What Is Freemasonry? and Freemasonry Research Links

Can someone simultaneously be a Mason and a Christian?

 Let's find out...

Freemasonry is a religion.

"Every Masonic Lodge is a temple of religion, and its teachings are instructions in ... the universal, eternal, immutable religion...." Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, by Albert Pike, Washington D.C., 1958, pp. 213, 219.

"[Masonry is] ... the custodian and depository (since Enoch) of the great philosophical and religious truths, unknown to the world at large...." Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, by Albert Pike, Washington D.C., 1958, p. 210.

"Without this religious element it would scarcely be worthy of cultivation by the wise and good...." An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, by Albert G. Mackey, 1921, pp. 618-619.

"...a worship in which all good men may unite..." by Joseph Newton

"...a religious institution..." by Albert Mackey

"Masonry is the universal religion only because and sl long as it embraces all religions" by J.D. Buck

 

Freemasonry utilizes deceit to hide the truth from 1st through 29th degree Masons; and Freemasonry's god is a triune deity called JoaBulOn which stands for Jehovah, Baal, and Osiris.

"Masonry, like all the religions, all the Mysteries, Hermeticism and Alchemy, conceals its secrets from all except the Adepts and Sages, or the Elect, and uses false explanations and misinterpretations of its symbols to mislead those who deserve only to be misled; to conceal the Truth, which it calls light, from them.... Truth is not for those that are unworthy...." Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, by Albert Pike, Washington D.C., 1958, p 104-105.

"The Blue Degrees are but the outer court...of the Temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the [lower] Initiate, but he is intentionally misled by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them, but it is intended that he shall imagine he understands them." Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, by Albert Pike, Washington D.C., 1958, p. 819.

God is known as "the nameless one of a hundred names." Henry Wilson Coil, "A Comprehensive View of Freemasonry," Richmond: Macoy Publishing, 1973, p. 192.

"God is equally present with the pious Hindu in the temple, the Jew in the synagogue, the Mohammedan in the mosque, and the Christian in the church." Albert Mackey, "Mackey's Revised Encyclopedia of Freemasonry," Richmond: Macoy Publishing, 1966, 1:409-410.

 

Freemasonry is not Christian. If it's not Christian, but it is a religion (which Masons have confirmed above), then it by definition conflicts with Christianity. Thus, logically, one can't simultaneously be a Christian and a Mason.

"Freemasonry is not Christianity ... it admits men of every creed within its hospitable bosom...."An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, by Albert G. Mackey, 1921, pp. 618-619.

"[Masonry] ... sees in Moses ... in Confucius and Zoroaster, in Jesus of Nazareth, and in [Mohammed] great teachers of morality and eminent reformers...." Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, by Albert Pike, Washington D.C., 1958, pp. 277, 525.

 

Other Freemasonry vs. Christianity problems:

The secrets of Masonry are protected by the most vile of blood oaths, every one of which is an offense to Jesus.

The name and nature of the Masonic deity is an offense to the one true God. It is taught in the Royal Arch degree that Masonry draws its teachings and powers from three great teachers and Gods. The combined deity is represented as a three-headed god, whose name is JoaBulOn, which stands for Jehovah, Baal, and Osiris. Every time Masons pronounce that name in the Masonic prayer of worship, they have defiled the Holy name of God.

In the Shrine, the initiate swears a terrible binding oath in the name of "Allah, the God of our Fathers." Mohammed was a false prophet and Allah is a god who has destroyed nation after nation of his followers. The red Fez itself was originally a badge of honor worn only by a Muslim who had actually killed a Christian and dipped his cap in the martyr's blood.

At the Apron lecture, the Mason is told that the lambskin apron will be his covering at the great white throne judgment of God. The prayer and dedicatory sounds great, but there is only one Great white throne judgment and it is the judgment of the damned (Rev. 20:11).

The Lodge promises godhood through the Lodge, the usurping of Christ's Melchizedek Priesthood, the Holy communion of the dead, drinking wine from the carved out top of a human skull, etc.

 

Characteristics of Orthodox Christianity:

 

1. Acceptance of the Bible as the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God.
2. God became flesh in the physical man Jesus.
3. Christ atoned for man's sin through his death on the cross.
4. Christ arose in bodily form from the grave, conquering death and proving he is God.

Galatians 1:6-12; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Revelations 22:18; Deuteronomy 13:1-10

Freemasonry is incompatible with these 4 characteristics of orthodox Christianity. Therefore one cannot simultaneously be a Mason and a Christian. Christians that are Masons must leave the Lodge and repudiate all oaths or suffer the rejection of Christ and the judgment of God's Word.

 

Masonic Doctrine:

Masonic Doctrine on Jesus Christ "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. He was on a level with other great men of the past like Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras and Mohammed. His life and legend were no different from that of Krishna, the Hindu god. He is "the son of Joseph," not the Son of God."

Masonic Doctrine of the Bible "The bible of the Christian is merely one of the "holy books" of man, no better than the Koran, the Hindu scriptures or the books of the Chinese and Greek philosophers. It is not to be taken literally, for its true meaning is esoteric (hidden from all but a small number of "enlightened," elite leaders); the literal, obvious meaning is only for the ignorant masses. It is right to remove references to Jesus in passages used in the ritual. Masonry, contrary to popular belief, is NOT based upon the Bible. Masonry is actually based on the Kabala (Cabala), a medieval book of magic and mysticism."

Masonic Doctrine of Prayer "Prayers are to be offered to "Deity," to "The Great Architect of the Universe" (GAOTU), and are to be "universal" in nature, so as not to offend anyone and so as to apply to everyone. Prayer is NEVER to be made "in Jesus name," or "in Christ's name", to do so would offend a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. If a Worshipful Master allows prayers to be made in Jesus' name, his lodge can be closed and its charter revoked by the Grand Lodge of his state."

Masonic Doctrine of God "God is, basically, whatever we perceive Him to be; our idea or concept of God becomes our God. Usually referred to with the vague and general term, "Deity," the god of Masonry can be the one of our choosing, spoken of generically as "The Great Architect of the Universe." However, those who pursue the higher studies in Masonry learn that God is the force of nature, specifically the Sun with its life-giving powers. The "advanced, enlightened ones," the adepts at the top, this nature worship is understood as the worship of the generative principles (i.e. the sex organs), particularly the phallus. Human Nature is also worshipped by some as "Deity," as are Knowledge and Reason. Since Masonry is a revival of the ancient pagan mystery religions, its god can also be said to be Nature, with its fertility (sex) gods and godesses representing the Sun and Moon (in Egypt, Osiris and Isis)."

Masonic Doctrine of Satan: "Satan, as an enemy of God and his Kingdom, as an evil power seeking to tempt, deceive and destroy, does not exist. Mankind has merely "supposed" this. The usual Christian perception of Satan is merely a distortion of the truth about Lucifer, the "Light Bearer," who is actually good and the instrument of liberty, but generally misunderstood and maligned."

Masonic Doctrine on Exclusiveness "The "light" of Freemasonry, its "secrets" and its pathway to "perfection" are only for the elite few initiated into its knowledge and wisdom. Excluded are women, Negroes, the poor (who haven't the money with which to pay), the cripples, blind and deaf who can't perform the recognition signs (or see and hear them), and the feeble-minded who can't receive the teachings or be trusted to protect them. All such people, including the wives, the daughters and some of the sons of Masons, are considered "profane" (unclean, unworthy) and can never be anything else. No references are required here for it is common knowledge and all of the above confirms and establishes it."

Masonic Doctrine of Secrecy "Secrecy is the essence of Masonry, necessary for its very existence, and protected by blood oaths of mayhem and murder."

Masonic Doctrine of Blood Oaths Blood Oaths on penalty of mayhem and violent death are administered at the end of initiation into all Masonic degrees, binding the initiate to protect the "secrets" of the degrees. These oaths of obligation (usually called just "obligation") are considered unbreakable, and are (collectively) the thing that makes a man a Mason. In this way, these oaths are the cornerstone of Masonry.

Masonic Doctrine of Seeking and Finding "Masonry is a never-ending search for "light," always promised but never quite realized."

Masonic Doctrine of Truthfulness "It is right to lie, if necessary, to protect the "secrets" of the Lodge, or to protect another Mason by concealing his wrongdoing. It can even be "right" to deliberately deceive sincere Masons seeking to learn the lessons and "secrets" of Masonry."

Masonic Doctrine of Spiritual Light and Darkness "All "profane" people (non-Masons), including godly, genuine Christians, are wretched, blind and lost in complete spiritual darkness. Only initiation into the degrees and mysteries of Masonry will bring them out of darkness and "into the light," cleansing them and imparting new life."

Masonic Doctrine of Redemption "Redemption is a matter of self-improvement, morality, and good works, including obedience to the Mason's obligation and all higher Masonic authorities. Faith in the atonement of Jesus has nothing to do with it; it is rather a matter of enlightenment, step by step, which comes with initiation into the Masonic degrees and their mysteries."

Shaw, Jim & McKenney, Tom, 1988, A Deadly Deception, Huntington House Publishers

 

Repugnant Masonic (and old Mormon Temple Ceremony) Oaths

1. Masons bind themselves to the penalty of having their throats cut from ear to ear

2. Masons bind themselves to the penalty of having their hearts plucked out of their chests

3. Masons bind themselves to the penalty of having their bodies disemboweled.

Eight Problems With Freemasonry

1. The prevalent use of offensive concepts, titles, and terms such as "Worshipful Master" for the leaders of the lodge; references to their buildings as "mosques," "shrines," or "temples"; and the use of such words as "Abaddon" and Jah-Bul-On," the so-called secret name of God. To many, these terms are not only offensive but sacrilegious.

2. The use of archaic, offensive rituals and so-called "bloody oaths" or "obligations," among those being that promised by the Entered Apprentice: [not listed for lack of space] or that of the Fellow Craft degree: [not listed for lack of space] Or that of the Master Mason: [not listed for lack of space] Or that of other advanced degrees with required rituals considered by many to be pagan and incompatible with Christian faith and practice. Even though these oaths, obligations and rituals may or may not be taken seriously by the initiate, it is inappropriate for a Christian to "sincerely promise and swear," with a hand on the Holy Bible, any such promises or oaths, or to participate in any such pagan rituals.

3. The recommended readings in pursuance of advanced degrees, of religions and philosophies, which are undeniably pagan and/or occultic, such as much of the writings of Albert Pike, Albert Mackey, Manly Hall, Rex Hutchins, W.L. Wilmhurst and other such authors; along with their works, such as Morals and Dogma, A Bridge to Light, An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and The Meaning of Masonry.

4. The reference to the Bible placed on the altar of the lodge as the "furniture of the lodge," comparing it to the square and compass rather than giving it the supreme place in the lodge.

5. The prevalent use of the term "light" which some may understand as a reference to salvation rather than knowledge or truth.

6. The implication that salvation may be attained by one's good works, implicit in the statement found in some Masonic writings that "Masonry is continually reminded of that purity of life and conduct which is necessary to obtain admittance into the Celestial Lodge above where the Supreme Architect of the Universe presides." (Louisiana Monitor, page 79)

Even though many Masons understand that the "purity of life and conduct" can only be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ, others may be led to believe they can earn salvation by living a pure life with good conduct.

7. The heresy of Universalism (the belief all people will eventually be saved), which permeates the writings of many Masonic authors, which is a doctrine inconsistent with New Testament teaching.

8. The refusal of most lodges (although not all) to admit for membership African Americans.

As reported by the Southern Baptist Home Missions Board,
SBC, 1350 Spring Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30367-5601 (1993)

Masonic Quotations

"We may not call in question the propriety of this organization; if we would be Masons we must yield private judgment. ‘To the law and to the testimony—if any man walk not by this rule it is because there is no light in him."’—Pierson’s Traditions of Freemasonry, p. 30.
"That this surrender of free-will to Masonic authority is absolute (within the scope of the landmarks of the order) and perpetual, may be inferred from an examination of the emblem (the shoe or sandal) which is used to enforce this lesson of resignation. The esotery of the Masonic rituals gives the fullest assurance of this: 
"once a Mason always a Mason" is an aphorism in our literature conveying an undeniable truth."—Morris’ Dictionary of Freemasonry, p. 29.

"A Mason should know how to obey those who are set over him, however inferior they may be in worldly rank; or condition." —Macoy’s Masonic Monitor, p. 14.

"Disobedience and want of respect to Masonic superiors is an offense for which the transgressor subjects himself to punishment."—Mackey’s Masonic Jurisprudence, p. 511.

"Under the head of Discipline is given a catalogue of fifteen prime classes of un-Masonic acts, of which this is one. It is so subversive of the groundwork of Masonry, in which obedience is most strongly inculcated, that the Mason who disobeys subjects himself to severe penalties."— Morris’ Dictionary, pp. 91,92

"As a presiding officer the Master is possessed or extraordinary powers which belong to the presiding officer of no other association" Mackey's Masonic Jurisprudence, p. 344.

"The powers and privileges of the Master of a lodge are by no means limited in extent."-Chase's Digest of Masonic Law, page 380.

"An affirmation is not equivalent to an oath in Masonry however it may be in common and is not legitimate in the working of the lodge."-Ibid. p.13.

"The Covenant is irrevocable. Even though a person may be suspended or expelled; though he may withdraw from the Lodge, journey into countries where Masons cannot be found, or become a subject of despotic governments that persecute, or a communicant of bigoted churches that denounce Masonry, he cannot cast off or nullify his Masonic covenant; No law of the land can affect it-no anathema of the church weaken it. It is irrevocable." -Webb's Freemasons' Monitor, p. 240.

Note: This accounts for many strange and mysterious proceedings in our would-be courts of justice and in the churches. NO law of the land (that is, civil law,) can even affect this lodge oath or covenant. No anathema of the church (that is, divine law), can weaken it.

Is it any wonder that criminals go scot-free when the sheriff that impanels the jury, enough of the jurors impaneled to bring in a divided verdict, enough witnesses drummed up to make the evidence appear contradictory, the attorneys of the prosecution and of the defense, and the judge on the bench, are irrevocably bound to the prisoner at the bar as sworn brethren, by an obligation considered paramount to all others, civil or divine?

Is it anything strange that there is trouble in the church when the members are bound up, by this strong covenant, with saloon-keepers, irreverent scoffers, and other evil-minded men, in sworn brotherhood?

Can a man simultaneously be a Christian and a Freemason?

A Short History of Freemasonry

Teachings and practices of the secret fraternal order known as the Free and Accepted Masons.

There are 4.75 million members worldwide, mostly in the U.S. and other English-speaking countries, and no central authority. Its ideals include fellowship, religious toleration, and political compromise. Drawing on guild practices of medieval stonemasons, the order's first Grand Lodge was organized in London (1717).

In America, Masons were active in the Revolution and continued as a force in later politics. In Europe, they included Voltaire, Goethe, Haydn, Mazzini, and Garibaldi. Freemasonry's identification with 19th-cent. bourgeois liberalism led to reaction, e.g., in the U.S., the Anti-masonic Party; its anticlericalism brought the hostility of the Roman Catholic Church. Totalitarian states have always suppressed Freemasonry. Masons have a complex systems of rites and degrees, subsidiary organizations for women and children, and lodges noted for their parades and fraternal gatherings.

 

FRATERNAL SOCIETIES

The term fraternal society, used interchangeably with fraternal order, refers to voluntary associations that feature elaborate secret initiations. Some orders provide a simple form of life insurance; nearly all exclude women. Nowadays the most important fraternal societies are the Freemasons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elk.

Fraternal orders were once a significant - some observers believed characteristic - aspect of American society. Alexis de Tocqueville was struck by the "immense assemblage" of voluntary associations, including fraternal orders, in antebellum America. Henry David Thoreau complained that America was "dwindling" into a nation of "odd-fellows."

The origins of fraternal orders are obscured by a tangle of implausible legends and dubious histories. Nineteenth-century Freemasons claimed to be heirs of a tradition extending back to the founding of King Solomon's temple.

Historians of the Knights of Pythias made a case that Pythagoras was the first Pythian, despite the awkward fact that the order apparently had been founded in Washington, D.C., in 1864. The Improved Order of Red Men, established in the 1830s, claimed descent from the Sons of Liberty of the American Revolution. Without doubt, the Freemasons were entitled to claim that they were the nation's oldest order. But contrary to the claims of some enthusiasts, Freemasonry originated in London in the early 1700s as a stonemasons' trade guild.

The order soon became a club for tradesmen, merchants, and a few much-celebrated noblemen. In the 1730s and 1740s a handful of Masonic lodges were established in coastal towns in America. Although these lodges were dominated by a mercantile elite, some tradesmen were admitted, such as Benjamin Franklin who, as a young printer, became grand master of Pennsylvania Freemasons in 1734.

Freemasonry became associated with patriotism during the Revolution, largely because George Washington and many of his generals belonged to the order. This patriotic association was strengthened when Washington took his oath of office as president upon a Masonic Bible.

Despite the order's association with the Founding Fathers and its profession of universal brotherhood, American officials refused to recognize the legitimacy of black Freemasons, who in 1775 had been admitted to a lodge composed mostly of Irish soldiers stationed in Boston harbor. The leader of the blacks, Prince Hall, subsequently received a dispensation from English officials and established African Lodge No. 459. Black Freemasonry, usually called Prince Hall Freemasonry, became popular among middle-class blacks.

During the early 1800s the number of Masonic lodges multiplied rapidly. The order especially appealed to an emerging middle class of lawyers, commercial farmers, and independent tradesmen, many of whom were growing impatient with orthodox religion and established political elites. Tensions between Masonic leaders and the conservative ministry smoldered until 1826, when a disgruntled ex-Freemason, William Morgan, announced his intention of publishing the secret Masonic rituals. Morgan was abducted by Freemasons and was never seen again. What happened to him has never been fully explained.

Twenty-six Masons were indicted on murder and related charges. Only six came to trial; four were convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to terms ranging from several months to two years in jail. When it became known that many of the jurors and prosecutors were Masons, as was Governor DeWitt Clinton of New York, a coalition of ministers and opportunistic politicians formed to suppress the order. The Anti-Masonic party became the first significant third party in American politics.

Though short-lived as a political movement, Anti-Masonry generated intense public pressure and forced thousands of members to renounce the order and hundreds of lodges to relinquish their charters. By best estimate membership declined from 100,000 in the mid-1820s to 40,000 a decade later.

Many renouncing Freemasons flocked into the Odd Fellows. Odd-Fellowship originated in late-eighteenth-century Great Britain among industrial workers who sought to mitigate the effects of the Industrial Revolution and the English Poor Laws. The order assisted members in dire circumstances and provided them a decent burial. In 1819 English immigrants established the first American lodge of Odd Fellows in Baltimore. During its early decades the order met in taverns and functioned as little more than a drinking society. But the influx of ex-Freemasons during the 1830s and 1840s completely transformed American Odd-Fellowship. This "new and more refined" group, as one nineteenth-century historian described them, gained control of the order, raised fees beyond what most workers could afford, banned liquor from meetings, launched a program to build "temples," and wrote and performed elaborate successions of initiatory rituals.

By the 1850s Freemasonry, having just begun to recover from the Morgan debacle, adopted a similar program. During the last third of the nineteenth century, fraternal orders, featuring reform and ritual, proliferated among the urban middle classes. By 1900 there were more than three hundred orders; total fraternal membership exceeded 6 million. Ambitious clerks, businessmen, and politicians used the orders to cultivate contacts and establish ties with clients and like-minded people elsewhere. Others found satisfaction in the exotic rituals, which provided a religious experience antithetical to liberal Protestantism and a masculine "family" vastly different from the one in which most members had been raised.

Partly to attenuate women's complaints about the secrecy, the cost of membership, and the time members spent away from home, most orders supported creation of ladies' auxiliaries. The Odd-Fellows established the Daughters of Rebekah (1851), and Freemasons, the Order of the Eastern Star (1869).

Early in the twentieth century, however, many young middle-class men, preferring the recreational clubs and service organizations such as Rotary and Kiwanis, refused to follow their fathers into the lodge. Robert and Helen Lynd, in their study of Muncie, Indiana, in the 1920s, reported that "the great days of the lodges have vanished." Aggressive recruitment policies and relaxed admission standards temporarily masked the weakness of most lodges.

But the onset of the Great Depression brought about the collapse of the institutional foundations of the fraternal movement as members could no longer afford to pay dues and thousands of lodges, unable to meet mortgage payments, went bankrupt. The major orders together lost nearly a million members; hundreds of others passed out of existence entirely.

After World War II, social activities, philanthropy, and community service took precedence over the rituals, which were abbreviated or occasionally abandoned. Most orders languished and increasingly became identified in the public mind with the televised antics of Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden, member of the fictional Loyal Order of Raccoons. In recent decades, however, Freemasonry has gained many new adherents, especially from among white-collar workers and immigrants.

Mark C. Carnes, Secret Ritual and Manhood in Victorian America (1989);

Dorothy Ann Lipson, Freemasonry in Federalist Connecticut, 1789-1835 (1977).

 

ANTI-MASONIC PARTY

American political party founded to counter the supposed political influence of Freemasonry. It arose in Western  New York state after the disappearance (1826) of William Morgan, a former Mason who had written a book purporting to reveal Masonic secrets. Freemasons were said, without proof, to have murdered him.

At Baltimore, in 1831, Anti-Masons held the first national nominating convention of any party, and issued the first written party platform. In 1834 they helped form the Whig Party.

 

SECRET SOCIETY

Organization whose members, aims, and rites are kept secret. Membership is by Initiation. In some Cultures secret societies are the sole means by which Mysteries and folkways are transmitted, generally in coming-of-age rituals.

They are usually limited to men, but in China the secret Hung Society for women lasted over 1,500 years. Modern secret societies (e.g., fraternal orders, Freemasonry) offer members various kinds of mutual aid. Some governments and churches oppose them as fostering subversion and violence.

ANTI-MASONS

The Anti-Masonic party, the first third-party movement in the United States, arose in response to the disappearance of William Morgan, shortly after his release on September 12, 1826, from a Canandaigua, New York, jail. Morgan had threatened to publish a book divulging the secrets of Freemasonry; opponents of the order asserted that a conspiracy among Masons had led to his arrest on trumped-up charges and subsequently to his being kidnapped and murdered.

The Anti-Masonic movement grew rapidly, drawing its initial following from farmers and skilled craftsmen - many of them with ties to evangelicalism and the temperance movement. They maintained that the Masonic order's secrecy, rituals, and aristocratic character posed a threat to republican democracy.

Anti-Masonry also provided a vehicle for rural people to express their antipathy to the cities, and for ordinary people to voice their resentment of the powerful leaders, many of them Masons, who dominated the nation's public affairs. From western New York, the movement spread through New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and Ohio and Michigan. Anti-Masons elected a governor of Rhode Island in 1833, controlled Vermont and Pennsylvania for several years, and played a significant part in local politics in both Massachusetts and New York.

In 1831, the Anti-Masonic party nominated William Wirt to run for president; in the process, it became the first American political party to select a presidential candidate by means of a national convention and the first to adopt an official party platform. Wirt carried only one state (Vermont) in 1832, but the party continued to grow, offering an increasingly general program of reform. As it expanded, it came to be dominated by new members more impelled by personal ambition or by a general opposition to the Jacksonian Democrats than by Anti-Masonry. At its second and final convention (1835), the Anti-Masonic party approved a slate for 1836 identical to that of the new Whig party, and thereafter it disappeared into the Whig coalition.

During its brief career, however, Anti-Masonry had played an important part in northeastern politics and had helped launch the careers of such leaders as William Lloyd Garrison, William H. Seward, Thurlow Weed, and Thaddeus Stevens.

 

BIBLICAL CONFLICTS

Secret societies are in conflict with the teachings of Holy Scripture. A Christian must never affiliate with any organization that 1) yokes together believers with unbelievers in unholy alliances (2 Cor. 6:14-18); 2) requires a pledge to unscriptural oaths which are sealed by using the name of God improperly or in vain (Ex. 20:7, Lev. 5:4-6, Matt. 5:34-37, James 5:12); 3) represents itself as providing teaching in harmony with the Bible when in fact it does not (2 Peter 3:16); 4) represents itself as being religious and offers a false hope of salvation through works, yet dishonors the only true God and our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:3, 1 Tim. 2:3-6, Col. 2:8-10, Eph. 2:8,9). 

The Christian should "be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody" (Rom. 12:17). Secretively meeting behind closed doors in a "lodge" where activities are carried on behind a cloak of secrecy, in favor of fellow members, usually for economic, social, or political advantage hardly describes doing what is right in the eyes of everybody. "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord" (2 Cor. 6:17). This is God’s advice for Christians and is certainly applicable in regard to secret societies.

The Universalism of Masonry

From: Christ or the Lodge? A Presbyterian Report on Freemasonry, a report presented at the ninth General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, meeting at Rochester, New York, June 2–5, 1942,

There is a Christian universalism. God has His elect in every age and every nation. Ever since the fall of man the Son of God has been gathering the elect into His church by His Word and Spirit. In Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, for all are one in Him (Galatians 3:28). John saw the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb and he heard them sing: “Thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

Masonry also lays claim to universalism, but its universalism differs radically from that of Christianity in that it denies Christian particularism and exclusivism.

• Christianity claims to have the only true book, the Bible. Masonry places this book on a par with the sacred books of other religions.
• Christianity lays claim to the only true God, the God of the Bible, and denounces all other Gods as idols. Masonry recognizes the Gods of all religions.
• Christianity describes God as the Father of Jesus Christ and of those who through faith in Him have received the right to be called the sons of God. The God of Masonry is the universal father of all mankind.
• Christianity holds that only the worship of the God who has revealed Himself in Holy Scripture is true worship. Masonry honors as true worship the worship of numerous other deities.
• Christianity recognizes but one Saviour, Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man. Masonry recognizes many saviours.
• Christianity acknowledges but one way of salvation, that of grace through faith. Masonry rejects this way and substitutes for it salvation by works and character.
• Christianity teaches the brotherhood of those who believe in Christ, the communion of saints, the church universal, the one body of Christ. Masonry teaches the brotherhood of Masons and the universal brotherhood of man.
• Christianity glories in being the one truly universal religion. Masonry would rob Christianity of this glory and appropriate it to itself.
• Christianity maintains that it is the only true religion. Masonry denies this claim and boasts of being Religion itself.

 

Freemasonry Research Links

Masonry Beyond the Light, by William and Sharon Schnoebelen, ISBN 0937958387, $9.95, A former high-level Mason reveals secrets about this dangerous group. Many Christians believe Masonry is a fine, Christian organization. But as Bill Schnoebelen climbed to Masonry's 32nd degree he discovered horrifying facts about this organization that lower level Masons never learn. Now a born again Christian., Schnoebelen reveals all. Learn shocking facts like · To be a Mason, you must first take an oath that is in reality a denial of Jesus Christ. · The father of modern Masonry said, "Lucifer is God!" This fascinating and informative story will give you an unusual insight into the world of Masonry from one who was on the inside, and will prepare you to show others why it is impossible for anyone to be a Christian and a Mason at the same time.

Hidden Secrets of the Eastern Star, by Dr. Cathy Burns, ISBN 0005021812, $15.95, 496 pages, paperback

A list of well known freemasons: http://whale.to/b/33.html

Ex Masons For Jesus: http://www.emfj.org

Freemasonry Research Files: http://www.saintsalive.com/freemasonry.html

Freemasonry and the 20th Century Occult Revival: http://www.saintsalive.com/freemasonry/fmoccult.htm

What about Freemasonry? http://www.roca.org/oa/70/70t.htm

Why I left Freemasonry by Charles G. Finney, D.D.: http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/freemasn.htm

Is There No Help For The Poor Widow's Son? http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/widowson.htm

How can you lead a man away from the Masonic lodge? http://www.ephesians5-11.org

Documents which expose Freemasonry: http://www.ephesians5-11.org/document.htm

Ex-Masons for Jesus: http://www.ephesians5-11.org/ex_masons_for_jesus/

Masonry: http://www.gospeloutreach.net/masonry.html

Cutting Edge Ministries Freemasonry Corner: http://www.cuttingedge.org/fmcorner.html

Masons: Christian or Anti-Christian: http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/masons.htm

Books: With One Accord: http://www.withoneaccord.org/

Christian Ministries Intl. - Books & Tapes: http://www.jude3.com/booksandtapes.htm

Lord Baden-Powell, the Boy Scouts, and Freemasonry: http://www.pinetreeweb.com/bp-freemasonry.htm

An Evangelical View of Freemasonry and the Loyal Orders: http://www.evangelicaltruth.com

Why does the U.S. Government print ancient Masonic symbols on dollar bills? http://www.theinsider.org/reports/dollar-bill-symbols/

"Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" (Gal 4:16) 

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