My uncle is a freemason

[edblakes]

Very interesting posting. My lodge is composed of approximately 40% of men who are Roman Catholics (not sure whether or not all of them are “practicing”) and I spoke with a few of the Brothers about the churches position regarding Freemasonry and they responded that they do not agree with the Church regarding this. One of them is a Knight’s of Columbus member (4th Degree) and he was very adament in his position that Freemasonry is not what the Church thought it was; that it has changed over the centuries where it does not go against the teachings of the Church.

Either way Freemasonry may not agree with the Churches position, however it fully respects the position nonetheless. We leave the decision of whether or not to join up the individual with the suggestion that he speak with his spiritual advisor on whether or not it will create a conflict within the spiritual mind of the member or the church.

Btw, Freemasonry ends with the Third (3rd) Degree; these 32/22 degrees mentioned here are not Freemasonry, rather they are concordant bodies consisting of Freemasons. It’s a common fallacy that people think that they are practicing Freemasonry if they are 32/33 degreed. Freemasonry starts with the First (1st) Degree and ends with the Third (3rd) Degree. Always has, always will.

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut. Yes I was aware that the “degrees” technically end at 3rd degree, but then there are the additional “honorary” or “lite” degrees if you will.

The fundamental flaw in a “practising” Roman Catholic’s argument that they don’t “agree” with the church’s teaching and so don’t feel they have to abide by them, is that by that very act of rebellion against the Church’s Authority they have separated themselves from communion with the ecclesiastical Body of Christ. Too many times those who are in active rebellion against the Church’s Teaching decide for themselves that because their own conscience is ok with their defiant behavior that continuing to take the Eucharist in Mass is of no consequence. They could not be further from the truth. This is very dangerous for the person’s soul, and invites Christ’s judgement and chastisement down upon themselves. This sacrilege is probably the single greatest offense against our Lord that I witness on any given Sunday.

We (collective and in general sense) do not recognize our own behavior as sinful. Meaning that either our conscience has not been properly formed to make good choices or that in spite of what we know in our hearts to be true, our will is principally inclined towards things that serve our own self interests and not God or one another.

It is not just about participating in the symbolic “worship” ceremonies that goes on in the Masons, but in any group or organization that requires you to “hang up your God at the door” so we can place ourselves at the summit of authority, and all others including God, and His Church must conform their teaching to our disordered will. That is the very height of Pride! No wonder that Lucifer has his hidden talons so deeply entrenched in it.

Nothing would make me happier then to embrace everyone as a brother in Christ who has gone to the sacrament of Confession and renounced their associations with these temples of man worshiping organizations, and have rightfully placed God at the summit of all Authority and His Church as the Arbiter of this Divine Authority.

May Christ’s Mercy be upon you and all sinners. We’re all sinners.

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have Mercy on us O’ Lord”

 

[thistle]

If you read my post again, it does say that I apologise for not backing it up with a reference… but I assure you the source is true and it is a genuine way of thinking within the clergy.

It is absolutely incorrect. There is NO new thinking in the Church about Freemasonry. Your sources either do not exist (i.e. you are making it up) or they are from anti-Catholics.

YOU ARE WRONG ABOUT THIS.

 

[edblakes]

To correct my original post:

The Bolshevic Revolution occured approximately 120 years after the French Revolution.
The primary purpose of the French Revolution was to seize power, land, and money away from the ruling monarchy AND the Roman Catholic Church which had been established as the State religion of France. During the period of 1793-1794 specifically the Catholic Clergy and Religious was hunted down and mostly eradicated from the country. The men who seized power after the French Revolution passed over 20,000 laws restricting or abolishing various Catholic practices.

 

[Sparker]

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut. Yes I was aware that the “degrees” technically end at 3rd degree, but then there are the additional “honorary” or “lite” degrees if you will. The English Constitution does end with the Third Degree. the Americans invented a lot more when Freemasonry was exported to the US, mainly during the 18th century…I’m thinking Washington, Franklin, Revere etc.

The fundamental flaw in a “practising” Roman Catholic’s argument that they don’t “agree” with the church’s teaching and so don’t feel they have to abide by them, is that by that very act of rebellion against the Church’s Authority they have separated themselves from communion with the ecclesiastical Body of Christ.God gave humans “free will” to decide various things for themselves… so if free will to choose is good enough for God, how is it not good enough for the Church? Too many times those who are in active rebellion against the Church’s Teaching decide for themselves that because their own conscience What else are we supposed to use to decide our behaviour. The conscience is the best way to regulate one’s own moral compass …i’d much rather use that thatn an edict from a mere mortal is ok with their defiant behavior that continuing to take the Eucharist in Mass is of no consequence. You use the very emotive phrase “active rebellion” but that’s not the case. It’s this one issue we disagree with, not the other 99.9% of the Churches teachings. Using emotive phrases like that is a very common weapon in the anti-masons arsenal. They could not be further from the truth. This is very dangerous for the person’s soul, and invites Christ’s judgement and chastisement down upon themselves. , I truly believe that. When God comes to judge us at the hour of our death, any man who has lived his life to the best of his moral ability will be welcome in Heaven…I truly believe that. This sacrilege is probably the single greatest offense against our Lord that I witness on any given Sunday.

We (collective and in general sense) do not recognize our own behavior as sinful. Meaning that either our conscience has not been properly formed to make good choices That’s just moving the goalposts. Who are YOU to say that my conscience is deformed? SUCH an insult! or that in spite of what we know in our hearts to be true, our will is principally inclined towards things that serve our own self interests and not God or one another.

It is not just about participating in the symbolic “worship” ceremonies that goes on in the Masons, There is no worship that goes on in the Masons… it is a secular organisation and not a religious one. Typical misinformation that makes people judge that which they THINK they know. but in any group or organization that requires you to “hang up your God at the door” Far from “hanging God up at the door”, we are encouraged to have God in mind in our deeds and thoughts so we can place ourselves at the summit of authority, and all others including God, and His Church must conform their teaching to our disordered will. That is the very height of Pride! No wonder that Lucifer has his hidden talons so deeply entrenched in it. Ah… Lucifer…not the name of the Devil, but the alternative name for the planet Venus…which means “light bringer”

Nothing would make me happier then to embrace everyone as a brother in Christ who has gone to the sacrament of Confession and renounced their associations with these temples of man worshiping organizations, We use the term Worshipful Master for the head of our Lodges…it’s an old English term for “to be respected” as in the term “your Worship” when addressing a Judge. the man himself is not worshipped, but the position “respected” and have rightfully placed God at the summit of all Authority and His Church as the Arbiter of this Divine Authority. We all agree that God (in my own case, the Christian God, I was brought up to worship as a Roman Catholic) IS the summit of all authority… but not man.
I believe that God gave us morals as a way to communicate with him… when we ask how we should react to a certain situation, our moral communication with God displays they way to act. Sin happens when the “line is faulty” between ourselves and our God. Morals, not men, are the way forward.

May Christ’s Mercy be upon you and all sinners. We’re all sinners.

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have Mercy on us O’ Lord”

God bless.

 

[edblakes]

The fundamental flaw in a “practising” Roman Catholic’s argument that they don’t “agree” with the church’s teaching and so don’t feel they have to abide by them, is that by that very act of rebellion against the Church’s Authority they have separated themselves from communion with the ecclesiastical Body of Christ… “God gave humans “free will” to decide various things for themselves… so if free will to choose is good enough for God, how is it not good enough for the Church?”

Our God is a God of Love. To allow His creation anything but a choice to freely choose Him would be anything but love. Man has the right to choose God or not to choose God. In choosing God, we choose to live our life in obedience to His commandments. We seek to conform ourselves to living a life that is in accordance with the Holy Gospel and the Sacred Traditions of His Church. Please enlighten me as to how choosing to be disobedient to the Authority that Jesus placed in His Church is somehow a good thing and acceptable to both the Church and to Christ?

Too many times those who are in active rebellion against the Church’s Teaching decide for themselves that because their own conscience… “What else are we supposed to use to decide our behaviour. The conscience is the best way to regulate one’s own moral compass …i’d much rather use that thatn an edict from a mere mortal”

A well-formed conscience (Intellect) occurs when we take the time to objectively and prayerfully learn the Teachings and Dogmas of the church. When we read and apply the authoritative interpretation of the Church to scriptural readings. It orders the will when we learn to master our temptations and deny ourselves temporal pleasure and comforts. The proper formation of a conscience (or intellect) requires persistence in prayer and not a small amount of dogmatic reading.

If your moral compass is indicating North but you are in fact heading South, this may be an indication that your compass needs re-calibration.

We (collective and in general sense) do not recognize our own behavior as sinful. Meaning that either our conscience has not been properly formed to make good choices… “That’s just moving the goalposts. Who are YOU to say that my conscience is deformed? SUCH an insult!” or that in spite of what we know in our hearts to be true, our will is principally inclined towards things that serve our own self interests and not God or one another.

You are insulted that your conscience does not conform to what the Catholic Church defines as a “well-formed” conscience? My personal opinion is ordered to the Churches teaching and I did not use you as a specific example, but rather in general, so your issue is that you are insulted by the Catholic Church’s revelation of Christ’s Teaching?

Everyone has a little voice in there head that tells them what they should or should not do. A conscience (or intellect) that is ignorant of the true knowledge and spends little time objectively looking for the Truth will find what it wants to find. That is, it will dwell on those things that are pleasing to self. This is a conscience that is not formed well to make appropriate moral decisions. This can lead to a disordered (not deformed) will, which in turn leads to acting in sinful ways.

According to the Catholic Church (CCC 1871) “Sin is an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law (St. Augustine, Faust 22: PL 42, 418). It is an offense against God. It rises up against God in a disobedience contrary to the obedience of Christ.”

‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus. ‘Go away, and from this moment sin no more.’ (John 8:11)

 

[GangGreen]

No person can be a Catholic and a mason, period. This has been condemned throughout the ages and continues to be.

The average joe schmo mason has no idea what their organization is really about. Also, when someone joins the masons they make a vow to that organization a vow the goes against Catholicism whether they realize it or not.

It may sound like conspiracy, but masons have their hands in many very very powerful places and have a very large pull in much of what occurs throughout the world. Their history alone should worry any one. Of course on the outside they make it sound like they’re just a fun little charity organization. They have a front with all of these members who don’t know any better.

Good video with lots of sources used.
youtube.com/watch?v=86GrvQRThSk