Shirley Manson & Freemasonry!

The Alt-Rock band “Garbage” were in Australia recently; on tour & having a great time of it. Given the age of a few of the Members of Canoblas Lewis, there was quite a bit of interest in this band; but, to those that are not into 90’s Alt-rock AND in order to refresh your memory as to who Garbage are please have a look at the links below:

This break through Hit (Vow - From the debut album Garbage):

Or this masterpiece "Queer" from Garbage

Or this hit from their next Album Version 2.o

Or this song from their latest Album "Strange Little Birds"

BUT, as good as the above songs are, lead singer Shirley Manson, the wonderfully intelligent, pink haired Scot, gave an interview to the ABCs 7:30 report on November 24, which showed that some artists are great on so many levels (You will have to click the blue link below as it is on ABC.net not YouTube so I can't insert a clip like the above):

This Link is to Shirley's interview on ABC.net.au

The whole interview is really interesting & I would urge all to watch & read the transcript, but, for those that do not have the bandwidth available, here is the relevant section that I would like you to consider:

SHIRLEY MANSON: Well, there's so much pressure on young women to be beautiful.

To put a photograph up on social media, and have people go, "Wow, you're so beautiful".

And unfortunately, it's such an empty pursuit, really, to be told you're beautiful. It's kind of meaningless, because there will always be another beautiful woman to follow, and I think women really need to shift their focus on to something that creates a foundation for them, as they grow through life, you know.

The sentence in the article that I thought summed up her thoughts: “Nobody stays young and beautiful forever; therefore, build a platform on which you can stand through storms”

Building a personal foundation to improve themselves. What a fantastic statement from a public figure. Oh how we wish that there were more positive role models of Ms Manson's type out in internet-land these days.

Now whilst Ms Manson is referring to women & her desire to see them better themselves over the pursuit of the frivolous, her sentiments could equally apply to any young man and to the benefits of being a member of a Masonic Lodge. Give yourself a chance to be the best “You” that “You” can be, focus on something that creates that foundation for the rest of your life. Truly a “masonic” thought from a public figure; so much so, I feel it appropriate for an early: So Mote it Be!

Thus, from that statement, you may insinuate that Shirley Manson is a Freemason, or, member of Lodge Canoblas Lewis… Or perhaps the Order of the Eastern Star... or maybe not!

Obviously, Freemasonry is a fraternity, and membership is a male privilege, this fact, definitely does not mean or in anyway imply misogyny, rather, it is simply a matter that there are times to be with your brothers in lodge, and that these times allow you to create that foundation for yourself, and by being a better man with a foundation for personal growth, that we empower the women in our lives to be the Best that they can be. We at Canoblas Lewis like to think of the situation as a “Win Win”!

How great is it to be a Freemason?

How great is it to be a member of Lodge Canoblas Lewis?

How great were Shirley Manson’s thoughts?

So mote it be!

Postscript:

I was going to start this post with this piece of Humour:

“So, the members of Lodge Canoblas Lewis would like to announce a little known fact:

Ms Shirley Manson, the lead singer of the Scottish-American Indy-Rock band “Garbage” is, in fact a freemason”. As funny as this would have been, it would detract from the post & the solemnity of what Ms Manson said, and it would also have detracted from the positive way that we, as freemasons like to conduct ourselves in relation to women & self improvement.

Thanks for being OK with this!

Leigh

A non-member of Canoblas Lewis

This chap here is Tyr.

He has an occupation too, He is a Norse God.
He was so important that he gave his name to Tuesday. One of Tyrs jobs was as god of Justice.  And Honour and War and the sky and apparently a few other things too... apparently the gods are multitalented.

In the picture (by the Swedish painter John Baur) Tyr is depicted in the process of losing his right hand to the giant wolf Fenrir. In this story, the monstorous half god Fenrir is so wild that for the publics safety he must be bound (tied up). After numerous failed attempts to bind the beastie the gods commissioned a magical rope to be built specifically to bind the beast. When it came time to bind Fenrir, the hellish wolf was rightly suspect that the gods planned to trap him.

The wolf agreed to be bound on the condition that a god place his or her right hand in his mouth... (I take it you get the implications???)

Tyr was the god who stepped up and placed his hand in Fenrirs mouth - thus loosing it when the wolf found that he was caught in the rope. His self sacrifice made the gods home safe. Possibly a bit "loose" in a strictly moral sense - but he did give his word to the Monster and paid a hefty price as a result.

With an attitude to keeping his word and looking after his fellow citizens of Asgard, Tyr would have made an admirable Freemason.

If he had joined a lodge in the Central west of NSW, unfortunately, he wouldn't have been a member of Lodge Canoblas Lewis; He would be a member of Lodge Mandagery at Manildra- as they meet on a Tuesday - and Tuesdays are his day after all!

So mote it be!