be the only place that I can go and find no-one talking about politics in general or the EU in particular. Where I can sit with different race religion and culture and our main concern is how well the ceremony went, where the next candidate comes from, the toughness of the meat, or the ritual for the next meeting.....

A day off today - in fact a couple of days off as we head towards the end of the season ...  But I shall keep my eyes open for the first back lash ...  I note that Grand Lodge has decided to increase their profile by engaging a film company to look "into the Craft" with a  series of three one hour programs at the end of the year - I hope their timing is right - we shall see...

Meanwhile, the world rolls on - it is raining again, but I have a roof over my head so I am doing better than some...   No weight loss today, seems to be every other day at the moment ..
Another Dry Day..
Cheers !