Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Hi all,
Just a note to let you know that I have today launched a dedicated site for my book The Guide to Dan Brown's The Solomon Key (which was originally self-published as Da Vinci in America, but has a new title since being taken up by a publisher).
On the site, you'll find regular news updates on all matters Brownian, as well as all of my writings (essays, sample chapter from the book) on The Solomon Key. I will continue adding topical essays regularly, and have a few special treats planned for the near future. The website allows commenting on all stories, so feel free to add your thoughts on anything. Hopefully having this central place to keep all my Solomon Key writings will allow me to stop these horrid self-promotional posts (deepest apologies for that...though I do think I'm providing plenty of interesting material freely at least!). I will of course continue to visit and comment here at CoDB as well.
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
Dazzle
addict
Reged: 04/02/04
Posts: 484
Loc: UK
|
|
Quote:
Belfegor said: a dedicated site for my book The Guide to Dan Brown's The Solomon Key
How can you call it 'The Guide to Dan Brown's The Solomon Key' when The Solomon Key, quite clearly, hasn't been released and, as far as I can tell, there is no hint as to its content.
While, in all fairness, I get the feeling the book will start with a murder, Langdon and the victim's beautiful relative will embark on a twenty-four hour journey getting facts wrong spouting how the Freemasons did this, did that, etc. until we find out that it wasn't the sinister Freemason monk assassin that is the killer but Langdon's pseudo-knowledgable friend who he has visited whilst on the run. Case solved, Langdon feels all spiritual, and then kids hit websites to tell us how grate [sic] a writer Dan Brown is.
|
Sephia
Supreme Goddess
Reged: 11/28/03
Posts: 876
Loc: MA, USA
|
|
"Freemason monk assassin" wow. Can there even be a Masonic monk????
Hehe... the summary seems pretty accurate though.
-------------------- "Your life is yours alone, rise up and live it" ~Terry Goodkind
|
Dazzle
addict
Reged: 04/02/04
Posts: 484
Loc: UK
|
|
Quote:
Sephia said: Can there even be a Masonic monk?
No, but I'm sure Dan can make room for one and upset millions more with his attention to detail.
|
AAnnAArchy
Gifted Procrastinator
Reged: 10/20/03
Posts: 643
Loc: Las Vegas
|
|
Hmmm, how much should we start charging for these promotional threads? Two, maybe three, promos in only a couple of days. Must be the holiday shopping season.
|
Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Quote:
How can you call it 'The Guide to Dan Brown's The Solomon Key' when The Solomon Key, quite clearly, hasn't been released and, as far as I can tell, there is no hint as to its content.
Hi Dazzle,
Firstly, it should be pointed out that *I* didn't call it that - as I pointed out, when I self-published the book I called it DaVinci in America. The new title is by the publisher, and as many authors will attest, the publisher decides the title. I accept your point about a predictive book being called a guide, but in this case (see below) I think we are as close to being that as possible.
However, on your point about "no hint to its content". Quite the opposite, in fact Dan Brown left clues on the cover of The Da Vinci Code as explicit hints to the content of his next book, intending people to solve the puzzle via his web challenge (providing direct pointers to topics such as the Kryptos statue).
Add to that his public quotes about the next book, as well as some mining work on his sources for TDVC and likely sources for the new book, and there is more that can be ascertained (for example, see the essay on the Udjat and The Solomon Key at my new website for example, which I think must be pretty close to nailing one particular point). I've run a website on these topics for over 7 years (The Daily Grail), so I feel I have a pretty good insight into DB's likely plot devices and locations, and am no Johnny-come-lately.
As I say in my book, Dan Brown's novels revolve around the intrigue generated by the puzzles, codes and ciphers he inserts into the plotline. I've written my book in that spirit, and turned it into a decoding of the 'ciphers' left by Brown regarding The Solomon Key. I acknowledge when I think I'm spot on, and when I'm speculating, but it's all done in good fun as a treasure hunt of sorts.
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Quote:
AAnnAArchy said: Hmmm, how much should we start charging for these promotional threads? Two, maybe three, promos in only a couple of days. Must be the holiday shopping season.
Hi AAnnAArchy,
Well, no - as I pointed out, I just launched my website...so I don't really appreciate the implication that I'm searching for Xmas shoppers with the timing (as that was not in my mind at all).
However, I am more than happy for you to delete the thread if you wish - I completely understand any reservations about hosting 'commercially-oriented' blurbs, which can end up seeming like spam. At the very least though, in my defense:
* I am being forthright about what I am offering, rather than slipping 'sneaky' links in to my website. Yes, I have a book to sell - but I'm also offering a few thousand words of free content via the sample chapter, related essays, and news updates...which I think many CoDB readers would be interested in. So I'm not just linking to a shopfront and not offering anything back to the community.
* I have been a member of this board for almost 12 months, and have contributed at various times with (hopefully!) helpful information. I didn't just sign up and spam the board.
* I emailed via the 'Contact Us' form on the site way back in January when I first joined, asking if it was appropriate to discuss my book - I didn't receive any reply (and haven't received any comment about my posting of sample chapter etc).
As I said though, please delete the thread if you feel it contravenes the rules of the board, and accept my unreserved apology. Alternatively, as a way of dealing with the issue while leaving the information available for interested readers, perhaps do as other discussion boards do and create a topic of 'Website Links and Promotions' where people can post links to websites, books etc? This would allow people to make a decision on whether they want to view possible commercially-oriented posts, which do have some redeeming factors (e.g. sample chapters).
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
Arras
enthusiast
Reged: 05/24/04
Posts: 263
Loc: B.C., Canada
|
|
Quote:
AAnnAArchy said: Hmmm, how much should we start charging for these promotional threads? Two, maybe three, promos in only a couple of days. Must be the holiday shopping season.
Heh...well, while you're at it, you might consider banning links in signatures as well. While they're not always links to commercial endeavours, they're still a form of advertising designed to drive traffic to other sites. Since this forum is well-linked in major search engines, the presence of a lot of offsite links from here can improve the search engine rankings of those sites as well, giving them more visibility. Belfegor is hardly the only one benefitting from such things--even long-time posters like Dazzle do it (which may explain why he posts as often as he does, even if it's just a bunch of one-liners concerning Dan Brown's incompetence ).
If it improves the search-engine visibility of a website (e.g. Dazzle's "Talk-History" site), thereby drawing more visitors there, then the value of any advertising/sponsorship contracts (e.g. Google ad words, etc.) the poster has goes up. In effect, then, signature links are promotional as well, even if they're a bit more subtle
|
Sephia
Supreme Goddess
Reged: 11/28/03
Posts: 876
Loc: MA, USA
|
|
hmmm... maybe I should change my sig to a link to my blogs.... I wonder how many visits I would get...
-------------------- "Your life is yours alone, rise up and live it" ~Terry Goodkind
|
Dazzle
addict
Reged: 04/02/04
Posts: 484
Loc: UK
|
|
Quote:
Arras said: while you're at it, you might consider banning links in signatures as well.
And profiles.
|
AAnnAArchy
Gifted Procrastinator
Reged: 10/20/03
Posts: 643
Loc: Las Vegas
|
|
Arras Quote:
While they're not always links to commercial endeavours, they're still a form of advertising designed to drive traffic to other sites.
Yeah, I know. They're usually more subtle though. Not always, as we've seen. I've often had to go through our message boards (we run several) and wipe out accounts where people signed up only to get their url crawled. Believe me, I know all the spamming methods. Right now, I'm getting lots of referrer spam on my blog, even though my referrers are hidden. Not to mention, having my blog content scraped for splogs.
We're thinking about making a commercial forum, since it's gotten to be a fairly common thing to promote sites, books, games, puzzles, etc., here. I don't include the cryptex site, because we volunteered to help Justin out. No arm twistin' or nothin'. We thought such great artwork deserved publicity. I do understand that this board is a place where people would try to reach Dan Brown fans, so maybe we'll be changing things up a bit soon. Not right now though, I have tonsillitis and a herniated disc, so just reading a good book is about all I'm up to.
|
AAnnAArchy
Gifted Procrastinator
Reged: 10/20/03
Posts: 643
Loc: Las Vegas
|
|
Greg Quote:
* I emailed via the 'Contact Us' form on the site way back in January when I first joined, asking if it was appropriate to discuss my book - I didn't receive any reply (and haven't received any comment about my posting of sample chapter etc).
We've had some problems with mail servers off and on for email addresses we don't use daily. I apologize if we never got back to you. If you want to definitely make sure to reach us, send us a private message from the board.
Yes, I agree, you've been a contributing member. I didn't mean to single you out, as you definitely aren't the biggest promoter we've seen. Some threads have probably disappeared in the wee hours of the night, without anyone but me seeing them. 
Anyway, no, I'm not going to delete this thread. But, I do think that in the future, we're going to have to have a promo forum.
Okay, back to discussing the book. Sorry for this brief interruption.
|
Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Quote:
AAnnAArchy said: Yes, I agree, you've been a contributing member. I didn't mean to single you out, as you definitely aren't the biggest promoter we've seen. Some threads have probably disappeared in the wee hours of the night, without anyone but me seeing them. 
Okay, back to discussing the book. Sorry for this brief interruption.
Hi AAnnAArchy,
Thanks for the clarification, and I agree on the idea of an extra forum. As mentioned in my original post at the top, I do have some trepidation about posting links to what is partly a commercial endeavour - but on the flipside, I have a great interest in this area, and would love people to read my essays and get some discussion going on some of these points.
Speaking of, what do people think of the 'eye' connection in my essay (between the Udjat, the Mona Lisa eye in the Da Vinci Challenge, and David Ovason's comments on Washington on the dollar bill)?
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Not sure if this has been posted to the CoDB forum (I haven't seen it) - but after much industry speculation about The Solomon Key being released in Autumn 2006, Transworld are now playing down that date (suggesting Xmas 2006, or even 2007 release?). I don't have access to the full story (it's a subscriber-only article at thebookseller.com), so if anyone does I'd love to hear it.
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
RoseyORyan
member
Reged: 04/03/05
Posts: 128
Loc: Scotland
|
|
Hi Greg,
Following a couple of your links, Re, Solomon Key. As far as I can make out you read Dan's (tentative?) title through the eyes of a pyramidologist a la Grand Orient Freemasonry? Not a bad guess...since the biblical "Solomon" was in all probability one of numerous allegories pertaining to 'wisdom cults' of c.300 BC and influenced by the Orphic and Pythagorean Mystery Schools. The question is, taking the title quite literally, what is the riddle or connundrum that can be explained by a KEY? Rosey
|
Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Hi Rosey,
I'm not convinced that Dan Brown will get very esoteric with the whole thing - a lot of people have suggested that he will go down the whole Clavicula Solomonis route (ie. ritual magick stuff) because of the title. I think this would be a bad way to go for any 'pop' author...dissing the church is one thing, descending into the heathen black arts is another ...and I think DB and his publishers know it (although there is some room to include it, mainly in the 'code' aspect that DB enjoys so much...sigils and Qabalistic numerology might make for interesting decoding).
After looking over DB's priory history, influences etc, what I'm suggesting is that the title could be tied in to Lomas and Knight's books, and their research into Royal Arch Masonry (and I think to a lesser extent York Rite). For example, when talking about Rosslyn Chapel (which appears near the end of TDVC, and so could be a good 'segue' point), Knight and Lomas mention that a 'Seal of Solomon' (a hexagram) is prominent in the floor-plan of the chapel. They then point out the Masonic connection:
The Companion's Jewel of the Royal Arch is a double triangle, sometimes called the Seal of Solomon, within a circle of gold; at the bottom is a scroll bearing the words, 'Nil nisi clavis deest' - "Nothing but the key is wanting".
They also talk about 'keystones' providing an entrance to secret chambers. See a possible plot device?
Mind you, there's plenty of scope for all brands of Masonry - if the book is set in Washington D.C. then it will be hard to ignore the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction, considering it offers one of the best story locations (and accompanying esoteric history) in that locale.
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
ktmason
member
Reged: 11/30/05
Posts: 172
Loc: Texas
|
|
Greg Yes, but he might. Remember, we Masons DO have our own cypher--and since you quote from the Royal Arch, it is in that degree it is found.
The archetecture (pardon my spelling) of DC will definately figure in (although is really has NOTHING to do with real Masonry--just the conspiracy theorists), but I am not convinced that the House of the Temple will be that prominate--York Rite is richer for symbols.
KT
-------------------- KTMason
|
Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Quote:
ktmason said:
but I am not convinced that the House of the Temple will be that prominate--York Rite is richer for symbols.
KT
Hi KT,
Indeed, but when you look at DB's modus operandi, his books are set within cities and use the pertinent esoteric architecture of that city (DVC in Paris, AaD in Rome). The House of the Temple would have to rank in probably the top five Masonic/esoteric buildings in the area...so a good chance I think.
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
ktmason
member
Reged: 11/30/05
Posts: 172
Loc: Texas
|
|
You are right,I'm sure. Don't you think a code of some sort will be a major player--especially with the advance emphasis on Kryptos? I sure do...somewhat like "National Treasure" did with the D. of I.
On another subject, have y'll seen the press stories concerning DB's supposed "writers Block?" Some have suggested that his story had a few holes in it he wanted to fix due to the scrutiny DVC went through, and he knew Masons would be going over it intensly. KT
-------------------- KTMason
|
Arras
enthusiast
Reged: 05/24/04
Posts: 263
Loc: B.C., Canada
|
|
Quote:
ktmason said: On another subject, have y'll seen the press stories concerning DB's supposed "writers Block?" Some have suggested that his story had a few holes in it he wanted to fix due to the scrutiny DVC went through, and he knew Masons would be going over it intensly.
I wouldn't be at all surprised. The pressure to outperform The DaVinci Code is enormous, and I'm sure his editors are pressing him to be increasingly controversial (if not necessarily factual, since controversy trumps factual accuracy in the publishing industry).
It would not surprise me, either, to learn that he'd completely thrown out his original story to write a new one from scratch, even this late in the game. After all, if a more compelling and controversial story comes to his mind (say, something related to the "Third Temple" thread), he's better off postponing the book for a couple more years than finishing a lackluster sequel that everyone pans, even if that means throwing out a few hundred pages of "finished" work.
|
ktmason
member
Reged: 11/30/05
Posts: 172
Loc: Texas
|
|
Totally agree. Personally, I only read DB for the relaxation. He's not the best writer, but he sure is fun to read!
Additionally, I do believe another bashing of Catholics is in the wing...most of the founding fathers were Diests, not necessarily Christian. Any clues our hero will find will be Masonic in nature. A good book on Masonic symbols would be a decent advance purchase.
-------------------- KTMason
|
EVDebs
enthusiast
Reged: 07/10/05
Posts: 272
|
|
ktmason
I concur with your guess about 'another bashing of Catholics is in the wing' but that seems mainly ideological, due to the Catholic origins of the futurist eschatology (the basis of the Left Behind novels) with the Jesuits (Francisco Ribera et al in the 1500s). The actual physical bashing was mainly symbolic anyway: check out the story of the Pope's Stone
The Washington Monument: A History 'Theft of the Pope's Stone' http://www.nps.gov/wamo/history/chap3.htm
The Freemason's tribute to Washington was viewed as being defamed, since here a defender of DeMolay (via Freemasonry) was being offered a gift of even a block of marble by the Catholic church. Even that was viewed as an affront. It is an archeologic puzzle of modern times as to where the Pope's Stone ended up. Most say somewhere in the Potomac.
Here's a real challenge for the PBS History Detectives !
|
ktmason
member
Reged: 11/30/05
Posts: 172
Loc: Texas
|
|
I hope I understood you correctly....
The "bashing" I was speaking of was by DB--whom doesn't seem to like Catholics, or just sees them as handy (more probable)
As for the monument, you do realize, I am sure, that it was not designed by Masons, nor had anything to do with them. However, it WOULD be handy for DB because of the aluminum capstone with the engravings (you are aware of it, right? If not, I will send a link) Don't read to terribly much into the Pope's stone, however. Remember, Catholics were mistrusted as a whole until JFK (and there was a big flap over him to....don't know if you are old enough to remember)
KT
-------------------- KTMason
|
EVDebs
enthusiast
Reged: 07/10/05
Posts: 272
|
|
ktmason
The Washington Monument probably was designed and most certainly was supported by Freemasons. Walk inside and view the many Masonic state lodges and individual "stones" lining the interior. BTW, if you view the street layout of Washington DC you will note that from the Capitol (in the East) to the White House (North), the Jefferson Memorial (South) and the Lincoln Memorial (West), the Washington Monument sits precisely where the "G" would be with the streets becoming the Square and Compass layout of the Masonic symbol <G> . Other Masonic symbols in the street layouts are mentioned in the book by David Ovason
The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital: The Masons and the Building of Washington, D.C.
Many believe that Freemasons have gone 'too far' with this symbolism ... please check out this site for example
http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1487.cfm and
http://www.freemasonrywatch.org/washington.html
regarding the street layout and Washington Monument. Washington was a Freemason but not a satanist as these slanderous 'Christian' weblinks imply.
If DB is going to 'go after' Catholics I would prefer he go directly to the Jesuits who seem to have been creating much of this BS out of thin air specifically to discredit Freemasonry (and their old enemy the Knights Templar).
It appears the madness they've created, for themselves, rebounds exponentially.
Edited by EVDebs (12/13/05 05:24 AM)
|
ktmason
member
Reged: 11/30/05
Posts: 172
Loc: Texas
|
|
EV I am afraid you are wrong on all counts. L'enfant designed the mall, and as far as I know, he was NOT a Mason. Neither was Robert Mills, who designed the monument.
Please, please do not believe everything you read about us. For instance, everybody knows about the seal on our $1 bill, right? Check this out:
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/anti-masonry02.html
You will see it is NOT Masonic.
Freemasonry Watch is a Conspiracy site. We masons read it to laugh....it is totally unbelieveable.
EV, I KNOW you are smarter than that--I've read your other posts.
While you have very good arguments--and I have learned from you in the past--this is something I know a LOT about, and this time you are wrong.
Now, if DB wants to read into it, as he might, he is going to run into trouble.
David Ovason raises many interesting points, but again, he is off to. Sorry.
KT
-------------------- KTMason
|
Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Quote:
ktmason said: You are right,I'm sure. Don't you think a code of some sort will be a major player--especially with the advance emphasis on Kryptos?
Oh sure, I devote a whole chapter to likely codes in my book. If Masons are involved, then the pigpen is a possible cipher. So too, if the Francis Bacon connection is pursued (to a Utopianism driving the founding of the United States), there are plenty of codes there to pick from, considering Bacon's penchant for encoding (e.g. the biliteral cipher). Other possibles include Jefferson's wheel cipher, the Atbash and DB's old favourite the Caesar box. And yes, considering the web challenge pointed at Kryptos, there is likely to be some part of the storyline revolving around that.
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
EVDebs
enthusiast
Reged: 07/10/05
Posts: 272
|
|
ktmason
Sorry, I've been inside the Washington Monument and saw the memorial stones with accompanying <G> on some of the Lodges memorial stones;
http://www.nps.gov/wamo/memstone2.htm note the many 'Masons', lodges stones...for example
Ohio's Freemasons
http://www.nps.gov/wamo/memstone_618.htm
""Washington Monument --
For American Freemasons, one such example is their involvement with the building as well as the current refurbishing of the U.S. Washington Monument (not to be confused with the George Washington Masonic National Memorial).
Authorized by Congress in 1833, construction was not begun until 1848. Architect Robert Mills (a Mason) was hired by the privately funded Washington National Monument Society to design a great column with a colonnade at its base. It was intended that the colonnade would have heroic statues of Washington and other revolutionary heroes and founding fathers. Financial considerations forced the abandonment of the colonnade and statues.""
from http://www.masonicinfo.com/savehist.htm
The obilisk may or may not have any significance in Freemasonry, and the Masonic background of Mills is interesting; it's just the location of where the "G" would be in the street layout as I've already shown to you, which is beyond dispute.
The reason I even posted the conspiracy sites (with the garbage about Freemasonry and 'satanism' etc.) is to show how some things got taken "too far".
Besides, the Jesuits have to have something to point to in order to justify the Knights of Malta's ongoing vendetta against the Knights Templar and their secret...
Regarding the symbolism on the dollar bill however,
""In 1934, while serving as Secretary of Agriculture, Wallace, for the first time, saw a picture of the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and took it to the President. He reported: "Roosevelt, as he looked at the colored reproduction of the Seal, was first struck with the representation of the all-seeing eye—a Masonic representation of the Great Architect of the Universe. Next, he was impressed with the idea that the foundation for the new order of the ages had been laid in 1776 but that it would be completed only under the eye of the Great Architect. Roosevelt, like myself, was a 32nd Degree Mason. He suggested that the Seal be put on the dollar bill."18
Brother Henry Agard Wallace 32nd degree Prophet of Agrarianism
http://www.srmason-sj.org/council/journal/uzzel.html
So, whether a Masonic symbol or not, the Great Seal and all seeing eye were put on the dollar by...Wallace and FDR, both Freemasons.
Sadly to say, Wallace may have been pushed out of a chance to become President himself by the likes of Knight of Malta Allan Dulles who used Wallace's sharing of information with his brother-in-law, the Swiss minister in Washington DC during the war, as leverage against him and probably why FDR dropped him from the ticket in favor of Harry Truman in 1944--the real traitor would have been Dulles had FDR been alive to release 'Operation Safehaven' information on Dulle's aiding of the enemy via moneylaundering during the war
""Operation Safehaven records confirm that both Dulles and his aid, Gero von Gaevernitz were under investigation for laundering the assets of the Nazi Bank of Hungary to Switzerland while disguised as a series of movie companies.26 The invasion of Normandy on D-Day stemmed any further efforts through these countries leaving a large gold horde still in Germany""
www.spiritone.com/~gdy52150/ratlines.htm
So, Dulles hides his dealings with the Nazis...and possible Prescott Bush connections here, too, it seems all covered over after the death of FDR.
Dulles, Donovan and most other leaders in the CIA/OSS leadership were Knights of Malta. FDR died too soon...and,hey, now that you think of it, it was a heart attack right ?
""Today, no one can precisely say how much McIntire knew and when he knew it. FDR's medical record, which was kept in a safe at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland, has been missing since the president's death. VADM McIntire was one of three people with access to the safe. [7] ""
http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/g32.htm
What is/isn't "Masonic" when it comes to symbolism is one thing, but from their actions ye shall know them...
All I know is that FDR was a Freemason, initiated Oct 10th, passed Nov 28, 1911, in Holland Lodge No. 8 NY City. Scottish Rite degrees in Albany, NY, Jan 28, 1929, while Gov of NY State...
And so was Henry Wallace. How that 'all seeing eye' and pyramid got onto that dollar bill, well, just a cowinkydink I guess. BTW, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria VA is not to be confused with the Washington Monument on the National Mall. But that street layout <G> with the obilisk in the center where the G of that Masonic logo is is also very coincidental, too.
There, I've given you enough plausible deniability !
Edited by EVDebs (12/13/05 10:35 AM)
|
Belfegor
journeyman
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 82
|
|
Quote:
ktmason said:
Please, please do not believe everything you read about us. For instance, everybody knows about the seal on our $1 bill, right? Check this out:
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/anti-masonry02.html
I find it interesting that the denials of a Masonic influence on the Seal all say that 'only' Benjamin Franklin was on the committee. So, the inclusion of perhaps the most influential person in the Founding of the United States, who was also perhaps the leading Mason in the country at the time (considering his long history - I think he printed Anderson's Constitutions in 1732?), actually proves there is no Masonic influence? It confuses me somewhat.
I also wonder how the fact that others weren't Masons precludes any suggestion from Masons upon their work. Do we have recorded conversations between Franklin, du Simitiere, Hopkinson et al, when they sat down for a beer after a hard day's nation building?
As in a number of other articles on this subject (Masons denying any link to the Great Seal), the arguments against are a little bit of 'protesting too much'...or are simply badly researched. To say that "The misinterpretation of the seal as a masonic emblem may have been first introduced a century later in 1884" is kind of strange considering the eye of providence was 'declared' a Masonic symbol in 1797 by Thomas Smith Webb in The Freemasons Monitor.
Beyond that 'official' declaration though:
* The personal seal of Robert Moray, one of the first 'official' Freemasons (and founder of the Royal Society) had the all-seeing eye.
* French Freemason Theodore Tschoudy equated his organisation with the symbol of the blazing five-pointed star carrying within it the all-seeing eye within a triangle - both the eye and five-pointed stars can be found on the seal (Tschoudy said this well before the Seal was designed).
* Never mind the whopping great all-seeing eye which is front and centre on Brother George Washington's Masonic apron, presented to him by Lafayette in 1784 (more than 10 years before the proposed 'official' inclusion). Strange how it turns up as a major part of Washington's apron very close to the same time that the Seal is designed, no?
As for unfinished pyramid never being a Masonic symbol - perhaps not 'officially', but 18th century European lodges often used pyramid iconography...indeed, many strands of Masonry focused almost exclusively on Egypt.
That's not to say that I support conspiracy theories regarding Masons and the Great Seal (although that MASON anagram which can be decoded via an alchemical cipher using the hexagram sure is kinda cool) - but I think arguing vehemently against any Masonic influence on the Great Seal is itself ridiculous, and will only encourage further speculation by conspiracy theorists because it overtly ignores obvious facts.
Peace and Respect, Greg
-------------------- = News on The Solomon Key?
= The Cryptex - Dan Brown central
|
| |