Several times over my 41 years in Masonry I have had to step back and take a look at what others say about Masonry and compare my beliefs.  Particularly on religion and how it affects me.  This is one of those times and please remember that I am writing as an individual and not representing our Grand Master, Grand Lodge or anyone else with the following.

Many will disagree with me, but that is one of the beauties of Masonry - we can disagree and not have to hate each other.  I firmly believe in toleration and your right to your beliefs are as sacred to me as are my own.  I have read many books and articles on Masonry and while most say that Masonry is not a religion, there are many today who equate the Christian religion with Masonry.  There are also some old writers who proclaimed loudly that Masonry was a Christian idea, that  early Christian biblical figures were Masons.  All these ideas are unsupported by history, but the books still exist and are still read by outsiders and our new members.  I firmly believe that this is wrong and in recent years when I hear Chaplains  or Grand Masters and others give a particular religious ending to a prayer or in a talk, I have become more and more upset  and finally want to speak out.  We have members in Washington who belong to many different faiths.  There are also some,  like myself, who do not belong to any organized religion.  I personally believe that organized religion has caused more wars,  deaths and destruction than any other factor.  Today we see this continue in the middle east and elsewhere around the  world.  I would not be a Mason if I had to subscribe to a particular belief and it has often pained me to listen to those who  try to make our fraternity fit a certain religion.  The degrees above the three blue lodge degrees ( higher in numbers only)  seems to indicate that they have the only answers to what we should believe.  I disagree and therefore am not a members of  these other side degrees.  They may have their place in Masonry, but it seems to me that they give our detractors much  ammunition to throw at us, while the blue lodge does not.  I have long held that those that talk against us should mind their  own business.  We have wrongly changed our "Temples" to "centers", we talk about changing the penalties because  outsiders think they are wrong and we allow these same fanatics to try to dictate to us how our fraternity should be run.   When will we be willing to stand on our feet and say - "Bug off" or perhaps something stronger.

A recent article in a Masonic magazine stated that a lodge in another state had voted that any new members coming in had  to subscribe to the ten commandments.  Other later articles denounced this as unMasonic and I would agree.  Any Lodge  that would vote this way, certainly does not understand the basics of Masonry and probably should be told so by their  Grand Master.  Do we have the basic guts to stand up for what we believe.  Some do and some merely go along with what  someone else tells them is the "correct" attitude.

Those of you who have known me for a long time, know what I have done in Masonry, what I stand for, and now maybe you  understand why I won't attend a Masonic Church service.  They tend to make outsiders think we support a particular  religion and probably tend to make new members think the same.  We are charged as Masons to be tolerant, to let others  believe as they wish, and to be understanding of others way of life.  I hope that you will sit down awhile and think about  your involvement in Masonry and try to understand that not all of us think alike and that we are entitled to our opinions  and beliefs and that you should not use the blue lodge to try to convert or inflict your religious views on us.

For me, Masonry is my religion, my belief in God is very strong, but I do not need or want someone else telling me how or  what to believe.

I hope you are having a good summer,  see you at Lodge.