Arquivo mensal 23 de novembro de 2015

The XIV World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges nov 2015

The XIV World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges nov 2015

Pictures one drive from the whole trip to California. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuwEJ-_opc9zgrZ0uAOIJb9oZWqb2g?e=zRsixh

-This conference is a rare opportunity for Masonic leaders, brothers from all parts of the globe to exchange ideas, build relationships with fraternal families, and unite the fraternity. For California Masons it offers the privilege of representing Golden State Masonry as we welcome brothers from other jurisdictions.
-The Grand Lodge of California, with its headquarters in San Francisco sponsor the conference together with the Grande Lodge of Prince Hall of California and The Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile. They share the territory.
-The California Masonic Memorial Temple , 1111 California Street , is situated at the top of San Francisco’s famous Nob Hill. The building is a highlight Masonry in the state and is home to the Grand Lodge of California administrative offices, the Henry Wilson Coil Library and Museum of Freemasonry, as well as the Masonic Auditorium, an important community resource. Built in the 1950s, the white marble building is heralded as an icon of mid-century, modernist architecture. The auditorium is used for concerts, shows and is well know to community.
-The seven topics complement our conference theme:
-Tools and Implements of the Information Age – Technology and the fraternity
-Quality Versus Quantity – Membership standards in the 21st century
-On the Level? Tolerance in contemporary Masonry
-Legacy of Liberty – Masons and the path to freedom
-Universal Benevolence – The charity of modern Masons
-Family Ties – The relationship with concordant and appendant bodies
-A World-Wide Connection – The role of the World Conference.
– There were 1040 registrations, with 118 delegates, 684 observers, 288 guest,105 Grand Lodges from 58 countries.
– The next world conference will be held in Madagascar in May 2017. tHe Grand Lodge of Madagascar has 12 Lodges and 400 members. A new Grand Lodge that already is calling it self to organize a world conference.
– The conference is for regular Grand Lodges, how ever as observers the Grand Orient independent from Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná e São Paulo were invited. A Grand Lodge from Bulgaria, after paid for over a year the registration fees, and warn three days before do not come, came because it was all set. The GM was not allow to continue to participate and send home. A Grand Lodge from Macedonia also present and registered to present a paper, but cut off minutes before the the event and also send home, because the organization find out they were irregular.
– Almost in every country there more than on group , or more than one Grand Lodge, someone of them share territory , as a unique example the Prince Hall in the USA were they share territory in more than 35 states from the 51. In FRANCE , there 105 GLs, it means all together 105 Grand Master, ( this would be a huge gathering of GM only in France ). They do not visit each other and so they work
– In Brazil, with a huge potential to grow on membership. The De Molay group in Brazil is bigger than the one in USA soil. And the membership is growing steadily.The three main Branches, although there are more than 30 others groups, as Grand Orient of Brasil, State Grand Lodges and Grand Orient Independent. They do not share territory with the prime Group, Grand Orient of Brazil, (except on SP, RJ, MT and ES) but use to have agreements to visit each other, having functions together. And even with written agreements between the grand Orient and state grand Lodges, which are not respected , they do not share officially the territory and therefore can not receive the recognition from the mother Lodge of the World, the United Grand Lodge of England.
-They participate on international events, as this Conference, CMI, Conferencia Maconica Interamericana, but on Brazilian territory they are some how separated. The CMSB, state Grand Lodges, do not invite the Grand Orient , from where they split way (1927)to their annual meetings. Nor the COMAB, (1973)the independent confederation and nor the Grand Orient of Brazil invite them, on the contrary, has recently forbidden and visitation, picture taking, meetings with any of the Independent Orients. On the other hand the State Grand Lodges who support the independent, did not share officially any territory. I call this a paradox. I want, I give support but I do not sign any paper.
– I read and call this also as hypocrisy. One behavior abroad, another at home. It is strange that in our teachings, thr core of our organization, tolerance, truth, relief is not practice between the leaders , which should set an example to the craft. As an example is the lack, a total absence of any meeting trying even to initiate a conversation, instead only rumors and gossips on how each other should behave or even attacks on the personality of officials. And when someone speak out the matter, the advice is that this should be keep hidden. Truth liberate the soul, the organization.
– This world conference was about unity. I hope the result that will come out is more unity between regular grand lodges in the countries where they dwell together, otherwise the so called clandestine groups will flourish faster.
– Even though all this , minor or major issues mostly between leaders, the craft , the members, the brother do not give much attention to this. They mostly are working on their character to become better man and I personally hope that in a near future, new leaders, open minded,will show and follow a new path and leaving behind all the old quarrels.
– And it is also my wish and hope that those new leaders also will be able to lead nations to a path of freedom, peace, harmony, truth, tolerance , not only in words, but in actions.
– I am a happy student of the Masonic principles and still have to learn and that is  the reason I participate when ever it is possible on Masonic events.
Why? Because everything is a matter of attitude.

Marcos Hans
Writer, Speaker, Administrator, Personal and Executive Coach ICI Integrated Coaching Institute.
Commercial real estate developer and a Happy professional tourist.
Past Grand Secretary of Foreign Affairs- Grand Lodge of Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil
Grand Representative near Grand Lodge of India.
Past Master,33,MRA,SEM,Kt.Pr., FRC,Shriner, SRCF VII, TOM.
See curriculum. https://www.sejalider.com.br/?p=4243

Ranking Censura no Brasil

Ranking Censura no Brasil. out 2015
-O Brasil figura na 99º posição em 2015 , em uma relação de 180, na faixa dos países considerados “Com Problemas”. Nessa faixa, o Brasil aparece atrás de países como Uganda (97º), Bolívia (94º) e Haiti (53º). O ranking do Repórteres Sem Fronteiras é dividido em cinco categorias: Boa, Satisfatória, Com Problemas, Difícil e Muito Difícil.
-Veja alguns comentários sobre o assunto, que estão na imprensa escrita e na internet.
-Brasil, o país dos 30 Berlusconi”
De acordo com a organização Repórteres Sem Fronteiras, além do crime organizado, um dos grandes culpados pela falta de liberdade de imprensa no Brasil é o fenômeno conhecido como Coronelismo, onde alguns políticos são ao mesmo tempo grandes empresários e donos de TVs, constituindo no maior obstáculo contra a diversidade e pluralidade da mídia, transformando jornalistas em ferramentas de manipulação da população, ou ainda, um ambiente perigoso para aqueles que ousarem se posicionar de forma contrária.
-Semelhante ao que ocorre na Itália, cujo caso mais notório é do bilionário empresário e político Silvio Berlusconi, a situação no Brasil é tão grave que o país recebeu o título de: “Brasil, o país dos 30 Berlusconi”.
– E mais…. Os Intocáveis-Não é a toa que até hoje alguns políticos ainda são intocáveis, como as famílias Collor de Mello, Sarney, Magalhães e por aí vai! A situação é ainda pior no interior do país, onde a força desses “coronéis” é ainda mais forte. O atual senador Collor foi e está sendo apontado como corruptor no esquema da Petrobras. Aguardemos os resultados.
Em 2011, 56 deputados e senadores eram sócios ou tinham parentes no controle de emissoras, o que reforça o poder de influência sobre o que é divulgado ou não.
Censura. Outro ponto importante a ser levantado é a censura invisível que ocorre nos tribunais brasileiros, os quais se utilizam de leis da época da ditadura militar para intimidar ou calar opiniões contrárias àqueles que estão no poder. São inúmeras ações na justiça (especialmente movidas por políticos em anos eleitorais) para remoção de conteúdo na internet considerado difamatório.

-Em uma matéria divulgada no jornal norte americano The Wall Street Journal, onde o Canal do Otário foi destaque, mostra que o Brasil é o país “democrático” que mais censura conteúdo no Google – “O gigante de internet diz receber o maior número de pedidos do governo e de tribunais para remover vídeos em todo o mundo”, afirma o jornal.

Eu particularmente penso e sinto que ainda temos fortes resquícios entre a população da ditadora e repreensão, que ficou no DNA e quando alguém diz , escreve , divulga o que pensa é logo questionado se em desacordo com a maioria. Felizmente as mídias sociais são um treino de liberdade de expressão e o futuro para os diversos Brasis , norte, Nordeste , Sudeste , Sul, pois com diferentes culturas, de ser mais livre neste aspecto é promissor.
-Porém, todavia, contudo veja o seguinte : A lei da imprensa que o governo do PT quer aprovar é indício forte contra esta liberdade.

Na resolução, escreve o PT o DN -Diretório Nacional conclama nossa militância a coletar, este ano, mais de 1,5 milhão de assinaturas para apresentar ao Congresso Nacional um projeto de lei de iniciativa popular. O PT se associará à campanha por um Projeto de Lei de Iniciativa Popular em favor de um novo marco regulatório das comunicações, tal como proposto pela CUT, pelo Fórum Nacional de Democratização da Comunicação (FNDC) e outras entidades.


Pense sobre e acompanhe o que acontece no Brasil da TV aberta, Rádios abertas e imprensa escrita com forte influência do Estado (por suas publicidades e ideologias) e coronéis como os conhecemos.
Por quê? Porque tudo é uma questão de atitude.
-Marcos Hans
Writer, Speaker, Administrator, Personal and Executive Coach ICI Integrated Coaching Institute.
Commercial real estate developer and a Happy professional tourist.
Past Grand Secretary of Foreign Affairs- Grand Lodge of Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil
Grand Representative near Grand Lodge of India.
Past Master,33,MRA,SEM,Kt.Pr., FRC,Shriner, SRCF VII, TOM.
See curriculum. https://www.sejalider.com.br/?p=4243

San Francisco – Califórnia USA

-San Francisco – Califórnia USA
Cidade famosa por causa ponte Golden Gate, pela prisão federal de Alcatraz, pelos movimentos gays, a bandeira nas cores do Arco Íris foi criada aqui, pela arquitetura vitoriana mesclada com a moderna , pelos bondes, por suas ruas íngremes , pela maior China Town fora da China , pela rua mais tortuosa do mundo. Atualmente uma das cidades mais ricas dos Estados Unidos. E como em quase todas as cidades grandes, também vi filas de necessitados para conseguir comida e dormitório para noite
O nome tem origem na missão da Ordem Franciscana que estabeleceu uma missão de evangelização. Em 1906 foi quase toda destruída por um terremoto seguido de incêndios. Pertence aos Estados Unidos em troca de dívidas do México em 1848. Alguns meses depois desta operação, foi descoberto ouro em seu território , em Sierra Nevada, hoje Sacramento, capital da Califórnia, o que provocou uma corrida de imigrantes que fez o povoado pular de 500 para 50000 habitantes em três anos.
Após o terremoto de 1906, pois aqui está a falha de San Andreas, e desastres com terremotos podem corroer novamente, a cidade se recuperou rapidamente em em 1915 se expôs ao mundo através de uma feira no Panamá, por causa do novo Canal do Panamá, e muitos navios partiam de San Francisco, para atrair investimentos internacionais e nacionais, o funcionou dado a potência e importância atual da cidade.

A rede de bondes centenária, cruzam o centro da cidade e vários bairros dando um ar de nostalgia. Sempre lotados de turistas, os bondes são conservados com a tecnologia da época é um exemplo disto são os freios que utilizam madeiras em seu sistema usado nas descidas pois a subida é através de uma sistema de cabo que gira no subterrâneo. O mais famoso onde os turistas fazem filas está sempre lotado.
Outro sistema de bondes movidos a eletricidade com cabo suspensos e encontro com a rede elétrica , são um charme especial. bondes estes vindos dos mais diversos estados dos USA e de diversos países da Europa, circulam atualmente aqui, bem conservados, de cores fortes , conservando assim a história destes bondes, ainda em uso na Europa e na Ásia.
A torre Transamerica Pyramid , no passado um dos prédios mais altos dos Estados Unidos, em forma de Pirâmide, faz parte do visual da cidade. Projetado para resistir a fortes abalos sísmicos.Uma norma no código de posturas da cidade exige que uma construção precisa destinar um percentual de área para espaços em praças, jardins para uso do público. Mais de 60 lugares Jardins, com lugares públicos e a maioria nas topos dos prédios.
Após a guerra, em 1945, oficiais de 50 nações diferentes encontraram-se na cidade, para fundar oficialmente a Organização das Nações Unidas.
San Francisco, sempre na vanguarda , vale a pena conhecer.
Viajar é para sempre. viaje o mundo.
Porque tudo é uma questão de atitude.
-Marcos Hans
Writer, Speaker, Administrator, Personal and Executive Coach ICI Integrated Coaching Institute.
Commercial real estate developer and a Happy professional traveller.
Past Grand Secretary of Foreign Affairs,Past Master,33,MRA,SEM,Kt.Pr., FRC,Shriner, SRCF VII, TOM.
See curriculum. https://www.sejalider.com.br/?p=4243

 

LEGACY OF LIBERTY Nov 2015

LEGACY OF LIBERTY
Masonic and the Path to Freedom
XIV World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges
San Francisco – California USA NOVEMBER 18-21,2015.

By Bro. HANS, Marcos
March, 2015
Grand Masonic Lodge of Rio Grande do Sul- Brazil
mhans@terra.com.br (55 51 91613845)

 

“My brain is the key that sets my mind free.”
Harry Houdini
Magician Extraordinaire

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
Ronald Reagan

On the American Passport
“Let every nation know
Whether it wishes us well or ILL
that we shall pay any price,
Bear any burden, meet any hardship,
Support any friend, oppose any foe
To assure the survival and
The success of liberty.”

John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Summary

-This article points out the freedom symbols of the modern world with their heritage in the not so far past, the democracies, the losing of civil rights, the economy freedom and actions we can take. What freemasonry have done in the past and what should the organization as grand lodges do or as individual freemasons in the near future to maintain the freedom, that most of us already take at granted.
Introduction
The most famous symbol for liberty in the modern world, is the Liberty Statue in New York. Since 1884 the Liberty Enlightening the World, or Lady Liberty, or La liberté. At first a gift from the people of French in recognition established during the american revolution and lately the concepts of freedom and democracy as well as international friendship became a general definition. Many other famous buildings symbolizing freedom arouse around the globe. Again in New York the latest and the tallest in USA soil, the Freedom Tower. In Paris the Triumph Arch symbolizes the freedom after the death of the dictator. Or in Germany the non existence of the wall and so many other examples.
In the modern world the Passport has become a symbol of liberty. “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement , to leave any country, including his own, and return to his country.”
But the most powerful tool of freedom is the Internet. One can see, go, plan, enterprise, analyze, create, get background information, check facts. Some countries still are afraid of the internet because it liberates and free a person from the ignorance.

And the most valuable symbol of freedom or building of freedom is the building of his/her own character of moral and ethics bricks. “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion……” Be free as a human being, in a free country is priceless.” Our teachings lead us to this internal building.
Independence of Death, was the motto during the liberation of many south and central american countries. Simon Bolivar, a freemason ( Venezuela,Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil)
There are a total of 198 countries in the world. Many of them still pursuing the liberty for its citizen and some are losing that liberty. Some examples: Syria, Myanmar, Kenya, Parts of Uganda, Ukraine, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Venezuela, Indonesia and even Russia. Freedom declined in that countries, is a set back on democracy . Liberty of expression and thoughts in China( Falung Gong practitioners), in Kazakhstan, Hare Krishna member expelled from their homes under false allegation, Catholic Copts, being executed by ISIS radical self denominated state. And an island where liberty is practice in a shell, North Korea.
“ Freedom is a daily fight.” Dalia Grybauskaite, president of Lithuania about the Russian military movements on the border.
“Economic freedom” (1)is the fundamental right of every person to control his or her own labor and property. In an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please, with that freedom protected by the state and not limited by state. Examples- Cuba, North Korea.
(1) index of economic freedom since 1995 Heritage Foundation.
What was the role of Freemasonry or freemasons in the Past? and What is freedom?
Since the organized freemasonry ,1717 the spreading of the freemasonry philosophy, the enlightenment ,help to shape the behavior of man that shape nations, companies, families.
“ To a Freemason the freedom of thought, speech and actions belongs to all, and it means mostly freedom of dogmatic principles. Freedom of thought is precisely what allows the evolution and improvement of the individual.”
The aim of philosophy is to set people free; free from pressure and free from worry; free to grow, free to be themselves.
A famous book, “Man’s Search for Meaning” in Portuguese ” O Sentido da Vida “Written by Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychotherapist who survived confinement in Nazi concentration camps. So many of those around him perished. They lost hope. They fell into despair – then death. He managed to get through the ordeal by applying what I believe is our highest human freedom: our ability to choose how we respond to and process any event that happens to us. We can look for some good or we can become haunted by the bad. Frankl writes: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedom to choose one’s attitude to a given set of circumstances, to choose one’s way.”
The teachings, Freemason in action in liberating nations , in science, in philosophy, in medicine, in commerce, even in Hollywood, and in so many fields is the legacy of liberty of our organization, through our members.

 

 

 

Actions

What as a organization can we do together? or
What should be the role of Freemason toward the path of liberty?
The rights depend heavily on active government – on positive government actions. In fact, the very existence of rights depends on government. In a very real way, rights and civil liberties are actually political constructs , creations of government. Formal rights do not exist until they are created by law or established in a constitution. We only have the right of free speech , for example here in the USA, because it is guaranteed in the constitution. No constitution, no government ,the civil liberties would literally not exist.
This answers the question. Freemasonry have the role to be a guardian of these rights in constitutions wherever we are. As an organization, and mainly on shaping man with our principles of moral an ethics to act toward those rights. Tyranny is around the corner, sleeping with one eye open.
Benjamin Barber(American political theorist- author of – If mayors ruled the world) has explained, that “in democracies, representative institutions do not steal our liberties from us, they are the precious medium through which we secure our liberties.”
-Imagine for a moment a dictatorship where your rights and liberties are being constantly violated. There is no free speech and you can be punished for espousing your political views. If you complain about the behavior of officials or blow the whistle on their illegal activities, you will be punished harshly. Privacy is non-existent. The authorities constantly spy on you. They tap your phone and use hidden cameras to monitor and record your daily activities. They know what you do on your computer and where you go on the internet. They open and read your e-mail. Officials know virtually everything about you – your employment history, your financial situation, your medical problems, and even your genetic information – and will not hesitate to use this information to their advantage when necessary. (North Korea)
If this sound too familiar, it is because this kind of dictatorship is present in our free world, in the modern democracies and in the still remaining socialist regimes. At least according to Snowden.
Beside those diversions of the full democracy, we as an organization, as individual Freemasons, should, must, and is our obligation based on our founding principles, to give support, to prepare man with our teachings ,so we can be the guardians.
The purpose of Freemasonry is “self-improvement” — not in the material sense, but in the intellectual, moral and philosophic senses of developing the whole person and psyche so as, in the beautiful and emotive language of the ritual, to fit ourselves to take our places, as living stones, in that great spiritual building, not made by hands, but by sincere purpose of self-improvement. THIS IS OUR HOME WORK AND WILL BE OUR HOME WORK .
And again: The teachings and the way we deliver them, is THE LEGACY OF LIBERTY of our organization.
And here comes in the Internet. For the new generations consulting and receiving information on line is the beginning. Informations, modes of contact, degrees, are already available on most grand lodges. An at level lodge the contacts between brothers, as local communities, gives a modern view of the fraternity.
Summarizing
Our main purpose is and should continue to be our philosophical teachings, which reach spirituality. The Society will therefore perceive us in that way. Individuals, as Freemasons, will participate in the society, as politicians, diplomats, doctors, workers, professors, speakers, philanthropies, and so on and even in this corrupt world, make a difference showing ethic, moral and a high standard behaviors and ultimately be the guardians of our freedom in a representative group that meets periodically and meets online everyday.

Conclusion.
Let us hold firm to the symbolism of the square and the compass, the teachings behind all the degrees and let them be the means of restoring chaos to order and help humankind walk on the path of freedom.

Marcos Hans
Writer, Speaker, Administrator, Personal and Executive Coach ICI Integrated Coaching Institute.
Commercial real estate developer and a Happy professional tourist.
Past Grand Secretary of Foreign Affairs- Grand Lodge of Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil
Grand Representative near Grand Lodge of India.
Past Master,33,MRA,SEM,Kt.Pr., FRC,Shriner, SRCF VII, TOM.
See curriculum. https://www.sejalider.com.br/?p=4243
-www.humangrights.com
-http://www.governmentisgood.com
-http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture/economic-freedom-as-a-human-right