Freemasons

[UBERROGO]

Isn’t there some sort of dogma or whatever in the RCC that says a RC cannot be a freemason, and isnt that why the knight of columbus was created? Any idea where to find a declaration of some sort in writting about the Churchs disapproval of the freemasons?

 

[Tietjen]

UBERROGO:

Isn’t there some sort of dogma or whatever in the RCC that says a RC cannot be a freemason, and isnt that why the knight of columbus was created? Any idea where to find a declaration of some sort in writting about the Churchs disapproval of the freemasons?

This should help: newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htm
Scroll down toward the bottom of the page under the title
“VIII. ACTION OF STATE AND CHURCH AUTHORITIES”

 

[aeisiel]

You’re looking for the…

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

DECLARATION ON MASONIC ASSOCIATIONS

It has been asked whether there has been any change in the Church’s decision in regard to Masonic associations since the new Code of Canon Law does not mention them expressly, unlike the previous Code.

This Sacred Congregation is in a position to reply that this circumstance in due to an editorial criterion which was followed also in the case of other associations likewise unmentioned inasmuch as they are contained in wider categories.

Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enrol in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.

It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what has been decided above, and this in line with the Declaration of this Sacred Congregation issued on 17 February 1981 (cf. AAS pp. 240-241; English language edition of L’Osservatore Romano, 9 March 1981).

In an audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II approved and ordered the publication of this Declaration which had been decided in an ordinary meeting of this Sacred Congregation.
Rome, from the Office of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 26 November 1983.

Joseph Card. RATZINGER
Prefect

• Fr. Jerome Hamer, O.P.
  Titular Archbishop of Lorium
  Secretary

To view the source: click here

 

[thistle]

In addition to the document quoted by Aeisiel there is also Humanus Genus, the Encyclical by Pope Leo XIII on Freemasonry (1884 but still valid today).

papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13human.htm

 

[jonk]

The philosophy of freemasonry is in conflict with Christianity and that’s why many other Christian denominations also forbid or discourage membership.

Freemasonry in many countries has been explicitly anti-Catholic, and even when not explicitly anti-Christian, the deistic, naturalistic, pluralistic and relativistic philosophies it subtly or not-so-subtly propagates, when taken to their logical conclusions, result in the weakening of Christian faith or an outright rejection of Christianity.

 

[Steel_Arrow]

I’ve read with great interest the responses to this and other threads that deal with fremasonry. I can see that there is much misinformation on the subject being bantered about. I am a Freemason. I am also a former Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus. Just like the K of C we are not a secret society. The K of C and masonic lodges clearly identify their meeting place with legible signage. Their members wear their respective emblems for non-members to see. If we were truly a secret society, you would never know who we are or where we meet. Just like other organizations (Moose, Elks, Eagles…) we have our organization secrets just like they do. Unless you are a member, you’re not entitled to know them. To my knowledge, there was only one occurance in modern history when Freemasonry went underground and was secret.

In Germany in WWII, Hitler not only hated the Jews, he hated masons as well (he also exterminated Catholics as well. My Great-Grandmother was killed at Auschwitz). In fear of their lives, the masons in Germany came up with a way to identify themselves to one another without arousing suspicion. Hitler loved the “Forget-Me-Not” flower. Masons began wearing the Forget-Me-Not on their coat or shirt, supposedly in honor of Adolph Hitler. This is how they survived.

Various organization within Masonry wear fezes. The most famous is the Shriners (of ehich I am one). There are 22 Shriner hospitals in the U.S. and Mexico. Children with a multitude of problems use our services. No patient is charged a single penny. Each and every day, Masonic organizations spend $4,000,000 plus each and every day in charitable contributions.

I worship God. Jesus being God Himself is first in my life. Masonry is only something I do as a social fellowship. Please learn more about the subject before condemning it.

 

[nomolos]

I’ve read with great interest the responses to this and other threads that deal with fremasonry. I can see that there is much misinformation on the subject being bantered about. I am a Freemason. I am also a former Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus. Just like the K of C we are not a secret society. The K of C and masonic lodges clearly identify their meeting place with legible signage. Their members wear their respective emblems for non-members to see. If we were truly a secret society, you would never know who we are or where we meet. Just like other organizations (Moose, Elks, Eagles…) we have our organization secrets just like they do. Unless you are a member, you’re not entitled to know them. To my knowledge, there was only one occurance in modern history when Freemasonry went underground and was secret.

In Germany in WWII, Hitler not only hated the Jews, he hated masons as well (he also exterminated Catholics as well. My Great-Grandmother was killed at Auschwitz). In fear of their lives, the masons in Germany came up with a way to identify themselves to one another without arousing suspicion. Hitler loved the “Forget-Me-Not” flower. Masons began wearing the Forget-Me-Not on their coat or shirt, supposedly in honor of Adolph Hitler. This is how they survived.

Various organization within Masonry wear fezes. The most famous is the Shriners (of ehich I am one). There are 22 Shriner hospitals in the U.S. and Mexico. Children with a multitude of problems use our services. No patient is charged a single penny. Each and every day, Masonic organizations spend $4,000,000 plus each and every day in charitable contributions.

I worship God. Jesus being God Himself is first in my life. Masonry is only something I do as a social fellowship. Please learn more about the subject before condemning it.

Read Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical letter on Freemasonry.
Wolf in sheep clothing???

 

[Auriel]

…
…

In Germany in WWII, Hitler not only hated the Jews, he hated masons as well (he also exterminated Catholics as well. My Great-Grandmother was killed at Auschwitz). In fear of their lives, the masons in Germany came up with a way to identify themselves to one another without arousing suspicion. Hitler loved the “Forget-Me-Not” flower. Masons began wearing the Forget-Me-Not on their coat or shirt, supposedly in honor of Adolph Hitler. This is how they survived…
…
.

I must confess, I am a history nerd. There are Grand Master Masons in my own family history and my mother was a Rainbow Girl. I still have her book among a few other things. Unfortunatly I had to research a lot on my own. I lost family at a young age. I worked in a building where almost everyone was connected to the Masons, the women the Eastern Star. Even though I never had the desire to be associated with it, I am interested in the history of the groups. I used to joke though, that they must have some really cool stuff to make grown men wear those aprons! LOL

I have read that about Hitler before, He was actually interested in the organization but was disgusted with the fact that they allowed what he considered undesirables in, the Jews. He saw Jews as having exerted influence not only on the Catholic Church but also on the Protestants through Freemasonry. Many Socialists believed that the early Freemasons were great thinkers and keepers of ancient secret knowledge and alchemy which they learned from Aryan Wisdom. They believed because of the Jews influence they lost this ancient wisdom. You can see how this would confuse many, it was a love/hate relationship. A hatred developed for Modern Freemasonry. The funny thing is though they were cool with Turkish Freemasonry. It was seen as untainted.

Hitler saw the Jews as being behind a world wide conspiracy that was led by the Freemasons. That is why he persecuted the Jews and Freemasons. The pro German answer to Freemasonry was the Thule society. In 1933 the Grand Master of the Thule lodge, Baron Rudolph Sebottendorff wrote about its ties to National Socialism.

Here is a quote from an article Sebottendorff wrote in 1918, about Modern Freemasonry and Aryan Wisdom:

QUOTE We look at our world as a product of the people. The Freemasons look at it as a product of conditions.

We don’t acknowledge the brotherhood of people, only blood brotherhood. We want the Freedom, not of herds, but of duty. We hate the propaganda of equality. Struggle is the father of all things. Equality is death…END QUOTE

Basicly all they did was take the Basic Doctrine of Madame Blavatsky and put a spin on it.

There are many misconceptions about Freemasonry. And it does get confusing. For example many cringe when they hear it said that Aleister Crowley was also a Mason. He was, but he is more famously known for his connection to the OTO, which he joined in 1912. Its founders were Karl Kellner and Theodore Reuss. Kelner was a member of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light. Theodor Reuss also had ties with the Scottish Rite. The OTO also had its own teachings, but absorbed teachings from other secret societies, they still held to their basic teaching but members were allowed to additionally study the teachings of the others. In fact some of the societies were absorbed into the OTO by choice.

Crowley because he focused more on the mystical side, he rewote many of the teachings, the rituals used previously were very close to the Scottish Rite rituals, to close in his opinion. He incorporated Thelema, the religion that was revealed to him in 1904, in Egypt. He wrote about it in “The Book of the Law”.

 

[Eileen_T]

I worship God. Jesus being God Himself is first in my life. Masonry is only something I do as a social fellowship. Please learn more about the subject before condemning it.

A candidate makes an oath to Freemasonry and its secrets under pain of death or self-mutilation by kneeling blindfolded in front of the altar, placing both hands on the volume of sacred law (perhaps the Bible), the square and the compass, and repeating after the “worshipful master.” Keep in mind that the candidate does not yet even know all the “secrets” to which he is taking an oath. - Fr William Saunders

What I have heard in the past is that this “Oath” was one of the main reasons Catholics were forbidden to join the Masons.

Does this mean that the “Oath” is a fabrication then?

Or, as a Catholic, were you excused from taking it?

Just wondering.

 

[Sweeney]

The penalties in the Masonic oaths are symbolic, as the ritual so states, Somewhat akin to “cross my heart and hope to die”

 

[Eileen_T]

Well, I wouldn’t say “cross my heart and hope to die” either.

Why ‘swear’ something that is ‘symbolic’? Sounds as if it plain goes against Scripture.

Matt.5:33-37 "Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord. But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God: Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king: Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath. But let your speech be, yea, yea: no, no: that you fall not under judgment.

IMO, it sounds like athe sort of dumb thing a kid would do (like “cross my heart” etc), not something a rational adult would even consider. If I were you, I’d find some other form of social fellowship.

 

[Sweeney]

You obviously haven’t read any of my posts, Eileen, and maybe should before making personal remarks - I am a former Mason, and have stated so on other posts on this subject.

 

[Eileen_T]

You obviously haven’t read any of my posts, Eileen, and maybe should before making personal remarks - I am a former Mason, and have stated so on other posts on this subject.

I worship God. Jesus being God Himself is first in my life. Masonry is only something** I do**

I have only read your posts on this thread, so I wasn’t aware you are a former Mason. You posted that Masonry is something you *do *(present tense), and that is what I commented on.

 

[jonk]

Steel Arrow,

Secret society or no, its philosophies are not compatible with Christianity and historically, freemasons have been anticlerical in many countries, such as Spain, Mexico, France and I think Italy too. American Freemasonry has generally been more benign, though the philosophies espoused are pretty similar.

Hitler also murdered homosexuals and Jehovah’s Witnesses. That’s just as despicable as him murdering freemasons. But just because Hitler disliked homosexuals, JWs and freemasons doesn’t mean that homosexuality or freemasonry is correct or that JWs are the true faith.

Lastly, your being a freemason doesn’t mean that you want to kill all Catholics. You may be a great person, and the people in your lodge and the freemasons you know may be good, honest people. However, the organisation is philosophically contrary to Christianity and that has manifested itself historically on numerous occasions.

We don’t condemn individual freemasons, lodges etc. Freemasonry in general is condemned. I trust that you are a sincere person, but if you are still a Catholic, I think that you may not receive communion until you leave Freemasonry. If you are now a Protestant, I suggest you talk to your pastor and ask them whether or not your denomination disapproves and why.

 

[aeisiel]

Here a letter from a Freemason posted in the Rock Magazine, similar to Steel Arrow’s argument below is CA’s response:

PROGRESSIVE SCIENCE

I read with dismay your article (“What is the Catholic Church’s official position on Freemasonry? Are Catholics free to become Freemasons?”) published on the Internet.

This article is disinformation and should be removed. In response to your statements, please consider the truth:

1. Freemasonry is compatible with the Catholic faith.
2. Freemasonry does not “teach a naturalistic religion”—it is not a religion nor does it teach a religion.
3. Freemasonry is not “a parallel religion to Christianity”—the New Catholic Encyclopedia is wrong.
4. Masonry is not a secret society.
5. Any oaths or secrets are symbolic, and in many places in the world these have been removed from official published rituals. (In Toronto, where I was initiated, these oaths remain unchanged, but in Melbourne, where I now live, traditional oaths are not used.)
6. Freemasonry is a progressive science that is not a religion at all. It was created in the seventeenth century, when there was a religious overtone to everything. Certainly there is a religious overtone to it, but it is not a religion.

Freemasonry has never had an objective to destroy the Catholic Church. This is simply paranoia. It is certainly not hostile to the Catholic Church today.

Please pray for peace and understanding amongst all of God’s children and learn to live with people of other faiths. I am a Christian, and I accept there are other opinions, but I also believe that there is only one route to salvation: through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Lionel J. Boxer, KSJ
Master Elect
The Army Lodge
East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
**
Editor’s reply:** You are in denial, Mr. Boxer. In condemning Freemasonry as incompatible with Catholicism, the popes have been right (and only they, not you, are competent to judge what is compatible with Catholicism). In calling Freemasonry a naturalistic religion and one parallel to Christianity, the New Catholic Encyclopedia is right. In noting that Freemasonry has persecuted the Church, Mexican and Spanish (and many other) Catholics have been right. In claiming that Freemasonry is “progressive science,” you are not right. All you have done is produce an oxymoron: Freemasonry is neither progressive nor scientific. Would an authentically “progressive” movement seek the obliteration of the Catholic faith, as has been the case in societies where Freemasonry has been influential? Can a movement based on childish secret signs and a phony pedigree traced to ancient Egypt be considered “scientific”?

 

[Sweeney]

Eileen-

You really should read more carefully before you respond.

I did not post “Masonry is something you do (present tense)”, some one named Steel Arrow did. So please do try to make your responses to the people who actually posted them.

 

[Alexius]

The penalties in the Masonic oaths are symbolic, as the ritual so states, Somewhat akin to “cross my heart and hope to die”

Not necessarily in the past. Beware of Freemasonry, though. There are many things involved in masonry that are not compatible with Christianity…not necessarily for some, but there are issues.

 

[Steel_Arrow]

Not necessarily in the past. Beware of Freemasonry, though. There are many things involved in masonry that are not compatible with Christianity…not necessarily for some, but there are issues.

Alexius, could you enlighten me as to what you are trying to convey when you state that 'there are many things in masonry that are not compatible with Christianity."

Please be specific. I look forward to your comments.

 

[jonk]

Masonry says it’s “a regular system of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbols.” So, although many lodges amount to networking clubs, Freemasonry itself is something more.

Masonry is not Christian. Although many Freemasons are Christians, and many lodges have a Bible on their altars, Masonry’s “system of morality” is not based on the Bible or the teachings of the Church, and is therefore incompatible. Masonic lodges in non-Christian areas frequently have a holy book of a different religion instead. But it is Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Masonry is not entirely secular but instead professes a sort of religious neutrality (indifferentism) on condition of belief in a god that is the Great Architect of the Universe and it views the Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jewish and other understandings of God as equally valid. In fact, the GAOTU could even be seen as the laws of nature, so even though many branches of Freemasonry explicitly forbid membership to atheists, many atheists could indeed say that they do believe in such a god. It therefore advocates a sort of naturalism or deism and by subtly proposing the idea that all theistic/deistic/pantheistic religions are equal, it can further lead to a complete subjectivisation of religion and to syncretism. Although Freemasonry claims it is non-dogmatic, it upholds a dogma of equality or neutrality towards religious beliefs, which relativises the truth of Christianity. In fact, a dogma of non-dogmatism implicitly rejects the idea that absolute truth is knowable. It is therefore a religion-like system not all too different from Unitarianism, which itself completely contradicts Christianity through its rejection of revelation and of absolute truth.

The oaths sworn by members to uphold Masonry amount to an implicit rejection of Christ, because Masonry sees Him as equal to other religious teachers attempting to understand the Great Architect. Its beliefs, “veiled in allegory” and symbols indicate a certain type of gnosticism, which would not be compatible with Christianity. Furthermore, many Christians believe that Freemasonry promotes salvation by works, which, if true, is incompatible with the Christian faith.

Indifferentism, syncretism and swearing such oaths are forbidden in Catholicism and conservative Protestantism.

Christian morality is not compatible with any other system of morality. Christian morality comes from God. All other moral systems are either incomplete or are not of God.

In 1993, the Southern Baptist Convention in the US issued a statement (see PDF) on Freemasonry.

*Summary Statement on Freemasonry
There are eight major concerns that the Southern Baptist Convention has expressed about the teachings and practices of Freemasonry. These are:

(1) Freemasonry uses offensive, non-biblical, and blasphemous terms relating to God.

(2) Freemasonry insists on the use of “bloody oaths” or obligations, which are strictly forbidden by the Bible (cf. Matt. 5:34-37).

(3) Freemasonry urges that occultic and/or pagan readings be used, and that their teachings be appropriated in interpreting such concepts as the Trinity.

(4) Freemasonry includes the Bible as part of the “furniture of the lodge,” but only as an equal with non-Christian symbols and writings.

(5) Freemasonry misuses the term “light” to refer to moral “reformation” as a means to salvation.

(6) Freemasonry teaches that salvation may be attained by “good works” and not through faith in Christ alone.

(7) Freemasonry advocates in many of its writings the non-biblical teachings of universalism.

(8) In some of its lodges, Freemasonry discriminates against non-whites.*

The first concern of the SBC is: The prevalent use of offensive concepts, titles, and terms such as “Worshipful Master” for the leader of a lodge; references to their buildings as “mosques,”“shrines,” or “temples”; and the use of words such as “Abaddon” and “Jah-Bul-On,”4 the so-called secret name of God.To many, these terms are not only offensive but sacrilegious.

Since the name, Jah-Bul-On, is the combination of the names of three deities, that would be an indication of deep-rooted syncretism in the “regular system of morality” of Freemasonry.

Having said all that, I do not doubt that there are many good Christians in Masonic organisations. That fact, however, does little to vindicate Freemasonry.

 

[Matthewd777]

Aleister Crowley was a 33rd degree Mason. Do a search on him if you’re not familiar with him. He self-proclaimed himself to be “The Great Beast.” Look up his history and you’ll see the types of people that are attracted to joining the Freemasons. I’m talking about people that are seriously interested in its doctrines, not fly-by-night socialites looking for a men’s club. In America, it is looked upon as a “social club,” so many of the people posting on here claiming to be ex-masons probably were lower ranks or weren’t familiar with the “hidden knowledge” that is given in higher ranks.
I know someone else who tempted mankind with “hidden knowledge.” It was in the Garden of Eden. The word Occult means “hidden” and should not be tampered with. Anyone professing to possess “hidden knowledge” should not be followed. Occult knowledge comes from demonic entities. The Freemasons beliefs and doctrines are very much similar to Occult teachings, now known as “New Age.”