Authors: Richard P. Thorn, Porter Manuals
ISBN-13: 9780871317605, ISBN-10: 0871317605
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Evans, M. & Company, Inc.
Date Published: May 1994
Edition: 1st ed
This is a book which I highly recommend for reading by all Freemasons...--Tom Jackson, Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
As the religious right spreads its influence throughout the U.S., it is inevitable that some of its more provocative speakers should tread on the toes of other groups, both religious and nonreligious. In Thorn's case, the fundamentalists have met their match. Thorn attacks the critics of Masonry, showing where they err in their assumptions and providing some good insights into the nature of the Masons' "secret" society. He also draws on his own fundamentalist background to explain the theology behind the fundamentalist statements. Thorn acknowledges that he may not change anyone's mind, but he feels that Masonry stands at a crucial point and that its future may depend on how it meets the fundamentalist attack. This book is recommended for those interested in the influence and place of religion in the world.
Foreword | 9 | |
Introduction | 11 | |
I | A Soul Set Free | 16 |
II | Understanding the Fundamentalist | 28 |
III | Nature Worship | 37 |
IV | Oaths and Obligations | 52 |
V | The Mysteries | 59 |
VI | The Boy Who Cried Wolf | 69 |
VII | Blessed Are the Peacemakers | 77 |
VIII | Our Judeo-Christian Heritage | 85 |
IX | Viewpoint | 94 |
X | Free Choice | 103 |
Notes | 114 | |
Bibliography | 119 | |
Appendix A Transcript of Carlson's Tape | 121 | |
Appendix B Selected Pages from Pike's Morals and Dogma | 144 |