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If you've just 'surfed in' to this page, please feel free to disregard it and move on. If, on the other hand, you were specifically referred here by the site's author, please do read this page carefully. It might contain a valuable lesson for you!
My dear Fraternal Brother in Masonry -
You were referred to this specific page because you sent me an email in which you've:
 | tried to convince me that Freemasonry is good; |
| told me that this website stinks and that Freemasonry is good; |
| told me that I don't know anything about Freemasonry; or |
| advised me that I was not a very good (insert religion here). |
or some variation/combination of the above.
Clearly, my Brother, you never read even a tiny portion of
this site before you vented your spleen, did you? Is this an example of Freemasonry you should exemplify?
(Don't stop reading now - it gets better as you'll see!)
On a far too regular basis, I receive such emails. Why? Because a Mason in his knee-jerk reaction to the phrase "anti-Masonry" simply fires off a message to condemn and castigate. Does this behavior reflect TEMPERANCE? Does it reflect PRUDENCE? Does it reflect JUSTICE? I don't think so.
When you joined Freemasonry, and hopefully as you attended the degrees of others later in your Masonic career, you were taught about the seven liberal arts and sciences. Do you remember that LOGIC is one of those? What sense does it make to write a message (scathing or not, and I've gotten all kinds from Brother Masons) that derides someone for something that clearly you didn't understand or even take the time to read. It's easy to tell that you didn't look at a single page on this website because if you had, you would have never, ever sent the message you did.
You see, dear Brother, I too am a Mason - and this is a PRO-MASONIC site! Read ANY page - ANY PAGE - and you'll see that Masonry is explained in clear and simple terms. Myths and lies are debunked at every turn and there are sections with Famous Freemasons praised and charities lauded. Regrettably, though, your rashness to condemn overlooked ALL of that and you were blinded by your own assumptions.
My
Brother, you should know that (unlike what some have written in their
scathing messages) I've been involved in Freemasonry for perhaps
longer than you've even been alive! (That's
my favorite ring over on the left!) My list of titles
as well as my memberships in appendant and collateral bodies is
long but suffice it to say that I've been a Mason since I was barely 22 years old and was a DeMolay
since I was 17. I
joined Freemasonry some 6000 miles away from my home while serving with the U.
S. Navy. I'm a Charter Member and the 11th Master of my 'home' Lodge. I'm a
recipient of the Masonic Brotherhood of the Blue Forget-Me-Not (an award for
Masonic educators) and I'm one of only 40 living Fellows of the
Philalethes Society,
the oldest and largest Masonic research organization in the world. In 2000, I was
honored by being named "E-M@son of the Year". I've been involved in
online Freemasonry since 1994 and I'm probably the only
person who will ever be the Webmaster for TWO Grand
Lodges simultaneously! In
2007, I was one of the two annual recipients of the senior award from my Grand
Lodge. The award is given to a Mason who
reflects extraordinary knowledge of Freemasonry and application of that
knowledge. (As often as not, it's given to
visiting out-of-state Grand Masters.) The Grand Secretary for the past decade was the other recipient
the year I received the award! I'm the Treasurer for a dozen Masonic bodies and
Secretary/Charter Member in my current home area. I'm the Past Master and a
Fellow of my jurisdiction's Lodge of Research.
I won't bore you with the rest of my credentials but I suspect you can tell from the honors above that I wasn't - as some suggest from time to time - unqualified to become a Mason or rejected by a Lodge. I'm the one you wanted to tell all about how good Freemasonry is - and I'm the one you thought (and perhaps wrote) knew so little about Freemasonry!
I feel badly that you never took the time to understand why this site was started (here) and that you've failed to see the numerous awards - including MANY Masonic awards this site has received (here). This site is linked to by dozens of Grand Lodges around the world - perhaps even yours! More than that, though, I feel badly that you may be sending or have sent similar messages to true anti-Masons, thereby embarrassing yourself and the fraternity.
I trust you now fully realize that this site wasn't what you "assumed" it to be. We all will often joke about the word "assumed" (if you don't know the joke, drop me an e-mail and I'll explain) and in this case, it's proven so very true. A bit embarrassed, are you? Please don't be - and please read on....
In my humble but very considered opinion, one of the things that makes Masons look like total buffoons worthy of scorn are messages to anti-Masons attempting to 'preach' to them or to argue about things when the Mason writing has only passion (and, perhaps, venom) for their argument. Lacking even the most basic knowledge of their subject matter, they fire off insults which then cast us all in a very bad light and are ultimately used to PROVE that Masons are not temperate, prudent and discreet but rather quite the opposite. When you wrote to me, I chuckled (again) thinking "This person doesn't have a clue!". And so too do anti-Masons when you write to them. My Brother: such emails to anti-Masons won't work!!! Don't bother even trying! Ignore them completely!!! Instead, talk to your Brethren in lodge about anti-Masonry and explain to them what these 'intolerants' are all about. Talk to your neighbors, co-workers, and friends and let them know about what Masons do. Don't waste your time with the online hard-core anti-Masons but rather LIVE MASONRY in your daily life so that you will always project the RIGHT image of a Mason. When you vent your spleen at an anti-Mason, do you really expect them to respond saying: "Oh, I'm sorry. Guess I made a mistake. Based on your email I'll now change all of my beliefs." or "Yes, you're right. A lodge rejected me so now I tell lies about you rotten people but since you figured it out, I'll stop."
PARTICULARLY if your message was an intemperate one, as some of the ones I've received over time have been, they'll simply use it as more fodder in their rants and it's just more proof for them that Masons aren't the 'good men' they're claiming to be.
Now the intent of this page was certainly NOT to embarrass you. I hope and pray, though, it will serve as a very cogent reminder that - as DeMolay teaches - we should think twice before speaking once! Please do that should you ever be tempted to write to a website or online poster about anti-Masonry again and please, please, be sure you know what you're talking about when (and if) you do so. Your actions reflect on us all!
I'd ask that you not waste any time or energy sending me an apologetic email. Instead, resolve to spread Freemasonry's great message amongst friends and neighbors! Live like a Mason in the world! That will be the most I could ever ask or expect - and it will benefit not only you and I but all mankind as well!
Travel safely, my dear friend and Brother - and never forget to:
Just
click on "Prince, the Search Dog" to find things on our site. He's on every page
and he'll take you directly to our search form where you can see if we've
written about whatever it is you're interested in. Prince has a great memory; he
always remembers where things are!