Book Review: Ritual America

Ritual America: Secret Brotherhoods and Their Influence on American Society, A Visual Guide by Adam Parfrey and Craig Heimbichner is a sleek and comprehensive 340 page book filled with hundreds of amazing photos, illustrations and quotations about numerous secret societies. Included are Freemasonry and concordant bodies such as The Shriners, Prince Hall Masonry, Job's Daughters, Rainbow Girls, The Jesters, The Scottish Rite, The York Rite, and The Knights Templar, but the book doesn't stop there. You also get rare glimpses into the worlds of The Redmen, The Woodsmen, The Odd Fellows, The OTO, The KKK, The Owls, The Elks, The Illuminati and The Fraternal Order of Police, among many others. Quotations range from Albert Pike and Robert Anton Wilson to Lady Gaga.

As a Mason, it's interesting and eye opening (no pun intended) to read about the not-so-flattering skeletons in the closet that haunt the Fraternity. No punches are spared as the racist and sexist history of various Lodges is revealed for all to see. Despite all this, as an insider I see how far we have come when I look at the ethnic diversity in the Masonic community I interact with on a regular basis.

The book tries to be as objective as possible when presenting the various accounts from both pro and anti Masons within its pages, but can get pretty harsh when presenting the latter. Nevertheless, it inspired me to explore and question those unfavorable elements and that's a good thing.

I read every word and learned many things. I really recommend picking it up.

Me in a tux

Third Degree Proficiency

A very interesting evening last night at my Masonic Lodge.

It's extremely unusual for a Lodge open on all three degrees in one night, since each degree requires a set ritual that takes quite a bit of time to complete. But that's exactly what happened last night.

We were supposed to do a Second Degree, with a brother Entered Apprentice giving his First Degree proficiency before the degree work can begin. This means the Lodge opens on the Second Degree and then re-opens on the First Degree for the purpose of examination.

A little side note for folks not familiar with Freemasonry: In order to be raised to Second and Third Degree Masons, you have to write a small essay and memorize a coded booklet that goes over what you experienced in the secret ritual. This is called your "proficiency".

Well, last night's candidate didn't have his written essay completed, so the degree was postponed after his examination. This meant there was time for me to do MY Third Degree proficiency!

We had to close Lodge on the First Degree and re-open on the Second Degree (just to close on that degree), and then immediately open on the Third Degree for my proficiency examination.

Well, I did it!

I even got some applause from the brethren afterward.

That felt great. It took me months to memorize that stuff.

Once you get your Third Degree and you take the proficiency for that degree, you get a card that enables you to visit other Lodges and you can move up the line to become Worshipful Master.

My mason officers badge

I'm Senior Steward of my lodge this year...

Tonight I Became a Master Mason

In Freemasonry, if you are a member in good standing when you die, they give you a tribute in the monthly Stated Meeting of the lodge. They mention the day when you were born, the day when you were called from labor (when you died), and the day when you were raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason, or the 3rd Degree.

The last one would be today for me, December 13th, 2010. I find it interesting that this particular day will be mentioned after I pass on. It's a beautiful one in Los Angeles. Bright, sunny sky. I finished converting The Picture of Everything into a 3D lenticular today, which is something I'm very proud of. I also got to spend time with my wife, see my mom and grandma, and sing karaoke. Not a bad day at all.

To further commemorate the day, here's the 2010 officers of my Masonic Lodge (Ionic Composite #520) as they appear in The Picture of Everything: