# Man Tries To Burn Down Grand Lodge in Boston



## My Freemasonry (Mar 18, 2014)

​From CBS in Boston:

_A man was arrested for allegedly trying to burn down the Masonic Temple Lodge on Tremont Street in Boston Monday night._​_Boston Fire officials say the man entered the building and sprayed a liquid onto some furniture and attempted to ignite it._​_He was detained by a security officer and then arrested by Boston Police.__The man, who was not identified, will be charged with attempting to burn a place of worship._​
More...


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## vangoedenaam (Mar 18, 2014)

A place of worship. Well, thats one way to look at it. But good they caught him. But why did he do it? I really want to know more...


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## dfreybur (Mar 19, 2014)

vangoedenaam said:


> A place of worship. Well, thats one way to look at it.



It's not an appropriate way to look at it.  It pushes us towards being a religion.



> But why did he do it? I really want to know more...



Because he's insane.  I figure working hard at understanding insanity risks becoming infected with it myself, so I don't really want to know more.


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## japool (Mar 19, 2014)

I bet they're charging him under the "place of worship" statue because it's a more serious crime and would lead to more jail time.


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## BryanMaloney (Mar 20, 2014)

Cue Evangelical Fundamentalists lining up to say this "proves" Freemasonry has been "officially" deemed a religion by a US state in 3, 2, ...


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## dfreybur (Mar 20, 2014)

BryanMaloney said:


> Cue Evangelical Fundamentalists lining up to say this "proves" Freemasonry has been "officially" deemed a religion by a US state in 3, 2, ...



Exactly.  I have no interest in apologizing to those who accuse us of stuff.  But I also have no interest in feeding them lines.  I'm proud of some of the accusations - We deal with good men of every faith.  Our rites draw concepts from many faiths.  Our symbols have meanings that can be followed in directions that fundies disapprove of.  I resist fanning the fire on accusations that are false - We are not a religion so vandalism against one of our facilities should not fall under a law about religions.  It may well have been a hate crime but I'm very cautious about going that route.  Arson is a serious felony and that should be enough.


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## ej6267 (Mar 20, 2014)

I'm sure that using the Place of Worship statute was a mistake done out of ignorance. They could probably do better charging him with trying to destroy a historical landmark.


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## BryanMaloney (Mar 20, 2014)

Could be a teachable moment, in which the Lodge says "We're not a place of worship."


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