I once bought a book for $500 and I still own it

[Tobin S.]

I used to be interested in Freemasonry and the conspiracy theories surrounding that organization. Then I ran across a Masonic scholar named Manly P. Hall and started learning about the reality of the Masons.

I think it was in the 1920s that Hall wrote a book called "The Secret Teachings of all Ages." The book was an international best seller. Over the years, new editions of the book came out. About 10 years ago the Diamond Jubilee Anniversary edition of the book came out. Only 250 copies of the deluxe edition were printed. I have number 175 and a special page was printed showing that it was presented to me.

However, I have not read the book in all of this time. The Masons became much less exciting when I realized that they were not a part of some huge, evil scheme to rule the planet and were merely a fraternal organization. I see the book as a part of my retirement portfolio now days.

But an interesting thing happened to me recently. I found out that my girlfriend's father is a 33rd degree Freemason. I told her about the book and she told him about it. He said that he had heard of the book, but had never read it. I told him he could borrow my copy and he is very excited about it.

[elleng]

1. What goes around comes around, Tobin!

:thumbsup:

[Kali]

2. Pretty sure my fathers father was in that, I know he was a member of several orgs

like the Elks. I was never into any kind of groups like that, though I dated a guy in college who was in a fraternity (I was a bad influence and he quit - :P )

funny though, the husband actually is a mason - a 2nd gen masonry contractor:rofl:

anybody need a fireplace or stone floor installed?

[merh]

7. That depends ...

How far will he commute to do the work?

:rofl:

:hi: :pals:

[Kali]

10. pretty far! (especially after the last few years!)

are you in Louisiana? He went there once for work - it wasn't a masonry job though, it was mill work installing racks for cigarettes behind the counters at circle k's - that was an interesting experience - a whole night world behind the scenes in convenience stores and big department stores.

:hi:

[MilesColtrane]

3. I once pondered paying $400 for "Notes on Blood Meridian".

It is an exhaust overview and commentary of Cormac McCarthy's masterpiece "Blood Meridian".

It was published by a small university press and quickly went out of print. Copies on eBay were going for $400 and up.

Glad I waited, as it was republished as a $15 paperback a little while back.

I think I payed $300 for my two volume Compact Oxford English Dictionary.

[jobycom]

4. My dad's dad was the maintenance guy for the Masonic lodge. So he claimed.

I believe he was really one of their top leaders, and he shot Kennedy. :) Bear with me. This was in New Orleans. He was clearly a top Masonic operative, or they would never have let him have the free run of their building, right? And my mother lived on Magazine Street just a couple of blocks from where Oswald lived. No doubt Oswald shopped at Prytania's Hardware, which my mother's father owned.

Before she met my father, my mom dated a Cuban who broke off their relationship to return to fight for Castro (or against--it was never clear). She claims she met my father at a dance on Canal Street, but I suspect this Cuban really introduced them, probably through some Masonic contact where my dad was being trained. I still remember a mysterious rifle my father owned, that he never let us play with, and he kept hidden under his bed. No doubt that was THE rifle.

I've asked my father what he was doing when Kennedy was shot. He doesn't remember. HE DOESN'T REMEMBER?? Come on, we all know that's all the proof needed to prove George HW Bush was involved, so it proves my dad was involved, too.

You know who hired my dad after the assassination? Do you know? George HW Bush, that's who! You heard me--GEORGE HW BUSH!!! The progenitor of every bad thing that happened in the world since the 40s, and he hired my dad. My dad of course denies ever having met him, and that he just worked as an electrician on an oil rig for a company Bush founded, but come on. It's obvious that they were repaying my father. It's also obvious that Dad was important enough that they couldn't just knock him off.

I hope your book exposes my father, Tobin! :)

Cool story, btw. It occurs to me that loaning a $500 book to someone to actually read is a bit scary, considering how many loaned books are on my shelf, and how many I've loaned out and will never see again. Make sure you write your name in big red ink inside the front cover. :)

[Xipe Totec]

5. A 33rd Degree Mason is an Inspector General of the Scottish Rite

In the United States, members of the Scottish Rite can be elected to receive the 33° by the Supreme Council. It is conferred on members who have made major contributions to society or to Masonry in general.

It is the elite of the Masonic fraternity and includes some prominent members like Buzz Aldrin.

Sadly, the internet is polluted with crap that obscures the social and philanthropic nature of the organization.

I found one link that's worth posting:

http://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2009/08/scottish-rite-confers-33rd-degree-in.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. My dear Tobin!

Now there's a nice connection for you, between you, your girlfriend, and her dad...

Way to go!

:hi:

[siligut]

8. Wow Tobin, way to impress the girlfriend's father.

Major coup there. I was interested in the Masons for a while too. Bought many books, new and used, some are probably valuable. However, I never was able to find in writing what the mormons told me about the Masons. They connected, like you say you wondered about, the Masons to the offspring of Christ and all the rest in that vein of conspiracy. The mormons told me that the Templars were the first of the Masons and that it all started in Egypt. I finally found a book by Robison, "Proofs Of A Conspiracy": http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/conspiracy.html And it told about the schisms in free masonry that occurred, which explained why there are differences in what the fraternal organization believes.

Edit because I got the name of the book wrong, so the link will not be direct.

[pokerfan]

9. My father was 32°

and so was my grandfather. I broke with family tradition but no one seemed terribly put off by my decision. In our family, we were free to make our own decisions and live our own life. I never felt pressured to join the Freemasons. It just wasn't for me.

[WinkyDink]

11. Just today I bought 2 books on Freemasons. Love all that stuff!

[PADemD]

13. Two books you might like

"City of Secrets" and "The Portal," both by Patrice Chaplin.

[WinkyDink]

15. Oh, great; MORE books to read! :-) The author's own life seems extraordinary:

http://www.aniwilliams.com/city_of-secrets.htm

I wish I had been "into" all this Magdalene/Templars/Rosicrucian/Etc. stuff while I was still traveling to Europe! (My interest does pre-date Dan Brown's works, at least!)

[PADemD]

16. I have been interested in the mystery of Rennes le Chateau

and the Templars for many years. The last few chapters of "City of Secrets" and the whole book "The Portal" provide answers to many of the mysteries. I get the feeling that there is more that Chaplin has not revealed and that there are some things that cannot be explained but must be experienced.

[CatholicEdHead]

12. The last book I bought (from the library) was all of 25 cents

:P

[mopinko]

14. way to suck up, man.

it never hurts.

my younger son never met a conspiracy theory he didn't believe. :eyes: i am glad that he is so voracious about things. i'm hope he will get a little more selective with age.