Picture This! Publishing EA & FC Names and Pictures

As I wait for my next paper to come back from peer review, this seems to be a good time to squeeze in another topic that has been bubbling at or just under the surface for some time, but broke through to the surface this year within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Texas. The issue I am talking about is the publication of the pictures of our EA's and FC's, especially just after their degrees.

This question and open discussion arose again through a resolution submitted for consideration at the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Texas this January in Waco. The resolution would have extended the ban on publishing petitioner and candidate names to include their pictures, especially on social media. Had it passed it would have prohibited the publishing of the name and photo of a new EA or FC anywhere, in any publication. The resolution failed, but it was probably not due to the substance of the question. It likely failed due to the report of the committee who informed the Grand West that if the resolution passed as written it would prohibit entering the names of EA's and FC's in our Grand Lodge database called "Grand View". That's not logical or practical, so the resolution failed on the ballot, likely based primarily on the poor construct and precision of its wording.

I've had this discussion with several brothers both in the past and again more recently as a result of the resolution. I do not presume my view to be the "correct" view, or even a better view than any other brother's view. We all have our opinion on this subject and I merely seek here, in this forum to offer mine for consideration by those who have decided one way or another or who may still be undecided.

As you may have guessed or supposed, I oppose publishing any EA or FC candidate's name and/or picture. Why do I oppose the idea of publishing the names and pictures of candidates? Obviously, I'm old and "clinging to the ways of the past". Yes, that may be true, but humor aside, the "traditionalist" side of me naturally falls into the opposition camp, but I do have what I think are more modern and practical reasons which I will list:

First, a candidate's main aspiration should and must be to be to complete his work and be raised to the sublime degree of a master mason. We stress throughout his time as both EA and FC that there is nothing higher, no better status than that of master mason and once he achieves that, he will earn his full and rightful recognition.Yet, we have within the last generation or two of masons begun celebrating every advancement and achievement as major and worthy of celebration. It is my opinion that completing your EA and FC degrees and catechisms are expected and required, so why do we put them on par with the joy and reward of achieving the major masonic milestone of being raised? Might this be the masonic form of the "participation trophy", ultimately cheapening the celebration after raising?

Second, we celebrate a man completing merely the first part of his initiation, and we still see many men drift off, failing to complete any other part of their work. These men who have drifted off have - in many cases - received the same celebration and recognition as those men who will go on to finish all of their work. In my mind, celebration and public recognition should be reserved for those who complete their tasks and attain the sublime degree of a master mason.

Third, by making grand public announcements of achievement at each of the three degree levels, we dilute the value and importance and impressiveness of the achievement of being raised, lowering its stature to be equal to that of EA's and FC's. Should being raised be no different in the public's eye than being initiated?

Fourth, by publishing pictures of our EA's and FC's, do we draw men who may merely be seeking similar public recognition without giving much serious consideration to the work necessary to achieve the third degree? How many men might we have lost along the way because they may have been drawn by pictures of their friends and acquaintances being publicly hailed, yet have given no thought to the serious work necessary behind the scenes to advance, discovering instead it's not to their liking? Are our pictorial celebrations of initiations and passing's portraying a skewed or inaccurate picture for those who are merely curious about masonry? I don't claim to know but I am intrigued by the question itself and it is something I think about.

Fifth, imagine non-masons seeing our EA's and FC's pictures on their social media news feeds and then asking them questions about what masonry is and how it works. What kind of answers can you imagine them providing? When a non-mason relative asks the EA "so tell me about your initiation" or "tell me, what do masons do?". How prepared is an EA to field those questions? And you know the EA and FC will eventually be told, maybe after posting his EA picture that "you haven't gone high enough yet to learn about the dark side of masonry". Why put the EA in the position to be so challenged by publishing the picture that may lead his non-masonic friends and relatives down this path? I believe this is one of the primary, traditional reasons we have shielded the names of candidates from the public until after they raised to the sublime degree.

Finally, on a lesser note, how many men who were merely curious about masonry, paid their degree fee, tried it out, and then walked away are now out there boasting "I'm a mason, see, here's the picture of when I was initiated"? How many might use this as their proof of credibility to speak and write about masonry - for or against - while flaunting their picture and saying "see, I know what I'm talking about, I'm a mason, so I am fully qualified to write about masonry and what it is." I personally don't see any good from providing a picture of an EA (or FC) surrounded by brothers that a man with less-than-honorable intentions might then use to establish faux credibility among the profane supporting his nefarious or bitter intentions.

Yes, I do suffer from "old think" on this matter. But the discussion will continue, brothers will weigh in, and in Texas we may even use the recent ballot as the way forward to allow and endorse the posting of EA and FC pictures. If that is how this unfolds, then so be it and I am fully capable of moving forward with our Grand Lodge decisions. I will likely remain personally opposed for the reasons I've stated here, but I remain open-minded, and like my paper and position on alcohol at lodge, I can and might be convinced to change my mind, but I have not heard the argument yet to sway me, but I'm listening....!

Travel on my brothers! Travel on....

BroBill