tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post232468859118810696..comments2024-03-26T12:05:58.591-04:00Comments on Freemasons For Dummies: Seniors, Loneliness and the LodgeChristopher Hodapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04201859873755654395noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-9946192302152010522019-09-12T22:22:29.303-04:002019-09-12T22:22:29.303-04:00As to the decline in faith, perhaps one would say ...As to the decline in faith, perhaps one would say that the decline in organized religion is not necessarily a decline in faith -- faith in goodness, people, culture, the mysterious universe -- lots of things that people who have turned away from organized religion believe in. Unfortunately the prayers offered in lodge are often awkward and not inspiring, even offensive, and the symbolism of the Grand Architect not understood. There is nothing wrong with Freemasonry, but a great deal wrong with its deaf and historically illiterate leadership.Bro. Paul Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06435030965629467739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-26306338785250682922019-09-12T16:57:17.502-04:002019-09-12T16:57:17.502-04:00Brother you raise an excellent point. I'm a yo...Brother you raise an excellent point. I'm a younger Mason in my 30s but I was born with a permanent physical disability that leaves me in a wheelchair. I'm as active as I can be in my Lodge, I'm the current Senior Warden but I had a hell of a time finding a Lodge near me that I could get in the door. Only three of the 15 lodges in my Masonic District are physically capable of having wheelchairs in their Lodge room and I know from experience none of the restrooms would possibly be big enough to maneuver a wheelchair given the age of the buildings, all of which accept one in the district predate the Americans With Disabilities Act and yet the only discussion of going into the building maintenance funds is a perpetual well that money is there in case we need a new roof.Harrison Scovillenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-64616032210817600022019-09-12T16:52:17.827-04:002019-09-12T16:52:17.827-04:00The average person deals only with the problem tha...The average person deals only with the problem that is parked on the desk in front of them. The older grey hairs in the 1980s and 90s cooked up the one day classes and dropped proficiency standards and anything else they could dream up to make Masonry cheap, fast, easy and universal. That's what happens when you've got 70 year olds telling 80 year olds "what young men want."<br /><br />Trouble was that those "solutions" were designed to appeal to "young men" who were still in the throes of unsettled careers, raising families, plus the leading edge of of the decline of the well-paying middle class jobs that so dominated the first 3/4 of the 20th century. And combine that with the measurable decline in civic and voluntary participation across the board. That target group in those days weren't ready to commit to groups like Freemasonry.<br /><br />The point I was trying to address was that there is a big bubble of 55-70 year olds right now - those same guys who either never joined, or did and walked away for a thousand different reasons. Retirement age brings on a whole new outlook by people, and the isolation and loneliness described in the article is a big one. That will only increase, as the birthrate has plummeted. The NEXT generation will have even less of an extended family to call upon for support.<br /><br />All I'm saying is that some singleminded approach to "appealing to the young" is always a fool's errand in this fraternity in part because of its very nature. It requires time, money, dedication, a fairly settled life, an understanding spouse (if you have a spouse), along with just being interested in it. Plus our requirement of even a modicum of some sort of faith tradition, which more and more people are rejecting as the generations continue. As working habits have shifted to the vast majority of people working as "independent contractors" (meaning zero job security) and frequently working from home with no more real quitting time anymore, that means younger men will find more and more reasons to avoid structured groups like Freemasonry, at least until much later in life.Christopher Hodapphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04201859873755654395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-12194525205669350272019-09-11T07:04:28.056-04:002019-09-11T07:04:28.056-04:00Bro. Deverell, great post. My Lodge in Liverpool, ...Bro. Deverell, great post. My Lodge in Liverpool, England has modernised. Fortunately the sensible foresight of directors of the Masonic Building which houses over 20 Lodges have brought in private commercial tenants to unused space which has seen improvements to the building which has no doubt increased in value over the past couple of years. The Lodge, as in all English Lodges, insists on at least smart dark suit, shirt and tie. My Lodge has either new or refurbished regalia. We have reviewed our ritual which has one or two unique parts. Our festive board is formal yet fun with several innovations. We have this year a different 'world meal' at each meeting - Chinese, Thai, Philipino etc. Visitors now want to come to our meetings, as well as prospective candidates to our festive board on occasions. We had a famine of candidates for some years. We have now been initiating candidates, have a waiting list and last night were planning work till 2021. Mentoring of our new candidates is also important as well as trying to give the new members 'something to do' without undue pressure.Our increasing social calender is also thriving and attracting membership interest especially as people see 'younger members ' We had to be brave at times to instigate change but it is working. You are right Lodges need to to hold on to all the traditional base and formality which makes freemasonry so special but also remember that freemasonry itself has evolved over the years so why not move on and innovate sensible change. Nothing new or special in my comments but I was just a little inspired by by your post..David Bruffellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-10226847839754350452019-09-09T17:22:56.803-04:002019-09-09T17:22:56.803-04:00Brother Deverell, you are completely right. Most ...Brother Deverell, you are completely right. Most meetings are a total waste of time and the food is awful. There are exceptions but we are a sorry lot and the leadership is uninspired, to put it mildly. <br />How to lose 3,5 million members and hundreds of wonderful buildings.Bro. Paul Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06435030965629467739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-19281194187858297412019-09-09T10:25:02.486-04:002019-09-09T10:25:02.486-04:00I joined the Lodge at 22. Now 35 I can tell you th...I joined the Lodge at 22. Now 35 I can tell you the real reason my peers don't join is because we believe that reviving old traditions should be taken seriously and not considered "silly" or "elitist" by older members. We don't want to sit around and talk abt paying bills. Let a committee do that. We want to sit in a Lodge, well dressed, and discuss the philosophy and history of the fraternity. We want presentations and lectures. And a well prepared meal would be nice. We will happily pay higher dues for the experience. Simply having a program where the Lodge raises a fund and gifts newly Raised brothers with an endowment would do wonders. Further, please step aside and let your youngest brother run the required social media sites. The culture online moves too fast for anyone over 25 or so. Embrace the old and new ways and we will come back. B.J Deverellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15142168424964327577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-5425118527113941702019-09-07T20:37:13.371-04:002019-09-07T20:37:13.371-04:00"Man has no choice but to love, for when he d..."Man has no choice but to love, for when he does not, he finds his alternatives lie in loneliness, destruction and despair".<br /><br />By Dr. Leo Buscaglia. <br /><br />Thomas Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16496528868148315705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-83139031418398503252019-09-07T20:15:54.662-04:002019-09-07T20:15:54.662-04:00An interesting parallel -- the common logic is we ...An interesting parallel -- the common logic is we need to entrance embrace Facebook and Twitter and email to capture/engage with them damn fooled youths.<br /><br />But the truth is, Instagram is where the youth market is at:https ://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/10/share-of-u-s-adults-using-social-media-including-facebook-is-mostly-unchanged-since-2018/<br /><br />We are so blind to our seniors we don't even see them on platforms where they dominate other age groups. It's like pre-conscious agism.<br /><br />Kinda makes the advice to call your mom, grandparents, etc all the more necessary. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />J. Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725028076719751400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-64184619144825786172019-09-07T17:40:33.854-04:002019-09-07T17:40:33.854-04:00 This reinforces my determination to try to ge... This reinforces my determination to try to get a high12 ...or is it 12high group going in my area ...Piqua ... Sidney...Gettysburg are along I75 in Ohio. So far theres been no response from the two email addresses on the 12high websiite, but I will try leads from Lafayette area lodges next. Your speaking there got the idea out. Thanks much for the inspirationDavid Lawrence Warren 24 Piqua OHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14205965445051365277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-88989727857997016992019-09-07T16:36:03.935-04:002019-09-07T16:36:03.935-04:00A challenge is the large number of Masonic buildin...A challenge is the large number of Masonic buildings that have not adapted to physical needs. There may be a ramp at the entrance, but the bathrooms, lodge rooms, dining rooms are not adapted, many temples lack elevators, and the hearing devices which are common in churches are unknown. Moreover, there is a shameful lack of calling on the incapacitated. There are exceptions, but the general state of our attention to all of this is shameful.Bro. Paul Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06435030965629467739noreply@blogger.com