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Is it True What They Say About Freemasonry?

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Is Freemasonry a religion? Do Freemasons worship Lucifer? Do they have "blood oaths?" Is Freemasonry a tool of capitalists or communists? Is it a haven for the "Illuminati?" What power does Freemasonry exert in the world today?

Freemasonry (also "Masonry") is the world's oldest and largest fraternity. Although it claims to be founded upon principles of ethical and moral philosophy, it has long been accused of sinister and wicked practices which it supposedly conceals from both the public and its lower-level members.

In this book my co-author and I investigate the claims and allegations of prominent anti-Masons, and discover a foundation built on deceptions, misrepresentations and tricks. By providing the reader with authentic texts and reproductions of original documents, the truth is discovered as lies are exposed.

This book examines the writings of John Ankerberg, John Weldon and Ron Campbell, the sermons of Ron Carlson and David S. Janssen, anti-Masons on the Internet, "Rev." James D. Shaw (who falsely claimed to be a 33d Degree Mason), T.N. Sampson and others. Also included is the complete confession of Leo Taxil, who admitted inventing the hoax of "Luciferian Masonry," and much more.

This third enlarged edition contains all the material originally published by the Masonic Service Association in its 1994 and 1997 editions, plus an additional 100 pages.

I am not a Mason but confess to having read this book (and several others) recently because of a growing interest in the A.F. & A. M. I do not join or participate in things unadvisedly, and so I research. I was initially baffled at how vociferous the anti-Masonic arguments and camps are. Without getting into the results of my research (as that is not the point of book review on this book), I will say that this book is a solid refutation of many of the arguments made, principally by fundamentalist Christians.

I particularly liked reading the running correspondence b/w co-author Mr. Morris and Christian researcher Mr. Sampson, though I was troubled at the veiled animosity. Both are Christians and one is also a Mason. One would think that brotherly love would prevail even during an argument of this kind.

On balance, this book (and another I read called Pilgrim's Path by John J. Robinson) show how pathetically laughable most anti-Mason arguments are. From the outside, mind you, freemasonry seems to be precisely the type of organization our troubled world could use more of, or certain more men practicing its tenets of fraternity, charity and truth or ethical philosophy. I suspect Lodge membership makes men more religious than they were upon entry.

If there where a book that could finally set the record straight when it comes to the negative myths of Freemasonry and it's origins, it is "Is it True what They Say About Freemasonry?" by Art de Hoyos and Brent Morris.

While Freemasonry seems to shy away from claiming any one "official" authority on the Craft, it is this reviewer's opinion (who is by the way, a life long student and non-member of Freemasonry on the outside looking in) that these two authors come as close to an "official source" as one can get. Due to their unprecedented access to relevant material and research, they are able to identify popular anti-Masonic arguments, expose the sources and dismantle age long legends of deceit. The reader learns about these Masonic critics and how they have developed their arguments and careers base on ignorance and misinterpretations of true Masonic history.

De Hoyos and Morris manage to interweave a concise history of the foundations and teachings of Freemasonry before your eyes as they explain and refute point by point, their different opponents' views. This book is well written, captivating and a quick read. It's a "must read" and invaluable tool for any Mason, researcher, student or anyone else interested in the Craft who wants to have the record set straight. Well done!

Throughout history there have been those who calumniate the Craft of Freemasonry. Some of the claims made by anti-Masons are simply misguided, but more often the claims against Freemasonry are made by those who have a personal and often mercenary motive in spreading these falsehoods.

In "Is It True What They Say About Freemasonry?" Arturo de Hoyos, 33 and S. Brent Morris, Ph.D., 33 look at many of the charges leveled against Freemasonry and offer thoughtful, detailed and referenced responses to these accusations.

We learn of Leo Taxil's "Luciferian Masonry" hoax; and although the hoax has been completely disproved, even to the point of Taxil admitting his deception, there are still anti-Masons writers who fall for the hoax and write as if it were true.

We read the anti-Masonic claims of Pastor Ron Carlson of the `Christian Ministries International'. Carlson's misquotes of Albert Pike are exposed by showing what Pike really wrote. When the actual words of Albert Pike are read in the light of Carlson's anti-Masonic claims, Carlson appears almost nonsensical.

The anti-Masonic claims of former Freemason, the Rev. James Shaw, author of the book "The Deadly Deception" are disproved beginning with Shaw's claims on the cover of his book that he was a 33-degree Mason, the Past Master of a Blue Lodge, and the Past Master of all Scottish Rite ~ none of which are true!

In "Is It True What They Say About Freemasonry" we read a number of letters exchanged between anti-Mason T.N. Sampson and the book's co-author S. Brent Morris. In these letters Morris replies to questions posed by Sampson and disproves many of Sampson's anti-Masonic claims.

We also read responses to the claims made by Pastor David S. Janssen in "A Sermon on the Rituals of Freemasonry", Ron Campbell and `Charisma Magazine' and someone calling himself "Enchanter" who posted numerous anti-Masonic rants to the Internet.

This book will perhaps not change the mind of the ardent anti-Mason, nor will it be of much value to one who has only a passing interest in Freemasonry. But, for the Mason and for the man of reason who wonders if it's true what some have said about Freemasonry, this book is a "Must Read". A thoughtful reading will add to your knowledge, it will serve as a basis for further research should you choose to do it, and more importantly it will add to your estate of wisdom when it comes to understanding the teachings and meanings of Freemasonry!

This is a well though out and very well documented book. Mr. de Hoyos and Mr. Morris have done an outstanding job in putting together information that takes the myths, lies and misinformation over the last few hundred years and clears the air.

For too many years the writers of anti-Masonry "propagada" have written about their lack of understanding or ignorance of what Freemasonry is all about. They try to present Freemasonry as a dark and evil secret. Again,I say, Hooey! Read this book.

There are too many people in the world today who have a lack of understanding about Freemasonry. The reason, the negative about a subject is always the easiest to find. Trying to find the positive is a bit more difficult as one has to weed out all the other stuff.

Too many writers are writing about Freemasonry for the purpose of profit and personal gain and in which they themselves have NO experience in the matter which they are writing. They refer to and rely on someone else's information on the subject only to find out that writer has no "first hand" experience either, just what they read from someone else. This has become a danger in our society.

Mr. de Hoyos and Mr. Morris both have many years of first hand knowledge and experience in Freemasonry and have done an excellent job in de-bunking all the misinformation about Freemasonry. Their sources are well documented and listed for your own inspection.

I am an Evangelical Christian Pastor and excited to be a Christian first and a Mason second. Being a Mason has helped me be better at both.

I have enjoyed reading "Is It True What They Say About Freamasonry" a second time and will continue to endorse it and recommend it to anyone who has 'serious' questions about Freemasonry.

Very good book. Well planned and carefully written. It answers a lot of false tales told by people who are afraid of Masonry because they don't know anything about Masonry. Gives good references to prove their point.
Lyn Emfinger, Montevallo, Alabama

I read this book about a year ago and i have been meaning to re-read it. It is an excellent and well-documented book defending Freemasonry. Anyone looking to better their understanding of Freemasonry (in a balanced way) should read this book.

Tarikh Bandele

Only recently while riding public transit, I heard two bus drivers discussing the 'fact' that Masons are devil worshipers.
This was my first encounter with that type of prejudice and innocently spoke up to say "it is a secret society but in no way do they worship the devil." I talked about seeing them in the movie, 'National Treasure' (the treasure was found under a large New York church -- way in the dungeons -- which I found strange, and a graveyard did figure into the puzzle).

The freemasons organization was formed in London in 1717. In America, it has had a rocky past because of miscreants who some way managed to infiltrate and give them a bad name. A member of my extended family was a Mason. He was not an ethical person, and a confirmed alcoholic, and I always wondered how he had pulled that coup to get into a prestigious group. But, you can't blame a whole society which incoporates foreign countries on one individual. I said to the drivers, "Many important people and United States Presidents have been known as Masons."

Little did I know about all the controversy as expressed in this book from many sources and Baptists who have spread the rumor in print and on the Internet. It's sad when superstition and immoral people bring about such potentially slanderous assertions. The Southern Baptists will believe anything; they even use their preachers to tell from the pulpit who the congregation should vote for in national elections. That is the opposite of 'separation of church and state.' I said, "No one tells me how to vote."

The Masons universal message is of brotherhood, relief, and truth. It does not include religious beliefs. The person I know who was iniated into that group was Methodist. Reputations are tarnished by some unruly church activities and false rumors. Until you know for sure you are hearing the truth and nothing but the truth, "consider the source."

The Masonic Information Center is in Silver Springs, Maryland. This book was written by two former Master Masons. Art deHoyos, a technical writer of the Latter Day Saints persuation, attended Brigham Young University. S. Brent Morris, a math teacher, attended Duke University and Johns Hopkins University. They have included a concise index of research materials used in the second volume. DeHoyos has written THE CLOUD OF PREJUDICE and Morris, MASONIC PHILANTHROPIES; both have contributed articles to the cause.