Comments on: The Lost Symbol – The Road Best Not Travelled

By: Stephen A. McKim

Stephen A. McKim — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:49:46 +0000

The book is an excellent piece of literature and fiction. It’s intent is to entertain and if it gets one thinking along the way? so much the better. The only thing wrong with the book….. is everyone thinking it needs to be “Deciphered”. It needs no explanation, it is fiction as claimed by its author, it is for personal entertaining enjoyment and I view those who are selling books claiming to know what Dan Brown “really meant” as “leeching” off of Dan Brown to pad their own pockets with no genuine intention of educating or enlightening the readers. We as Masons pride ourselves in being able to think for ourselves. Is that not one of the objectives of Freemasonry?

By: BeeHive

BeeHive — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:47:13 +0000

Don’t misunderstand me. I have no quarrel with the Masonic portrayal here. Rather it is the historic revisionism and the blending of Masonic Philosophy with personal philosophy that concerns me.

By: Tom Accuosti

Tom Accuosti — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:15:45 +0000

Why are we, as Masons, so quick to jump on the bandwagon of sensationalism?

Don’t get too worked up, BH. I think that it’s perfectly reasonable to find Masons rejoicing over a book — a very popular book, mind you — in which Masons are not depicted as deranged killers (From Hell), or plotting world domination (LXG), or as out-dated, reactionary old men (:ahem:).

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:14:02 +0000

@47th: You nailed it. And that’s the problem with so many anti-Masons–they equate some esoteric writing or a specific branch of Freemasonry with the Blue Lodge. Unfortunately, anti-Masons and the public at large latch onto a single misguided or misinterpreted phrase or word, and then assume that’s what the whole of Freemasonry is about. It’s ignorance in its purest form.

By: 47th Problem of Euclid

47th Problem of Euclid — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:31 +0000

Dan Brown makes the classic mistake of confusing Blue Lodge Masonry with Scottish Rite Masonry, as if they were the same thing. Many, but not all, of the themes he ascribes to masonry in general are explored in the Scottish Rite degrees as practiced by the Southern Jurisdiction. They are not subjects explored in the first three degrees, and a Master Mason is the highest degree in masonry.

I did a Scottish Rite one-day-class four months after I was raised, and was given the 32nd degree. I had non-mason friends and relatives express their astonishment that I was able to rise that high in masonry so quickly. The public does not understand that all degrees after the third do not outrank the third degree (with the possible exception of the degree for a new Worshipful Master).

By: Mike Clevenger

Mike Clevenger — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:46:46 +0000

Your rhetorical questions of “Why are we, as Masons, so quick to jump on the bandwagon of sensationalism? Why do we believe that this book is our Savior; will bring us all kinds of new membership?” are good ones.

I believe that as an organization we seem to jump to anything that we believe may create more Masons quickly. It is real easy to let something else do your promotion for you and if it gets positive results say, “hey, that’s who we are!” instead of working diligently every day to live and promote the principles of Freemasonry.

Dan Brown’s book may help us get our foot in the door, but we still need to focus on a constant, deliberate path of telling our own story and more importantly; living it.

Mike Clevenger, PM
New England Lodge #4
Worthington Ohio
http://www.masonicleader.com

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:54:11 +0000

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