A Hamburger with the Freemasons
February 1st, 2010
Freemasonry has a rich history in Utah filled with speculation and intrigue, but all they really want is to invite you out for dinner.
by Jacob Hodgen
When it comes to religious intrigue, open minded Utahns are only a hamburger away from getting a foot in the door with one of the oldest and most mysterious groups in the country: the Freemasons.
Whether you know about them from a bestselling novel, one of the myriad of modern conspiracy theories, or have visited one of their hospitals, contemporary Freemasons have managed to capture the attention and imagination of skeptics and believers alike.
As a Dan Brown virgin, I can honestly say that I have never really cared. However, when I received an invitation to come and have dinner with the Progress Lodge #22 of Free and Accepted Masons of Salt Lake City, it was an offer I couldn't refuse.
Meet Your Friendly Neighborhood Masons
The first thing I discover is that the meeting is a lot less, well. . . secret, than I expect.
Held at Fat's Grill in Sugarhouse, the monthly gathering is advertised through Meetup.com and is open to the public. Kasey Conder is a Master Mason and serves as my guide for the night. He explains that, "There are lots of people who have questions about Freemasonry, and so we invite them to come out and meet us." There are no robes or any funny hats tonight; it's just a bunch of regular guys in jeans munching on burgers and drinking soda. Once everyone shows up, there are thirteen of us who sit together.
I am beckoned over to sit next to several men who are introduced as local leaders. When it's announced I am a journalist with Utah Stories Magazine, the group looks at me with slightly raised eyebrows--I think they expect me to start asking about Bilderberg, the Priory of Scion, and the LDS Temple ceremony, and I smile.
I don't plan to let them off that easy.
After a few questions, we order some food, and I learn the basic tenets of Freemasonry: it is a fraternal orgnazition dedicated to personal growth and self improvement. Though its roots lie in the Judeo-Christian tradition, Freemasonry is open to people of all religions and faiths. The only requirements are that you believe in a supreme being of some kind and are a person of good moral stature.
"The Bible is a starting point. It provides a means of enunciation for us," says John Liley, the Senior Grand Warden for the Grand Lodge of Utah. "Our aims are more focused in improving the character of good men through symbolic ritual based upon the workers and characters surrounding the story of the building of King Soloman's Temple."
Contemporary Freemasonry is not a religion, but it adopts many religious traditions and fuses them together to create a diverse sets of missions and allows people to tailor the organization to fit their needs.
"We are a group of men improving themselves," says Mark Short, whose title is "Worshipful Master." He serves as the elected, presiding authority of the Progress Lodge #22 for the year. He tells me that, "Freemasonry has profoundly changed my life for the better, as I've seen it do the same for many men. My grandfather, who was a Freemason, once told me joining the Masons would be the best thing I could ever do, and he was totally right."
Tosh Metzger is one of the newer members. He says that the primary appeal of Freemasonry to him is the fellowship. "I love the feeling of brotherhood," he tells me. "In this day and age, men do not really get together and form a common bond very often. With Internet, work, family taking up so much time, I feel that masonry brings together men from all different backgrounds together to form a group where we watch out for each other, and it's because of those differences that make the brotherhood strong. We are all on the same level, despite our different beliefs."
Kasey says that the community is something he enjoys on many levels. "Freemasonry has a rich history and lore, and it allows me to seek light through ritual and symbolism." Kasey, like many Freesmasons, is an active member of numerous spiritually minded groups beyond Masonry. Among other things, he is also an Odd Fellow. "Freemasonry installs sound morals within a character, not of a dogmatic nature, to help one progress in all the multi-faceted domains of life for a more nobler truth and purpose. In a symbolic sense, relating to the character of man, I liken it to turning lead into gold."
A Society with Secrets
Unlike many religions that employ symbolic rituals commemorating what they believe are actual events, the group explains to me that Freemasons adopt a different approach to spiritual exploration and delve continuously in the world of the purely metaphorical. They tell me that one common definition of their craft is, "a beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols."
One of the most infamous and intriguing aspects of the Masonic movement is its secrecy. Kasey explains that what they do, "is not so much secret, as it is private. Freemasonry is not for everyone, and we don't foist it on other people."
Since the advent of the digital age, the so-called "secrets" of Masonry are no longer all that secret. In fact, these days the Masons in Utah regularly hold open houses and give tours of their lodge. Though they dispute it, I can't help but think that this spoils at least some of their fun. I have to agree with Bill Watterson, who says, "People pay more attention to you when they think you're up to something."
After being surprised to learn the local Masons are, in fact, huge fans of Dan Brown, I offer what I hope is a more challenging series of questions than they are used to from the media:
"If Masonry is a personal quest for truth and knowledge outside the bounds of dogma, then why is the Bible used as part of your ceremony? Is this not a symbol, both historically and philosophically, of something directly antithetical to your stated goals?"
The discussion gets heavy quick, though I am pleased to discover they are right at home in an intellectual arena, and they eagerly indulge my numerous, crazy questions. Overall, it was quite thrilling, though there are still several aspects of Masonry I utterly fail to comprehend. For example, I am baffled by the apparent paradox of how mutually exclusive, highly dogmatic religions with a long history of violence towards each other can justify the ideological cohabitation Masonic policy affords them through its policy of acceptance for all faiths. And when they do so, what is the cost to the credibility of their beliefs and to Freemasonry? They try to explain it to me, but I just don't seem to understand.
Perhaps I am not yet ready for the truth.
As for the future of Freemasonry, it seems their place in American culture is assured for the time being. Even Dan Brown, who has certainly made a fortune off of fanning the flames of Masonic intrigue, is in it for more than just the thrill of the story. After his later novel was released, he sent the following letter to a governing body of the Freemasons:
In the past few weeks, as you might imagine, I have been repeatedly asked what attracted me to the Masons so strongly as to make it a central point of my book. My reply is always the same: In a world where men do battle over whose definition of God is most accurate, I cannot adequately express the deep respect and admiration I feel toward an organization in which men of differing faiths are able to 'break bread together' in a bond of brotherhood, friendship, and camaraderie.
Though I am mildly disappointed my personal encounter with the local Freemasons was not as, well, secret, as I had hoped, I have to confess--I had a great time. What I did experience was a lively discussion with friendly, intellectually minded people who were able to offer me one of the most interesting discussions on faith and philosophy I have had in recent memory. Though I see little choice but to remain amicably dubious, I certainly wouldn't mind venturing out to Sugar House again for another hamburger with the Freemasons.
Thanks to Kasey and the members of Progress Lodge #22 for inviting me out for a night of superlative dinner discussions!
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about Freemasonry in Utah, you can find a schedule of future meet up events at their website:
http://www.utahfreemasonry.org/
The Masonic Temple of Salt Lake City is also hosting an open house on the 1st of February and the 1st of March free of charge. Learn more here:
http://www.utahfreemasonry.org/calendar/12213900/
