This is a pretty interesting Shreveport Times article by Vickie Welborn dealing with a dispute between two very old giants of the rural South. That is the local Church and the Masonic lodge. Typically this arrangement has been somewhat friendly as we see recounting the long history of the parties here.
However there is nothing now friendly with this "breakup" that has resulted with the Masons locking the folks out of part of the Church facilities. Thus the lawsuitsIt has pretty much ripped the close knit local community apart.
See the story on Separation of Church and Lodge at Webster Parish church, Masonic lodge at odds .
In the background of this story is the decline of Southern Masons something that would have been unthinkable in my grandfather's day. In the end a good bit of the legal battle is because there is not perhaps another good option for the aging Masons to go elsewhere.
'The Episcopal Cafe' uses every (ok, every other) opportunity to bash Rome, Catholic bishops, and faithful Catholic laity. Conservative, creedal Episcopalians and Anglicans shun "the Cafe" religiously. It's largely a hang-out of bitter, condescending & spiritually narcissistic ex-Catholics. Sorry for stating something so obvious.
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