10/18/2024
Ryan Flynn, who is a prolific Masonic Artist many of you may be familiar with just posted an interesting piece on his page. His concern is a lot of states are doing one day classes, but even deeper than that, he discusses his view on why men are stepping away from Masonry. I’ll post below his response and I challenge you to read it. Sit with it. And finally share your thoughts.
I’ll also post the one day class poster that spawned his thoughts and some of his brilliant work you may be interested in.
Ryan Flynn:
I just did a presentation about this I called "The membership problem" in which I told a bunch of masons why I am not active anymore, and what I hear from other masons who are not active at all.
Grand Lodges are in complete denial as to why men leave. They think it is a time commitment issue (Which it is for officers because of all the BS, meaningless bureaucracy that serves no purpose other than celebrating titles and egos, the very thing our degrees tell us to not care about)
From discussions with other influential masons who have slowly walked away, their reasons were:
1. Because of the endless, meaningless bureaucracy, if you have any inclination to help, or participate in leading a lodge, you will have to choose Masonry over family life. (unless you drag them in too). And when you choose family, they judge you for it.
I can't tell you how many "visitations" and "LOIs" I've been to that are 100% a waste of time, with presentations always focused on "how YOU need to do more" rather than "tell us where we are failing." I have never heard a grand lodge ask that question. And furthermore, with the title worshipers, I doubt many people would answer truthfully.
2. It's pointless most of the time. We have grown to lie to ourselves so much that we actually believe that the only place where "true" brotherhood exists is in a lodge, when in fact it exists pretty much everywhere where good men gather. A lodge meeting where nothing is discussed, or there is more drama than meaning, is 100% a waste of time. That doesn't necessarily mean more education, it means more MEANING.
3. It's not special anymore. Crap rituals (if any), backstabbing, lack of leadership, massive egos, too many lodges with their buildings falling apart, and letting anyone in with a pulse. Replacing degrees with watching videos. Yea... we're special.
Clearly One Day classes will fix this.
