Agnostics and Freemasonry

by RmOlano
Sequoia Council No. 228 (AMD)
16May06

The following commentary is a reaction to a brother's question whether a decent and honorable man can continue to be a Mason if he became agnostic.

A question that deserves a worthy answer, my Brother and my hope is that my ramblings will somehow ease the burden of your journey to discover what you are trying to define. A Brother once claimed that he is already a Mason even before he was made a Mason. A pretty aggressive declaration but that was his opinion and nobody knows himself better than the speaker. On the surface, one could wonder how could that statement can be true if the Brother have not even stepped inside the tyled Lodge? How in the world he could identify himself to “one Brother to another, in the darkness as well as in the light” without going through the initiation, passing and raising process? My thought was that he defines a Mason not as a member of the Craft but one who practices the Lessons of Freemasonry. Those handgrips, tokens and passwords are not that important to him, it’s the deeds that count. A true Mason is a good man but a good man does not have to be a Mason. I disagree on the technicalities but agree on the substance.

Technicalities and substance might be something to consider in contemplating the contradiction of the notion the question posed. Our Craft never asked the Name of the candidate's Deity --- technical question, but as you already know that a belief in a Supreme Being is a requirement --- substance. Because in our geographical area is dominated by Christians therefore, the Volume of Sacred Law is always the Christian’s Holy Bible---technicalities as compared to essence of the concept of having a visible “rule and guide of our Faith” and again substance.

Man since time immemorial struggled to understand and seeks explanation of a notion that comes in multitude of forms, names, and adjectives. Savage wars were fought for the belief of the same Idea with different Names. Throughout the past, technicalities are often the cause of pains and miseries of human history. Despite of the trials and tribulations bisected with hardship, despite the long and winding rugged roads we mortals traveled, there is always a constant companion within us, a cane to help us, a light that beacon the wary travelers of time to take one more step to a place where we can rest. A place to unload our earthly baggage and be at peace at last.

My brother, without Faith is like sailing without rudder, without destination. Without Faith, the Search For That Which Was Lost is only an empty axiom, without meaning, without purpose. Our daily struggle to keep our badge of a Mason, the lamb skin apron to be spotless, is not for our Brethren or for the world to see, it is to be presented as a record of our life to the One with so many names and forms and for nobody else --- to the Absolute Truth, to the object of our journey.

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Not 4 Everybody

Letters and Figures
By RmOlano
21Jan06

More often than not, success is always measured in numbers. In the context of declining membership, most of the letters or articles I have seen and read were the expressions of concern of a “dying Fraternity.” Because the Order loses X number due to passing away or disinterest compared to X number of raised to Master Mason degree with its collateral result of amount of paid membership dues. This writer tends to lean in favor of the camp of those who believe in quality rather than quantity. Like many of the current members, this humble traveler will be extremely glad if more good men flock to join our Fraternity in a hope of making themselves a better man. However, reality dictates that the Craft is not the only group that offers that notion. Freemasonry does not have the monopoly of self improvement while respecting other beliefs. Our Craft will always have “competition” to the pool of good men and to dream of taking them all is just like that word---dream.

An argument could be advanced that the Fraternity was never conceived to be a large group. All the indications to limit the membership were still being practiced and observed despite of the attempt of those craved for change to adapt to modern times. It seems that adaptation means a way to reverse the downward slope of membership issue and the mathematical answer to the problem is to increase the production. Many ideas that floated around and some were actually implemented were designed to bring more individual “to participate in our privileges” as in one-day conferrals and ease off usual requirements such as writing an essay instead of “committing to memories certain parts of the lecture.” How many of us do not even pause to discard something we consider cheap, easy to replace and of little value if not outright worthless?

Men used to flock in our Fraternity because they expect that the Craft were “above” or rather, not like other organizations. The Order used to attract men who are not “ordinary” people; they may be living better than familiar folks, possess skills that are not common or engaged in a profession that pays a notch or two higher than average. The fact was that during the Golden Years of Freemasonry, members of the Fraternity were not your everyday “ordinary” men. One could ask why does “exclusive” country clubs have a year-long waiting list for membership. Despite of expensive membership fees, men who can barely play golf lined up to get in? Why? Because they expect quality; be it may in service, using real glass instead of Styrofoam cup, real sit down dinner instead of being catered by amateurs or kids, or maybe the need to be associated with people and environment that is not “ordinary.” An assembly with room full of attendees wearing open neck shirt and jeans feels different than with a gathering of people wearing coat and tie and/or tuxedo. Men who understand quality dressed up for important events, they “adorn great and important undertakings.”

This humble writer submits that our Fraternity is not for everybody and limited only to those who qualifies. Just like military or religious vocation, our Craft is NOT for general population. Not everybody can get in; there are requirements to be met such as capability to meet financial obligations, mental aptitude to tackle what are needed for the rituals, availability of time for the Craft without concern for second job, etc. The lowering of standards such as requirements to be more financially “affordable,” and taking anyone who ask without regard to the issue of “bringing honor to our ancient institution” are some of the reasons why members dropped off and some of unintended consequences of quantity approach and not to mention an unpleasant result in the coffers of those who depend on it. A Master once said that he rather have a membership roll with nine names of brothers who regularly shows up in meetings and conferrals listed than one hundred names on the roster including names of those regular nine. People showed up because they like to and not because they have to. Numbers seems irrelevant in the context of maintaining “those truly Masonic ornaments, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.”

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Printed in Ventura County York Rite Bulletin May-June 2007

Masonic Emblem

Letters and Figures
by RmOlano
26Dec05

“Masonry is a progressive moral system, veiled in allegories and illustrated in symbols."---Albert Pike response to Mackey's Ancient Landmarks.

The Lessons of Freemasonry are often presented through the use of representation of something close to the subjects. What the students see or hear are not to be taken literally. The system is designed to challenge our "corporeal and mental faculties to their fullest energy." And just like a good teacher, the Order will make the serious student to ---Think. Often times, we hear voices of concern regarding this method of instruction and that the Craft as a whole needs to change and adapt to the present time. In my own myopic view, we should return to the basic or more traditional way in place of the contemporary system. Quality rather than quantity. A simple question of the reasons behind the indirect way of conveying the message through the use of symbols or allegories sounds a reasonable. However, the other or direct way might take away the one feature which makes the study of Freemasonry unique. Resembling an attempt to define beauty, the meaning of symbols and allegories will depend in the eye of the beholder.

Almost everybody recognizes the Square and Compass as the popular symbol of the Fraternity. Along with All-Seeing Eye, beehive and other emblems mentioned in our lectures, the hourglass is also a symbol of the Order. To non members, the hourglass is always a primitive watch use to approximate time. And as the modern era advances from mechanical to digital age, the hourglass is relegated as a museum artifact. For Masons, the hourglass does not represent time rather; it is a symbol of life. It reminds us that we, as mortals have only limited amount of sand within the glass. As each particle passed through the portal that determines the speed of passage, one had to reflect that in spite of the accomplishments, accolades and future hopes, those sands will continue to pour regardless. And when the last grain falls out, then life as we know it in this world will be over. The hourglass represents man's limitations of his mortal existence. It is an emblem of Life not of Time since the former is finite while the latter will always outlive and consistently beyond the reach of our mortal life.

In this short Lesson of Freemasonry I hope to convey that in the study of our Craft which you are so interested, one should be really careful on what you read or see for they could mean something else. Veiled in allegories and illustrated in symbols. Not because we don’t understand things meant it is wrong or in need of change. If I am be allowed to whisper a soft counsel to brother ears---don’t be frustrated since a number of our own brethren who joined the Craft for their own personal ambitions do not even ask half of your own questions. For further reading: Masonic Symbols.

*** *** *** HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL *** *** ***

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Printed in The California Encompasser (The official publication of Grand York Rite Bodies of California) March 2006.

Peace On Earth

by RmOlano
05Dec05

The following paragraph was taken from my email response to a Brother from Brazil. I pasted it in here to give the readers one of the reasons and an idea of why even a great concept such Freemasonry is facing tremendous resistance world-wide. In an article "Universal Masonry," the Past Grand Master Hahn was quoted about the notion of a better world through the influence of our Craft. The concept was grand and I support it however, the reality where the whole world would embrace the our system and live in a "Masonic world" is unfortunately will continue to be a nebulous dream:

" As one of the world oldest and largest fraternity, our Craft comes in multitude of flavors. This is the result of being a part of an "independently operated and owned" units. As you already know that there is no single world-wide governing body which could actively enforce rules or standards. Each Grand Lodge reign supreme in their own territory and no one can dispute its decisions. A Grand Lodge can declare blue as black or orange as yellow and there is nothing other Grand Lodge can do to change that decision except to withdraw its recognition. Breaking off fraternal relations and ordering individual Lodges to cease visitation and communication is not consistent in keeping harmony within the temple but at times the only way to disassociate one opinion from the other."

Even our Craft has its own problems. Peace on this earth will come when everyone living on the planet decided to bring it about. Individual governments, world organizations, religious bodies or even a concept as great as Freemasonry does not have the power to convince mankind the insanity of hurting each other. As long as man is walking on the face of this earth, man will continue to display this weakness or fault. We cannot help it simply because we are mortals and not gods. Various religious dogmas are clear about the prerequisites for entering a place with different names as Christians known it as Heaven. Depending which belief you are subscribing, the requirements could be as easy as just "believing in Him" or carrying out deadly tasks in behalf of religious order. Then there is another hard way --- by trying to live as a better man, to practice a moral science known as Freemasonry. Work not just Faith. Master Masons often heard the words "all perfect, glorious, and celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Grand Master of the Universe forever presides." This is where my Brethren, we will find the real Peace.

*** May your days be merry and bright --- Happy Holidays ***

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