A good read, with interesting points and images. I'm looking at it in the context of aiding a distressed brother or sister. I'm asking myself if the points made provide the reason for the perceived breaking of oaths when - even in Freemasonry - helping a brother or sister out doesn't always occur, and the dashing of expectations causes one to view the other as being unfaithful to their vow of brotherhood and the welfare of others. Maybe there is no longer a question of a vow being broken and of judging the brother or sister who is supposed to have fallen short, in this Aeon. Is it the case that the individual is now their own support system and there isn't the same interdependence and sense of obligation as before, as a natural progression from the old? Or is helping a brother or sister out just the consequence of Wills being aligned magically at the right time rather than a performative obligation that is to be fulfilled? I hope I'm expressing it properly!
Apologies. The story of my life! "On the subject of obligation, could we say that failure to help a distressed brother or sister out may not actually be judged as a failure of duty, but just that an individual's will wasn't compelled at that particular time to act?" Just trying to balance brotherhood with individual Will.
Lawrence, you are conflating personal will with True/Pure Will. The former is a matter of decisions like the one you are pondering, the latter is beyond doubt and hesitation.
I always find it funny how you and I are on similar wavelengths. I have a piece I'm working on called 'Tree Meet Forest' over this very theme ... LOL! It won't be ready for months, of course. But you always beat me to the punch. :D Great thoughts here. I love it!
But we have to work to move past these archaic, stratified, and fossilized models of performative/spectator fraternities. They may have (did) work in an industrial society of backroom, handshake contracts, gentleman deals, and honor by virtue of having the same ring and oath, but today it takes more than that. Our individualized and fractured society—not to even mention the "new aeon" at all—demands new forms of religion, philosophy, politics, and the systems to support all those while still acknowledging that we are social creatures that cannot exist apart from the need for communal structures.
We are each a tree, individually, on our own. We exist as part of a larger forest. Our root systems are all entangled, whether any of us like to acknowledge that or not. It's best we find a way to stand on our own while working to ensure the best survival for the forest-at-large—and for all the creatures that utilize that forest for their survival as well.
I think I only beat you in timing because I essentially took Substack as a brain dump space. The reason why I moved her from YouTube (despite YouTube still being the place to be, if you can manage its needs) is that I could never be happy with my videos. Perfection being the enemy of good all the time.
Here, I just drop my thoughts with minimal editing when I feel they reached a "good enough" state.
A good read, with interesting points and images. I'm looking at it in the context of aiding a distressed brother or sister. I'm asking myself if the points made provide the reason for the perceived breaking of oaths when - even in Freemasonry - helping a brother or sister out doesn't always occur, and the dashing of expectations causes one to view the other as being unfaithful to their vow of brotherhood and the welfare of others. Maybe there is no longer a question of a vow being broken and of judging the brother or sister who is supposed to have fallen short, in this Aeon. Is it the case that the individual is now their own support system and there isn't the same interdependence and sense of obligation as before, as a natural progression from the old? Or is helping a brother or sister out just the consequence of Wills being aligned magically at the right time rather than a performative obligation that is to be fulfilled? I hope I'm expressing it properly!
Can you sum up your question to a single sentence?
Apologies. The story of my life! "On the subject of obligation, could we say that failure to help a distressed brother or sister out may not actually be judged as a failure of duty, but just that an individual's will wasn't compelled at that particular time to act?" Just trying to balance brotherhood with individual Will.
Lawrence, you are conflating personal will with True/Pure Will. The former is a matter of decisions like the one you are pondering, the latter is beyond doubt and hesitation.
Thank you. I'll reread and re-digest it with this in mind.
I always find it funny how you and I are on similar wavelengths. I have a piece I'm working on called 'Tree Meet Forest' over this very theme ... LOL! It won't be ready for months, of course. But you always beat me to the punch. :D Great thoughts here. I love it!
But we have to work to move past these archaic, stratified, and fossilized models of performative/spectator fraternities. They may have (did) work in an industrial society of backroom, handshake contracts, gentleman deals, and honor by virtue of having the same ring and oath, but today it takes more than that. Our individualized and fractured society—not to even mention the "new aeon" at all—demands new forms of religion, philosophy, politics, and the systems to support all those while still acknowledging that we are social creatures that cannot exist apart from the need for communal structures.
We are each a tree, individually, on our own. We exist as part of a larger forest. Our root systems are all entangled, whether any of us like to acknowledge that or not. It's best we find a way to stand on our own while working to ensure the best survival for the forest-at-large—and for all the creatures that utilize that forest for their survival as well.
I think I only beat you in timing because I essentially took Substack as a brain dump space. The reason why I moved her from YouTube (despite YouTube still being the place to be, if you can manage its needs) is that I could never be happy with my videos. Perfection being the enemy of good all the time.
Here, I just drop my thoughts with minimal editing when I feel they reached a "good enough" state.