At its most basic level, Freemasonry teaches civility and tolerance for for our fellow men, and is a platform upon which its members may meet upon the level, hopefully without the divisions that exist among men outside of the lodge.
To that end, the brethren of Gate City lodge No. 2 in Atlanta have instituted a public program of which Masons across the country and the world should take careful note. This from Brother David Herman about Gate City Lodge No. 2 and its 2009 lecture series on religion and culture.
Atlanta's Gate City No. 2 is taking a bold step forward this year by inviting all brethren, their families, and the general public to hear a series of speakers on a variety of religions and cultures. For meal planning purposes, attendees are asked to to RSVP to rsvp@gatecity2.org.
On Tuesday, January 27, the topic will be Saivite Hinduism.
Representatives from the Kashi Atlanta Ashram will give a presentation on the Hindu religion, culture and history, and will speak about some of the Ashram’s Interfaith work. Dinner will be Chicken Tikka Masala and Palak Panner (both traditional Indian dishes) and is $7.00.
On Tuesday, February 24, the topic will be Classic Islamic Poetry.
J.D. Jordan, an educator who recently completed a graduate degree in US-Middle Eastern History, will present a program which looks at the Classical period of Islamic Poetry. The most common themes of the genre will be explored from Middle Eastern Devotional Works to familiar romantic styles, tavern poems and satires. The purpose of the program is to demystify an often-adversarial culture through verse and historical perspective. The meal will be Shish Kabob and is $7.00.
Future topics and bookings will include eclectic Shamanism, the Catholic Church, and more. Expect dates to be on the fourth Tuesdays when they occur; the information will be announced here when released.
Presented at the Atlanta Masonic Center at 7:30pm, following a $7.00 dinner at 6:30pm, various dates.
