2009 September | Religion & Values

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Sept. 16 Today’s Prayer

Posted by religion

on September 16, 2009 at 10:27 am

You are gracious and righteous, dear Lord. You show us much mercy and compassion. Amen.

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Freemasons the focus of new Dan Brown book

Posted by religion

on September 15, 2009 at 10:50 am

OK, it’s official.

Freemasons are an integral part of “The Lost Symbol,” the new Dan Brown book released today.

I saw Brown’s interview with Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Today” show this morning and he said as much as he and Lauer talked about some of the key elements in the book.

Saturday’s LIFE section featured a Religion News Service story about masons around the country preparing for people’s curiousity should their fraternal organization be featured prominently in the book. Also, I wrote a story about a top leader in the Oklahoma Grand Lodge, a masons’ organization representing about 250 masonic groups in the state, who said he has been preparing his masons groups for inquisitive “Symbol” readers.

Looks like they were right to be prepared.

In today’s television interivew, tt was interesting to hear Brown tell why he chose to focus his literary attention on the masons this time around. Most of us can recall that the Vatican was the subject of “The Da Vinci Code.” That fiction book stirred up controversy in Rome and other religious circles for its less than pleasant portrayal of the Catholic Church and its assertion that Jesus was married to Mary Magdelane and fathered a child with her.

Anyway, Brown said the masons drew his interest because they are a spiritually-aware group that welcomes not just Christians, but Muslims, Jews and others who believe in God or a higher power. Although they are open in that way, they are still somewhat ”secretive” Brown said.

It seems that that he felt that so-called secretive nature made a good subject for this latest book. thelostsymbol

I plan on getting “The Lost Symbol” this week because now I’m interested to see if it lives up to all the hype about secret societies and such.

Interestingly enough, Jim Tresner, 67, the spokesman for the Oklahoma Grand Lodge in Guthrie, said he enjoyed Brown’s bestseller “The Da Vinci Code” and he is also looking forward to reading “The Lost Symbol.”

Tresner, who has been a mason since he was 21, said he is just as curious as everyone else about the book’s premise and how it portrays his beloved masons.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

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