Shriners
The Shriners, or Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, are an Order appendant to Freemasonry. Until 2000, one had to complete the Scottish Rite or York Rite degrees of Masonry to be eligible for Shrine membership, but now any Master Mason can join.
History
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Freemasonry is ostensibly a fraternity designed to create fellowship and benevolence, yet its secrecy makes many people wary. The Shriners, on the other hand, present a public image of a fun-time group, yet they pour millions of dollars into charity, all the while dressed up in a party spirit, wearing their Red Fezzes with great aplomb.
The Shrine was supposedly established in New York City in the 1870s as the "fun" part of the Masonic movement. The group adopted a theme of the Middle East and soon established "Temples" meeting in "Mosques" across the continent. Another Masonic group, the Mysterious Order of the Veiled Prophet of the Enchanted Realm (known colloquially as the "Grotto"), had adopted a similar theme in 1890. The theme was popular at the time and alluded to the mystery and ceremony of the Arabian Nights with its elaborate parties and frolic.
The Shrine is not Islamic, it is a men's fraternity rather than a religion or religious group. Its only religious requirement is indirect, since all members must be Freemason; a petitioner to Freemasonry must profess a belief in a supreme being. In order to reduce the confusion with religion, the use of the word "Temple" to describe Shrine Centers has now been replaced by the word "Shriners." For example, Mahi Temple is now Mahi Shriners.
Rather than a religion, the Shriners function in occidental culture as what anthropologists call a clown society. In addition to the anthropological meaning, Shriners also frequently dress as clowns to entertain children in hospitals.
There are 500,000 Nobles belonging to 191 Shrine Centers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Panama.
Modern Shriners
The Shriners often participate in local parades riding comedic versions of cars and motorcycles. They are recognizable by their elaborate red fezzes. The Shriners are committed to community service and have been instrumental in countless public projects throughout their domain.
Once a year, the fraternity meets for the Imperial Council Session in a major North American city. It is not uncommon for these conventions to have 20,000 participants or more, which generates significant revenue for the local economy. Until 2001 the Academy Awards ceremonies were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Legendary silent film comedian Harold Lloyd was a Shriner and served as Imperial Potentate in 1949. He did much to promote the fraternity within the entertainment industry.
Charity
The Shrine's charitable arm is the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of twenty-two hospitals in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It was formed to treat young victims of polio, but as that disease was controlled, they broadened their scope. They now deal with all pediatric cases, most especially with orthopedic injuries and disease and burns. The Shrine has pioneered new treatments for these conditions.
There is never any charge for treatment at a Shriners Hospital. There is no requirement for religion, race, or relationship to a Freemason. Patients must be under the age of eighteen and treatable. Local Shrine temples most often provide free transportation to the nearest hospital. In 2002, a mascot named Fez Head Fred debuted, primarily to visit their children's hospitals. [1]
Some famous Shriners
Imperial Potentates
- Ralph W. Semb, 1999-2000
- Kenneth W. Smith, 2000-2001
- Robert N. Turnipseed, 2001-2002
- Charles A. "Tad" Claypool, 2002-2003
- M. Burton Oien, 2003-2004
- Raoul L. Frevel, Sr., 2004-2005
- Gary W. Dunwoody, 2005-2006