Ancient conspiracy? That would be a feat for a church that was founded in 1830

Nick, you wanta weigh in here?

Geoff, you just have to look at it like a fiction writer would! You should know 1830 is no barrier to making a conspiracy ancient. Just link it to a more ancient one!

My plot could go something like this (screenplay writers can add lots more gratuitous sex & violence for the movie version): Just before his death, Joseph Smith shared pieces of a world-shattering secret with his followers. The Mormon Prophet was a secret initiate into an ancient fraternity of religious mystics stretching back millennia, from George Fox and Teresa of Avila to Constantine to Mohamed, all the way back to the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece and the founders of the first axial age (Socrates, Zarathrustra, Buddha, Lao Tze, Isaiah, and the writers of the Upanishads). But now, Joseph Smith selectively reveals to his closest followers, with his decision to run for the presidency of the United States, he has run afoul of the masters of this ancient religious conspiracy. For threatening to overturn the political order of the United States, they have decreed his death! After Smith’s murder, Joseph’s followers bicker amongst themselves and scatter, taking Smith’s secret to their graves.

…or so it was thought, until BYU-Hawaii Symbologist Heber Young stumbles across this dark and ancient secret. Each member of the inner circle only possessed one part of the key. Having now awakened this ancient conspiracy and drawn the notice of a shadowy group of powerful and dangerous men, Heber Young must reassemble the clues each of Smith’s followers was entrusted with, and quickly unravel this secret. To save his life he must do so, even though Heber knows if he succeeds he will shake the political foundations of the United States, the economies of world’s wealthy nations, and every major world religion. His quest will take him from an artifact the Japanese risked World World II to bury at the bottom of Pearl Harbor, to the world’s most ancient city buried at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, the sands of Mesopotamia, and through the great Capitals of Europe. With only his wits and the assistance (and frequent flyer miles) of the beautiful network marketing executive LaDawn Spencer, Heber Young races against the clock to find the answers that hold the key to saving his life…

Nick, you wanta weigh in here?

I just purchased the book last night, so I’m only about 30 pages into it. So far, it looks like it may be an engaging read, but I’m already finding what I would consider “mistakes” in regard to Masonic history/legend/etc.

Brown was wise not to make this book about Mormons. As I told the Salt Lake Tribune 3 1/2 years ago, there’s just no way he could come up with a fictional story there to rival the *real* story of Freemasonry’s influence on early Mormonism!

Jeff, get crackin’ man. I’d read that.

I think the biggest LDS connection here is the concept of “apotheosis” that underpins the main revelation in the book. The idea that men can become gods. This is basically an aped version of our own LDS doctrine of exaltation. Although no nod is given to the LDS Church in connection with this concept in the book, Dan Brown has now flung this little known idea before the masses in a very positive light and it may, after being digested by the world, be a very intriguing benefit to future LDS efforts.

I’ve read the whole book. There are no other references to Mormons in the whole book other than the couple pointed out above.

Perhaps the only things that could be a bit unnerving to someone who hasn’t studied LDS Church history are references to Masonic oaths and penalties. These are obviously extremely similar to the ones removed from the temple ceremony in the 1990′s. Other than that, the book is fairly benign towards any religion, to be honest, pointing out that they all have quirks, especially when taken out of context.

This is only one author and you would have to get him to give his opinions in an interview, but what does this say about Mormonism in the 21st Century?

I believe it says that Mormons are a lot smaller group than we think in the minds of the masses. We already know that there is a negative aspect to any thoughts that the masses might have toward the religion. That doesn’t mean that they think about Mormonism all that often. As for Masonry, Dan Brown (a horrible historian, but a neutral observer) didn’t find much of value in the connection between masonry and Mormonism if he did indeed study both topics. From the description of the book he seems to actually be more in agreement with the apologists who insist it is a vestige of something greater than the Masonry it resembles. If “apotheosis” really is the main revelation of the book, then this might be a more powerful concept that Mormons have been hiding under a bushel out of fear from other religion’s criticisms.

Not at all. I believe the connection between Mormonism and Freemasonry is undeniable. What I am saying is that the connection is not theologically or historically of much importance. It is more a vehicle to express religious ideas of Joseph Smith’s time like the theories of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell than straight plagiarism.

Fair enough, Jettboy. For a second there, I thought you were heading off in a direction even FAIR and FARMS won’t go! :-)

Ancient conspiracy? That would be a feat for a church that was founded in 1830

Maybe the Holy of Holies in the Salt Lake Temple is really a room containing a time-travel device.

Honestly I think Mr. brown left Mormon’s out of this book because no one knows what a Mormon is. Let me explain, having grown up on the east coast all my life and having spent time (too much according to my wife) in both Europe and Asia (well, China) most people have never even heard of a Mormon, or if they have they know that we practiced polygamy at one point and nothing else. Now look at the Masons, even in China the masons have a pretty set presence. Every one knows the masons have secrets and conspiracy nuts have been turning out myths about new world orders and secret murders. The point is no one cares about the Mormons, because no one (on a global scale) really knows anything about the Mormons. Mr. Brown would have had to spend another 100-200 pages educating the reader and on the history, believes, customs ect. Now remember, Mr. brown writes about preexisting conspiracy theories. so after doing all that research now he would have to create ( because as far as I know there are no existing theories) some new conspiracy connecting us to some ancient something. He wouldn’t use our own claims that we are a continuation of the original church because, if you haven’t noticed, he has a dislike for organized religion and snubs it any chance he gets.

So basically what I’m getting at is it was just a lot simpler to write about the masons then us. It does stink though that we don;t even get a nod for being The only religion in America that holds to the doctrine of Apotheosis (or as we call it Exaltation). and his final conclusion of the book veers so off track I had to read it a second time to make sure he hadn’t switched side on the argument.

I think Da Vinci Code and other related writings are just fictions. From the writers creative mind. I didn’t read nor watch Da Vinci Code but have read about Masonic and honestly I didn’t understand what the fraternity is for other than brotherhood.

The Salt Lake City Masonic Temple will be open for public tours on 22 May 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 650 East South Temple. Additionally, smaller buildings throughout the State will be open as well.