‘Can old gods thrive in a modern world?’

     
The Masonic Philosophical Society will meet next Sunday to answer the question “American Gods: Can Old Gods Thrive in a Modern World?”

That’s December 10 at 2:30 p.m. in the Whitestone Masonic Temple, located at 149-39 11th Avenue in Whitestone, New York.

From the publicity:

You are invited for our next hosted discussion and study. Each month a different topic, ranging from philosophy and science, to religion and metaphysics, is discussed and debated. This group, which is open to the public, is where non-members can learn more about Freemasonry, as well as meet local Freemasons.

December’s topic will be conducted by Brother Cat Pedini on a study of “American Gods: Can Old Gods Thrive in a Modern World?” After a short lecture, a discussion and debate by the group will follow.

“American Gods” is a novel by Neil Gaiman, now a TV series made for Starz by Bryan Fuller. It posits the idea of gods as immigrants, brought from the old country by old believers, now trying to exist in a modern world, a world more inclined to worship technology and media than Odin or Anansi. What would happen if these, the old gods and the new, were to wage a war for dominance in the minds of men? Where would the battle wage, what would wining or losing look like, and how would this war change the world? Can Freemasonry provide a structure within which all gods can exist?

The Masonic Philosophical Society embraces the concept of learning, not for school, but for life, and believes that all men, who seek it, deserve access to continued education. We further embrace the concept of a community environment, where ideas can be shared and debated in an open forum. From the Seven Liberal Arts to the arcane, we seek to gain and to share the knowledge that is the legacy of mankind.