Intro

[Elizabeth]

Welcome latterdaytemplar
Of all of Utah, St. George is best.

[huckelberry]

latterdaytemplar, thankyou for the response about masonry and the church. No problem with length. You provided a good context for that uncertainty which I rather faintly remember people having from about 1965. I learned something.

(I was living outside of Utah so the discussion then did not focus on Utah rules)

[huckelberry]

Welcome latterdaytemplar
Of all of Utah, St. George is best.

Up Snow canyon on a shelf above the canyon is a small basalt cinder cone and the solidified stream of lava flowing from the bottom of the cone down into the canyon. One can fallow the path down the ravine in the canyon and can see the scorching of the sandstone in the gully. This flow of apocalyptic fire stops just at the edge of town.

Must be a mark of respect.

[latterdaytemplar]

Welcome latterdaytemplar
Of all of Utah, St. George is best.

Thank you Elizabeth!

Although I did not care for it one bit when I first arrived, I have very much come to enjoy St. George (except for its cost of living).

[latterdaytemplar]

latterdaytemplar, thankyou for the response about masonry and the church. No problem with length. You provided a good context for that uncertainty which I rather faintly remember people having from about 1965. I learned something.

(I was living outside of Utah so the discussion then did not focus on Utah rules)

I'm glad that you appreciated my response; if you ever have any other questions about it, please feel free to let me know.

Up Snow canyon on a shelf above the canyon is a small basalt cinder cone and the solidified stream of lava flowing from the bottom of the cone down into the canyon. One can fallow the path down the ravine in the canyon and can see the scorching of the sandstone in the gully. This flow of apocalyptic fire stops just at the edge of town.

Now you've got me curious; I'll have to go check this out.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

I'm excited to be here, to learn about other peoples' views, and to share mine if/when applicable.

What views from other people are you looking to learn about? I’ll make some recommendations. Use the search feature or click on usernames if you’re so inclined.

Book of Abraham/KEP/GAEL -> Shulem, Dan Vogel

Mopologist Studies -> Doctor Scratch

Philosophy -> Symmachus, Gadianton, DrStakhanovite

Nuanced Mormonism -> Kishkumen

There are, of course, many posters who make substantive posts that are well composed and thoughtful, but for fear of leaving a poster’s name off an ad hoc list lime this one and hurting their feelings I’ll just recommend going to the Terrestrial and Celestial forums and do a bit of reading. I strongly recommend if you don’t like vigorous debate to stick to the Celestial forum. If your posts are interesting you’ll pull good posters up there, no problem.

- Doc

[latterdaytemplar]

I'm excited to be here, to learn about other peoples' views, and to share mine if/when applicable.

What views from other people are you looking to learn about? I’ll make some recommendations. Use the search feature or click on usernames if you’re so inclined.

Book of Abraham/KEP/GAEL -> Shulem, Dan Vogel

Mopologist Studies -> Doctor Scratch

Philosophy -> Symmachus, Gadianton, DrStakhanovite

Nuanced Mormonism -> Kishkumen

There are, of course, many posters who make substantive posts that are well composed and thoughtful, but for fear of leaving a poster’s name off an ad hoc list lime this one and hurting their feelings I’ll just recommend going to the Terrestrial and Celestial forums and do a bit of reading. I strongly recommend if you don’t like vigorous debate to stick to the Celestial forum. If your posts are interesting you’ll pull good posters up there, no problem.

- Doc

Thanks Doc. I'm not looking for any topics in particular, I'm happy to read differing views of any topic.

I appreciate your recommendations.

[Dr. Shades]

I currently preside over the local Masonic Lodge (about halfway through my term). . . I'm not sure what other information to share here.

How about this: What's the point of Freemasonry? From this layman's perspective, it looks like playing dress-up with a bunch of old men. Combined with the fact that there aren't any women, I just don't understand the appeal. At all.

Will you please enlighten me?

[msnobody]

I hope that I can merit a favorable place here in this family.

Welcome home

[latterdaytemplar]

How about this: What's the point of Freemasonry? From this layman's perspective, it looks like playing dress-up with a bunch of old men. Combined with the fact that there aren't any women, I just don't understand the appeal. At all.

Will you please enlighten me?

Freemasonry is a civic fraternity that promotes moral self-improvement, personal integrity, and service to the community. Its goal is to make good men better. It offers philosophical tools to help one increase, augment, or build upon his moral foundation.

Of course, one can attain such goals without being a Freemason; outside of the Church, it just happens to be the group that I've found that helps me personally to fulfill best those types of goals. I also have found that, since moving to Utah, opportunities to be of service in my ward are usually very limited; those opportunities have increased for me since I became a Mason.

I have also become quite close to the members of my Lodge; far closer to them than to any Elders' Quorum that I've attended in Utah. For Elders' Quorum, I feel that most people are there because they feel or know that they should be, rather than because they want to be; at least, that seems to be how it has been in every Utah ward that I've been it. Perhaps it's just me; but if it isn't, then that affects quite a bit how tight-knit the group can be. On the other hand, everyone at the Lodge is there because they want to be.

I often compare Freemasonry to Scouting; except, instead of merit badges and camping trips, we have lapel pins and Lodge meetings.

I hope that this answers your question and that my mini-rant here does not take away from my answer.