I'll start by saying that you get what you expect with these 'For Dummies' series' of books in almost all cases - a good solid understanding of the basics of the topic aimed at a complete beginner. Naturally as a master of ceremonies for the New Rhodesia Foundation I know a lot about fraternities and the true goings on which lets me read between the lines more than the casual reader as I break down this book. All in all if you know little about Freemasons and want to understand the symbols, meetings and history this book is a great starting point for you.
I'll Start With The Negatives - Hodapp and His Views
Hodapp starts us off with the spurious claim that 100 years ago none of this would be necessary. Apparently everyone then was in a fraternity and the symbols and history of these would have been ingrained on our societies. Whilst it is true that 'we all know someone from our family who was a Mason' is probably a true statement - my Great Grandfather was a Master Mason - if we do some maths on this it becomes apparent that this 'evidence' is weak. Take war for example - we all know someone in the past who died at war but the actual percentage of the population who died is the minority. This also applied to Masons and other fraternities in the past.
You'll no doubt be wondering why I'm making such a big play on the initial words of a man who after all professes to be a senior member of the Freemasons. The simple fact is that throughout the book he will attempt to downplay the significance of the organisation and it's influence on society. Through the pretense that 'everyone did it' in the past he sets the scene nicely for this charade which will continue unabated throughout the book.
We'll also see Hodapp do more 'debunking' than explaining. Through picking the worst and most ludicrous examples of Freemason conspiracy theory and ridiculing those - and encouraging the reader to agree that they are so ridiculous - he cleverly uses 'framing' to change the judgement of the reader. By framing any subtle hints at the true power of the organisation he leaks out in the text against the ludicrous power and influence throughout history some claim, he flattens the landscape of the readers' imagination to such an extent that many clues will go unnoticed to the untrained eye.
Hodapp Covers The History And Symbolism Beautifully
As an expert in Masonic rituals and symbolism myself and having infiltrated a number of lodges over the years our team can confirm the accuracy of the explanations given in this book. Understanding the 'working' history of the organisation and how that has translated into a fraternity that seeks to 'build' the soul through brotherhood will give you a lot of clues as to how they became so powerful in the long run. It's no surprise that an organisation that took mere stone cutting, made it a craft and shunned all 'untrained' (read cheaper) labour to ensure their monopoly is carrying out similar acts in today's world.
The symbols of Masonry are mysterious to those unfamiliar with the craft and often seem religious or to some even Satanic. People need not worry - as Hodapp explains beautifully most of the symbolism relates to the perfection the original cutters of stone would have aspired to in making their wonderful Temples and Cathedrals. The belief that man alone can achieve little but man together as a group can achieve wonder is often cited by Hodapp and the examples include the individuals working together to construct a mighty Cathedral. Naturally when it comes to the Masons that working together has always - from the historic 'working' stone cutting Masons to the philosophical masons of today been to the detriment of any non-Mason. In the past this was done with force and secrecy, now it's done through influence and subterfuge. Don't be fooled by his flowery words, but do enjoy his wonderful explanations of the history and symbolism of the craft. Overall a good read, best approached with the mind of a cynic however.
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