Death Before Dishonor: the 29th Degree and a Reflection on Cheating

Those things that are most important in our lives cannot be “truly” obtained by shortcutting.

Last week I watched a documentary on the epidemic of cheating by college students. Some have purchased elaborate microphones and listening devices so that they can whisper the question into a tiny microphone and have someone else not even in the same building doing the answers for them and relaying it back to the student who is wearing a listening device that is so small it cannot be detected in the testing students ear.

More than 40% of students had admitted to cheating in college leaving me to believe that the number is much higher. When those that admitted to cheating were asked why, nearly all of them stated that the pressure of getting good grades has forced them to cheat in order to get access to the right jobs and graduate programs.

The problem with this type of cheating is that those cheating student who are getting their diploma will be one day be placed in their vocation and expected to perform at a level of competency that they have not yet acquired. Let’s presuppose that one of those cheaters is your doctor…do we really want him doing your operation. Given that 40% of students admit to cheating the possibility of your doctor being one of those students who cheated in order to get his diploma is pretty high.

All of us are very aware that the higher one moves up the social ladder the less likely they are to be held liable for their dishonest behavior. Nowhere do we see this more than in big business and politics. To this day nobody in the banking business that nearly destroyed the strongest financial system in the world in 2008 have even been charged with a misdemeanor. Even more recently the M. F. Global CEO Jon Corzine took over a billion dollars out of individual’s personal accounts and then gambled on Greek debt derivatives, leaving many of the investors without their money. Given that he is a personal friend of the President no charges have as yet been filed for this theft.

Entropy exists in every aspect of our world and those that build their lives upon a less than honorable foundation will find that the probability of chaos and deterioration upon their current environments will be greatly enhanced.

Lastly, we as Knights of the 29th degree believe that we are building a sacred temple within ourselves and its construction is far more important than a large house and a yacht to ski behind. We also know that this internal temple must be constructed with a solid foundation of finished ashlars, the ashlars take time and effort to chisel away the rough parts. It takes sweat, determination and the understanding that there is no shortcuts during the construction of this internal temple suitable for the habitation of God.

Larry Roberts 32°, Portland Valley Treasurer. Member of Modesto Lodge 206, Esoterika Lodge 227 and Research Lodge #198.