The ethos of
the US State of Maine holds that those who've only been there for
merely three or
four
(or ten!) generations are not "REAL Mainers" or, as Maine Comedian Tim Sample has
observed in his Downeast twang,
"Just because a cat crawls into the stove and has kittens, it doesn't mean
that they're biscuits!"
| November 26, 2007 -
You wake up to something new every day! It seems like just yesterday - well, it WAS just yesterday, really - that we were watching the antics of the so-called United Grand Lodge of America. Now they've morphed into something else: the Grand Orient of the United States of America Accepted Free-Masons. Want to learn more? Well, you can begin your journey with the page on their <2 year predecessor, the UGLA and then return here for our flash summary. January 31, 2008 - But then again, you might not want to bother. After all, this group which alludes to being young and vigorous can't even find the time to update their website every month while "ancient" Masons in "ancient" Grand Lodges (their phraseology, not ours!) can accomplish not only that but SO much more. It is to laugh.... |
A
website can make things sound ooooowwwww so appealing. And so, taking the
same graphics created for the group he started less than two years ago in another fit of
pique and apparent rage, we now find this new organization
sure to appeal to any lover of
humanity. Of course, that wording has been created to obfuscate the truth behind
it all. Before you go further on this site, though, you might
want to look at the shenanigans involving the several groups from which this
group evolved and which is 'run' by the very same people.
Click here and a new page will open with
information about the United Grand Lodge of America - that group that was
garnering all sorts of new members (so they claimed) and hardly two years later
had morphed into this bunch.
Here are the facts:
It's sad that, yet again, the web is being used as a tool of vengeance since that's all this really is. A couple of people who couldn't seem to get along in regular/recognized Freemasonry are now out to prove that they have created something (after several tries, it would seem) that's better than the 300 year old organization they seek to supplant. We will, however, directly address the claims made by those from GOOFUS:
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Their website has claimed a continuation of the "Masonic traditions begun by brothers such as Benjamin Franklin and the Marquis De Lafayette." WHAT Masonic traditions? Perhaps they'll elaborate at some point since there appears to be no supporting literature to date which lets inquiring minds (and more especially, Masonic scholars) know just which Masonic traditions these esteemed Brothers are supposed to have begun. In fact, were we to compare ourselves with either/both of these Famous Masons, we believe that we could find FAR more similarities between ourselves including military service at a young age (Lafayette), editing a newspaper (starting in high school and continuing through college), and in particular following the footsteps of Ben Franklin who was vigorous in exposing imposters to Freemasonry, something he decried in his newspaper even before he himself was a member of the organization. |
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While they claim that "Our lineage can be traced back through the Grand Orient of France to the original speculative Grand Lodge of London that was established in 1717.", this claim is simply absurd. Their 'lineage' comes from the machinations of one individual and is just one in a long series of self-aggrandizing groups he's built, mostly with internet websites and phantom members. In multiple online venues, claims have been made that this group is now 'recognized' by a group that was de-recognized as regular Freemasonry over a century ago. (See below for more information and commentary on this.) |
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There are two references to "several lodges", both extraordinarily misleading and, we believe, fraudulent. In the fist instance, there were - as you can see documented on our page for the predecessor United Grand Lodge of America - as far as could be determined at most TWO so-called lodges that formed their club. One in Alabama which soon became independent of them (and probably has at best 3-4 members - See our page titled It's the Vulcans!) and another that seemed to consist of the organizer and a small coterie of chums meeting at a local Starbucks coffee shop. The second reference to "several lodges" presumably refers to Halcyon Lodge in Cleveland, Ohio which recently and precipitously determined that they were better and brighter than the Grand Lodge of Ohio and proceeded to transfer their charity funds out of the Grand Lodge's control and, ostensibly, turn in their charter. Events in Halcyon are playing out and we'll report on that here soon. It appears that the founder of the Grand Orient and these many other bodies was instrumental in being the Pied Piper to lead Halcyon to the precipice of their downfall - and that they are likely the FIRST of the Grand Orient members. Meanwhile, a second "lodge" supposedly in Michigan has announced their being. It would not surprise us, however, if this were more internet smoke and mirrors. Use of the term 'SEVERAL', in either case, only seems to apply if you want to play make-believe or if you believe two and a coffee-klatch at Starbucks is 'several'. |
When we're wrong, we're wrong: on December 10, 2007 we found that there's really a (sorta) lodge #7! Sirius Lodge which was once supposedly under the United Grand Lodge of America (way back in 2006) and before that was actually the Rose Croix Cross of Gold (but that was AGES ago, back in 2005!). No telling what it will be in 2009 and no word, of course, on all of the others - and now there's a smoke screen being developed to try and co-mingle the five (some apparently not operating) lodges of the co-Masonic George Washington Union into the count. It's easy to do with the creation of a little HTML by the person behind all of these fantasy groups. Simply grab one of your old domain names and - TA DA! - more web presence for something that seems to exist only in the minds of the very, very gullible.
But were we wrong? Well, MAYBE you might call three "several" but the truth is that we just aren't as facile in our imagination as the sole creator of these things. <chuckle>
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"Together, these two systems represent the most liberal and progressive form of Freemasonry in America, which is open to all people regardless of race, creed, or sex." Sounds great, doesn't it? Of course, if you blink, you may find that the founder has yet more and different ideas just as those many/few lodges under the United Grand Lodge of America did. Where are they now? Alas... Abandoned because they wouldn't play the game that the founder wanted to play. |
| "Our aim is the brotherhood of all humanity through a universal chain of union extending around the globe. If you are already with us in spirit then you are welcome to join with us in Masonic lodges throughout the world." You can do this by giving your personal information to someone at the other end of an anonymous e-mail! And, we hasten to add, that so-called universal chain is HARDLY universal. |
Much is also being made about making of women Masons and although we've written about this previously, the groups we mention on our website page are long-established. GOOFUS, created today and perhaps gone tomorrow, would be a MUCH more risky proposition if a woman were to join. You can use your imagination as to the potential problems....
Oh, and wait....
Like to have a good chat about politics? What about going off in your Masonic apron to picket the visit by the Pope, for example or having a rally in all of your finery to protest a certain electoral candidate? Are you ok with that? Oh, and that religious context that you thought Masons said was so important? FORGET IT!
Within hours, one sock puppet on a blog wrote "What exactly has your Masonry done to defend human rights rights recently? What has it done to promote religious tolerance recently?" The same, obviously, could be asked of this group. Railing against others for not having done something that has yet to be done by you is disingenuous at best.
And the real answer is - from a regular/recognized Freemasonic standpoint - frankly, NOTHING because that is not the work of Freemasonry no matter how righteous it sounds. Freemasonry - the REAL kind - does not take partisan positions in religion or politics. It has been ably noted by all thinkers that, in most cases, defending one person's human rights may rightfully deny another of them. From a strictly rhetorical standpoint, it makes great theatre to claim that this new organization will do that. We should not quickly forget, though, that claims of such lofty accomplishments by a group that was barely 24 hours old when they were made are, to say the least, premature. Then, of course, there's that hyperbole that has become so standard in all of the groups formed by this one individual: can we remember back just a couple of years ago when it was claimed that one of their predecessor groups was going to help the youth of America by supporting DeMolay - except that they LIED!
By its very existence, Freemasonry (the regular/recognized kind) practices religious tolerance and thus stands as a beacon to it rather than as an activist in a partisan campaign whereby you might find yourself on the 'wrong side of the tracks' as arguments flair over which religion should be supported over which other.
In the Grand Orient of France, there's no Bible and nothing whatsoever to do with prayers. Secular humanism - or whatever brand of agnosticism you wish - is what you'll find there...and now, being touted as a 'better kind' of Freemasonry than the one that has existed for some 300 years teaching that faith, hope and charity are essential to a man's life and character. Yes, there are those little problematic things that aren't mentioned on their website. Frankly, we think it's like ordering a rib-eye steak and being told that the tofu placed in front of you is really what you wanted. (And no, we don't have anything against tofu.... well, maybe but that was just an example!....)
And let's not forget - as one chat room moderator has already commented: "Can someone explain how honourable men of integrity last year believed that a recognition of a supreme being was a landmark and that non inclusion of females was another landmark, have this year completely reversed those held and sworn views?"
Let's add one other very important point:
So far, the organizations started by the person who started this one have had the half life of a fruit fly. Do you have ANY reason to believe that this will be any different? In truth, all you're going to see are pseudonyms and claims: never pictures nor any kind of proof whatsoever that this is anything more than just another personal aggrandizement - a website created for what can charitably be referred to as 'smoke and mirrors'.
Self-Identification:
Barely 24 hours after their start, ONE individual identified himself publicly as being a member: Brad Cofield of California. Mr. Cofield, if our memory serves, had during 2006 received two of the necessary three degrees in regular/recognized Freemasonry when his progress was halted due to a 'conflict'. From his perspective, he was the victim (of course) of a series of events in which he was endeavoring to serve and help while others found his actions to be.... disingenuous. From the perspective of his lodge, he was disruptive, abrasive, and they had seen enough of him to know that he shouldn't be allowed to proceed and become a Master Mason. We found it intriguing that within 24 hours of the GOFUS formation, a person some 3,000 miles away from where their claimed lodge supposedly existed somehow managed to become a member AND RECEIVE A DEGREE. Mr. Cofield, after previously having been banned from several online forums, returned to tout his membership and the great works of this group (formed just day earlier, remember). With him as a self-appointed pitchman, you'll get a very clear picture of whom you'll wind up associating with should you choose to jump in the deep end of the pool with these folks. It's curious too that NO ONE from this supposedly active group comprised of so many young, technically savvy individuals didn't challenge Mr. Cofield's claims in any way.
A Brad update: WOW! We were advised by another Mason to 'Google' Mr. Cofield and what we found was pretty darn scary. Give it a try yourself and you'll see! In addition, one of the various forums changed their rules regarding online behavior (primarily to avoid the type of conflicts Brad was causing) and he had in response, to put it mildly, a total meltdown.
| I do not see
this "new rule" as anything but lip service. Those that attack will be
allowed to still do so. The recent events have left me emotionally
drained, physically sick and my "real life" impacted. I have not slept
in four days and I am having a hard time eating. I cannot work and I am
on the verge of emoptional
<sic> collapse. Something that was so positive and my enthusiasm for this IMHO wonderful event was turned and spun into something very nasty by some very active and evil people. I have found that these people who act more of the swine in filth then men have nothing but time and more time to stalk me in an attempt to make my life pure hell. They have succeeded. This is officially my last post on any "masonic" forum. I have just had enough, I literaly <sic> cannot take anymore. I have to say in all sincerity if I would have known that "Masons" would have spoke lofty words in a lodge and acted like internet thugs and emotional abusers outside the lodge I never would have bothered. I have come out far worse for the experiance. <sic> Brad Pasted from <http://staffs.proboards37.com/index.cgi?board=General&action=display&thread=1196940932> |
What's particularly sad is that this individual who has attended TWO (only) "real" Masonic Lodge meetings - and the group that he was trying to support really seems to only exist in the mind of its creator. This rant shown above is not at all unlike ones he'd posted about his (former) Lodge brothers who had stopped him from becoming a Master Mason, finding him unfit for it. For Brad, it seems, every bad situation is of someone else's making but this is also a typical behavioral trait of those few who have so easily succumbed to the Pied Piper who recruits for his never-ending metamorphosis of pseudo-Masonic organizations. There's more about Brad and his claims here.
Their Affiliations....
When you first read that they have 'fraternal relations' with the Grand Orient of France and the George Washington Union of Freemasons in North America (although often coyly phrased as if they might not want to publicize it too widely and actually have one or both of those organizations officially deny it), it sounds pretty impressive even if the latter of the two bodies is something you think was somehow another branch of Prince Hall Freemasonry or whatever. You'd be surprised how deceiving that all is though.
The Grand Orient of France has a long history indeed. Because of France's proximity to England, Freemasonry arrived there very shortly after the formation of the first Grand Lodge in England in 1717. While originally very democratic in terms of membership (as documented by Professor Margaret C. Jacob in her seminal work in this area), it soon became the playground for French nobility with the common man being forced from the scene nearly completely. Records of histories are either absent or contradictory and anyone who claims full and complete understanding of the many issues of French Freemasonry's first century is a pretender. Suffice it to say that in 1877, the Grand Orient decided that freedom of conscience meant that a lodge should not have to ask whether a person held a belief in God. Thus atheists, agnostics, and basically anyone could join if they said they felt they could lead a good life. This flew in the face of western beliefs that having faith in God (regardless of how defined) was a crucial element to keeping one's bond. There followed also acceptance of policies which allowed inter-visitation with mixed gender lodges etc. which is FAR different from the esoteric-initiatic path that the founder of GOOFUS seems to hawk. This affiliation - if, in fact, it's anything more than a lie - comes at a time when the Grand Orient of France has been embroiled in some heated political matters in France and when many non-recognized groups are making moves to position themselves as being 'strong by association'. Perhaps they don't realize that the Grand Orient of the United States of America will only add a handful (if that) of members to their stable - or perhaps their name is being used without their permission!
And while we've always tried to be non-political here at masonicinfo.com, are there really big groups of Americans thinking that the French way of doing things is a great example to adopt? Now we mean NO disrespect here whatsoever and we're not like the crazy US congress-critters who wanted to ban the 'French Fry' a few years ago. However, we just don't quite see the synchronicity that would make this attractive. Why would young, ostensibly upward-mobile, American males - regardless of their ancestry - want to look to France for guidance in the way to run an organization? Or to look for the French for their approval, regardless of how wonderful they might feel the French Revolution was a couple of centuries ago? Perhaps they find the very political stances which the GOF takes to be attractive and they too want to use Freemasonry for political clout in pursuing their own goals. Perhaps it's the lack of any religious base in French Grand Orient Freemasonry that they now find attractive (or convenient). We think, though, that most men who come to regular/recognized Freemasonry would, when there's a comparison between the policies of the GOF and regular/recognized Grand Lodges would nearly always choose the later.
And, as stated above, we fail to see any announcement whatsoever from the GOdF that they've made any agreement of any kind with the newly created "Grand Orient of the United States". More obfuscation or just French laxity? We'll eventually see....
The George Washington Union was formed some thirty years ago. Pretty impressive, you're thinking: they're still going strong so what's the problem? Well, while it was formed thirty years ago, there are only FIVE (count 'em) lodges in their whole stable. They are as follows: Franklin Roosevelt - Chicago (which doesn't seem to be meeting and there's no information on their web page), Golden journey - San francisco, Liberty - Washington which claims to be meeting in Bethesda, Maryland at an undisclosed location, Raoul Zetler - Montreal (which is in a very run-down part of town and is in a building used by various New Age groups and societies) and New Isis- Los Angeles which ostensibly meets in the (real) Masonic building of a California Lodge in Van Nuys that can be rented for weddings, receptions, parties, etc. In California it is not uncommon for many groups of varying kinds to use Masonic buildings for their meetings. This, of course, may give this particular "lodge" group the appearance of Masonic regularity but should you try to visit any one of the four lodges which make up the ownership of the building and are part of the Grand Lodge of California, you'd find yourself rejected. But, despite their small number of lodges, their membership in the 2006 World Masonic Report show at a staggering - hold on for this - THIRTY SEVEN. Yes, folks: 37. Not 37,000. Not 3,700. Not even 370. Thirty seven. With five lodges that means they've got an average membership throughout the United States & Canada of less than 8 members per lodge. While it could be argued that there are lodges in regular/recognized Freemasonry where attendance might be lower than this, they're few and far between - and the rest of the lodges in the jurisdiction are there also. This is 5 lodges & 37 members - in total. We won't belabor it further: we've done the math for you so you can mull over what a tour de force you'll be joining up with should you go with these folks.
It should be noted that on December 10, 2007 we discovered a NEW website - at the domain of Mr. Peace's old tracingboard.com where he had excoriated various Grand Masters in Georgia, this site and its owner, and more - done up more neatly for the George Washington Union group. It made them look FAR more hip than their 1990s site (never updated) but, of course, one wonders on what authority this was done. No matter. By March, 2008 it was changed yet again and now purports to be "A place supporting a dialogue among Traditional Cosmopolitan Freemasonry in North America, the Anglo-American tradition of Freemasonry and wider civil society." Yeah, if there were any such thing! It really is to laugh.
If you think a group which has a one imperial leader
who changes things at his whim, which has more internet sock puppets than actual
members, and which will be another sub-page on this site two years from now is
the thing you want to join, GO FOR IT! Let us know, using a REAL name and
address please, how it's working out for you.
Even better: you can claim - like other anonymous posters on a particular blog which touts this group but whose creator, curiously, doesn't have the faith in them to leave his membership in the Grand Lodge of Georgia behind to jump on board - that you too are going to be part. Don't forget: you can post the same message several times with different screen names so that it'll look like there's LOTS of folks doing it - and only the blog's owner will know that it's really one person, perhaps one person who's also the Grand Poobah!
Oh, and please say a prayer of remembrance for the many, many poor members who were left behind when the now completely gone from the internet (and everywhere else, it seems) United Grand Lodge of America went away. <sniffle></sarcasm>
PS: Are they REALLY recognized by the groups they claim? Is it just smoke and mirrors again? Stay tuned....
Created 26 November 2007
Updated 10 December 2007 and a little more added January 2008 and April 2008
OH! And check
here for some 'factual
information' from the Grand Master of the Grand Orient of the United States,
formerly known as the Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of America. Ain't
it GRAND?
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