‘Is Harry Potter a Freemason?’

     
Maryland Masonic Research Society’s meeting on May 5 will feature a presentation on themes and symbolism in the Harry Potter stories. From the publicity:

Maryland Masonic

Research Society

Saturday, May 5 at noon

“Is Harry Potter a Freemason?”

Presented by Walter Benesch

Odd Fellows Lodge

6 Ingleside Avenue in Catonsville

RSVP for lunch here before April 30

Courtesy Scholastic Corp.

In the books from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to Deathly Hallows, a careful reader can find multiple Masonic symbols—the first book alone traces Harry’s journey as an Entered Apprentice. How?

Come and listen to our talk. For those who are unfamiliar with the books, there will be a slideshow presentation to acquaint you with the charters and Masonic symbols used in the books. By reviewing how Masonic symbolism can be found in the Harry Potter books where you least expect, it may be found elsewhere.

After the presentation, you may want to take another look at other pieces of literature, movies, and plays in a new light, looking for the hidden and sometimes not so hidden Masonic symbols.

Join us for lunch to enjoy the company of MMRS members at the Odd Fellows. Enter at the side door on Orban Avenue.
     

‘Philately Freemasons to examine Harry Potter symbolism’

     

The George Washington Masonic Stamp Club meets twice annually, and its second gathering of 2014 will take place Saturday, August 30 at the Baltimore Philatelic Exposition, President Walter Benesch announced during the weekend.

The club initiates members with a Master of Philately ritual, and dues consist of a single $20 payment for lifetime membership. Masons who in any way are interested in the unique mode of art collecting called philately should join.

The August 30 meeting will be held at the Hunt Valley Inn, across the highway from the Grand Lodge of Maryland, and will be open to the public. The program for the session will be “Is Harry Potter a Master Mason?” which will look at the Masonic symbolism found in the J.K. Rowling’s books. “This has been a very popular talk at various lodges, Masonic research organizations, and other Masonic bodies,” Benesch said. “What will be different is that some unique Harry Potter philately may come up for auction.”

Courtesy U.S. Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service issued a series of twenty First Class “Forever” stamps inspired by the Harry Potter stories last November. Benesch explained how covers with the stamps were cancelled by the Mt. Vernon Post Office using the GWMSC cancellation stamp on February 22, 2014 (George Washington’s birthday). “This is a complete set of the stamps, one stamp per cover, with club’s Masonic cancellation,” He said. “There is only one such set in the world. The set will be up for sale, provided a collector is interested, and the proceeds of the sale of this collection of covers will go to support the club expenses and its selected charity.”

The meeting next month also will include door prizes and the sales of previous club covers. There may be balloting on prospective new members, although Master of Philately is conferred only at the annual meetings, the next to be held Sunday, February 22, 2015.
     

‘Harry Potter lectures’

     
You can count on the Anthroposophical Society to host all kinds of interesting programs, none of them directly involving Freemasonry, but many geared to gratify the curiosity and hunger of the Masonic mind.

So naturally I missed the one I hoped to see Saturday.

It was the first in a four-part lecture series courtesy of Eugene Schwartz, a Waldorf educator, on “Harry Potter and the Secret Brotherhoods.”

From the publicity:

Is there really anything more to be said about the Harry Potter series? The awe-inspiring sales figures of the books (almost 500 million copies) and the record-breaking grosses of the movies ($7.7 billion) are pointed to as evidence of spiritual vacuity, and the fact that they were written as children’s books supposedly defines the limits of their author’s vision. Eugene Schwartz contends that there is a great deal more to be said about Rowling’s seven volumes, especially if they are read as bold forays into the shadowy domains of the “secret brotherhoods.” Eugene will draw us into the surprisingly profound world of children’s books and movies and explore the “open secret” of contemporary spiritual visionaries.

No familiarity with any of the Harry Potter books is necessary. Let us know in advance that you are going to attend any one (or all) of the lectures and Eugene will send you plot summaries.

Lecture 1: As a backdrop to our Harry Potter explorations, we will look at some children’s classics of the 20th century: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Ring trilogy, C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, and (the anthroposophist) Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story.

Future lecture dates:

Jan. 26, 2013: Harry Potter, Volumes 1, 2, and 3;

April 6, 2013: Volumes 4, 5, and 6; and

May 11, 2013: Volume 7.

Click here to visit Anthroposophy NYC, and scroll down through the calendar. Check out the programs on Sacred Geometry, and other interesting subjects.