Episode 022: Subduing Our Passions

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There are a lot of controversial events going on in Masonry right now, and many of them are being discussed on blogs and forums. Communication by electronic means is never as rich as face to face and sometimes things can turn ugly. Flame wars, anonymous postings, mass defections and heavy handed forum moderation are the most common by-products of uncivil conduct, but the implications can hurt feelings and even get you in hot water with your Grand Lodge.

In this episode we'll catch up a little, and talk about ways to keep things civil as we head into some murky waters.

When you post on the internet, things can stick around longer than feelings. Here's an example. My very first step in Masonry is still up on Usenet.

Also there is an appeal to donate to the show so I can create more episodes like Christian Mysticism and the high degrees.

Comments

[Steve]

I agree with you 100% about watching what we say because it can and will be archived. If I could go back and take away some posts it would make me a happy man.

[Charles Tirrell]

Your latest podcast of "Subduing our Passions" inspired me to write this and post it to my blog. Enjoy :)

The Obligation of an Emason

I, A.B. of my own free will and accord, in the presence of all my online Masonic brothers, do hereby my monitor and hereon my keyboard, most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that I will remember and follow the principles, teachings and obligations of all my Freemasonic degrees while communicating on the Internet, whether I am conversing with or replying to a Masonic Brother of any degree, a non-intiated person, a cowan or an eavesdropper.

I furthermore promise and swear, that I will not debase the dignity of my profession by electronically entering into argument with a person or persons who through ignorance would ridicule it.

I furthermore promise and swear, that I will not personally attack another person while discussing Masonry or Masonically related topics through an email, a blog post, a bulletin board, a comment, a chat, an instant message or by any other electronic means.

I furthermore promise and swear, that although religion and politics are not expressly forbidden topics outside a constituted lodge, I will take the utmost care and consideration when discussing these topics in electronic media and will not belittle the beliefs of others in regards to these topics.

I furthermore promise and swear, that I will not write that which I would not say to someone face-to-face, nor will I use the anonymity of the Internet to write such things, nor will I infer, suggest, type or post that which I would not be willing to say openly during a civil discussion with masons in a constituted lodge.

All of this, I most solemnly and sincerely, promise and swear, without the least trepidation or reservation; binding myself under no less a sentence than that of having my internet connection being terminated and my email address being deprecated, should I ever actively or intentionally violate this, my E-mason's obligation. So help me and keep me steadfast.

[anotherbrother]

publishing this mock obligation on the web seems far from appropriate.

[Eric Diamond]

Gosh, I thought it was kind of clever. Not only that, but it is something I can wholeheartedly sign on to. And while it is clearly a satire, it is a reverent one.

[anotherbrother]

Its not the sentiment of the obligation that I find questionable. Despite the fact that the enemies of masonry have published on the web restricted masonic texts, it seems to me that masons should not themselves be publishing these things (satire or not) which may contain the tiniest fragment of actual masonic works. Doesn't that in itself violate the obligation?

[Eric Diamond]

I don't think it does any more than speaking in iambic pentameter and using "thou" and "thee" gives away the plot of Hamlet. I really don't think Charles' post really gives anything away. There are plenty of texts out there in the public domain out there that use similar language and do not violate our obligations. But you bring up an interesting point--in Masonry what is secret and why?

Sounds like a good idea for a show episode. I'll get started.

In any case I do think the content of his post is excellent, and if all masons were to even informally take that obligation, the Masonic Internet would be a much better place to be, don't you think?

[anotherbrother]

Agreed.

[Jeff Carter, Naples Florida]

Hi Eric,
Another gem of a program! It warms my heart to see this kind of discussion in a day and age when there is SOOOOOoooooo much stuff on the internet that serves no purpose for enlightenment. A few weeks ago I Became a "Master of the Royal Secret" and received the 32 Degree in Scottish Rite in the Valley of Ft. Myers Florida. So, I am even more appreciative now than ever before for what you are doing.
Congrats and good luck with your travels in the East!!!

TEMET NOSCE,

Fraternally,
Jeffrey A. Carter

[Charles Tirrell]

I hadn't returned to this post since I commented on it a few weeks ago, so I missed out on contributing to the discussion between Brother Eric and Brother anotherbrother. I received similar apprehension from a brother on my own blog and thought it necessary to discuss my thoughts on the appropriateness of my obligation. I would like to thank Brother anotherbrother for discussing this topic in a level and well-mannered way. I have truly taken your opinion to heart and hope that you will be open to my thought process in this matter.

Brother Eric hit it right on the head when he said that this obligation was meant to be reverent satire. I wrote this with the intention not to mock our obligations, but to remind our brothers of them. During the time I wrote this obligation, I saw brothers going at each others throats in public forums with regards to the recent departure of Holcyon Lodge from the GL of Ohio. I found many of the actions taken by our brothers to be completely unmasonic. I believed and still believe that these brothers needed to be reminded of their obligations. I do not believe it is appropriate to discuss the content of our the obligations we took in a public forum, so I sought a different method to remind them of what they were doing wrong. In accord with the dictates of my conscious and the rules and regulations of my Grand Lodge, I wrote this piece in a manner that reflected the linguistic style, but not the content of our obligations. I believe this to be undoubtedly allowed due to the fact that several documents that form the foundation of the United States, many oaths of offices and the public and private oaths taken by other organizations all contain the same structural elements as masonic obligations, but have different content.

I believe that many brothers have a strong reaction with what I wrote because of jurisdictional variations. Some jurisdictions keep all forms of masonic ritual secret, whereby they do not allow any portion of the ritual to be printed. My GL in Connecticut takes a completely different stance. The only portion of the ritual that is not in our ritual books are the modes of recognition. Our obligations are even printed in these books, although they are in a cypher, but the cypher key is included in the book. So any person with our book and more than 20 minutes, has our obligations. By printing the obligation in cyphered form, my GL would be braking the rules and regulations of several other GLs, but that doesn't matter because the GL of CT is sovereign and not bound by the rules of another GL. I believe that this example sets a precedent within my GL that the e-obligation I wrote does not violate that which I swore. If this were the case, my GL would have also broken their obligation with that which they published.

So, in the end, Brother Eric brings up a very astute point, what is secret and why? This is a question that varies greatly from one jurisdiction to another. Here is what my GL has to say about circulating ritual:

Section 7001. The use of or Circulation of Unauthorized Printed Rituals Forbidden; Penalty.
The use of or otherwise circulating any unauthorized printed ritual, or any book or paper (written, printed or otherwise reproduced) purporting to contain the secrets of Masonry, is un-masonic. Any Mason within the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge who shall use, distribute or broadcast such material shall be liable to Masonic penalty, up to and including expulsion from the fraternity. However, possession of such material to be used for legitimate research purpose is permitted.

Again, this shows that according to my GL, I was not in the wrong. I did not purport that my e-obligation was an actual masonic obligation. I openly stated that it contained no content from an actual masonic ritual, which it does not.

This is just my two cents on the subject. In the end, it does not matter what a brother from another jurisdiction believes. It would be a matter between my GL and myself. Since I know that I have regular readers of my blog from my GL (as I have a link on my GLs site) and have not received a summons from my Grand Master, I will assume that I am in the right with my justification. If I did receive a summons from my GL regarding this post, I would immediately remove it.

I would like to bring up one final point. What is more important, that we keep a few "furthermores" and "solemnlies" secret or that we promote brotherly love and remind our brothers of the true principles of Masonry? Just some food for thought.

Thank you all again for a pleasant discussion :)