G’day Brothers!
I trust you are all happy that Summer is here - I know I am, and not just because it means that the last big game expo is now done and I don’t have to worry about traveling again any time soon…
I had an interesting experience I want to relate to you - but first some background… The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) just concluded in LA. It is The Event of the year - until January next when CES opens - and as such gets a fairly wide variety of nationalities as attendees. I have met folks from England, Canada, Australia, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Egypt, South Africa, Lebanon, Japan, Korea (lots of Koreans), China, Brazil, Peru, and Spain - and that was just at breakfast!
All of these people have some connection to electronic entertainment or like me they cover it for a news outlet. Because of my physical limitations, I have to stop every few hours and use my chair to change my position so that blood flow is different to my legs and back, which invariably means finding a quiet corner and reading a book for 30 minutes while I “rest” in a reclining position. I have to rest because when my chair is configured that way, it will not allow the motors to engage on the wheels and even if it did, I would not want to try driving it while laying down :)
I was resting in a corner reading one of the books I brought with me specifically for that purpose - The Craft and its Symbols, by Roberts - when a group of four attendees who I guessed were Middle Eastern sat down on a bench nearby to sort through their swag bags. They were consolidating - trying to get the contents of several bags to fit into one.
One of the men glanced at me - and then said something to his friends in a language I don’t speak, and they nodded to each other and made comments - quiet comments. I nodded to them, and the one who originally glanced over stood and approached me.
“You are a Mason?” he asked, pointing at the book.
“I am,” I admitted.
He then returned to his friends and they talked for a bit. He came back eventually, to ask a question.
“Do you truly eat unborn babies for your breakfast, with strips of seared flesh?” he asked.
“?!” I thought.
It seems that there was a magazine article in Egypt a few months ago about Freemasonry, that wicked organization of Jews, who seek to rule the world. In it, they described the typical breakfast as the ritual eating of unborn babies and strips of seared flesh, and the drinking of alcohol disguised as blood-colored liquid. This, my new friend explained, was observed by the author of the piece, who had been staying in a hotel in the US at the time, and had observed the Masons, who can be spotted by their distinct red hats.
It took me a minute to realise that he was talking about Shriners, and a breakfast of eggs and bacon. As for the liquid - it sounded like tomato juice to me, and as to whether there was booze in it, who can say? I have friends that consider a bloody mary as the best way to start the day if you spent the evening before drinking… I have other mates who swear that a Salty Dog is better. Me? I don’t drink to excess, so OJ is more my speed…
As this conversation developed I began to understand that a new chapter in my education about Freemasonry and misinformation about it was unfolding.
“Given the choice,” I explained. “I would rather eat waffles or pancakes than eggs, but yeah, strips of seared flesh go down real well with breakfast!” I admitted.
I am sure I made a good impression on them - at least I think I did. When he returned to his friends they spent five minutes chattering in an excited manner, glancing at me every now and then. Unborn babies indeed!
CMBF
