What Does the Masonic Lodge Teach Its Members About Jesus?
- “Holiness to the Lord.” –Motto on the official seal of the Grand Lodge of New York
Masonry claims that it does not offend a Christian’s belief about Jesus Christ. For example: “We do not say to Christians that Christ was a mere man, whose life’s story is only a revival of similar older [pagan] stories. To do any of these things would be irreverent. We utter no such words.”[1] But Masonry does teach that Jesus Christ was merely a man. Concerning the denial of Christ’s deity we may note the observations of Masonic leader Jim Shaw. Shaw was a 33rd degree Mason, a Past Worshipful Master of the Blue Lodge, Past Master of all Scottish Rite bodies, and a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor. He acknowledges that official Masonic doctrine maintains that, “Jesus was just a man. He was one of the “exemplars,” one of the great men of the past, but not divine and certainly not the only means of redemption of lost mankind.”[2]
The Masonic Maundy Thursday Ritual of the chapter of Rose Croix states officially, “We meet this day to commemorate the death [of Jesus], not as inspired or divine, for this is not for us to decide.”[3] One Mason told us, “Jesus and Krishna are the same!”[4]
In his spiritual darkness or ignorance, the Christian Mason may choose to believe that Jesus was God and Savior of the world, but this is not Masonic truth. Those who consider themselves enlightened Masons hope that their unenlightened Christian brethren will realize that all specific dogmas about Christ are in error. As Clausen emphasizes, Masons hope to “strip from all religions their orthodox tenets, legends, allegories and dogmas.”[5] This is why the Masonic scholar Albert Pike asserts that Jesus was “a great teacher of morality”—but no more.[6]
So Masonry teaches that Jesus was only a man. Why does Masonry say that, and thereby offend the beliefs of Christians? It does this because it does not wish to offend the religious sensibilities of non-Christian Masons, those members of other faiths who deny that Jesus is the only Incarnation of God and Savior of the world. The unique nature and mission of Christ is denied by Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Jews. In order to not offend these people, Masonry offends Christians.
Masonry excludes all particular biblical teachings about Christ, such as His Incarnation, redemptive mission, death and resurrection. In fact, there is no biblical truth about Jesus Christ affirmed anywhere in Masonry. Mason Edmond Ronayne confesses:
- Freemasonry “carefully excludes” the Lord Jesus Christ from the Lodge and chapter, repudiates his mediatorship, rejects his atonement, denies and disowns his gospel, frowns upon his religion and his church, ignores the Holy Spirit, and sets up for itself a spiritual empire, a religious theocracy, at the head of which it places the G.A.O.T.U.—the god of nature—and from which the one only living and true God is expelled by resolution….[7]
Although there are many possible beliefs that Masons hold about Jesus, one of the more prevalent beliefs can be traced to Masonry’s ties to the ancient mystery religions. Many Masons believe that the biblical teaching of Christ as God and Savior is merely a corruption of “similar,” more “pure” stories in some of the earlier pagan religions.[8] These Masons teach that the New Testament is a corrupted version of such stories and that Christianity as normally interpreted by the Church is false. In fact, many of these Masons are offended that Christianity teaches that only Jesus is God. They prefer a more mystical Christ, a Christ who recognizes that all men are divine.[9] For example, Dr. R. Swineburne Clymer, M.D., recognized as a high Mason, teaches in The Mysticism of Masonry (1900, p. 47):
- In deifying Jesus, the whole humanity is bereft of Christos as an eternal potency within every human soul, a latent (embryonic) Christ in every man. In thus deifying one man, they have orphaned the whole of humanity [of its divinity].[10]
But none of the Masonic teachings about Christ agree with what Jesus taught about Himself and with what the Church has maintained for 2,000 years. If Masonry does not even respect the teachings of Jesus, how can it claim to be a tolerant religion?
NOTES
- ↑ Henry Clausen, Clausen’s Commentaries on Morals and Dogma (The Supreme Council, 33rd Degree, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction of the USA, 1976), p. 159.
- ↑ Jim Shaw and Tom McKenney, The Deadly Deception: Freemasonry Exposed by One of Its Top Leaders (Lafayette, LA: Huntington House, 1988), pp. 126-127.
- ↑ Ibid., p. 127, cf. Henry C. Clausen, Practice and Procedure for the Scottish Rite (Washington, DC: The Supreme Council, 33rd Degree, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Mother Jurisdiction of the World, 1981), pp. 75-77.
- ↑ Cf., The Kentucky Monitor, 1946, p. xv.
- ↑ Clausen, Clausen’s Commentaries on Morals and Dogma, p. 157.
- ↑ Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (Charleston, SC: The Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, 1906), p. 525.
- ↑ Edmond Ronayne, The Master’s Carpet; Or Masonry and Baal-Worship—Identical (np., nd. Distributed by Missionary Service and Supply, Rt. 2, Columbiana, OH 44408), p. 87.
- ↑ Shaw and McKenney, The Deadly Deception, p. 127; Pike, Morals and Dogma (1906); Jack Harris, Freemasonry: The Invisible Cult in Our Midst (Chattanooga, TN: Global, 1983), pp. 102-103. For a refutation, see our Ready with an Answer [Harvest House, 1997].
- ↑ Cf., Corinne Heline, Mystic Masonry and the Bible (La Canada, CA: New Age Press, 1975), pp. 19, 22, 47, 90-91.
- ↑ Harris, Freemasonry, p. 102.
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Jesus is GOD and I am a Mason who walked with Him. All of the above is from some false commentator concerning Jesus who has little or no knowledge of Him. I have been with Jesus and walked with him in the Garden of Eden. The above author has not had any experience in being with the Creator of the Universe and I feel I should make a note here to correct my brother’s error. Perhaps if he believed in the Creator he might find some way towards Him who All things were created.
Simon John Wright. That would make you a Christian which has nothing to do with masonry. Sorry… Just make sure you are in the right religion… I am a Mason who hates Jesus. I think all Christians are evil. Because they are.
If you hate people because of their religion, you are a Mason in name only and an embarrassment to the fraternity.
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Simon John Wright, I thought Methuselah was the oldest man who ever lived and he didn’t walk in the Garden of Eden. Defend your claim before we pass on your statement as one made in error. Who is the Creator of the Universe but a false title given so the First or Entered Apprentice can enter the Lodge deceptively and under conditions of great humility. The cable tow, the knock on the door, the confession of the professed Christian that he is walking from darkness to light are cultic procedures. You are a weak apologist for the craft my friend and John Ankerberg wins his argument hands down.
you perish because you lack wisdom…..May GOD who sent his son Jesus save you from urself. AMEN……you hate Jesus but he loves you.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, why do you follow freemasonry?
Reading the above comments, the cult accepts believers and atheists.
I would not want to be associated to a group that allows membership to those who “hate God.”
Do you as a Mason state it empirical that all Masons should hate Christ Jesus?
HoW can you hate Jesus if your fraternity is based on the Golden Rule which is to love all other men as you would have them love you? You are therefor displaying the true nature of evil which is hatred.
No masons are true Christians, not possible
The Masonic Order has wasted hundreds of years following a man made false doctrine while taking and using parts of God’s Holy Word to form a cult of men. The Masonic organization leads men to believe in a fictitious structure of vows for rewards
from a fictitious Supreme Being. Men substitute Truth beliefs of God’s Holy Word and accept its ways based on a unbiblical ridiculous set of man made tradition often times copying scripture to appear worthy. The Holy Bible is the ONLY book of Truth. It’s a love story and history of our lives.
Jesus is Lord and part of a Triune God who has no part of Freemasonry. The Creator of ALL wants all men to know him and not play cult but rather gather as a body of Christ in a church and learn, love and worship. The Good News is believing in the living God, recognizing and confessing our sinful way and knowing and accepting Jesus’ death as our payment so we may have life everlasting.
Masons need to read the Holy Bible and they would quit the silly pagan gathering .
Amen
How exactly, have you walked with Jesus, the only begotten Son of God in the garden of Eden?
What degree are you
Well you sound like you know what your talking about so how do I become a Freemason because I’m chosen by him and I’m trying to peace together the rapture right now
I am a descendent of Jesus and Mary
Masonry should not promote the pagan religions of Hinduism,Buddhism, and Islam.
Not one soul can prove a man that walked the earth can be the creator of all worlds
I teach Hermetic Magik and am an author of many books on hermeticism. I learned magik from My Mason grandparents. I can say without a doubt that Religious Tolerance is not something I would ever accept as I view all Christians as evil.. They just have no clue that they are evil.
A stupid Christian will happily worry about their loved ones not knowing that their worry is a very powerful type of prayer.
Christianity is bad for belief because it is very fake and even evil as they allow their people to manifest worries. If-if-if conscious creation is true then there can be no greater evil then the largest religion that does not teach this. A loving Christian mother can kill her own daughter simply by WORRYING (worry is a powerful type of prayer). The daughter may now be subject to attacks, rape, or even a murder to satisfy the mothers worry… There are other ways Christians constantly kill each other, but worry is the most prevalent.. Their entire religion is worry based… worrying about floods, pillars of salt, and hell…. Even worry of death can lower your vibration when you need it the most and bind you to this lower plane. If you want proof of god… Then you can find proof simply by following this meme… The Hermetic,Hindu, and Buddhist were right… this is merely a common dream we all share.
Feel free to delete to protect your Christian audience from the truth… Christianity is dying fast and I can assure you many in your own congregation practice meditation, Yoga, tai chi, or other truer spiritual pursuits than Evil Christians are aware of..
HERE IS PROOF THAT YOU ARE GOD (we all are collectively)…
Simply walk outside and pick two clouds… now make one vanish with your mind. It is VERY EASY AND PROVES a) that the cloud was essentially imaginary (a common dream like Hindu and Buddhist have said for 9000+ years) and b) it proves that YOUR IMAGINATION AFFECTED OUR GROUP IMAGINATION…
You pick two clouds so when it works you can look at the remaining cloud and know it was your mind and not the wind that did it..
THAT IS AN AUTHENTIC MIRACLE! How many authentic miracles (we call it magik) does Christianity teach? IMPORTANT: For reasons not disclosed in a tiny comment… you must always cloudbust completely alone without telling anyone or filming… It has to do with time altering and expectations from others influencing our results… A skeptic imagination is powerful in prayer also… thinking the cloud will remain.
Jesus lived over 80% of his life in a country that taught hermeticism (according to the New Testament… and you would be surprised how many Christians cannot even name the country Jesus spent over 80% of his life… Can you name the country? Hint… It was Hermetic.. as in Thoth schools existed according to PLATO, Aristotle, Pythagoras, etc.
Jesus was trying to teach reincarnation and it got turned into being dunked in a rusty old bathtub for ten shekels to be “born again”… as if a bathtub can make a person die and be reincarnated. Jesus was simply foolish enough to try to teach magik to Naive Jewish Farmers and Romans who have less clue than the Christians of today.
This comment taught you real magik and I assure you there is far deeper magik once you pass beyond novice states.
I mean This is what I teach… sound
familiar…
a) Ask and you shall receive.
b) The meek shall inherit the earth.
c) Man is created in gods image (we are all creators)(Catholics/Christians think this means God
is a man). – This is a fundamental Catholic mistake.
d) Knock and it shall be opened up to you.
e) Reap what you sow.
f) If you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain to move from here to there and it would move.
g) Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.
h) Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given: for he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall
be taken even that which he hath) Be not afraid, only believe. Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. According to your
faith be it unto you.
j) All these evil things come from within.
k) Believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
This sounds like they are Hermetic Buddhist lessons… Not Christian. The stuff Jesus is attributed as saying sounds very Buddhist/Hindu.
The people of Jerusalem and Rome were just not able to comprehend that being born again meant you needed to die and really be born again… They didnt have internet.
If-if-if-if-if conscious creation is true like Oprah Winfrey keeps telling us (lesser law of attraction is new found Christian magik apparently) then there can be no greater evil in the world than the largest religion that does not teach that “WORRY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL”..
Worry is a powerful prayer… The problem with condoning Christianity is that you hurt your Karma forever simply by endorsing such evil.
Fear of hell, fear of pillars of salt, fear of floods as your god is very revengeful, and seeks to drown every baby, kitten, and puppy on the planet for his calculated revenge.
Why does god need to be white? Or male? Or human? Those are all Catholic cock ups, but they did formulate the bible 20 full genarations after the death of Jesus…. so what did they really know?
Yes. Christians are akin to little animals that stab and murder their loved ones constantly with a condition known as “WORRY”!
Stupid Christians.. Masonry knows that Jesus must be evil fro the reasons I have just stated. We have faked religious tolerance to avoid being hung… or burnt… But I’ll be happy the day they start hangig Christian grandmothers who worry about their families. Those grandmothers are psychically attacking their own grandchildren every time they worry about their baby dads driving ability…
I am sorry you devoted your lives to the wrong religion.
I was once a Christian Minister also (still am technically)… then I learned better.
Wayne Hilborn (author of “The Savvy sorcerer”, etc)
Namaste (Namaste means: “I bow to the divine [GOD] within you.” – as these awakened religions are much closer to the truth. Hermeticism, Hinduism, then Buddhism… in that order.
Christianity is just something your mommies taught you and you never could get it to work right..
oddly however; if you believe that Jesus will make your cloud vanish for you… then the cloudbusting could be done with expectant (better word than faith) prayer… instead of magik (self expectation)… as the EXPECTATION the cloud will vanish is what makes it do so… as with all prayer… so I can understand some Christians believing due to miraculous prayer… but you are as much a god as Jesus will ever be. NOW!
Have you heard of the Law of One material? It sheds light on Jesus being a man (a wanderer).
The Law of One material is vast and enlightens on many topics of which your post makes reference.
http://www.lawofone.info/results.php?c=people&su=jesus
Your entire premise is incorrect: worry/concern/anxiety/etc. is something Christians are taught NOT to do. Instead, the Bible says to place worry upon God.
Matthew 6:25 New International Version (NIV) – Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Psalms 55:22
“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”
1 Peter 5:6-8 explicitly says:
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Another issue: Clouds disappear without anyone imagining/wishing them to vanish. It’s not mystifying or magic; it’s natural forces, namely wind. It’s not your brain, your magic, or whatever you think. Can you do this with 2 rocks in front of you? How about cars? No, you can’t…..unless you’re standing in a hurricane or tornado where natural forces (i.e. wind) blow them out of your view. But again, that’s not you, it’s natural forces.
I’m sorry but I couldn’t trudge through the rest of your post….the cloud thing was just too ridiculous for me.
If you really want to know what Christians believe, I’d suggest read the actual Bible and not rely on the Hollywood make-believe garbage found in movies, TV, and even the media – 90% of it is garbage and cannot even be found in Scripture – it’s pure fantasy just like believing someone’s mind can cause a cloud to disappear.
Good luck.
Nice reply my sister in Christ Jesus… unfortunately there will be quite a lot of people who will turn their backs on our Risen King & actually end up bowing to the enemy….Not us in Christ Jesus though, we walk the road less traveled & we aren’t called to walk in fear…We in Christ, walk in Victory!!!! 💪✝️❤️🙏💪✝️❤️🙏💪✝️❤️🙏
The occult knowledge is with in all religions n cultures those who know knows. It’s not up to us to look down on anyone forgive them for they do not know. Sucks that people won’t put the pieces together. Because it’s the same story to understand thyself. Because as Mt brother said all is one everything fractional. Even in the good book breaking that down tells you how to know thyself n what is God requires you to look with in.
Well. This information is greatly intriguing and I thank you for it. My wish is that Truth prevails in spite of ignorance. It is a tough transition in either direction although it being a life or death subject. Who can judge them that did not have truth? Blessings
Its not based in worry. It says do not fear what man can do to your flesh but have the correct reverence of God who is able to do to your eternal spirit
Why do you associate Christianity and worrying?? Christianity is driven by faith. No fears.. death can’t even win. I mean true Christian’s have no worries. Amen
[…] Jesuits, all worship as their god, in contrast relegating Jesus to “inferior god,” “just another man” status. As we explore Freemasonry and its worship of Lucifer, it’s important to distinguish […]
[…] Jesuits, all worship as their god, in contrast relegating Jesus to “inferior god,” “just another man” status. As we explore Freemasonry and its worship of Lucifer, it’s important to distinguish […]
Hi there, The challenge I have with the church is it takes the Bible out of context especially Ephesians 2:8 and John 3:16.
Ephesians was an Epistle or letter to people who obeyed Acts 2:38 and that’s what St Paul delivers in Acts 19:2.
John 3:16 is of no benefit without John 3:5.
I noticed only emotional happening in my church and other nearby churches but no spiritual happenings.
At the age of 21 I joined the Craft and I have aquired 18 degrees and haven’t looked back.
Challisashley@yahoo.com
I’m sorry…lost here…
The ‘Craft’? 18 Degrees?
As for the Freemasonry…I agree it being more akin to a fraternity, BUT they do deny Jesus:
Mason Edmond Ronayne confesses:
“Freemasonry “carefully excludes” the Lord Jesus Christ from the Lodge and chapter, repudiates his mediatorship, rejects his atonement, denies and disowns his gospel, frowns upon his religion and his church, ignores the Holy Spirit, and sets up for itself a spiritual empire, a religious theocracy, at the head of which it places the G.A.O.T.U.—the god of nature—and from which the one only living and true God is expelled by resolution….[7]”
The Bible clearly states in Matthew 10:33, “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” And in
Mark 8:38 reads, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Being ‘neutral’ or not believing as to not offend any ‘faith or religion’ is as 2 Timothy 2:12 makes it clear, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;”
There’s no sitting idly by, denying He who gave His life for our sins…that we be saved by Grace and NOT by works.
Why did you not put just as much effort in your beliefs and search out the truth asking the HOLY Spirit who is our teacher to help you rather look at what man was doing. You have to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling not what another person is or not doing according to the word of God.,
[…] Jesuits, all worship as their god, in contrast relegating Jesus to “inferior god,” “just another man” status. As we explore Freemasonry and its worship of Lucifer, it’s important to distinguish […]
I lost about 20 IQ points just reading this ignorant drivel
So many churches preach religion instead of Jesus who loves you. He wants a personal relationship with you. The Holy Bible is the inspired word of God. Jesus is part of the trinity. The only way to heaven and the 1 true God. He loves you so much He sent His son to die for us so we can spend eternity in heaven. Jesus is the only one to rise from the dead.
” If Masonry does not even respect the teachings of Jesus, how can it claim to be a tolerant religion?”
Freemasonry is not a religion. It is a fraternity.
I am not a supporter of masonry, yet you have missed the point. There are many paths to freedom and to believe that you have the one and only path is ludicrous. I understand that the world has enstilled this in you, but you must respect the beliefs of others or you are doing yourself a disservice.
Christians only accept their religion as correct and others as wrong. You go to hell if you don’t believe what they tell you. So based on what you just said, Christianity is wrong too.
Well if you’re of man maybe hell is just another earth and the end times are actually a supernova that reincarnation exists if you fail to proove righteous in God you continue limbo maybe we get multiple trys at it the Bible doesn’t specify after death literally when it comes to hell it’s more less symbolic I believe in Jesus and that he did what he did in the kjv I also believe science is man taking credit for everything God has made but without it there wouldn’t be a God and vs because scientists get more money each year than any other organization all together and can NOT prove that GOD doesn’t exist and if they can’t prove it one way or the other then it’s still a possibility! Therefore the smartest men and women can’t prove Jesus didn’t do what he did and that God didn’t create everything so it’s still relevant because the big bang theory was debunked in 2017 what over 40% of scientists based everything they did off of and now they have to start from scratch yet they haven’t proved the Bible wrong and Mason’s created all other religions to deter Christian’s and the faithless to to throw them off Ballance creating war amongst Nations and radicalism and will be genocide to all who don’t follow and leading to a 1 world government that will all be burnt to a crisp when that sun blows up and engulfs even the richest man in the deepest bunker not even Trump wcan hide from it and it’s sooner than later trust me.
If you believe the bible to be the inspired word of God, then you must or should believe when Jesus said I am The Truth , The WAY , The Life. He that has the son of God has life eternal.
A Response to Critics of Freemasonry
A RESPONSE TO CRITICS OF FREEMASONRY
Prepared By: The Masonic Information Center
From Northern Ireland to Iran, from the Middle east to the United States, religious extremism is a growing force throughout the world. Jarred by the rapid pace of social and cultural change, especially the apparent disintegration of moral values and the break-up of the family, some people within this movement have sought refuge from the complexity of modern life by embracing absolute views and rejecting tolerance of other beliefs.
Simple, easy, seemingly stable answers bring comfort in a rapidly changing world. For example, some churches have responded to the personal anguish of their members by circling the wagons, that is, by strictly defining theological concepts and insisting their members “purify” their fellowship by renouncing any other beliefs.
The next step, already taken by various churches, is to yield degrees of control within their ranks to vocal factions espousing extremist views. These splinter groups focus the congregation’s generalized anxieties on specific targets, The proffered cure-all is to destroy the supposed enemy. Freemasonry has become one of these targets precisely because it encourages members to form their own opinion on many important topics, including religion.
Thus some churches have expressed concerns, even condemnations, of Freemasonry. Generally, these actions are based on misunderstandings. A case in point is the June 1993 report to the Southern Baptist Convention by the Convention’s Home Mission Board. This report defined eight alleged conflicts between the tenets and teachings of the Masonic Fraternity and Southern Baptist theology.
Let’ s briefly look at those areas, as representative of the thinking of some well-meaning but misinformed church members today, and see if the concerns are real or simply a matter of misinformation or misunderstanding.
Most of the issues really deal with language in one way or another. Almost every organization has a special vocabulary of words which are understood by the group. It’s hardly appropriate for someone outside a group, and without the special knowledge of the group, to object to the terms unless he or she fully understands them and why they are used.
If someone wants to read the Journal of American Medical Association for example, that is his right-but he doesn’t have a right to complain the articles use medical terms. A person reading a cookbook had better know terms like fold, cream the butter, or soft ball have special meanings-or he’ll make a mess instead of a cake. The same is true of a non-Mason reading Masonic materials. As to the critique of Freemasonry by the Southern Baptist Convention (which, incidentally, had several positive things to say about Freemasonry), here is a brief explanatory discussion of each point.
1. Because they do not see specific words in their historic context, some critics complain of the prevalent use in Masonry of offensive titles and terms such as Worshipful Master for the leader of a Lodge. The leader of a Masonic Lodge is called the Master of the Lodge for the same reason the head of a Boy Scout troop is called a Scoutmaster, an orchestra’s leader is termed the Concert Master, or a highly-skilled electrician is called a Master Electrician. The term arose in the guilds of the Middle Ages when the most skillful workman was called the Master. Much Masonic vocabulary dates from that period. Worshipful in Worshipful Master has nothing to do with worship in any religious sense. Masonically, Worshipful is a term of honor and, in this sense, it is a term still used in England and Canada today to refer to such officials as mayors of cities. Worshipful John Doe means exactly the same thing as the Honorable John Doe. In the same vein, the Mayor of” London is addressed as the Worshipful Lord Mayor. Certainly there is nothing irreligious here in the use of Worshipful or Lord. Such terms are a matter of history and tradition, not religion.
2. Some critics of Freemasonry object to what they term archaic and offensive rituals or so-called bloody oaths in Masonry. There is nothing offensive in them. They are ancient, not archaic, since many of them are so old their origins are lost in history. But there is nothing bad in that. The Declaration of Independence is about the same age as the Master Mason Degree, but few complain it is “archaic.”
The alleged bloody oaths refer to the penalties associated with the Masonic
obligations. They originated in the medieval legal system of England and were
actual punishments inflicted by the state on persons convicted of opposing
political or religious tyranny. Masonry’s obligations do not contain any
promise ever to inflict any of the penalties or to participate in the
execution of them. In Masonry, they are entirely symbolic and refer
exclusively to the shame a good man should feel at the thought he had broken
a promise,
3. Certain critics claim the recommended readings for the Degrees of Masonry are “pagan” in origin- “Pagan”, as they are using the term, simply means “pre-Christian.” The major purpose of Masonry is the study of man’s intellectual and moral history for the purpose of developing ourselves morally and intellectually. Such a study has to start with the concepts of man and God as held by early cultures and evidenced in their mythologies. The Greeks and Romans, as well as earlier peoples, had much of importance to say on many topics, including religion. The idea that a physician must act in the best interests of his patient comes from the pagan Hippocrates, and the concept that the government cannot break into your house and take what it wants on a whim comes from the pagan Aristotle. None of us would want to live in a world without these ideas.
In almost every field- law, government, music, philosophy, mathematics, etc.
-it is necessary to review the work of early writers and thinkers. Masonry is no exception. But to study the work of ancient cultures is not the same thing as to do what they did or believe what they believed. And no Mason is ever told what he should believe in matters of faith. That is not the task of a fraternity, nor a public library, nor the government. That is the duty of a person ‘s revealed religion and is appropriately expressed through his or her church.
4. Ironically, some people complain about the Bible used in Lodge being referred to as the “furniture” of the Lodge. No disrespect is intended. Indeed, just the opposite is true. Masons use the word “furniture” in its original meaning of essential equipment. Since no Lodge can meet without an open Volume of the Sacred Law, (which in North America is almost always the Bible) the Bible is essential and given a special place of honor as the “furniture” for every regular Lodge.
5. The Masonic use of the term “light” is often misunderstood by non-Masons. This confusion may lead some to think Masons are speaking of salvation rather than knowledge or truth. Nowhere in Masonic ritual is “light” implied to mean anything other than knowledge. Light was a symbol of knowledge long before it was a symbol of salvation. The lamp of learning appears on almost every graduation card and college diploma. Masonry uses Light as a symbol of the search for truth and knowledge. it is very unlikely that any Mason would think that Light represents salvation.
6. Masonry does not imply salvation may be attained by one’s good works. Masonry does not teach any path to salvation. That is the duty of a Church, not a Fraternity. The closest Masonry comes to this issue is to point to the open Bible, and tell the Mason to search there for the path to eternal life. Masonry does believe in the importance of good works, but as a matter of gratitude to God for His many great gifts and as a matter of individual moral and social responsibility. The path to salvation is found in each Mason’s house of worship, not in his Lodge.
7. Various critics accuse Masonic writers of teaching the “heresy of universalism.” Universalism is the doctrine that all men and women are ultimately saved. Masonry does not teach universalism or any other doctrine of salvation. Again, that’ s the province of the church, not a fraternity. You have to look rather hard to find Masonic writers who “teach universalism.” Even if you could find one, it’s important to remember that any Masonic author writes for himself alone, not as an official of the fraternity. Masonry simply does not have a position, official or otherwise on salvation. Since men of all faiths are welcome in the fraternity, Masons are careful not to offend the faith of any. Possibly this in itself may seem to be universalism to some critics. Masons call it common courtesy.
8. Some critics, less eager to put their own houses in order than to find fault with others, contend most Lodges refuse to admit African Americans as members. Masonry today is not a whites only organization as the hundreds of thousands of Black, Native American, Hispanic and Oriental Masons can testify . Petitions for membership do not ask the race of the petitioner, and it would be considered completely wrong to do so. At the same time it must be said that Freemasonry, like American society and churches in general, has not lived up entirely to its high ideal of brotherhood in dealing with African Americans and other minorities. This is a situation which most Freemasons, like most Americans, are trying to overcome.
There is a schism in Freemasonry dating back over 200 years to when “Prince Hall” Masons, who are African-Americans, declared them selves independent. This schism is similar to the division of the United Methodist Church from the A.M.E., C.M.E., and United Methodist Church from the A.M.E., S.M.E., and A.M.E. Zion churches or the National Baptists from the American and Southern Baptists. In each of these three examples, the organizations are working to repair the damages of centuries of segregation. for each, complete reunification remains an elusive goal hindered by social resistance on both sides, but not by organizational ideals. In the case of Freemasonry, mutual recognition between “black” and “white” Grand Lodges has proceeded at a steady pace for nearly ten years, while African-American members are increasingly common in formerly “white” Lodges.
For instance, at the international celebration of the 275th anniversary of the Grand Lodge of England in i992 (the most recent Masonic gathering of about the same size as the Southern Baptist Convention), there were far more Blacks present than there were at the Southern Baptist Convention in Houston in 1993. Freemasonry’s movement regarding racial matters affirms Masonry’s genuine revolution with the rest of American society and churches toward genuine brotherhood among all races.
In summary, looking over the concerns raised in the report, none are the tenants and teachings as the report claims. Four of the concerns are merely misunderstandings of Masonic vocabulary by non-Masons. The complaint that some of the writers whose work Masonry studies are pre Christian could be raised against any study of man, government, or philosophy. Almost all areas of study start with the ancient (pagan) Greeks. All members of the Fraternity know that Masonry does not invade the area of the Church to teach any doctrine of salvation, neither universalism, salvation by works, nor any other. And the objection that Masonry is some sort of whites only club is refuted by the myriad of non whites wearing the Square and Compasses. Freemasonry is simply a Fraternity-an organization of men, banded together to further develop themselves ethically and morally, and to benefit the community at large!
You Tube: Iowa Corrupt Judges Courts Police. Are these Masonic ?
It is true that as a Masonic Lodge we have member of various faiths and belief we do not try to put one faith before the other we only require that a man believe in a supreme being. We try to get our brothers to cling to their own faith and be good men and brothers being better for not criticising those who believe differently. We do not say that Jesus Christ was just a man but it states on our work that IF Jesus were but just a man giving our brothers of other faith to know that we do not try to put one faith above the other. I have been a Mason for 37 years and my belief in Jesus as the Son of God and my Saviour has only been strengthened
Freemasonry is not a religion. It is a fraternal organization. Religion and politics arenot subjects for discussion in a a Freemasons Lodge..
Freemasonry, whew! Ok…everyone has their take on it, so here’s mine.
I agree it being more akin to a fraternity, a bunch of MEN getting together for whatever hocus pocus, BUT they DO deny Jesus:
Mason Edmond Ronayne confesses:
“Freemasonry “carefully excludes” the Lord Jesus Christ from the Lodge and chapter, repudiates his mediatorship, rejects his atonement, denies and disowns his gospel, frowns upon his religion and his church, ignores the Holy Spirit, and sets up for itself a spiritual empire, a religious theocracy, at the head of which it places the G.A.O.T.U.—the god of nature—and from which the one only living and true God is expelled by resolution….[7]”
The Bible clearly states in Matthew 10:33, “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” And in
Mark 8:38 reads, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Being ‘neutral’ or not believing as to not offend any ‘faith or religion’ is as 2 Timothy 2:12 makes it clear, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;”
There’s no sitting idly by, denying He who gave His life for our sins…that we be saved by Grace and NOT by works.
Interesting that free Mason’s spout religious foundation but reflect the exact opposite. All men are God and religion is obviously the perverse obligation to control uneducated people! Regardless of Mason beliefs, can you really condemn people who forgive and show sanctuary to any poor soul in need? I believe in science and the Lord, should there be such a huge and dramatic separation of the two? And why would the Mason’s hold their meetings under such deception and levels of lies if they believed something pure?
I am a mason and would like to know,Do masons believe in the Bible,because I do and it says the only way to the farther is by Jesus Christ,I would like to know the Brotherhoods opinion,
Those who are Christians like I am do. Not all are Christians though.
Since there are TWO Scottish Rite bodies in the U.S. how could Jim Shaw be a past master of ALL Scottish Rite? In the York Rite top degrees you must be a baptized, professing Christian, which seems a odd requirement if Masonry taught Jesus was just a man. There is no “official” masonic position on any Deity, you are free to worship the God of your own choosing. There is no one thought of nearly anything in masonry, including the symbols. We do not have a “theology” of masonry or an orthodoxy. You are free to ponder and interpret the teaching and symbols on your own. Then as a Mason, free to communicate your opinions to whomever, however as long as it doesn’t include the secrets of our organization. Those secrets in most jurisdictions, see we don’t even agree on what we hold secret, primarily our modes of recognition. So it appears Jim Shaw is not being truthful, in my Bible it is liar’s who will inherit hell, not Masons.
In his spiritual darkness or ignorance, the Christian Mason may choose to believe that Jesus was God and Savior of the world, but this is not Masonic truth. Those who consider themselves enlightened Masons hope that their unenlightened Christian brethren will realize that all specific dogmas about Christ are in error. As Clausen emphasizes, Masons hope to “strip from all religions their orthodox tenets, legends, allegories and dogmas.”[5] This is why the Masonic scholar Albert Pike asserts that Jesus was “a great teacher of morality”—but no more.[6]
They say Jesus was not God, but a “Great teacher of morality”…if Jesus was not God then he was a huge liar, how is that morality?
And I have to say everything symbolic and speculative it’s ment to represent something the king /mason speaks to themselves structure the mind thoughts and feeling who follow the sun the internal not the external. Spirit or obseever talking to desire snake/nagas.. God will destroy both. take responsibility of thoughts n feelings! There is no wrong in what ever you choose to follow if you understand its Devine purpose to assist in the guide of your spirt. What ever it takes 4 you to be one with one another. But all this makes it easy to separate us.
I am the way the truth the life & no one goes to the Father expect through me Amen
I have been trying to do research for the Masonic education committee I am on, and this continues to suck me in. I’m tired of hearing that a Masonic man can’t believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior. I am a 32nd-degree Scottish Rite Mason and a true believer in Jesus Christ and the Church. I believe He died and rose again on the 3rd day to save the whole world, Jews and Gentiles alike. Yes, in the Fraternity, all men are welcome. Yes, we pray before our meetings and use the words Great Architect Of The Universe or Grand. A phrase first used in the Prespertaierian Church sometime in the 1500s by a Christian church leader nearly 200 years before organized Freemasonry. And if you want to go back further, it was painted in a picture sometime in the 1400s. God used a compass to map out the boundaries of the earth, making Him an architect. The world’s three major religions pray to the same God with different paths to salvation, and Hinduism is primarily monotheistic. As a Christian, I am called to tolerate the views of individuality and religious views. I don’t have to believe they have a path to salvation to do this. I am only told not to harm them but to love. Anyone who researches Christian symbols will find that many also have their start in the pagan religion. The medical field uses a serpent-wrapped cross; no one calls them devil worshipers. The lung cancer uses a double cross, and they aren’t witches. The hatred has got to stop. If anyone wanted to spend as much time looking back into the history of their religion, they would certainly find many things they don’t like. The other thing is masonry is not a religion at all. I look for their teachings on being a better brother to man and the world, but I would never believe they have a path to heaven. Only Jesus Christ is my path to heaven.
After reading the above comments and conversation from supposed freemasons… It seems apparent that intellectual suicide is a prerequisite to becoming a freemason member. Unfortunately, I’m afraid that sacrifice is to great for me. The irony is that it’s been very enlightening for me to see exposed, thank you.
Scott, thank you for the lengthy post, which clarified quite a bit with simple historical references. Reading these comments reminded me that every religion seems to believe they know the only way to salvation or enlightenment, which is precisely the reason I like the Feemason fraternity (believe what you will, just don’t tell me what I should believe). What I find most intriguing is the amount of hatred religious people spew, yet they are surprised by the continual decrease in religious association in America. The truth is no one knows who will be saved, let alone whether eternal life or damnation exist. What should be important to all of us is how we pay back society for the good we reap from it and Freemasonry exemplifies just that. Live in the present lest we miss every opportunity to show love to our fellow mankind.