A MESSAGE FROM THE
SOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDER

John Wm. McNaughton, 33°

The Fermi Paradox

The Fermi Paradox has been described in the scientific community as the contradiction between high estimates of the probability of the existence of extraterrestrial beings and the lack of evidence for, or contact with, these beings.

The age of the universe and its vast number of stars certainly suggest that if the earth is a typical planet, extraterrestrial life should be quite common. In 1950, the physicist Enrico Fermi questioned why, if such advanced civilizations exist within just the Milky Way galaxy, evidence such as spacecraft or probes are not seen.

Since 1984, the mission of the SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence) Institute is to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe.

One possible method to resolve the Fermi Paradox would be for an organization such as the SETI Institute to find evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial life. However, to date, no such efforts have proven successful.

The great silence remains.

Is there a Masonic Paradox? And would it be defined as the contradiction between the belief in the existence of what was once a great fraternity, and the lack of proof of its existence in the 21st century?

The age of the fraternity and its large number of members suggest that Freemasonry was once a place of great fellowship, joy, and enlightenment. However, today it is better described as a place where the perfection of ritual is stressed, behavior control of its members (for their own good, of course) is emphasized, and the advancement of charities that benefit the secular world is the norm and few of its members ever attend.

Some day, our Masonic leaders will realize that they alone can advance the renaissance of our craft by stressing the importance of fraternity and the vows we all took at the altar of Freemasonry. At the same time, they must understand that the recitation of perfect ritual and maintenance of the sacred landmarks are not our core values and will never attract new members. Throughout the ages, good men have petitioned the Masonic fraternity and will continue to join our craft because they see value in belonging to a great organization where they benefit from these important lifelong friendships.

While there is yet time, as author Jim Collins suggests in Built to Last, the Masonic fraternity must eliminate our misalignments: those that drive our members away from the core ideology of our craft and those that impede progress toward the envisioned future.

The Masonic Paradox, as we understand it, must be resolved soon. In Ecclesiastes 3, we read that there is a season for everything. The time for Masonic renaissance must start today. We need to recognize that the “season” has changed.

In days gone by it was important for our craft – as well as religious organizations – to see to the physical well being of its members, in addition to its core purpose of promoting fraternity. In today’s complex society, governmental agencies seem to be well focused on meeting those material needs, but rarely their emotional needs. Many religious denominations also have directed their energies toward temporal problems and issues.

The craft, rather than continuing its concentration on the perceived needs of the past, must do a better job of meeting the needs of its members in the 21st century.

As a preeminent fraternity, Scottish Rite Freemasonry must concentrate on two areas. First, we must care about each other, and secondly, we must meet the emotional needs of our members. If we are able to understand this vision, the Masonic Paradox will finally be solved.