by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
"A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry"
- Sun-tzu, Chinese general & military strategist (-400 BC)
During the Watergate years of the 1970's, it was discovered that the Nixon Administration was maintaining an "Enemies List" of any and all antagonists to the policies of the White House. This became a "Who's Who" which included radical extremists, political opponents, members of the press, labor leaders, financiers, celebrities, even athletes. The activities of the people on the list were closely scrutinized by the administration and where necessary, life was made difficult for them by the administration. This, of course, was not without precedence as Lyndon Johnson had J.Edgar Hoover of the FBI monitor the activities of select rivals as well. I'm certain Nixon and Johnson were not alone in this regard, both before and after Watergate. Such enemy lists are developed for political purposes and opens the door for "dirty tricks" to be played on people whose names appear on them.
It has come to my attention that a similar type of list is being maintained and circulated within Freemasonry. In other words, a list of Masonic trouble makers to be wary of. I might understand such a list being maintained on a jurisdictional basis, but what I am hearing of is a secret list that is being circulated among Grand jurisdictions at the highest levels. I don't know if
there is any truth in this, but it wouldn't surprise me.
I suspect if you are placed on this list, your actions are being closely watched and any infraction of the rules are reported accordingly. Even close Masonic friends whom you normally trust are charged with monitoring your activity. I know such talk smacks of paranoia, but it makes you wonder what is being recorded in your membership jacket at Grand Lodge.
The people I suspect are on such a Masonic enemies list are all Brothers who have vocalized their discontent with current policies of the Grand Lodges. They are not people who want to see the fraternity destroyed, but rather improved and brought into the 21st century; people who can think beyond the confines of the Lodge room and jurisdictional boundaries; Brothers
who believe in the universality of Freemasonry and how it should be run.
If, in fact, such a list exists, I would probably consider it an Honor Roll of Masons, a sort of Red Badge of Courage for speaking from the heart and trying to improve the status quo. In all likelihood, if you rock the boat you can probably expect to be added to the list. More importantly, the existence of such a list would be proof that Freemasonry has been politicized
which would be scarier than just appearing on the list. After all, we should be acting more like Masons than like the Mafia.
Keep the Faith.
NOTE: The opinions expressed in this essay are my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any Grand Masonic jurisdiction or any other Masonic related body. As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following:
Article reprinted with permission of the author and www.FreemasonInformation.com
Please forward me a copy of the publication when it is produced.
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Copyright © 2007 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
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13 comments:
If such a list exists, I am sure that the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts has one and refers to it regularly. Many good and forward thinking men are denied any type of advancement beyond the Lodge and are even labeled as troublemakers or as one person was labeled, "The Most Dangerous Man in Freemasonry". Massachuseets is a jurisidction that onlyt allows a select few to gain any type of admission into the folds of the Grand Bodies and when that happens thoses allowed in, attack and disparage those who in any way differ from the opinions of the anoited. THey then get blacklisted, I myself have been told that I will never be offered a Grand Line position because I will not fall into line and have been over looked and even denied positions and awards.
APPLICATION FORM requested
Been there , done that ! Ive been standing up, only, while we are forced to sing a specifically anti Scottish song at the end of meetings and held back because of it. Our GL recently listened to me. amd others suggesting that we need "first aiders" available at GL meetings due to the number of very old brethren that attend from all the airts and pairts.
Guess who is the only one that isnt a "Grand Steward"
Wilst we are not suppoosed to talk of religion and politics it continues to affect our craft. Enough/ I WILL BE PROUD TO BE ON THE LIST
Yours Aye , and Fraternally
Steve Chalmers PM 223 Edinburgh Scotland
I don't regard this as breaking news. I'm surprised that anyone is surprised. This has been going on for centuries.
No doubt my Brother. May not be on paper, but duly recorded in the ole memory bank. A brother in the Roanoke area paid the price of expulsion for voicing his opinion. So whenever I hear a Grand Master say the closing charge. I wonder who is he kidding. He may have displeased one GM but the fallowing GM's could have rectified this wrong. I myself have not worn a GM pin since this happen. And will not until a GM grows a pair and rectifies this wrong doing.
No doubt my Brother. May not be on paper, but duly recorded in the ole memory bank. A brother in the Roanoke area paid the price of expulsion for voicing his opinion. So whenever I hear a Grand Master say the closing charge. I wonder who is he kidding. He may have displeased one GM but the fallowing GM's could have rectified this wrong. I myself have not worn a GM pin since this happen. And will not until a GM grows a pair and rectifies this wrong doing.
What? An enemies list? Aw, say it ain't so!
Widow's Son
BurningTaper.com
What was that Kinks song?
"Paranoia will destroy ya"
Yep.
I think our own foot soldier for Freemasonry has finally marched into the uncharted wilds of Paranoia Land.
If in doubt, consider this rather curious quote:
"I know such talk smacks of paranoia, but it makes you wonder what is being recorded in your membership jacket at Grand Lodge."
So let's put this into perspective: perhaps this list is the well known notifications to other GL's of expelled members. Surely all of the expelled are not merely misunderstood revolutionaries?
Let's get a grip on the rumourmongering and actually spread some light and not paranoid hillarity. That's worse than the current verbal zings so common today on the blogs.
H. Rubelo
I'm sure the Grand Lodge has a list and they keep it up to date,I was told by one Mason who spoke to the Grand Master about another matter that when he said my name the G.M.Stated "I was a trouble maker"
And I was told the DDGM keep a file on me ! WHY.
Is it what I know or is it what they Don't know ?
Any such list would be unmasonic conduct in my opinion and anyone caught with or distributing such a list should be masonicly admonished.
Now we all have our quarrels now and then but masonry teaches us yet again to do unto others as we in a similar case would have done unto us.
All freemasons have taken solemn oaths and from what I have seen this kind of behavior is addressed therein.
Grand Lodge minions do not follow rules or worry about unmasonic conduct because there is no one to police them, and then enforce anything upon them.
They make up rules as they go along.
But, wait... I see mass. and Virginia here commenting on their respective GL's. Do you associate with Bro. Jeff Peace? That is the only way you can be upset with your Grand Lodge. Ask Ohio and Ga and Al. and Ark, only associating with jeff peace will get you black listed?
Ask my alet ego Theron, no list exists and NEVER talk badly about your Grand Lodge because they are infallable.
They can never make mistakes and they walk n water and nEVER forget it or I will follow you around the net to make sure you understand how RIGHT your Grand Lodge is!!
Remember, it is not about you, but all about me!
Aside from a possible “Enemies List” or the milder “Person Of Interest” list, one thing that stands out is the fact that there are people who do not want to be questioned or be criticized because they believe in “benevolent dictatorship.” As the POI wrote in one of his articles--- “Freemasonry is not a dictatorial institution, therefore, no one has an absolute power and that includes the Grand Master. The day when a mere mortal start thinking of himself as a monarch of the Fraternity and the time when members accept that illusion – the organization they are in is no longer the Craft we knew. Only those with interior motives will allow that to happen and hoodwinked fools to continue to stay.” One can easily end up on a list because of the belief that, "Words are manifestation of our inner thoughts, once released it can not be taken back. Unless certain, it is wiser to keep it rather than making a noise otherwise, take ownership of your words--- spoken or written." Person of Interest (aka Suspect)
A GL apron does not qualify one as a Freemason, that privilege is restricted to men who live their lives by the stict Masonic codes of conduct to which we are all obligated.
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