Νάρκισσος

Most men who rise to positions of power and leadership in the Masonic fraternity suffer from untreated personality disorders. The consistent failure on their part to address truthful issues, backed up by undisputed facts about the fraternity, coupled with their ability to ignore obvious issues of injustice and amoral conduct is troubling. However, it's also very telling about the real nature of the fraternity and its inability to live up to its promises and propaganda. Don't believe the hype or the propaganda. It's all lies, compounded upon lies. Its ideas are true and virtuous--but in practice, we've fallen too far from our stated beliefs for rational minds to believe that we still are about those wonderful virtues.

I'm afraid that these men will cover up anything that jeopardizes their turf and positions of meaningless power--even if it means ignoring issues, distorting facts, or outright lying. This has been my experience with more than one prominent Masonic leader to whom I've brought bright-line ethical and moral issues. They will also defame you personally behind your back and make up stories to tell others. It's also very funny how quickly our 'Brothers' will believe such lies without even making the most basic inquiry with the defamed person.

Continue to be a true holder of the Light and follow the path. 

Remember: in Plato's 'Allegory of the Cave', the one person brought to Light and freed from his chains finds that he's very lonely. That's our fate. Most of these people are drunk on power or dazzled by rainbows.

Sun Tzu says you only take the field of battle if you have the assets to win. Don Quixote says otherwise.

I've fought my share of battles in both spectra. My Brothers, don't concern yourself with these Masonic clusterfucks since it is mostly a fool's errand. Enjoy your family, enjoy reading a good book, enjoy your friends, and enjoy life.

Fortitude? How many Masonic leaders have it? You tell me! I've fought the good fight with fortitude and courage. However, too many times, I've been left standing alone every single time--even when I've asked for direct support from our leaders. There is a specific personality type that rises to positions of leadership in our fraternity. I'll let you define it.

The evidence doesn't matter--and neither does the fight when you don't have a forum or peers whereby you can address and discuss issues of Justice. All Masonic issues are ignored and swept under the rug; that's a consistent pattern in the fraternity as well as in religious and esoteric organizations. 

Here's the usual scenario if you make complaints: emails reporting misconduct will go unanswered. If a response is given, the seminal questions and facts will be ignored. Direct evidence will be ignored. Quite often, defamation is substituted behind your back to redirect the issues away from the facts with ad hominem attacks against the whistle-blower. 

Why? There are far too many persons who have an economic interest in the order and they won't let anyone or any issue jeopardize their share of those profits. The same applies to those who have vested positions of leadership and/or Masonic honors--they have too many years invested in the fraternity to jeopardize those honors by pursuing issues of Justice or morality. 

This is why there can't be a critical debate on any Masonic forum for any legitimate negative issue that arises in the fraternity. We also have far too many non-thinking 'Yes-men' and apologists who will rationalize away any legitimate issue raised.

In the end, if you enjoy the fraternity, then enjoy it. If it isn't what you thought or what was promised to you, then spend your time doing something else.