...all spiritual rituals included aspects that would seem frightening if taken out of context -- crucifixion reenactments, Jewish circumcision rites, Mormon baptisms of the dead, Catholic exorcisms, Islamic niqab, shamanic trance healing, the Jewish Kaparot ceremony, even the eating of the figurative body and blood of Christ (p. 438).
The exquisite irony here is that even Dan Brown took Mormon practices out of context by misstating our ritual. Mormons practice baptisms "for" the dead, not baptisms "of" the dead. It is precisely these kind of mistakes that make rituals appear frightening. There are many who do not understand this LDS practice because they believe we somehow baptize literal dead corpses -- "of" the dead. I'm not exactly sure how the logistics of that would work, and it would require a host of exhumation permits, but it is far from actuality. We baptize for, and in behalf of, people who have died without the opportunity of baptism. Members of the Church research their own line of genealogy, and take names of ancestors to the temple so they themselves can perform proxy vicarious baptisms, in name only, for their deceased forebearers who did not have that chance in life. We believe that those people have the opportunity to accept or reject the baptism performed for them in the afterlife.
Spirit Matter
Katherine explains her thinking about the substance of the human soul:
Noetic Science clearly suggested that thoughts had mass, and so it stood to reason, then, thatthe human soul might therefore also have mass. Can I weigh a human soul?...
Katherine recalled writing in her lab notes with a trembling hand: "There seems to exist an invisible ‘material' that exits the human body at the moment of death. It has quantifiable mass which is unimpeded by physical barriers. I must assume it moves in a dimension I cannot yet perceive" (pp. 392, 395).
Again, LDS scripture indicates that spirit has mass:
7 There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; 8 We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter. (D&C 131:7-8)
This was a revelation received by the Prophet Joseph Smith in May of 1843. I don't know of any other religious faith that believes that spirit is matter, finer and more pure matter, but nonetheless has a mass. Also notice, however, that the scripture says "spirit," not "spirits," and is therefore not necessarily exclusively describing spirit bodies. It says "all spirit."
Other early Mormon prophets taught that all space has life, and therefore all space has energy. Another scripture tells us that "light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space -- The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things" (D&C 88:12-13; cf. D&C 88:37). All space has light. All space has energy. All space has matter. All space has mass. When our bodies (and minds) are purified we will see that it is so.
Ancient Mysteries
Of course, one theme mentioned time and time again throughout the book is the ancient mysteries.
The Hand of the Mysteries is a formal invitation to pass through a mystical gateway and acquire ancient secret knowledge -- powerful wisdom known as the Ancient Mysteries . . . or the lost wisdom of all the ages (78).
I've written about "the mysteries" before. Suffice it to say that the mysteries spoken of in early Christian texts use the word to indicate certain initiation rites or sacraments. Joseph Smith used the term "mysteries" to describe the ordinances of the temple, in association with the authoritative keys of the priesthood.
Plurality of Gods
The Lost Symbol also briefly notes:
God is found in the collection of Many . . . rather than in the One.
"Elohim," Langdon said suddenly, his eyes flying open again as he made an unexpected connection.
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