After writing my last article, Postmodernism And Its Devastating Effect On Freemasonry, I received a great many questions about Postmodernism. In fact, I started using the terms “Postmodern Mason” and “Postmodern Freemason” in many of my responses, which led to even more questions about the terms. Apparently they have never been used within the Craft to distinguish a type of thinking before.
As a response to so many questions and interest into the topic of a “Postmodern Freemason,” I have decided to write this corresponding article. Now, before I delve into specifics, let me just say that everyone has Postmodern tendencies; some more than others, as will become evident. But first, let’s learn a little more about the term Postmodernism, which can be defined,
With that said, despite it’s once perceived popularity, Postmodernism has come under criticism by many in the academic world,
Did you catch that? Here it is again, “There are no truths, only interpretations’ has largely played itself out in absurdity, but it has left behind a generation of academics in the humanities disabled by their distrust of the very idea of truth and their disrespect for evidence, settling for ‘conversations’ in which nobody is wrong and nothing can be confirmed, only asserted with whatever style you can muster.”
How often, especially of Facebook, are we confronted with fellow Masons who only want to argue, and even when a question has been answered, they simply switch to other points to argue a belief is wrong. Honestly, it happens all the time. This is the Postmodern Freemason in action.
I was recently told that debate and discussion were necessary components of learning. To which my response was no they are not; rather, they are just another set of tools, or a hook if you will, to help a student retain information. Case in point, I read Pike’s book Morals and Dogma (1871) daily, and I follow this reading with a short post on Pikequotes blog. In essence, I am learning every day, yet I have no discussion or debate with Pike about his writings. You see, you can learn without discussion or debate. Just read a book; something many people have forgotten how to do, like so many traditional things today.
Yet, as an college instructor, I do use discussion and debate to help students better understand a point. Nevertheless, sadly, many people, including Postmodern teachers, have stretched this idea to all types of learning; as though this is the only way a person can learn, which is sheer nonsense. So, did you ever wonder why social media is filled with Postmodern thinking and responses; well, here you have one of the principles reasons why. Our schools have been filled with academics who think nothing about allowing such behavior, and in fact encourage it. I see it all the time. Students are encouraged to respond to ideas and issues without ever studying them. And when they do conduct some research, it’s normally limited to the first few hits on Google. Which is followed by other Postmodernist who blabber their nonsensical opinions about a traditional viewpoint. Well, guess what? People are finally catching on to this foolish play on words, and are starting to fight back.
After a great deal of reflection, here are my thoughts and opinions about spotting the Postmodern Freemason who would rather argue, debate and start a discussion with the intent of attacking traditional Freemasonry and those who support such thinking, etc, instead of becoming a student of the mysteries:
- Rhetorical debate to divide and destroy – The Postmodern Freemason seeks to debate and uses rhetoric in order to create havoc. It is a simple but effective plan for internal division within the Craft.
- There are no conclusive facts – the Postmodern Freemason deems the concept of truth as an artificial illusion, altered by people and special interest to achieve dominance over others; a tactic they use aggressively to counter traditionalism.
- Facts and fault are identical – the Postmodern Freemason maintains that facts are too restrictive to conclude anything. In short, what is fact today can be false in the future.
- Would rather rely on other Postmodernist thought than rely on tradition – The Postmodern Freemason often rejects conventional (traditional) judgment and impartiality; preferring instead to rely on the judgments of others as a guide, rather than accept historical facts, truths and traditions.
- Traditionalism is incorrect and dishonest – the Postmodern Freemason protests against the limitations of religious secular power and moral development. In short, they are conducting an intellectual war towards traditional institutions and traditional thinking. Instead of trying to understand that most of these organizations actually have been infiltrated by supporters of the mysteries, they make enemies of them.
- Traditionalism is exclusion – The Postmodern Freemason claims that cooperative possession is better than individualism, which they believe is a process of traditional exclusion.
- Cynicism with modernism – The Postmodern Freemason is always asking more from the unfulfilled promises of religion, government, science and technology.
- Morality is personal – The Postmodern Freemason believes morality to be of one’s own personal opinion. He often lowers the ideals of morality to one’s own personal private code of ethics devoid of traditional standards and long held established rules of conduct.
- Globalization is better than nationalism – the Postmodern Freemason claims that national boundaries are a hindrance to human potential, trade and the final uniting of the people of the world. Nationalism, they think, instigates conflict. Consequently, the Postmodernist Freemason frequently suggest the concepts of internationalism, and the uniting of countries through trade agreements as a first step towards this aim; disavowing our own long standing tradition to support one’s National Government.
- Freemasonry holds ideals from all religions – The Postmodern Freemason often denounces the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ or Muhammad as being the only way to God; preferring new age religions. Again, never understanding that many of the mysteries are held within both of these religions. In fact, the traditions of Freemasonry predates these religions, and uphold the traditions of religions that no longer exist.
- Defend feminists and homosexuals – Postmodern Freemasons often defend the causes of feminists and homosexuals over traditionalism, not understanding that such beliefs and behaviors are actually apart of the mysteries. Somehow many in the Craft have come to see these two issues as separate, when in fact they are not. Gender and sexual relations are in fact an essential part of the lessons of the mysteries.
- Environmentalism is the solution – Postmodern Freemasons blame Western society for the destruction of the environment; this is like saying we must throw out the baby with the bathwater because the water is bad.
Therefore, as can be read above, many people hold Postmodern views on particular issues, including myself. Before studying Pike’s book Morals and Dogma (1871), I too conducted my behavior according my Postmodern training; I would be a hypocrite to say otherwise.
It is clear however, especially after studying the mysteries, that we, as a culture, have become confused by such thinking. Postmodern thinking is meant to destroy rather than educate and unite. The lines between Analytical thinking and Postmodern thinking have become blurred. Yes, let us analysis, there is nothing wrong with analyzing Freemasonry; but the problem begins when we use only our Postmodern training and conditioning to destroy rather than understand. In short, “the more I learn, the less I really know,” is a better attitude than “I know better than our traditions and history.”
So Mote It Be!!!
Hank Kraychir
A∴A∴ – Blue Lodge Master Mason – Scottish Rite Mason – York Rite Mason – Knight Mason – Allied Mason – York Rite College – Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priest – Red Cross of Constantine – Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.
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Eoghan Ballard said:
Respectfully Brother Kraychir, this is a biased and inaccurate assessment of postmodernism. We do however, understand from this that you dislike it.
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Hank Kraychir said:
Than kindly explain your assessment of Postmodernism, and why it’s good for Freemasonry!
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Eoghan Ballard said:
Postmodernism isn’t the devil. Indeed, whenever someone seeks to hang all the blame for everything on either a philosophy, a group of people, or a system of any sort, that’s a sure sign of some sort of imbalance in the energy flow.
Plain and simply, Postmodernism is a recognition that our cultural systems up to now have been rooted in a series of historical biases which have for the most part reflected favorably upon those in power and unfavorably on all others. Postmodernism, despite your characterization of it, and I have no doubt you are sincere in your belief it is how you depicted it, attempts to do one thing and one thing only. That one thing is to create a space in which all alternative viewpoints may be placed upon equal footing, not with the intent of saying they are equal or even that one may or may not be better than another, but so that they can each be honestly assessed free from the power imbalances which rule our social institutions and viewpoints. There is much in Western society which is good, but it is, not surprisingly – it is a human society after all – also deeply flawed.
One should be able to critique how successfully Postmodernism has achieved its goals, and plenty have done so, but attempting to paint it as the devil is to deny the reality of our own society’s shortcomings. Assuming that Postmodernism seeks to destroy reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of its purpose. An honest and non-biased view of culture was lacking in Western systems. Postmodernism seeks to redress that. Nothing less and nothing more.
A strong and healthy society must be able to embrace the reality of its shortcomings and seek most of all, as all true Masons should, to be capable of a cold, honest self assessment. Not only when that assessment results in favorable conclusions but even more especially when the opposite is the case.
Freemasonry has much to offer the world, but we also need to recognize that if the world is turning its back on us, we have indeed taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way. The only stupid thing is to repeat the same thing over and over and expect a different result. When people argue that Freemasonry needs to change, they are not talking about changing what is at the heart of its teachings, what is its core values, but rather the way in which it approaches getting its message across. The perennial truth is perennial not because it is mechanically repeated, but because no matter how you chose to present it, it’s truth will shine through. If you try to stand firm and resist the hurricane force winds of change, I guarantee you will get your teeth knocked out. If you try to take a lesson from the pages of the Zen master and bow like the reeds in the wind rather than resist like the oak, you just might survive. We need more reed-based Freemasonry, and less Oaken Freemasons.
Fraternally,
Eoghan
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Hank Kraychir said:
Thank you for your comments!
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Eoghan Ballard said:
Thank you Brother Kraychir. I say with a wink in the eye to you, that you should be happy to note that at least one Freemason who embraces Post Modernism (but not having anything to do with that specific group mislabeling itself Postmodern Freemasons, I might add) shares fairly much the same view about Freemasonry as you do. We just don’t agree about Postmodernism, or that Freemasonry can afford to resist change if we wish it to remain a vibrant institution that attracts new membership.
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Lee Duncan said:
“Plain and simply, Postmodernism is a recognition that our cultural systems up to now have been rooted in a series of historical biases which have for the most part reflected favorably upon those in power and unfavorably on all others.”
The above is the standard Cultural Marxist line, and it’s been so ingrained to westerners over the past 40 years that most don’t even understand that they’ve been indoctrinated with a poisonous ideology. Be that as it may, it cannot be stressed enough that Freemasonry is strictly “traditionalist” in the normal sense, and is itself a “Tradition” in the metaphysical sense. It must also be firmly understood that modernist thought (including what is here referred to as “postmodern”) is firmly anti-traditional, and completely incompatible with the Mysteries.
Far too many Masons are now entering the Lodge, not with the understanding that they are there to learn, but rather with their own preconceived notions about things. If Masonic teachings ever contradict them, it is obviously because Masonic teachings are in error. In no wise would it ever be possible that there may be something amiss within the teachings of modernism and liberalism.
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Hank Kraychir said:
Thank you for your comment! No, my views will stay, as will yours; and time itself will prove the validity of them all! God bless!
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Cameron MacKay said:
Freemasonry has, as one of its objectives, the pursuit of Truth while at the same time acknowledging that the Objective Truth is unobtainable by man and is allegorically described as ‘the lost secret.” In contrast, Postmodernism maintains that there is no such thing as the Objective Truth and that “truth” is merely a commendation we give to beliefs we consider well justified because they seem to have a commanding consensus.
The difference is that the Freemason is like the builder who uses a tape measure as a standard of measurement knowing that the tape does not and cannot reflect a perfect inch or a perfect foot. However, the tape measure gives him a standard of measurement with which to construct his building.
The Postmodernists is like the amateur who tries to construct a building not merely without a standard tape measure but without any concept of inches and feet being the standard of measurement.
Consequently, Postmodernism is hardly compatible with Freemasonry
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