Archive for February, 2010
Without prevarication my favorite novel is War and Peace. While many people assume that I like the book simply because it is in the canon of great literature and is a bullet-stopping tome, I appreciate the in-depth characters development and historical context of Tolstoy’s magnum opus. There are dozens of memorable characters, but Pierre stands out among the rest.
Many have suggested that Pierre is a personification of Tolstoy himself, as he struggles with religious, ethical and emotional dilemmas throughout the novel. In the middle stages of the book, Pierre joins the Freemasons and piously adopts their ideology. This serves to be just one stop on his journey of personal growth, and Pierre quickly abandons his Masonic jewelry in favor of other pursuits.
For four generations my family has been proud to serve in the US military. We see it as our duty to protect our country’s freedoms and spread the word of democracy throughout the world. Admittedly it has been difficult, especially when my three boys informed us that they would all be serving tours of duty overseas during the current conflicts.
We realize, however, that this is what we signed up for. Everyone in the family has made a commitment to support one another and do everything that we can to make life easier while they are away. Not only do we show our support through our actions, but we also let the public see our allegiances through our military rings, bumper sticks and the American flag that waves in front of our home.
The Freemasons have dozens of organizations throughout the world that are fraternal groups sharing similar moral and metaphysical ideals. One of the offshoots of this larger organization is the Royal Order of Jesters. The group was originally founded by the Shriners nearly 100 years ago.
Membership in this organization is quite exclusive and is available by invitation only. According to its members, the Order is committed to having fun and has no serious intent, as is evidenced by their motto, “Mirth is King.” Their whimsical nature is also apparent in their Royal Order of Jesters rings, many of which the joyful-looking Scottish Rite emblem.