Reddit reviews Joseph’s Temples: The Dynamic Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism
We found 8 Reddit comments about Joseph’s Temples: The Dynamic Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Correct. Ironically, Joseph Smith was also a Freemason. You can find many similarities between the rituals of Freemasonry and Mormonism.
For anyone interested in the connection between Masonry and Mormonism please read:
Joseph's Temples: The Dynamic Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism.
The Morgan Affair is really frustrating to talk about. There is no record of what happened after Morgan was kidnapped. Some accounts claim that he was drowned, others claim he was paid to leave New York state.
> Being in Utah, this is a topic that's often alluded to but not often discussed from the Masonic perspective.
Firstly, There's not much to discuss. For generations, we discriminated against Saints, sometimes passive-aggressively, sometimes aggressively. In 1984, this came to an end. No matter what lies we tell ourselves to justify this, the truth remains a) we did it and b) there is never justification for discrimination or lies. Those are the facts. We were wrong. Period. End of discussion. To delve into it beyond owning our guilt to is to delve into speculation and rationalization and fall into attempts to obviate our wrong-doing.
Secondly, within the community of mainstream American Masonry, it is generally frowned upon for Masons or Masonry to comment upon any religion.
Thirdly, I don't think anyone here can truly appreciate what it was to be LDS or non-LDS in a small outpost city, well beyond the safety of the border of the US, in a desert, next to undrinkable water, in the mid-late 19th century. So, even if Masons or Masonry could realistically and justifiably comment on the LDS faith, we can never really understand what it was to scratch out a life in those days.
Now, from the other perspective, I think there may be something to be explored. The current go to resource is Homer's Joseph's Temples. It isn't perfect, but within the discussion of faith, nothing ever is.
DISCLAIMER - Not LDS despite having spent large portions of my life near Batavia, and in Missouri and SLC, UT.
You might be interested in Michael W. Homer's "Joseph's Temples" https://www.amazon.com/Joseph%C2%92s-Temples-Relationship-Freemasonry-Mormonism/dp/1607813440
It's an interesting story & dynamic. Being in Utah I know a lot of LDS folks (and a few LDS/former LDS Brothers) but have never encountered such a frank discussion as in that text.
I read the following book and found it to be incredibly detailed in addressing the topic:
Joseph’s Temples: The Dynamic Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism
TLDR (if you don't want to read ~500 pages...) Masonry has no real connection to antiquity, just myths based on references to biblical persons/events. Joseph stole all the core ideas from the masons, and they were not at all happy about it.
Joseph’s Temples: The Dynamic Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism http://www.amazon.com/dp/1607813440/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl
I haven't read this yet. I plan on buying it and reading it soon.
If you're looking for something more scholarly, the book Joseph's Temples: The Dynamic Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism might be good. I haven't read it yet, but it has been on my list for a while. There's an in-depth review of the book here.
Can you afford to purchase the kindle version of this book? Joseph's Temples: The Dynamic Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism...$15.99 USD on Amazon. I own a physical copy of this book and it was very informative.
Rough Stone Rolling is good but soft-pedals some things.
Some of the stuff from the church historian's press looks worthwhile: https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/publications?lang=eng
Greg Kofford Books has an extensive history line. I've enjoyed what I've read and found it to be well done. https://gregkofford.com/
Natural Born Seer is good, more of a critical lens on Joseph Smith's early years, really intriguing.
Joseph's Temples regarding the Freemasonry connection.
People highly recommend D. Michael Quinn.
Leonard Arrington's stuff is supposed to be classic, Great Basin Kingdom.
David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism by Gregory Prince.