Should Freemasonry be "Inclusive"
As Freemasons, we often find ourselves at the crossroads of tradition and modernity.
One pertinent topic in our lodges and discussions is the idea of inclusivity, particularly in the context of 2024's societal trends.
Today, we delve into why Freemasonry, must uphold its core values, and avoid at all costs the modern interpretation of inclusivity and its potential impacts on our esteemed institution.
We, as Masons, have always always beleived and pracited accepting of Good Men who believe in a Supreme Being, looking beyond any external differences, focusing instead on the internal qualities of a man.
Our ceremonies and teachings consistently reinforce this practice, and direct us to unite us under common virtues and values as one body - Freemasons.
The introduction of any notion of external inclusivity will shift our focus, resulting in creating a divide where none ever existed.
This shift not only contradicts our long-standing principles but also redefines the clear understanding of what it truly means to be a Freemason.
The concept of inclusivity, while noble in many contexts, but it poses a unique challenge for Freemasonry.
Our path is one of self-improvement, moral development, and rigorous personal challenge.
Being a Mason is all about the personal journey from the rough ashlar to the perfect ashlar. To transform the stone from rough and unshapen to perfect, you must be selective. Selective of where you strike the stone, removing the supurflous.
The notion of inclusivity leads to easing these paths, which diluting the profound journey that each Mason undertakes. Removing its value, removing its meaning and removing its importance.
Dilution of Freemasonry not only harms the individual Mason's experience but also potentially weaken the collective strength and unity of our fraternity.
What sets Freemasonry apart from any other philosophy, education, organisation or instutution of man is the transformative experience it delivers to Masons as they earn through merit their progress.
This transformation is born out of challenges that push our boundaries, enabling us to grow beyond what we once thought possible.
Proposing a toast, learning a charge, being a deacon, taking office, working with brethren to achieve a common goal. These are all the challenges that stretch us, helping us learn & grow, making us better men in the process.
By making Freemasonry 'easy' or overly accessible - “inclusive for all”, we remove this critical aspect of our journey. The value, fulfillment, and sense of purpose derived from overcoming these challenges are what bind us and give meaning to our Masonic lives.
That sense of satisfaction when you deliver a charge you spent months learning is unmatched and incomprable to just reading it out of the book without any effort.
Freemasonry has never been about loud statements of inclusivity or adopting one social trend after another.
Our strength has always been in our actions, the integrity of us as Masons, and the impact we have on our communities.
By maintaining our focus on the internal qualities and the transformative journey, we continue to uphold the true spirit of Freemasonry – one that is felt and experienced rather than merely spoken about.
We don’t need to say we are inclusive to all who share the same beliefs as us. This just reinforces and highlights those external differences. Society and Politics in our modern life want to label us with each and every difference you have. These divide us. Freemasonry unites us all by one identity.
As Freemasons, we must navigate the changing tides of societal norms while steadfastly holding onto our core principles.
It's crucial that we never take our eyes off promoting internal qualities of a man, maintaining the rigorous journey of self-improvement that defines us, and allowing our actions to demonstrate the true universality of Freemasonry.
We have lasted since timeimmorial, we do not need to adopt a new approach, rather focus on applying the lessons of the craft in our daily life. This approach ensures that our fraternity remains strong, united, and true to its timeless principles in an ever-evolving world, and will be there for another 1,000 years remaining as Freemasonry.