D. W. Brown

Is the Grand Orient de France really progressive? Maybe not as much as we thought, because if you attended this years conference you would have seen 60% of the 1,200 Masons in attendance vote to keep women out of GOdF lodges. The vote was brought before the conference of Brothers by out-going Grand Master Jean-Michel Quillardet, a very progressive Mason.

Lodges within the GOdF this year raised women as Masons against the wishes of the GOdf and since the vote was ratified, they have since been suspended pending appeals. Let's all hope for next years conference to finally see the demise of these last veils of separatism.

European Grand Orients are not alone in the separatism of genders, the Grand Orient USA also holds to this belief. As with racism in U. S. mainstream lodges it is only a matter of time before we finally show the leadership once bestowed upon us and do the right thing and tear down these barriers between what we hold so dear, HUMANS.

MoNs00n

Yes i agree
I must say that you have a very broad mind.
I really enjoy reading your posts.
On the lighter side of the issue here
I don't see myself wearing a RED HAT when I hit the fifty mark lol.

D. W. Brown

Not sure what you mean by the broad mind but I'll take it as a compliment .. As with blacks I think women should be allowed to join as well. After all can they not vote now too? Don't they contribute to society as much as men?

Someone please give me a good reason, a legitimate one, why women should not be allowed to join and I don't want to hear anything about tradition. We seem to be throwing tradition out the window these days and rightfully so.

__________________
Dale Brown, 3° (apostatised my 32°)
TBL Staff

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society
Regulus Lodge | Sirius Lodge | Emeth Lodge | Euclid Lodge

MoNs00n

Yes it is a compliment :-)
As far as all races being able to join I see No reason why not to.
The color of skin does not make you smarter, braver, stronger or better then any other man. Most all rules/ laws are revised from time to time to better fit the times at which we live in and as long as it does not effect the way of life of a good person then so be it.
I would never shy away for calling a black man my good friend do to his color nor would I expect him to do so to me. A good person is a good person no ifs ands or buts.
As far as women Ill have to think about that a little more.

David Herman

Dale, do a little research on the psychology of same-sex groups versus mixed-sex groups.

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http://morelight.org

Jayman

I'm with you Bro. Dale.


I think that the founding principles of Masonry apply to both sexes (BL, R, T)

Psi Brr

I agree with the notion of research. While I am unable to quote my sources, I hope you all will indulge my assertions from the scholarly psychological research I have read. The goal of the research was to understand what the physiological differences were between the genders, why the two process information differently, and why same-gender schools produce better students (not robots, but scholars). Psychology is a lay-interest of mine, so this element of the topic certainly got my attention.

I most assuredly support the notion of admitting both genders, and I have a sense of the work it will entail to be completely inclusive and make the new system work. I also believe it will become dysfunctional if the proper groundwork is not laid to develop a solid understanding of how both genders process information and intention.

What a wonderful evolutionary leap forward it will be when freemasons work to successfully close that divide.

The humanity of it all...

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Bob Hunter
"When elephants fight, the grass suffers.” - African proverb

chgregory

My Brothers,

I recently had the occassion to sit down with a lady mason (co-mason) to speak of her husbands petition to join our fraternity.

I asked her why he did not choose to be a co-mason and be with her. Her response surprised me. She said "My husband needs some time to be a man with other men. His work has no such outlet, and I feel he lacks that brotherhood and friendship he needs to grow in his own right. His response was that he felt more the need for brotherhood and he had a great relationship with his wife.

My humble opinion has always been that we should have both men and women in our organization. After listening to these two talk about the value of a place where men can work with other men to imporve themselves, I am no longer certain that we should have a coed group. I think we might have some event which are mixed, but should hold some time for the "guys" alone.

S&F,

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Cliff Gregory, 32

Psi Brr

I completely understand your thoughts. I suppose it will come down to what path the organization on the whole wants take. Should it choose a co-ed path, there is, in my mind, much work to be done to make the transition a success.

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Bob Hunter
"When elephants fight, the grass suffers.” - African proverb

The Seeker

Bro. Gregory,

I am in agreement with you on this. While I believe that all of humanity would benefit from the 3 main tenants of Freemasonry (brotherly love, truth and relief), I feel that there should be a sanctuary where like minded men can work together to improve themselves. I have no problem with female Masons doing the exact same degree work in a feminine lodge nor do I have a problem with those that choose co-masonry. However, the Craft is something I don't want to share with my fiance.

Don't get me wrong, I love my lady dearly and we share almost everything, but I need a place where I can "be a man" and fellowship with other men. I wouldn't have a problem voting to recognize female or Co-masons, I just wouldn't want my lodge to go Co-masonic.

Like you, I have no problem having events or fellowship dinners with female or co-masons, I would just prefer to have my lodge remain "men only".

Travel Light,

Pat O'Brien