Freemasonry: An Organization in Decline?

reply to post by VeritasAequitas


The lodge I joined was called Esoterika Lodge. That would be one's first clue.

reply to post by losthermit


The Lodge I attempted to join was 'King Solomon Lodge', I thought that sounded pretty esoteric myself if you ask me...

Originally posted by VeritasAequitas
reply to post by Skyfloating

 

How will I be able to ask in a polite manner if they are more esoterically inclined?

"Can you tell me about your Masonic education program? One of the Masons I talked to suggested I'd be really interested in Masonic education."

You can read between the lines when you get an answer.

reply to post by Skyfloating

I'm still in the draft form.

reply to post by losthermit

Is that the same TO Lodge I'm thinking of?

reply to post by KSigMason


I was looking into the Rite of Memphis earlier; sounded pretty interesting if you ask me..

I've been involved with three lodges as well as SR temple; all four are seeing record numbers of applications and initiations. I know there are certainly lodges in many areas that can barely keep their doors open and the bills paid though. It would be interesting to know if we're actually seeing growth overall.

I think what's truly in decline is common sense, common decency and application of the golden rule. The ways in which we treat each other online seems to be spilling over into society by greater and greater amounts.

reply to post by KSigMason


Maybe not. There are two lodges called Esoterika in the PNW. I joined the newer one which formed just a few years ago.

Originally posted by VeritasAequitas
reply to post by Skyfloating

 

Is there any method to doing such a thing? How will I be able to ask in a polite manner if they are more esoterically inclined?

Like the other poster said. Ask about their education. Or their philosophy. Spend some time with them and figure out if there is anyone who shares your interests.

reply to post by Sauron


Well Sauron,

I'm a little jealous on two counts. First, you are having a Robbie Burns Night, ours was cancelled due to not having enough support. Secondly, that your numbers on membership are climbing. That's welcome news and I'm glad to hear it.

In California we are still struggling with declining numbers in part due to the WWII generation still passing on. They were a very large part of the growth that we experienced in the 50's. During the 60's the Peace, Love and Rock and Roll crowd dropped out and we have suffered from declining membership up until about the late 1980's. The Grand Lodge in California has done several studies on the demographics and they show that we are just barely holding our own. But we still have a ways to go until we see real growth.

Competing for people's time and attention is difficult with all of the diversions that life has to offer. But historically after wartime conflicts the statistics show growth for the fraternity due to the fact that many active duty and former military are looking for commraderie and fellowship similar in many respcts to the kind they experienced during wartime.

We tend to attract men who are seeking solice and are interested in more than the dogma and structure of formalized religion, although many of us are devout followers of many faiths. We don't offer salvation and we are not out to convert believers of other faiths, as you know. We are like minded about the universality of fraternity and the brotherhood of man, free from the constraints of status, wealth, station, religion, race or creed.

For those of you that this critereon does not interest I counsel you not to apply for the degrees. Those of us who this does interest have found a comfortable and safe haven from the outside world and we enjoy each others company immeasurably.

Originally posted by Skyfloating
So the consensus seems to be that Freemasonry is no longer in decline or that decline in quantity does not mean a decline in quality. Interesting thoughts to ponder.

Our lodge is only just keeping ahead of the stream of applications we're getting and we're now looking at recommending applicants to other lodges in our temple as a way of spreading the work around. Personally, I think how well a particular lodge is doing on that front hinges on how accessible they are to men who either have no family history with the Craft or for whom membership has skipped a generation (or two). Potential members have to be able to find out about you and to that end, a lodge website and/or Facebook page serves as a preliminary introduction.

Not all lodges are prospering in this day and age and the ones that I know of that are having the hardest time are the ones that are least visible. Whether this is as a result of Past Masters digging their heals in and insisting that they never did it that way and never will or a simple case of it not having occurred to them, I don't know.

As for maintaining the quality of the ritual work, regardless of numbers of degrees I think that's just a case of focus. It's oh-too-easy to take shortcuts and be lazy about things Masonic just as it is in regular life. However, to take pride in what you do and make every degree memorable for the candidate is a sign of respect not just for the candidate but for yourself and the Craft in general. No matter how many degrees we do, it is a matter of constantly maintaining and improving upon the standard of the ritual.

Fitz

Originally posted by VeritasAequitas
reply to post by Skyfloating

 

Is there any method to doing such a thing? How will I be able to ask in a polite manner if they are more esoterically inclined?

I think just straight out asking about it is the best overall route. An applicant I was investigating this week made it quite clear that he'd been doing a lot of research into Masonry in general (he's reading Morals and Dogma already) and it's quite clear that given his personality, delving into the esoteric is going to be what satisfies him most once he's Initiated.

Fitz

Hrmm, whats older? Christianity or Freemasonry? I ask this because, on the whole, religion is on the decline. Im not saying Freemasonry is a religion, or is it? Religion, in essence, is a code on which ones life is based. This code may be the rhetoric of a single God, or many Gods or no Gods at all. Many religious congregations are on the decline. Perhaps with the exception of Islam, depending on who you believe. Perhaps Freemasons are leaving in droves for Allah? Or maybe it's just the simple fact that because all cliques are artificial, they are by nature, finite. And it is inevitable, that with the passage of time, they are all doomed to death.

Originally posted by sharkman
reply to post by Sauron

 

Well Sauron,

I'm a little jealous on two counts. First, you are having a Robbie Burns Night, ours was cancelled due to not having enough support. Secondly, that your numbers on membership are climbing. That's welcome news and I'm glad to hear it.

In California we are still struggling with declining numbers in part due to the WWII generation still passing on. They were a very large part of the growth that we experienced in the 50's. During the 60's the Peace, Love and Rock and Roll crowd dropped out and we have suffered from declining membership up until about the late 1980's. The Grand Lodge in California has done several studies on the demographics and they show that we are just barely holding our own. But we still have a ways to go until we see real growth.

Competing for people's time and attention is difficult with all of the diversions that life has to offer. But historically after wartime conflicts the statistics show growth for the fraternity due to the fact that many active duty and former military are looking for commraderie and fellowship similar in many respcts to the kind they experienced during wartime.

We tend to attract men who are seeking solice and are interested in more than the dogma and structure of formalized religion, although many of us are devout followers of many faiths. We don't offer salvation and we are not out to convert believers of other faiths, as you know. We are like minded about the universality of fraternity and the brotherhood of man, free from the constraints of status, wealth, station, religion, race or creed.

For those of you that this critereon does not interest I counsel you not to apply for the degrees. Those of us who this does interest have found a comfortable and safe haven from the outside world and we enjoy each others company immeasurably.

Camaraderie I'm sure was part of the attraction post-war but I think experiencing the fragility of life also reminded many formerly-young-men that there are no atheists in foxholes.

I'm in the same GL as Sauron and though we have a fairly relaxed social schedule, we're still up to our eyeballs in applications. Personally, I attribute this to a generation of men coming to an age in their lives where they're looking to focus on the more important things in life and Freemasonry and other moral fraternities speak to some of those essentials. Ironically, I think "National Treasure", Dan Brown and ATS have all had their roles to play in helping make men more aware of Freemasonry and the ones that see past the cartoonish assertions find their way to the doors of local lodges.

Fitz

Originally posted by threewisemonkeys
Hrmm, whats older? Christianity or Freemasonry?

Provably? Christianity over speculative Masonry aka Freemasonry.

Originally posted by threewisemonkeys
I ask this because, on the whole, religion is on the decline. Im not saying Freemasonry is a religion, or is it?

It isn't. It's an adjunct to one's own religion/faith structure.

Originally posted by threewisemonkeys
Perhaps Freemasons are leaving in droves for Allah?

If they were, it would have nothing whatever to do with Freemasonry. [/derail]

Fitz

reply to post by Skyfloating


Freemasonry is not on the decline around here. IDK about where you are at.

Might have something to do with judging people based on criminal records and forcing Christians to say prayers with godless men who pretend to believe. Just sayin.....

Masonry on the decline though? Not in Detroit, or my suburb of Detroit for that matter.

Jay-Z has his all seeing eye on you btw he is an admitted false Christian. Smart people don't like liars. Maybe you should have better people representing you? just sayin.

eta: Jay-Z also has a criminal record. How did he get in? Oh yeah.....hypocrisy.

Originally posted by threewisemonkeys
Hrmm, whats older? Christianity or Freemasonry? I ask this because, on the whole, religion is on the decline. Im not saying Freemasonry is a religion, or is it? Religion, in essence, is a code on which ones life is based. This code may be the rhetoric of a single God, or many Gods or no Gods at all. Many religious congregations are on the decline. Perhaps with the exception of Islam, depending on who you believe. Perhaps Freemasons are leaving in droves for Allah? Or maybe it's just the simple fact that because all cliques are artificial, they are by nature, finite. And it is inevitable, that with the passage of time, they are all doomed to death.

edit on 9-2-2013 by threewisemonkeys because: Because my God told me to.

Do you actually have a brain in there?


Mass is packed every Sunday. The protestant churchs are doing fine as well.


What is on the decline is the living of ones faith. Many say they have faith, few make true attempts to live it.

eta: Adultery homosexuality abortion all becoming prevalent....people getting shot to death in gun free zones set up to get people prison sentences where corrections corporation of america gets 200$ a day per head......corrupt laws....yeah people start losing faith and God is probably not too happy with all the homosexual baby dismemberment going on . On the decline? No. Christianity is not on the decline. Might have something to do with the one true God being real and all that.....but if you non-christians keep chopping up babies and having butt sex you might not last long out here. Christianity will always be here until God comes back and its that time.



Did I mention Idol worship is flourishing? Repent or wish you did later.

Originally posted by OnTheLevel213

Originally posted by VeritasAequitas
reply to post by Skyfloating

 

How will I be able to ask in a polite manner if they are more esoterically inclined?

"Can you tell me about your Masonic education program? One of the Masons I talked to suggested I'd be really interested in Masonic education."

You can read between the lines when you get an answer.

Or you could just go on the internet. Esoteric implies hidden which that "knowledge" is not. It's everywhere from the library to google and it mostly BS.

reply to post by NarrowGate

Well in most jurisdictions having a criminal record (felony) disqualifies one from joining and thank you for that display of intolerance. Our tolerant behavior is not the factor that causes any decline in membership.

Detroit has its moments of membership fluctuation just like any other Masonic jurisdiction, although they have one of the most beautiful Masonic buildings and the largest in the world.

Many dispute Jay-Z to being a Mason. I could care less because if he wasn't you'd just find someone else to bitch at us about.

reply to post by NarrowGate

That's weird that you say this since most statistics show that attendance at Catholic Mass has been declining. Between 2000 and 2010 one study finds a -5% decline, but I hope attendance goes up. Many local churches and parishes do great work for their community.

I know the Methodist church in my hometown is doing fine and last time I visited the Catholic Church it was doing good with attendance.

reply to post by NarrowGate


Since you are seemingly concerned about Jay Z's masonic affiliation, please let me know what lodge he is in, and I will call the secretary to find out if a proper background check was done. Fair enough?

Interesting, thanks for sharing this with us!