Masonry It Really Is A Religion

I think that there is enough to say the organization is not compatible with Christianity (just based on popular opinion and the witness of the believer).

Insofar as members actually worshiping Satan, that's not actually true. The "blue lodge" provides the highest "degree" (Master Mason). The idea of the blue lodge is that men can work together for the betterment of mankind regardless of religious belief as long as there is a belief in a supreme being because without such belief there can be no moral accountability. They stress the "brotherhood of man". The candidate actually takes a part in the "play" (the three degrees) which are set in the building of Solomon's Temple. One is not a Mason until that person has completed the 3rd degree.

There are two Rites - the York Rite and the Scottish Rite.

The York Rite is based on Christianity but one does not have to profess faith in Christ alone until midway through the "degrees" (one could be any religion and go halfway through the York Rite). The stained glass posted earlier, if truly a "masonic symbol" wold come from the York Rite. In it the member states that they will defend the Christian faith against all others.

The Scottish Rite is based on secular justice. The "degrees" go through different religions to claim that all religions have at their foundation a moral standard based on a supreme being and this produces a common idea of laws and justice within society. Several religions are presented in various degrees (Hebrew, Persian, Egyptian, etc.). These "degrees are given, typically, in a weekend. They are essentially plays that a group of candidates watch. No one is a 30 degree mason without being a 32 degree mason. These are not steps but stages of one long play.

(Shriner's are more like a club, not an official rite of the Freemasons. There are many smaller and local "clubs" within the organization).

The problem with going off what other people have written (what other Freemasons have written) is that the whole thing is subjective (which is the point). For every mason who expresses Freemasonry in the occult (like, IMHO, Pike) there are probably ten who attribute the symbolism to Christianity. Either way, I believe it at least approaches Gnosticism.

The reason I am telling you this is I do not want you to falsely believe your father was worshiping Satan in a lodge. That is not what goes on. One can belong, wrongly, to a group. But you can't be a Christian and worship Satan (either willfully or in ignorance).

 

The problem comes in when people think that by virtue of one being involved with Freemasons or Boy Scouts that they cannot be a true Christian (or even a faithful Christian). I’ve been told by several people that I forfeited my faith when I joined the Army and took an unholy oath to our nation. I take it with a grain of salt (basically I don’t let other people’s opinions bother me).

The reason I say it is a problem is that there is the credibility of two witnesses at stake – the Freemason (or Scout) and the believer convicted that it is wrong.

The Freemason could cause a brother to stumble because that person truly believes that the mason worships Satan while attending church claiming to be a Christian. That person is convinced of the things he or she has read, and they apply this to all Masons (they see books like Morals and Dogma as expressing what the organization is about).

On the other hand, what if the other person is talking to a Freemason who is not a Christian and whose experience is completely different to what the Christian is describing? We have to be careful when dealing with people that we do not accidentally invalidate our testimony by speaking to what may not be accurate across the board.

I say this as someone who has been a Mason, a “past-master” (I presided over a lodge and gave the “degrees”), a York Rite Mason (Royal Arch, Cryptic, and Templar), and Scottish Rite (32 degree). I do not believe a Christian should be a Mason, and that is why I left the organization. I believe it is Gnostic in nature (or tries to be). The primary reason I left the organization, however, was so as not to be a stumbling block to a brother. People believe all kinds of things (even things that have been proven incorrect).

I believe the only danger in people believing the demonic myths surrounding the organization is that they ruin any opportunity of reaching a non-Christian Mason with the truth. It's not worth confronting the zealous believer because their intentions are well and they will typically not be persuaded that they are damaging their testimony by overreaching. From experience, if I were to tell you they do not worship Baal then I would be accused of being brainwashed or being pro-Freemason (I am neither, BTW). So when it comes to the charge of worshiping Satan, leave it at "that may be true of some, but that was not my experience". And I offer to share my experience.

We do have to remember that it is not necessary to quit the Freemasons in order to be saved. And many Christians joined the Masons because their churches did not "walk the walk" (you may be surprised how often this happens) and they look for a way to actively live out their faith.

 

Not really. I was a member decades ago (I talked about this before, but it's been awhile). There is much less to the Freemasons than you might expect.

Anyway, if you have any questions about my experience you are more than welcome to ask here or via PM. I warn people not to join, but I don't hide my past involvement or experiences.

Sometimes the best experience to learn from is someone elses.

 

I am not suggesting you don't know what those you have encountered taught. I agree the organization is far from harmless.

I am only saying that what you experienced of their teachings is foreign from my own experience, that's all.

I don't apply my experience (with about 75% faithful Christians who are allowing their association to damage their testimony) to you. And I am sure you do not intend to suggest your experience with Satanic Freemasons applies to me.

As I am sure you know, each state is a separate organization (they choose to recognize one another, or not). I was saved long before I was a madon. I would not have joined had they been like those you encountered.

Perhaps that makes the one I was in a bit more dangerous. They did not esteem Albert Pike or worship Satan. So they just did not stand out as most were Christian (and faithful Christiansactive in their churches). It introduced secular humanism under the radar. I think that more alarming than the ones you had denouncing Christ.

 

Can you say understatement? The competion is like that of a candle to a floodlight.