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Stop Boring
Brethren! Typical Lodge Meetings Ritual opening, Pledge allegiance to the flag Secretary clear desk, Read minutes, Read correspondence from Grand Lodge, Read bills, Read petitions and ballot Introductions of those who have not served in the East, Past Masters, etc. Speaker at altar, escort to East, speech Announcements Ritual closing
Typical Lodge Speakers One man standing at the podium -- Reading a speech, such as a Short Talk Bulletin Same Brother who has been heard before -- Someone with a title Taking about how great we are -- Platitudes -- No questions or discussion
Alternatives Right after opening, have the Speaker sitting in the East already, and get started Have more than one speaker at a time -- discussions, debates, panels Visual aids -- hold up books, slides, transparencies, videos Get the audience involved, with readings, ask questions, discussions Summarize what you intended to teach, and give questions to think about after meeting
Specific ideas Masonic Presidents -- don't talk about the "great" 14 (they weren't so great) Give out quotes, discuss how different Masons (Presidents, too) have viewed Freemasonry Debate Antimasonic questions and answers -- scripted debate Masonic lessons in bonsai trees, showing the trees Masonic videos, what they show us and non-Masons, show them Different interpretations of the Hiram Abif legend, teachings of degrees -- unusual ideas Debate whether we should have 1-day classes -- scripted debate Discuss whether we should change catechisms and go back to original way of teaching Masonry If single speaker at podium, use slides, films, videos Notes, but never allow reading of a speech Ideas of where Freemasonry came from -- Knights Templar, Catholic Monasteries, others Why are we losing members -- Ask those who have dropped out to talk to us Promise Keepers -- Why do thousands come to their meetings? -- Ask them, invite them to lodge meeting Stories about Lodge in the "old days" -- funny stories about those who are no longer with us What is Freemasonry for? Exactly what are our goals? Exactly what is each meeting designed to teach? What should Brethren go home thinking about? Discuss controversial books -- The Hiram Key, The New World Order Jack the Ripper and Freemasonry -- staged trial U.S. Capitol building cornerstone laying in 1793 What should Masons be allowed to say that is critical of Masonry & Grand Lodge officers U.S. Supreme Court Justices who were Masons, and Supreme Court decisions & U.S. What is the meaning of the "lost word"? What is the significance of Solomon's Temple in human history? In Masonry? Videos -- Unseen Journey, Capstone's quarterly videos TV shows and movies about Freemasonry -- A&E, History Channel Movies -- Man Who Would Be King, Rosewood, Like Water for Chocolate Prince Hall -- recognitions, good or bad?, separate but equal?, comparisons Women and Freemasonry -- female-only lodges, co-masonry, legal qualifications George Washington and Freemasonry -- real facts One-day classes -- pro and con Homosexual men in Freemasonry -- pro and con Bigotry, what it is, examples, what should be done about it in our Lodges? Theosophy, Ancient mysteries, Alchemy, Kabala, Hermetic philosophy -- relationship to Freemasonry Public speaking, handling motions -- how to do it better How to make good men better? Tolerance -- what does it mean? How to teach it? Freemasonry and democracy and individual freedom Attacks on Freemasonry by dictators -- Hitler, Franco, Stalin, Khomeini Civil War and Freemasonry -- dress up, drum rolls, bugle calls -- real issues Benjamin B. French diary about Freemasonry How to use your computer -- basics, letters, budget, email How to use a library Civil disobedience, opposing immoral laws -- Masonry -- Anderson's Constitutions Landmarks -- real ones Brotherhood -- black speakers Masons on both sides in the American revolution -- debate between supporting the government and rebelling Antimasonry -- Morgan affair -- how should it have been handled? Balloting -- philosophical questions Grand Orient of France -- who has the right answer about religion in Freemasonry? Visit battlefields, other places, talk about role of Masons there U.S. Capitol and Freemasonry What's on Masonic web pages, listservs, chats on computers Holocaust and Freemasonry -- Issues, what happened? Grand Masters' authority -- What is it and what should it be? What is unmasonic conduct -- sexual issues, liquor, racist jokes, criticisms of Grand Lodge? Meaning of aprons Freemasonry in Star Wars, Star Trek, other science fiction Hiram Key, Born in Blood, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, The Temple and the Lodge Meanings of the Hiram Abif legend How to revitalize Masonry Take trips, but only with some Masonic connection Joint meetings with other lodges, but only with programs relating to learning about Freemasonry Festive boards U.K. Parliament debate and plans for Freemasonry in Britain P-2 Lodge in Italy -- allegations about the death of Pope John Paul I Ancients and Moderns -- What differences? Who was right? England and the Stuart Kings, and development of Freemasonry Scottish Rite and York Rite -- what do they teach, how relate to Craft Lodges? Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry -- similarities and differences What is the U.S. as a country? What is Freemasonry? What are the ideals of both? Nastiness, attacks behind backs, gossip, negative comments, spreading rumors -- How to stop them in Freemasonry? Masonic trials, suspensions without trials -- How do we do this, why, what are our goals? What do statistics about Masonry show us? Why is Freemasonry growing in France? What are they doing that we're not doing? Three year program on famous philosophers and Freemasonry Does ritual serve a purpose? Should we get rid of it? Should we eliminate lectures? What are our goals? Race relations and Freemasonry Jingoism, super patriotism -- Should we have programs that promote this? KKK, Albert Pike allegations, and Freemasonry Promise Keepers -- what are they doing, why successful? Similarities to Freemasonry's goals Secrecy in Freemasonry -- what purpose is served, good or bad? |
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