What is important to recognize out from that dastardly action, is
not only who sacrificed that day; but who has since set aside any
temporal and personal dealings to give answer to the Thugs. Individual
Masons figure prominently among those who have done their part; and I
think it time that the organized fraternity across the free world to
declare ourselves free from any notion that we need pander to
totalitarian religions. In 1950, the fraternity took a significant
stand against Communism because it declared itself to be organized for
world domination, an end which it wished to achieve via any means.
While our FreeMasonic Organization has a rule against the discussion
of religion and politics, it is not an absolute prohibition. In
American Lodges we start with a Pledge to the Flag just as the Queen
and her family are often honored in those jurisdictions where the
Monarchy is important and with which we share communication. All
lodges open and close with prayer and use scripture to set the tone
and illustrate the examples set out for us by each degree.
In Freemasonry, the words Religion and Politics have both a
general and abstract connotation. By Religion, Masons may mean the
general apprehension or conviction of the existence of a Supreme
Being, accompanied by the appropriate reverence, or the narrower
systems of faith, creeds, dogma, doctrines etc. By Politics,
FreeMasons may mean the science or art of government, or it may mean
the specific administration of public affairs, theology and
governmental principles. A discussion of either religion and/or
politics, therefore, can mean something that may not involve
controversial questions. The broad underlying characteristics of each
and the maintenance of the foundation tenets are permitted discussion
as all Masons have a vested stake in assuring that these things
unalterably stand. Only the narrow or specific subjects are
controversial and these details are thusly banned from discussion in a
Masonic body.
If these conditions were untrue, then Masonry could not discuss
such aspect of our fraternity as Monotheism, a faith and belief in the
True, Ever Living and Only God, the All-Wise Supreme Being and our
dependence on His bounty. A ban on the discussion of any form of
politics even in a general way would deny us the opportunity to
declare our loyalty to our American or Other Country. Movements,
therefore, whether Religious or Political that attack the basic
principles of Freemasonry, such as Communism or Religious Fanaticism
are therefore freely available and proper discussion for Masonic
discourse and engagement. Many of our brothers have engaged the enemy
personally, and we will honor them by publicly and openly joining with
them. The Fraternity at Large should not feel the need to curtail any
expression of our convictions. They are, after all, universal among
us.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 Crete, Illinois
PM Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 Lansing, Illinois