Re: freemasons stance on religion of members

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"Mudge" <Mudge@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7191250.PRWPSUHQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> On 07/19/2005 12:36:11 "JB" wrote:
>
>> What did they stand up for publicly since it's inception (that it
>> doesn't now)?
>
>> Did I perhaps miss a Masonic "Vote Whig" poster from the 1790s?
>
> I don't know about the 16th century (although Jim Benny may well
> disagree) but I do know that over the years many, many, Masonic
> virtues were emulated and promoted by our brethren that became
> politically active and served their states (and their societies)
> well in the Houses of Parliament and other state governing bodies.
> When was the last time a "Prime Minister" or "President" or a local
> "MP" or whatever, was avowedly a member of the Craft ???
>

Surely you're talking about prominent advertisers for the Craft? I
doubt you'll actually find a politician who doesn't advocate the
"better qualities" that we strive for in Freemasonry.

> Today's society is unlike any since the fall of Rome with its
> rampamt "what's in it for me ism" and severe apathy for matters of
> Government or morality. Society badly needs some form of moral &
> spiritual guidance from someone or something - Lord knows the
> established Church (at least here in Cander) is not offering any -
> preferring rather to go along with the absolute lowest "common"
> denominator.
>

Well, I'm aware of that feeling from a lot of people. One might
humorously call them Past Masters who keep looking back to the way
things were.

As someone who is quite young, I look back only from an historic
point of view at, for instance, the good women of Liverpool who in
the 1870s had a husband killing club so they could collect a couple
of Shillings of insurance money (when they ran out of husbands they
went to other close relatives). The crimes committed by famous
Freemasons, amongst others, in South Africa when the English coined
the phrase "concentration camp", and think things probably aren't a
lot worse now.

Charles Dickens had it about right in A Tale of Two Cities, in my
humble opinion.

> Nevertheless, it should actively encourage the real Masons in its
> membership to do so individually - it may help stop societal rot -
> but it will need to be a concerted effort by all real Masons and
> supported by all Masonic bodies without reservation.
>

"Real masons"? You see that's the problem isn't it? I think society
is pretty ok at the moment. Does that qualify me as a fake Mason?
Which political party should the UGLE endorse at the next election?
Which candidate is more "moral"? When we travel from the beauty of
the rituals to the specifics of the real world we inevitably force
our opinions of morality on to others.

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