Mormonism and Hermeticism

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_Kishkumen
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Re: Mormonism and Hermeticism

Post by _Kishkumen »

Johannes wrote:Yes and no. I'll concede the point about Masonry historically being a social leveller, and that this made it subversive. I'm less convinced about the modern-day version. You could rename the pillars of the temple "Bert" and "Ernie" and I don't think you'd detract much from the Masonic experience.

This is just my reductive etic point of view, of course.... I'm not against the Masons, or any other source of fraternity and philanthropy. I just don't believe that the esoteric content is central to the lived experience of most Masons I've known.


I am intrigued by your responses on the topic of Freemasonry. The Craft gave birth to a host of esoteric groups. The Lodge has become the most popular model for esoteric assemblies. One can almost not conceive of where the modern esoteric movement would be without Freemasonry. Your comment about the pillars is a non-starter. Whatever your friends think now, I would happily wager that they simply wouldn't belong to a group that used names like those for the pillars.

OK, I can accept that esotericism is not central to the majority of Freemasons out there, but it remains, as I said, a powerful cultural script in Masonry that is active in the lives of quite a few esotericists and Freemasons. These people may be the Masonic equivalent of Mormon FARMS and FAIR types, but they are there because Freemasonry has such a rich tradition that anyone can pretty easily dip into. That "script" is readily activated because of the strong relationship between Masonic myth and the initiatic practices. It's a great formula for sparking interest in esotericism.
"Petition wasn’t meant to start a witch hunt as I’ve said 6000 times." ~ Hanna Seariac, LDS apologist
_Maksutov
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Re: Mormonism and Hermeticism

Post by _Maksutov »

Johannes, what is your take on The Refiner's Fire? I thought it did a good job of exploring the population and imputed milieu that many of the early saints came from. I didn't understand the Hermetic concepts well enough to always see the relationships he described. Still, it expanded on Quinn's work and pointed the way for future explorations.
"God" is the original deus ex machina. --Maksutov
_Johannes
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Re: Mormonism and Hermeticism

Post by _Johannes »

Kishkumen wrote:I am intrigued by your responses on the topic of Freemasonry. The Craft gave birth to a host of esoteric groups. The Lodge has become the most popular model for esoteric assemblies. One can almost not conceive of where the modern esoteric movement would be without Freemasonry. Your comment about the pillars is a non-starter. Whatever your friends think now, I would happily wager that they simply wouldn't belong to a group that used names like those for the pillars.

OK, I can accept that esotericism is not central to the majority of Freemasons out there, but it remains, as I said, a powerful cultural script in Masonry that is active in the lives of quite a few esotericists and Freemasons. These people may be the Masonic equivalent of Mormon FARMS and FAIR types, but they are there because Freemasonry has such a rich tradition that anyone can pretty easily dip into. That "script" is readily activated because of the strong relationship between Masonic myth and the initiatic practices. It's a great formula for sparking interest in esotericism.


Well, I'd join any lodge that venerated Bert and Ernie.... I think I'd agree with your FARMS analogy. I do accept that Freemasonry has made a yuuge contribution to modern esotericism. That can't be denied.
_Johannes
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Re: Mormonism and Hermeticism

Post by _Johannes »

Maksutov wrote:Johannes, what is your take on The Refiner's Fire? I thought it did a good job of exploring the population and imputed milieu that many of the early saints came from. I didn't understand the Hermetic concepts well enough to always see the relationships he described. Still, it expanded on Quinn's work and pointed the way for future explorations.


I'm not well read on the Mormon side of this, sadly. I've only skimmed through a library copy of Brooke. I was thinking that Quinn might be an easier read for me, as an introduction, than Brooke. Or are there more recent books that it might be better to start with?
_Maksutov
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Re: Mormonism and Hermeticism

Post by _Maksutov »

Johannes wrote:
Maksutov wrote:Johannes, what is your take on The Refiner's Fire? I thought it did a good job of exploring the population and imputed milieu that many of the early saints came from. I didn't understand the Hermetic concepts well enough to always see the relationships he described. Still, it expanded on Quinn's work and pointed the way for future explorations.


I'm not well read on the Mormon side of this, sadly. I've only skimmed through a library copy of Brooke. I was thinking that Quinn might be an easier read for me, as an introduction, than Brooke. Or are there more recent books that it might be better to start with?


Until the Reverend completes his opus, those two sources are the best I've found. But I'm always looking. :wink:
"God" is the original deus ex machina. --Maksutov
_Kishkumen
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Re: Mormonism and Hermeticism

Post by _Kishkumen »

Maksutov wrote:Until the Reverend completes his opus, those two sources are the best I've found. But I'm always looking. :wink:


I am glad you put a wink on the end of that line. I am afraid I will not be writing an opus on this topic.
"Petition wasn’t meant to start a witch hunt as I’ve said 6000 times." ~ Hanna Seariac, LDS apologist
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