Tolerance Tuesday-Raising the Next Generation of Tolerant Leaders

 

“Tools of the craft. Seeds of the future.”

The Compass and the Child

In Freemasonry, we speak often of building, a temple not made with hands, a society shaped by virtue. But what of the builders who come after us? What tools do we place in their hands? What values do we whisper into their hearts?

Tolerance is not inherited. It is taught, modeled, and cultivated. And in a world increasingly divided by noise and haste, the next generation needs more than slogans. They need mentors.

The compass, one of our most sacred symbols, teaches us to draw boundaries—not to exclude, but to guide. When we raise children with tolerance, we teach them to widen their circles, to listen before judging, and to seek understanding over victory.

But tolerance is not passive. It requires courage. It means standing up when others are put down. It means asking hard questions and sitting with uncomfortable truths. It means learning to disagree without disrespect.

 Building with Intention

So how do we raise tolerant leaders?

• Model it: Children learn more from what we do than what we say. Let them see us engage with difference, not just endure it, but honor it.

• Tell stories: Share tales of peacemakers, bridge-builders, and those who stood firm in kindness. Let them know that tolerance is strength, not softness.

• Invite questions: Create space for curiosity. Let them wrestle with ideas, challenge assumptions, and explore perspectives.

• Celebrate diversity: Not as a checkbox, but as a source of wisdom. Help them see that every person carries a piece of the puzzle.

 A Legacy Worth Leaving

Freemasonry is a tradition of transmission. We pass down symbols, rituals, and truths. But the most powerful legacy we can leave is a generation equipped to lead with empathy, humility, and resolve.

Let us be the mentors who plant seeds of tolerance, not just in lodges, but in living rooms, classrooms, and communities. Let us raise leaders who build not walls, but bridges.

Because the future is not written in stone. It is shaped by the hands we guide today.

This reflection is part of my 12-part Tolerance Tuesday series. where I explore how Masonic virtues guide us through conflict, truth and daily life-you can read the full series here

See You Next Tuesday. 

Was Superman a Freemason? A Light‑Hearted Investigation

This Illustration is Reprinted from Superman Adventures 34. Fighting Fate, August 1999, DC Comics New York City, NY 

Mark Millar, Writer, Mike Mcavennie, Editor Frandk Berris, found on Page 21I

• I was flipping through an old comic the other day when a single caption made me stop and smile. It was from Superman Adventures #34, published back in August of 1999. The panel showed Superman flying thru the air, cape flowing behind him, as someone told him, “Go now, and may the Great Architect of the Universe protect you on your journey.”

  That phrase is familiar to any Mason. Seeing it in a Superman comic caught me off guard. For a moment, I just stared at it. Then the thought hit me, half serious and half in good fun: Was Superman a Freemason?

  Once that question landed, I could not let it go. So I decided to look into it, using the same investigative instincts I have used in plenty of real‑world situations.

  Superman and Clark Kent both lived in Metropolis. Some fans say Metropolis is based on New York City. Others argue for Delaware. So I did what any curious Mason might do. I checked both. I scoured the websites of the Grand Lodge of New York and the Grand Lodge of Delaware, hoping to find even the faintest hint of a connection. Nothing. Not a whisper of Kryptonian membership.

  Then I went old school. I pulled out my four‑volume set of 10,000 Famous Freemasons, published in 1957. By then, Superman was already a cultural icon. He had comic books, radio shows, and the hit TV series The Adventures of Superman. If he or his mild‑mannered alter ego had ever been portrayed as a Mason, surely he would be listed somewhere.

  But there were no entries for Superman. No entries for Clark Kent. Not even a footnote.

  So that settled the factual side of things. But it did not settle the question in my mind. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Superman, fictional or not, embodies a surprising number of Masonic traits.

  He lives a life of service without expecting anything in return. He helps because it is right, not because it benefits him. That is a lesson we hear in lodge all the time.

  He carries a secret identity, a private inner life that guides his public actions. Masonry teaches us something similar. The real work happens inside, in the quiet places where character is shaped.

  His moral code, built on truth, justice, restraint, and compassion, reads like a list of the cardinal virtues. He has mentors who guide him, just as we do. And the symbol on his chest, while Kryptonian, functions a lot like our own symbols. It reminds him of who he strives to be.

  Of course, there is a case against it too. Superman is fictional. He has never been shown joining a lodge. His values come from Jonathan and Martha Kent while growing up in Smallville Kansas, not from ritual. And let us be honest. Between saving the world and dealing with Lex Luthor, he probably would not have much time to attend stated meetings.

  But in the end, that is not really the point.

  The question “Was Superman a Freemason?” is not about membership records or historical evidence. It is about the values he represents. These values feel right at home with the Square and Compasses. Superman reminds us that heroism is not about powers. It is about character. It is about choosing to do good quietly, consistently, and without expecting applause.

  So on April 18th, as fans celebrate Superman’s Birthday, I will raise a symbolic toast to the Man of Steel. Not as a Brother, but as a reminder of the virtues we all strive to live by.

• If this playful detour into symbolism resonated with you, you may enjoy two other reflections where I explore the Craft through ordinary life; one through biking, and another through the humble gym membership. Sometimes the best Masonic lessons show up where we least expect them.

• Or if this playful look at Superman’s virtues pairs well with my ongoing series Unlocking the Symbols of Freemasonry, where I explore the real emblems that guide a Mason’s inner work.

Happy Birthday Superman

Me goofing around

Minnesota Masons Kick Off a New Wellness Initiative at Goldy’s Run

Many were already at the starting line at time of photo. 

On April 12, 2026, Minnesota Masonic Charities launched a new effort to encourage healthier lifestyles among Minnesota Masons, and they began by hitting the pavement together.

Sixty Masons from nineteen Lodges gathered at the University of Minnesota to take part in Goldy’s Run, the annual fundraiser supporting the M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. Brothers ran, walked, and encouraged one another, turning the event into a visible expression of unity, wellness, and service.

And the setting couldn’t have been more fitting. Goldy’s Run has long been a beloved fundraiser supporting the Masonic Children’s Hospital, A place where Minnesota Masons have invested decades of care, philanthropy, and hope. To launch a wellness initiative at an event that already embodies Masonic generosity created a powerful symmetry: strengthening ourselves while strengthening the community.

It was a simple start with a meaningful message: taking care of ourselves helps us take better care of others.

Three Past Grand Masters laced up and took part

April: Living on the Level: From Lodge to Life

 

SECTION I — The Meaning of the Level

Among the working tools of Freemasonry, the Level stands as a quiet reminder of one of our oldest truths: that all people share the same human worth. It teaches that no matter our background, our successes, or our struggles, we stand on equal ground in the eyes of the Great Architect. The Level is not a tool of measurement alone; it is a symbol of fairness, humility, and the dignity owed to every person.

SECTION II — The Level Inside the Lodge

When we enter the Lodge, the usual markers of status, what we do for a living, how educated we are, how much we earn, or how we appear online, no longer matter. This is where the Level first speaks to us, reminding us that harmony begins with humility and that every Brother stands on equal ground. All Brothers meet on the same level.

In the Lodge, the Level is more than a symbol; it is the jewel of the Senior Warden’s office. He wears it because his duty is to ensure that all Masons meet as equals, without pride, prejudice, or pretense. The Senior Warden stands as the guardian of fairness, the officer who reminds us that no Brother is above another and none is beneath. By carrying the Level, he embodies the principle that harmony is preserved only when every man is treated with dignity. His office teaches that equality is not an idea to admire, but a practice to uphold.

Here, on the Level, we learn to listen without judgment, to speak with respect, and to treat each Brother with the dignity he deserves. This is the foundation of our fellowship, the place where equality is not just declared, but lived.

SECTION III — The Level Beyond the Lodge

When we leave the Lodge, the world quickly reminds us that not everyone stands on equal ground. People are judged by appearances, assumptions, and the labels society places on them. Too often, we meet others through the lens of stereotype instead of humanity.

The Level gives a shared moral rule, not a policy program: treat people justly, regardless of who they are. It reminds us that the equality we practice among Brothers is meant to extend far beyond the tiled floor. The world may divide people by status, background, or belief, but the Level calls us to see the human being first. As the old Masonic saying goes, the world is our Lodge, and we are expected to act the same way outside of it as we do within it.

Before we move forward, here is a simple reflection on what the Level means in daily life, a reminder of the fairness, humility, and humanity it calls us to practice.

The Level

(Poem)

When we walk in, the world falls away.

Titles, money, fame, none of it matters here.

We stand side by side on the same ground. 

Measured only by how we treat one another.

 

The Level teaches us to be fair. 

To speak with honesty and act with respect.

It reminds us that no one stands above, 

And no one stands below, only human.

What counts is not what we own or claim to be. 

But the kindness, justice, and care we show.

Every movement is a chance to stay true, 

To Live upright, balanced and aware.

The Level is more than a tool: it is a guide, 

A call to keep our hearts and minds straight. 

To meet each person as an equal. 

And to remember our shared humanity.

Be fair, stay humble, act with integrity

SECTION IV — The Challenge of Today’s World

Living on the Level is simple to understand but difficult to practice. The world around us rewards division, competition, and comparison. People are encouraged to sort themselves into groups, defend their side, and distrust anyone who looks, thinks, or lives differently.

In such an environment, the Level becomes more than a symbol; it becomes a discipline. It asks us to resist the easy pull of judgment and to meet others with the same fairness we expect for ourselves. It calls us to slow down, to listen, and to recognize the dignity in every person, even when we disagree. The Level does not promise that the world will be easy, but it does show us how to walk through it with integrity.

SECTION V — The Call of the Level

The Level asks something simple of us, yet something profound: to carry ourselves with fairness wherever we go. It reminds us that equality is not a moment in Lodge but a way of moving through the world. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to practice what we have promised, to listen before judging, to speak with respect, and to treat others with the dignity we expect for ourselves.

The Level does not demand perfection; it asks for sincerity. It calls us to be steady, patient, and just, even when the world is not. When we live by the Level, we become quiet builders of harmony, shaping our communities with the same care we bring to our Lodge. In this way, the Level is more than a symbol; it becomes a way of life, for Freemasonry itself is a way of life.

This idea continues in my piece on the Trowel, where I explore how we bind ourselves together in brotherly love. 

This reflection is part of my twelve-part series Unlocking the Symbols of Freemasonry. You can explore the full journey here.