Free Republic

The connections between Mormonism and Freemasonry are about as subtle as a neon sign in a pitch-black desert. Some people act like it’s some deep, conspiratorial discovery that Joseph Smith, the so-called “prophet,” borrowed heavily from the secret handshakes and goofy rituals of the Masonic lodge. To be clear, the term “borrowed” is just a polite way of saying plagiarized. Mormonism certainly didn’t just spring from a burning bush of divine revelation—it crawled out of the smoky backrooms of Freemason halls, clutching their symbols, their theatrics, and their obsession with secrecy like a child caught red-handed in the candy jar....

I chose the name: Mazelit Liel Yocheved, and I converted last night before shabbat services in Delray, Florida.Dear friends,Last night, on the Shabbat of Behar-Bechukotai, the 26th of Iyyar, 5785, I officially converted to Judiasm. After studying Judiasm in Brooklyn for 2 years when I lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn, I moved to an area without a temple for almost 4 years to recover from anorexia. But after October 7th happened, I knew I needed to go back.There are many reasons why I’ve converted, some of which I’ll cover in a following essay when the dizzyness and excitment of the...