Readers comments"A very interesting and informative read! I have always been intrigued by freemasonry, the secret codewords, handshakes etc. Members of my immediate family are Mason's. I have been encouraged to ask to join but always needed to know what I was letting myself in for. This book has given me the opportunity to now make an informed decision. Thanks." GH "I was impressed by the way 'Freemasonry Inside-Out' explained things in a short and concise way and is not simply a summary of other anti-masonic books but the result of a personal process of weeding out some true facts from the mass of lies and spurious theories. Thank you for providing a short, deep, qualified, interesting and trustworthy overview of the subject. When someone asks me about which book to read to get the information they need to make up their own mind, I will recommend your book as it fits that purpose perfectly." JT Germany "Lots to absorb here. Well done on a lot of research. As a software/mechanical engineer, I'm used to lots of information on my projects. As a 'young brother' - 4 years - I'm disappointed at the lack of knowledge my 'elders' seem to have about the craft beyond the ritual and the festive board." KP "I will soon be the Master of my Lodge having been in for over 20 years. A lot of the points you make ring true. Having read the majority of the more conventional Masonic books, I had still wondered about the two main points you raise, namely why is there such a strong allegiance to something that seems to have no purpose and where does all the money go." LW "I have found initial reading to be very interesting. As a committed Christian married to a Freemason, I have very mixed feelings about Freemasonry. So I suppose you could say I have a lot of vested interest in knowing more, but as a woman, I am excluded from knowing too much. I think the thing that bothers me more than anything is that it encourages my husband to keep secrets from me, in a relationship that is otherwise based very much on openess and honesty. I suspected, much as you have confirmed, that Freemasonry is full of good and kind people at lower levels who genuninely think that they belong to a fraternity aimed at the common good. I also suspected that, at higher levels, it had certain sinister elements. Many thanks - and thank you for having the courage to write this book." Mrs AF "I have read this very thought provoking book and you may just have changed my mind. I was "invited" to join and I am just going through the lead up to initiation. I now notice some of the recruitment tactics as you described. I am thinking long and hard about it all. Thanks." MB "'Freemasonry Inside-Out' has provided me with with abundant information and given me the confidence to make an informed decision whether or not to join. Thank you for writing such a well researched and written book." IF, Scotland "A very interesting and informative book. I had lots of questions regarding rituals, secrets etc. since I become a MM. As you have mentioned in your book, when I asked questions in the Lodge to other brethren, always the same answer "you will learn in due course". You have touch the subject of religious belief and masonry, but I am still in dilemma as my church does not recognise freemasonry." EH "I found 'Freemasonry Inside-Out' to be extremely informative. It appears that Freemasonry in general has been structured primarily to preserve its own survival through constant funding by its members. This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing as every organization needs to pay the rent and the light bill, etc. Being a social club and charitable organization provides justification enough for its existance as far as it goes, but are there no spiritual practices for the advancement of the inner self involved at all? Without that it would seem rather empty philosophically, somehow." DMF, San Francisco "Even after reading your book I had my initiation last night, but with an insight into what was going to happen it was not the scarey event it could have been. I thank you for your info and as I progress through the Craft I will refer back to your book several times just to keep my feet on the ground."AS "I found this book very very interesting and will reread a number of times I'm sure. I think the 'characteristics' of the cult describe, to varying degrees, the fundamental dynamics of many organised groups in society. Certainly any liberal thinking follower of organised religon will identify with those same 'characteristics'that are employed by the church. While Freemasonry declares that Truth is a personal experience/belief rather than demanding adherence to unquestionable dogma, most organised religons declare they are the guardians of Absolute Truth - which though appearing to be benign and altruistic represents the ultimate suppression and subordination. Naturally, anything (such as Freemasonry) that challenges fundamentalism and embraces tolerance and diversity naturally becomes the enemy." RMcL, New Zealand "I joined the craft in May last year, I could have joined 11 years previous, but felt I knew too little and was too immature at that time. Since then, I have had questions that I have sought answers to pertaining the Freemasonry, and after reading books readily availabe by present Freemansons, those questions have by andlarge remained unanswered. From what I have read of 'Freemasonry Inside-Out', I have learned that I have to keep asking the questions if I am to make any headway in my further studies of freemasonry. The craft is not something, which like some members of my lodge, I just 'do', I want to be a good and faithful Mason, and I believe that from what I have read so far, that this book will help weed out deception from fact." KJ |