Pop Culture and Freemasonry: The Simpsons

I have decided to present examples of Freemasonry once a week in Pop Culture. Freemasonry and Fraternal Organizations, in general, have played as backdrops for many movies, books, and television programs. Whether it be the "Water Buffaloes" or "The Stone Cutters", creative types have used these organizations to show secrecy, reverence and just plain buffoonery.

My First example is an old classic from the Simpsons, "Homer the Great." Homer wants to know why his friends are capable of getting great perks.


Homer then becomes curious about the secret society that they belong, the Stonecutters.



Homer is then allowed into the Stonecutters through his father. At Homer's first meeting, the famous Stonecutters song is sung.


Homer learns the benefits of membership in the Stonecutters.


Homer fails in his Stonecutters duty and is kicked out of the Club.


He is invited back in after the birthmark is discovered.


After Homer decides to leave the Club, Marge decides to create the exclusive Simpson Club so that Homer has a feeling of belonging. The episode is obviously a lampoon of Freemasonry and Fraternal clubs in general. I have no qualms with the Simpsons introducing this very humorous concept. The Stonecutters drink and eat excessively and sing hilarious songs of what they control. Homer was restricted from a young age from joining clubs and finally feels a sense of belonging. It is his manners that get him in trouble and requires him to reassess who he becomes acquainted with in his life.
It may appear during the episode that Freemasons are being insulted and presented as the punching bag. However, I would say that there is a much deeper question explored in this episode. Homer seeks a club because he feels lonely and is unable to find the love and respect that he believes he is not getting at home. Homer does not realize that, for a man like him, that it is his family that will provide the best group to foster those feelings of togetherness.
Freemasonry gives men the opportunity to share in collegial feelings amongst men desirous to make the world better. The Stonecutters have a very minor similarity to the Freemasons. Many Lodges do not allow drinking within their Lodges, table lodges excepted. (If you would like better examination of Alcohol in the Lodge, click here.)
I really believe that we, as Freemasons, seek more than just alcohol and arcane ritual. Many of my brothers seek to know more about history and meanings behind Masonry. We seek a place of Fraternal ties where religion and politics can not be discussed. A society of brothers that seek to aid each other and others in the community to make our world a better place and making good men better. Although I find the Stonecutters episode particularly funny, the content concerning secret societies does not change my opinion that Freemasonry is one of the best institutions to have been created and has done many good deeds for the world community.
Stay Tuned next week for more exciting pop culture.

A Call to All Minnesota Brothers

Brothers,
R.W. Bro. Tom Hendrickson, Junior Grand Warden is calling out all brothers in Minnesota to help our brothers in Iowa.

Call for Help, Aid & Assist for the Grand Lodge of Iowa

Brethren,

The Grand Lodge of Minnesota is sponsoring a trip to Help, Aid & Assist the Masons of the Cedar Rapids area whose homes and businesses were ruined by the flood waters. We are seeking volunteers who will go and help tear out carpeting, remove sheet rock and water-soaked furniture. It will be heavy work, and not for the faint of heart. But, it is an opportunity to assist Masons, their families and their community in a time of great need!

Transportation will be by motor coach, which will meet at the Masonic Home in Bloomington, and depart on July 18, 2008 at 6:30 pm. We will arrive in Cedar Rapids at approx 10:30 pm. If there are groups or clusters of volunteers along the way to Cedar Rapids, we may make several quick stops. We will be sleeping at the Scottish Rite, so bring your sleeping bags, bed rolls, air mattresses or cots. In the morning we will wake and eat a hearty breakfast. We will have WM Gary Thomas of Red Wing cooking for us. If you have eaten at the Lodge in Red Wing, you know Gary is a great cook!

After breakfast, we will go out into the city and get to work! Bring work clothes, boots, gloves, and a few tools if you have them. We will labor until 5:30 or so. We then return to the Scottish Rite and eat a good dinner. We will board the bus and arrive back at the Masonic Home on July 19th at approx 10:30 pm.

Please contact Grand Secretery Doug Campbell at 952-948-6700 to sign-up!

The attached PDF document may be downloaded and printed for distribution to your Lodges. For more information, please feel free to contact Tom Hendrickson, Junior Grand Warden, or your Area Deputy. Brothers, thank you!

Tom Hendrickson

Junior Grand Warden

Mission: Complete

I am indeed "Feeling Good." I am happy to announce that I have committed the long, second section of the 2nd Degree to memory. The process of memorization has taken me about six months to finally gain the nuances and proper direction so that I can give the lecture well. It has been months of hard work but I believe that it has paid off. Now the trick is to keep it in my head for the next two months while the Lodge is dark. I have been told that earplugs will hold it in and keeps your brain from leaking out.

Corinthian #67 and the Kids ID program

Brother Paul Hardt, Senior Warden

Farmington had their Rambling River Days and Corinthian #67 had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the festivities by offering KidsID. Other Lodges in Minnesota that would like to participate in this wonderful program can find the information here.

Corinthian Masons Help 83 Kids with KidsID

Corinthian Lodge was active at this year's Rambling River Days Craft Fair, putting together 83 KidsID kits for local children and their families. The effort was coordinated by Senior Warden Paul Hardt, and Tom Holten, Randy Poulson, and Worthy Matron Dawn Lund.

"It was great seeing all the kids come by our table at the Craft Fair," Senior Warden Paul said. "They were having fun at the Fair, and the parents really appreciated the KidsID kits. We're really doing a service to our community."

"It was also very nice to work with our Worthy Matron Dawn. She's a great person and we both hope we can find other ways of getting the Star and the Masons to work together on more projects."

This program really helps families by giving the police the necessary information if the unthinkable happens, a child is kidnapped. I am very proud of my Lodge in aiding the families of Farmington and I hope we can continue this program long into the future.

"Bones" reruns and Masonry

I have been doing the usual summer practice of catching shows that I did not have time to see during the school year. Today, I saw a rerun of "Bones" and apparently, it had a reference to an old anti-Masonry group known as the Gormongons. According to Wikipedia, the Antient Noble Order of the Gormogons was a group that was established to ridicule Freemasonry in the 19th Century. The article on the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon adds even more to the legend of the Gormogon as they were focused on the lampooning of Freemasonry and British nobility in general.

On the show "Bones", the serial killer that they are chasing is cannibalistic and seems to be be obsessed Secret Societies. It seems that the killer enjoys putting the victim in the "Widow's son" position which apparently is an ancient position of sacrifice for the Greeks. In "Bones", the murderer goes and kills Knights of Columbus members. I am not sure what he has against the KCs and it seems that there is really no connection between the Gormogons and the KCs. On Hulu, people can watch "Bones" but unfortunately at this tie, the First Episode of Season Three has been pulled. I will post the video if it becomes available.

It is always interesting to see Pop Culture pick up on different legends in the creation of Secret Societies. Unlike most brothers, I really enjoy how the Mainstream Media brings us into the limelight. I even include the movie "From Hell." I know, I know, there are brothers out there that are grinding their teeth right now for me saying that I liked "From Hell." First and foremost, the movie is technically stunning. With the exception of Heather Graham, the acting was marvelous and the scenes were accurately depicted. (Notice I say scenes not theories.) I believe that it is necessary to remove the incorrect aspects of the Craft and still see the brilliance of the film. I will emphatically say that the Ripper was not a Masonic plot. However, it is important to realize the perceptions of an outsider concerning what happens inside the Craft and to understand why some people believe we are a dangerous order. It is our job to correct the mistakes that mainstream media makes but I believe that it is not necessary to go into fight mode when errs are made.
In regards to the show "Bones", it is very enjoyable to see an Anti-Masonic group being used as the villain. Sometimes we have to remember that the mainstream media will not stop portraying us and it is our job to respond with the truth and only the truth. This is all we can do.