IS IT TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT FREEMASONRY?
By Arturo de Hoyos and S. Brent Morris
Reviewed by Bro. Jason F. Hicks
This book is written by the eminently knowledgeable Arturo De Hoyos and S. Brent Morris. After years of the fraternity sitting on its hands and not responding to the false and salacious criticism these brothers stepped up to the task. The book takes each argument one by one and disproves them with actual facts. The quote by Charles Darwin (featured in chapter 1) sets the tone for all of the attacks on the fraternity when he says “[g]reat is the power of steady misrepresentation.”
Of the critics Ron Carlson is one of the most offensive. He patently misquotes sections of Morals & Dogma and the sections he goes properly quoted he takes the words out of context. He even discusses the Taxil conspiracy which has been refuted over and over again. To say the authors have little respect for Carlson and his work is an understatement but when he says he’s researched freemasonry for over two years and still gets this much wrong just means he’s a fraud.
Another focus of their review is Rev. Jim Shaw who trumped up and made up his masonic accomplishments to appear qualified. He states he was the master of a lodge yet the lodge he claims does not have record of him serving as a master. He claims to be a 33 degree Scottish rite mason but there is clear proof that he did not have that degree.
In summary, this book goes right for the jugular of the critics. It calls out the faulty logic and their lies and It should be read by all masons.
