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Which faiths are represented?

Ajay Chandar

Registered User
CAnt say anything about hte other degrees but the holy book has substantial meaning in first degree. Does the Square and the Compass rest on the masters book or the person going trought his degree?

The rules of my GL require that the Square and Compasses be placed on the book of the Master's faith. As my lodge has an all-Hindu membership at the time of this writing, I do not know where the Square and Compasses would be placed if the Master and Candidate were of different religions. Thanks for piquing my curiosity - I'll ask around.
 

JanneProeliator

Registered User
The rules of my GL require that the Square and Compasses be placed on the book of the Master's faith. As my lodge has an all-Hindu membership at the time of this writing, I do not know where the Square and Compasses would be placed if the Master and Candidate were of different religions. Thanks for piquing my curiosity - I'll ask around.
This is something that is interesting to me too. Our lodge is 100% christian but how about if there is a muslim or a hindu joining our lodge there would be his holy book on the altar but would there be also the bible or how does this work in a lodge where there is multiple religions?
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
It varies by jurisdiction. As one Brother here mentioned there a several on the altar at all times. In my Mother Lodge the Bible is always central but the VSL specific to the candidate would be added for the degrees.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Question
This is something that is interesting to me too. Our lodge is 100% christian but how about if there is a muslim or a hindu joining our lodge there would be his holy book on the altar but would there be also the bible or how does this work in a lodge where there is multiple religions?

Response
It varies by jurisdiction. As one Brother here mentioned there a several on the altar at all times. In my Mother Lodge the Bible is always central but the VSL specific to the candidate would be added for the degrees.

It does vary by jurisdiction. Our lodges tend to have a very large Bible and other VSLs get placed around it representing the faiths of the members. If 2-3, the other VSLs are opened, but only the central one has a S&Q on it. Sometimes, if worried a VSL might fall off due to a large central VSL on a small pedestal, we do not open the others, especially, during a degree when the presence of the candidate's own VSL means there is a shortage of real estate on the altar. I've never seen anyone get precious about this concerning their own VSL, but occasionally some PMs insisting that a member's VSL gets placed and opened so all faiths of all members of the lodge are represented. A few years ago we had a Muslim master, he was obligated on the Koran, but just relied on the Lodge's Bible during meetings. At the end of the day we're not in Church or casting some spell around relics and icons, he would have been happy because the symbolism was met. I actually really do not know our rules on this (unusual) and don't have much interest in looking them us in case I find something I don't like - I'm happy to act by precedent and common sense rather than rule.. and I would be a guy a Master or Sec or DC would ask if they wanted guidance on this in the middle of a meeting I was attending....
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
It does vary by jurisdiction. Our lodges tend to have a very large Bible and other VSLs get placed around it representing the faiths of the members. If 2-3, the other VSLs are opened, but only the central one has a S&Q on it. Sometimes, if worried a VSL might fall off due to a large central VSL on a small pedestal, we do not open the others, especially, during a degree when the presence of the candidate's own VSL means there is a shortage of real estate on the altar. I've never seen anyone get precious about this concerning their own VSL, but occasionally some PMs insisting that a member's VSL gets placed and opened so all faiths of all members of the lodge are represented. A few years ago we had a Muslim master, he was obligated on the Koran, but just relied on the Lodge's Bible during meetings. At the end of the day we're not in Church or casting some spell around relics and icons, he would have been happy because the symbolism was met. I actually really do not know our rules on this (unusual) and don't have much interest in looking them us in case I find something I don't like - I'm happy to act by precedent and common sense rather than rule.. and I would be a guy a Master or Sec or DC would ask if they wanted guidance on this in the middle of a meeting I was attending....
VERY informative! Thank you Brother.
 

Ajay Chandar

Registered User
This is something that is interesting to me too. Our lodge is 100% christian but how about if there is a muslim or a hindu joining our lodge there would be his holy book on the altar but would there be also the bible or how does this work in a lodge where there is multiple religions?

I'll have the answer to your question tomorrow. We're initiating our first non-Hindu candidate, a Christian, who will take his obligation on the Holy Bible.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
An event at my mother lodge in California.

After a degree a group of Brothers were walking to the elevator to go to the dining room for refreshment. An old guy said he was proud of the religious diversity in our lodge. I asked him what he meant. He said that not only do we have many denominations of Protestant as well as Catholics, but that we have several Jewish members as well.

I nodded and smiled. He had no idea of the extent of our religious diversity. Downstairs a Buddhist and Muslim were already working on the meal. In the group there were more than one Orthodox, a Druid and an Asatru.

In Masonry we have members of every religion you have ever heard of and many religions that you have never heard of not limited to the JCI family. Some large lodges in diverse metropolitan areas have more religious diversity than you'd ever expect. it might take many years to learn the religion of any one Brother.
 

Bird_n_hand

Registered User
If Christian which denomination? Buddhist, Mahayana or Theravada? Muslim, Sunni or Shia?...you get the picture.
Buddhism is not a religion just an fyi, if someone tells you otherwise they are ignorant in the kindest possible way. I've sat with lama Pema, he taught me to meditate. And would tell you the same thing, Buddhism is a path. A way of living. Not believing in the divine. The nobel 8 fold path. The Buddha dharma, the 5 precepts. None of which even speak of a god nor of his existance. That's for you to figure out. Buddha taught a way of life of abstaining as a way of conquering the flesh.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Definition games. I take religion as a spiritual way of life. You take it in a more limited meaning. To each his own. Ponder not on who is right or wrong. Ponder on how each meaning has its use.
I agree - I've known Buddhists who regard that system as a Religion and others who see it as a Philosophy. I thought there was nothing strange in the OP saying "Catholic Buddhist"..
 

Ajay Chandar

Registered User
I agree - I've known Buddhists who regard that system as a Religion and others who see it as a Philosophy. I thought there was nothing strange in the OP saying "Catholic Buddhist"..

I fancy myself to be a Hindu-Buddhist, but that's because I belong to the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy, which shares a lot of ideas with Buddhism.
 

Bird_n_hand

Registered User
I agree - I've known Buddhists who regard that system as a Religion and others who see it as a Philosophy. I thought there was nothing strange in the OP saying "Catholic Buddhist"..
This is my opinion, a religion not only recognizes the existence of God but also teaches of him or her or them, A God has no bearing on a philosophy or a way of life. I know their are some who will disagree. Like Scientology is a religion with no god. Jainism and so forth. I classify those more as a cult
 

Rifleman1776

Registered User
I am a Lutheran in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). In the past I have belonged to Missouri Synod Lutherans and Evangelical Prostestant Lutheran Church. All have issues with Masonry. Some individual churches allow Masons membership but do not allow them to serve on the Council or as Elders or Deacons. This issue goes back to before Martin Luther broke away from the Roman Catholic Church.
 
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