Quote:
| Originally Posted by BrAPeterson
The purpose of only a single negative vote being the deciding one is to maintain HARMONY. Suppose the ordinary white heterosexual christian man petitions the lodge. On voting a Brother recognises the mans name and knows that he can not sit in lodge peacefully with this man for what ever reason. Should this Brother be expected to leave because of this?
Absolutely not! he has every right to cast a negative vote to maintain the harmony, without discussion, without justification, and without condemnation.
|
Interesting Bro. Peterson this is different in my lodge. In my lodge it takes two votes to not accept a petition, as I found out personally. I saw a petition come in and found out when I asked in open lodge, that the 3 masons on the investigating committee consisted of his father and two uncles. I felt this was not fair and given other circumstances, needed to end. I cast a no vote and when the ballots were tabulated and my vote was seen the voting had to go again. I was told in the second round that if there was only 1 vote against him he would pass but if there were two then his petition would be rejected. The second round there was two and his petition was not accepted. The following week a new committee, which did not consist of family members, was formed and his petition resubmitted in a couple of weeks, this time we passed him.