Discussion in 'The Voting Booth' started by Blake Bowden, Aug 9, 2009.
Should the Grand Lodge of Texas publish an "Official" Codebook?
In no way should they.
Something has been rattling around in my head since I posted my single word response that I think needs saying.
It is amazing to me that in an era where we have the best educated people; more access to information; and the whole volume of knowledge expands at a pace never before imagined AND we have a society that has an extremely low illiteracy rate AND more free time (time not spent trying to provide food, shelter, clothing) than ever before it is somehow the right time to break tradition and write down what has never been written.
We all joined the fraternity with the knowledge that the work was not written. We understood it never was to be written. We agreed to it and now some want to change it.
Why would anyone want to change the basis of the thing that makes the thing the thing that you voluntarily joined knowing the restrictions?
if you need the crutch, use it. if you don't, then don't.
Wow, why are so many of you against an official codebook? I think it's a better idea than having a 3rd party publish one with errors. Plus it would provide a little revenue to the GLofTX.
I agree with Wingnut. An official book would put the committee on work out of business. We have managed pretty well all these years.
Inlays the reason it was approved to have code books b/c their is none and GL will never make one so nothing has really changed except the fact no one can bring charges on a MM for having this blue book we call a code book. I have nothing aginst Gl printing an offical copy and think that if they made this law then they should make the book to go with it, but I personal feel it was not the right time to propose this law as it was another way to water down Masonry and make it easier as opposed to making it legal for real usage and everbody wants to draw lines and fight about it. I liked the way it was before where everybody had one at home and it was illegal all together so no one talked about it especially as a problem.
Well don't think it would be that easy to put the Committee on "Hope & Change" out of work.. ! they would still dream up something new and expect it to added to the test for the new Worshipful Masters.. ?
All the ones' I have know have been very dedicated masons and worked very hard to get the work correct.. ! but a couple have decided that thats all there is to Masonary is the work.. ?
Of course I have express myself.. ! and have had a certificate for a lot of years.. ! in most cases they just address me as the old fogie in the corner..? which gives me a lot of pride that they still understand there was masonary before they joined..?
PS: think the code books are a good tool.. anything to help them with their work.. !
An official book would put the committee on work out of business.
Would that be a bad thing? During many practice nights I've heard "I checked with the Committee on work and they say to do it THIS way", at the same time another member says "no, I checked with them and they told me I'm doing it correctly".
I may be wrong, but aren't there a few GL's that publish their own codebooks?
Many lodges I know of give a monitor to all new EAs. I had to buy mine and my law book.
Many lodges I know of give a monitor to all new EAs.
We give Monitors to our newly-raised MM's. Why would you give one to an EA?
We also give a law book to each new JW per GL law. They're free to the Lodge.
Correct GL will send the new JW a codebook via the lodge or you can pick it up. I can see why some would object to giving a monitor to an EA since he has some of the other degrees in it. I personally dont mind, but I didnt get one till I was raised. BTW a tradition at one of my lodges is that the newly raised MM's instructor buys his monitor for him and signs it. Mine did it for me, his for him, and I have for the ones I trained.
Why wouldn't you give an EA a monitor?
Uh, because of the sections covering the FC & MM degrees? Things they need not concern themselves with?
They have no need of the glossary if they are properly instructed. Their instructors are supposed to explain what the words they are learning mean if necessary, just as they are supposed to explain the lessons contained within the memory work.
Sure hope you meant a "law book"!