Thursday, August 28, 2008

Masons and Megachurch

The Masons opened their lodge to the public a week or two ago--they gave tours, answered questions, and there was a fundraiser dinner. Here are some of the things I saw: A book called The Great Psychological Crime--it had a chapter called "post-mortem hypnosis."; a fragment of stone from the corner of King Solomon's Temple. I learned that the Grand Master sits to the East. No one sits to the North because it is too far from the sun. I found a program for a Service of Remembrance. It opens: "It is the hour when the veil of the Temple was rent in twain, when darkness resigned and consternation oppressed all the earth. When the Flaming Star was eclipsed and the shadow overcame the Light; when the Columns and Working Tools of the old Masonry were shattered and when the Cubicle Stone sweated water and blood; the instant when the word was lost."
Two days later I visited a Baptist MegaChurch. I forgot my notetaking tools. Here is what I remember: County police direct traffic in and out of the church parking lot. It looked just like on TV, and if you wanted, you could make it exactly like TV by watching one of the two giant TVs. Nobody was sweating or fainting. The pastor started off with a sexist joke. Every body laughed. The music had neither the solemnity of hymns in say, the Methodist or Episcopalien or Catholic churches. Nor did it have the charisma of gospel or the pentecostal churches. We left early.

1 comment:

jilmeka said...

Wowzer. I always wondered about the Masons. Reminds me a bit of the secret societies at Yale. Except they never give tours? Did you ever see that cheesy movie, Skulls?