For Building Social Capital, There’s No Place Like Lodge
Groups like the Masons offer a way to strengthen community, combat loneliness, fight polarization, and maybe even save democracy.
With Freemasonry expanding to new jurisdictions, it can be tricky to remember what one can – and can’t – share. How does one navigate conversations?
Masons in California may discuss the principles, philosophies, and purposes of Freemasonry with Masons of rites and jurisdictions not recognized by the Grand Lodge of California. California Masons may not discuss the portions of the ritual that are in cypher, nor is intervisitation permissible.
CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS FOR A PERSONAL AND MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION:
- Why are you a Mason and what drew you
to membership? - What speaks to you most as a Mason?
- What in yourself are you seeking to improve?
- What are you hoping to give back to the organization? Your community?
HERE’S WHAT’S OFF LIMITS:
- Discussing the portions of the ritual that are
in cypher - Visiting tiled meetings of lodges not recognized by the Grand Lodge of California
The rules of engagement are simple, and you might find that members of other jurisdictions have an understanding of Masonry that is deeper, and more thoughtful, than the average member of the public. In fact, you might find that there is less that you can’t talk about, than what you can.
More from this issue:
In ‘Join or Die,’ a Powerful Case for Group Think
The new documentary Join or Die revisits a seminal text of contemporary social theory—and makes a powerful case for connection.
At a Masonic Funeral, Belonging to the Beyond
The Masonic funeral rite unites Masons and their loved ones in a shared community of symbolism and fraternity.