DeMolay.org forums.DeMolay.org forums.DeMolay.org DeMolay Resources Interpretations of the DeMolay Degree
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Active Forum Member |
To Jacobus,
The issue is not that the discussion of the DeMolay Degree is in good faith. The issue is not that the discussion is for the good of the Order. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE DeMOLAY DEGREE IS A SECRET SACRED TO ALL DeMOLAYS. |
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Forum Member |
The posts here are great showing us the different interpretations of the DeMolay degree we can adopt locally. Especially the suggested music to use...Good thing we have this forum!
Thanks everyone! |
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Active Forum Member |
In my jurisdiction, only the Chapter's Advisory Council (composed of masons) watch or view the DeMolay degree. In some instances, other interested masons are allowed to see the conferral. I have heard that in other jurisdictions, they even allow the parents of the petitioners to watch the DeMolay degree. Is this true?
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Forum Member |
This thread is really cool! I always strived to bring more depth to my performance as MI (yes, I chose to be the bad guy), and I pushed for more as a Ritual Advisor; some guys out there have really come up with fantastic ideas.
What I saw in most of Oregon when I was an Active DeMolay was very similar to what was called the "Louisiana" interpretation. We played the SI as an older man, sitting on the Inquisition panel for decades, but not being promoted to the top. Once, at DLC, we had a guy we called "Speedbump" because he had been hit by a car earlier that year. He was mostly healed, but walked with a cane, and we worked that into his performance as SI. He even stage-hit DeMolay with his cane. The JI was the young up-and-comer, but we hadn't explored the theme of him being so tight with the King, or LC. MI would always explode in rage for the line "Jaques DeMolay, beware!..." pause for a moment, and the JI would get up and mime out asking for a chance to prove his worth and interrogate the prisoner. We also do a "capture scene" (representing the arrest of Knights Templar in 1307 AD) just after the Orator's speech. When the team hasn't had a lot of time together, we see DeMolay and Comrades huddled close together, holding scrolls, and discussing plans; when guards rush upon them, grab them, and haul them away. If the team has had lots of time to practice, there is a choreographed sword fight, with DeMolay and company eventually giving up to superior numbers, and being hauled away. As to music, I once used the Sorceress's Theme from Final Fantasy VIII for the Inquisitors entrance (it sounds evil, and has a Latin phrase chanted over and over). I also tried out the main theme from Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining". I picked out clips from several other musical pieces, starting with Appendix B in the Ritual, and listening for something in more recent works that had a similar tone. As to DONPONCHING1753's comment, I am a Chevalier, (invested 11-22-06). As a Chevalier, my first duty is to the Order of DeMolay, and protecting our secrecy. The discussions in this forum are not violating the sacredness of our ritual. None of our secret words are being discussed, and we are quoting very small portions of lines, for the sole purpose of allowing other members to know what we refer to. You seek to protect our secrets from the uninitiated, very few would even check this forum out, much less know who the Junior Inquisitor is. Don't worry, relax. DeMolay's are the only people who speak on this forum, and we know to limit our words to something only members would understand. Oh, Pinoynabrodako, I thought it was an International ruling; Parents of DeMolays are allowed to witness the degrees their sons pass through. In my time it shifted from just fathers, to include mothers. This message has been edited. Last edited by: jbigie, |
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Active Forum Member |
To jbigie,
I am very sorry to disappoint you, but here in the Philippines, we are very strict. We do not allow parents of petitioners to watch the DeMolay Degree. Always sacred, Pinoynabrodako
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Active Forum Member |
IF THE DeMOLAY DEGREE IS NOT SECRET, SO, WHAT IS IT? AN ORDINARY DRAMA FOR CHILDREN?
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Active Forum Member |
DONPONCHING1753
"It may not be out of place at this time to explain briefly the general puposes of our Order, to which only young men between the ages of 12 and 21 years are elegible. While we have secret signs, words and modes of recognition, we have no secrets from the world so far as our central purposes are concerned. We are not a secret society. If we were, this website would only be accessable to those who could prove their "worthiness". No one in these discussions has yet violated any protocols. If that had been done the Moderators would have stepped in. This is an open exchange of ideas. This exchange may very well help one of your Brothers gain a deeper understanding of our purposes. Is that prohibited? No one is quoting chapter and verse. What draws the ear of the uninitiated is to hear someone SHOUTING, "YOU MUST STOP TALKING, YOU ARE DIVULGING SECRETS". When in fact, that is not the case. Unhindered communicatation; That's part of our freedoms. |
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Active Forum Member |
Well spoken, Dad Itz.
We hide nothing from the world. We keep what little parts we keep secret so that A: we may know each other and B: So as not to ruin it for other candidates. This forum is used as a means for us as Active DeMolays, and those who are Senior DeMolays to share ideas and to have fun with the ritual without ever ruining anything for the candidates or changing anything to get us in trouble. Perhaps you should go back and think about what you've said (merely a suggestion) and ask yourself whether we've really spread any "secrets." Because as far as I'm concerned (and yes, I stole this from Dale) You can't learn the secrets of DeMolay from reading the ritual. It's the experience that does it. S&F Cody Boyles PMC Montgomery Chapter Montgomery Lodge #50 Terre Haute Chapter #11 R.A.M Terre Haute Council #8 R. & S.M. Terre Haute Commandery #16 K.T. ------------------------------ "And let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father that is in heaven" - Matthew 5:16 |
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Active Forum Member |
"We hide nothing from the world? To have fun with the ritual? You can't learn the secrets of DeMolay from reading the ritual?" OH BOY, THE ORDER OF DeMOLAY IS NOT AN ORDINARY STREET ORGANIZATION!
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Forum Know-it-all |
Don,
You're right, DeMolay IS NOT a Street Organization. However you are working under the misguided belief that "Everything is secret", which is false. Our Secrets are, as the ritual itself says, "Few in number". The "Secret work" consists of the exact text of the Obligations, the few ritual questions and answers that accompany it, the recognition signs, and the passwords. That's IT. I can discuss the content of the degrees, without giving the secret work, and I divulge NOTHING that is secret. If you have paid attention at an Installation, you would notice that hugh chunks of our "secret" opening ceremonies are reproduced, word for word, in the public Installation ceremony. Why do you think that is? And with the Rituals, including the Secret work available on eBay, just as the Rituals of Masonry are available at Amazon.com, it's a good thing that you can't become a passable pseudo-DeMolay or pseudo-Mason by reading them. Even sitting and reading the Ritual and the Secret Work won't give away the REAL secrets of DeMolay, which like the REAL secrets of Masonry are in-communicable. They are learned only by experience, and that is not available in any book. Respectfully, Dale |
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Active Forum Member |
Dale,
Here in the Philippines, we are very strict. We do not allow parents of petitioners to witness the DeMolay Degree. Always sacred, Pinoynabrodako |
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Forum Know-it-all |
Brother,
Since the Phillippines has its own Supreme Council you have that luxury. But where DeMolay International aka International Supreme Council holds sway, we who are of its obedience must be obedient. While we might not advertise the fact of the degrees being open to parents, etc, if they ask, we have no choice. But the discusson here is over this thread, and the discussing the form and details of the degree without going into the secret work, or the exact text of the degree. The Brothers who are upset that anything is discussed in a public setting are under the false impression that everything is a secret...when in fact the Ritual itself teaches them otherwise. Fraternally, Dale |
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Active Forum Member |
I do not understand the logic of showing the degrees to parents.
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Active Forum Member |
Bro Pinoynabrodako,
Allowing the parents to see the Degrees is really nothing more than to show them that nothing is going to happen to their son that is "dangerous" or any form of "hazing." Would you be very trusting of a 12-year old guiding you around the room? Most kids are afraid of things like that, being lead into the unknown and especially not knowing where you're going. But even more is that a lot of parents are REALLY uncomfortable with that, so we allow parents to watch to ensure that NOTHING at all will happen to their son, and to let them know that they are always welcome to visit and help out with the Chapter. Having the support of the parents is better than having them fight us over something like wanting to watch something that is important to their son. This message has been edited. Last edited by: Forums Moderator, |
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Active Forum Member |
Here, in the Philippines, parents of DeMolay petitioners are not scared that something bad will happen to their sons, in the conferral of the DeMolay Degree. There is TRUST. That is the reason why, out of "delicadeza", parents do not want to watch the conferral of the DeMolay Degree (which is, indeed, inappropriate to watch).
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Active Forum Member |
Well, everybody does things differently. I'm not going to even attempt to say that your way is wrong, because it isn't.
Everybody has their own way of doing things, and around my part of the world, that's how we do it.  S&F Cody Boyles PMC Montgomery Chapter Montgomery Lodge #50 Terre Haute Chapter #11 R.A.M Terre Haute Council #8 R. & S.M. Terre Haute Commandery #16 K.T. ------------------------------ "And let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father that is in heaven" - Matthew 5:16 |
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Active Forum Member |
Yes, everybody does things differently. It maybe weird. It maybe funny. It maybe improper. It maybe inappropriate. However, there is LOGIC to guide us always in our decisions.
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Forum Member |
Pinoynabrodako,
I think the logic behind the International supreme council's stand on parents seeing the Demolay Degree that you have been asking for is: Law suits. Demolay does not want to be sued because a parent saw a loop hole and wanted to take advantage of it. Not that it would happen often, but it could happen. Parents are held in high reguard in Demolay and they should be allowed into Demolay as deep and often as they want. And maybe as an added bouns they will learn from Demolay's lessons as well. Mathew Aaron Brassard PMC RW Moore |
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Forum Member |
Mat:
I don't think it's a fear of law suits. I think DeMolay International is a forward thinking organization that wants to be pro-active in involving our parents into the DeMolay experience. Our SMC said it best at a recent installation, something like "We have no secrets from the world as far as our core purposes are about." Since this is the case why wouldn't we want Mom and Dad there? Plus, we may be able to get Mom and Dad more active, and maybe even serving as advisors! Don't be so cynical, you'll go bald. |
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Active Forum Member |
Involving the parents within DeMolay and getting them t come to the degrees and other functions is a good way to get them to become Advisors and continue helping out with the chapter. It's a good way to get some fathers to join the Masonic Lodge (This happened in my chapter).
But also it's a good way to get GREAT PR! Think about it, how many people do you know that call your organization a cult, either in seriousness or humor? A lot of that happens around here because they think that because we're kids (As well as young adults) that we don't know much. But if you get "adults" and parents (Adults in quotes, because I'm an adult because I'm 18, it's a technical thing) to come and spread the good word about DeMolay and to tell what we're about then you can truly help the fraternity out. By the way, has anyone ever heard of the freeze frame DeMolay Degree? I'll explain it another day perhaps, my class is about to end. Farewell! S&F Cody Boyles PMC Montgomery Chapter Montgomery Lodge #50 Terre Haute Chapter #11 R.A.M Terre Haute Council #8 R. & S.M. Terre Haute Commandery #16 K.T. ------------------------------ "And let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father that is in heaven" - Matthew 5:16 |
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