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Being Denied Membership at a Church

HoldenMonty

HoldenMonty

Registered User
Hello Brothers,

So there was something interesting happened last night and I'm wondering if it has happened to any of you. So my family and I attend a baptist church that we have really loved going to and will still continue to go to. But anyway we talked to the pastor last night about joining the church because we have been attending for almost a year now and feel right at home going there. So we were everything was going good and then he mentioned how he noticed my Masonic ring and said that I can't be a member of the church if I am a Mason because of the theology of Masonry with saying higher up in Masonry that they believe that every god is the same. But anyway with keeping brotherly love as a priority. I'm wondering if any other brothers have ran into a similar issue where they have wanted to join a church and told that they aren't allowed to join a specific church or organization because they are a member.
 
Warrior1256

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
I attend a Free Methodist Church and was a member before I joined the Craft. The Free Methodist Church is not on good terms with Freemasonry or so I hear. However, my pastor does not have a problem with it.
 
coachn

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
HoldenMonty said:
... can't be a member of the church if I am a Mason because of the theology of Masonry with saying higher up in Masonry that they believe that every god is the same. ...
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Time to move on Bro.

You have a biased, hypocritical and assuming pastor who is an anti-freemason. He was okay with taking your donation dollars but waited till you were hooked on the church to drop the "we don't accept your kind" bomb on ya. Talk about twisted thinking.

You could make a futile attempt to "enlighten" him, but you'll likely just get him more entrenched and further biased.
 
Warrior1256

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
coachn said:
Time to move on Bro.

You have a biased, hypocritical and assuming pastor who is an anti-freemason. He was okay with taking your donation dollars but waited till you were hooked on the church to drop the "we don't accept your kind" bomb on ya. Talk about twisted thinking.

You could make a futile attempt to "enlighten" him, but you'll likely just get him more entrenched and further biased.
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Very good point.
 
dfreybur

dfreybur

Premium Member
Play the song "These boots are made for walking" as you leave. Say "my wallet too".

We teach morality so objecting to us is a character flaw. I pray for his moral reformation.

There's bound to be a church just as nice a few blocks down the street. Because the tithe is one part in ten the expression a dime a dozen doesn't work, but it's the same idea with different numbers.
 
Glen Cook

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
I’m sorry you are going through this, and perhaps more so for your wife.

There are repercussions amongst some Lutherans and some Catholic parishes.

You don’t state which genus of Baptist this was, but there are surely others with the same strain of theology (noting S Baptist churches will split over theories of Christology).

Frankly, I would look for Baptist churches attended by other Masons.
 
Keith C

Keith C

Registered User
All I can add is that you, as a Freemason, know the morality of the Fraternity and that it has no "Theology." Gathering together with any good man who believes in a Supreme Being does not imply that we all endorse each others beliefs, only that we accept them On the Level as men. Any church who excludes you because you are a Freemason isn't worth associating with, in my opinion.

I would run, not walk, from that Congregation and get to "Church Shopping." I would also ask about any congregation's stand on Freemasonry before getting very involved.

I will add that while we do not discuss religion within the lodge, the opposite is not necessarily true. I came to be a Mason by noticing a Masonic tie worn by a fellow Elder in my church. The whole "2B1 ASK1" thing worked out well for me!
 
Rifleman1776

Rifleman1776

Registered User
Many churches are very much 'anti-Masonic'. I have tried to discuss this with leaders of several of these but met closed minds. To them there is no acceptance. Roman Catholics have been on and off again about Free Masonry. Most Lutheran synods, including my own, do not accept Free Masonry but have to restrictions against membership or activity that I know of. Others are highly restrictive.
 
Symthrell

Symthrell

Registered User
I just can't fathom that! I grew up in a Methodist church and remember seeing many of the men with Masonic tie tacs or rings. I also remember a good many Shriner lapel pins. My dad was one of them and he was on the board of the church and signed one of the property bonds that helped pay for the church being built. The entire subject to me seems so off base. Most all the masons I have known in my life were true Christian men.
 
frehm

frehm

Registered User
It's so sad to hear stories like this. Unfortunately it is true that quite some churches are anti-masonry (including, as far as I know, the whole Catholic church).

Here in Sweden, even though the whole Swedish Order of Freemason is 100 % Christian, you wouldn't be able to join some churches. Especially along the free churches (like pentacostal churches) there is a big oppostion towards the Freemasonry.

I personally struggle a bit with a similar question right now. Since I'm not really satisfied with the Church of Sweden (which I was born into and in which I have been engaged for more than 10 years), I'm looking for a Christian parish/community where I feel at home.
On top of many other "criterias" I have, I also have to make sure they won't dislike membership in the Freemasons or other fraternal orders.
 
Matt L

Matt L

Site Benefactor
Being raised Roman Catholic it was a difficult decision for me. A dear friend from High School, Frank is a Roman Catholic Priest and holds the title of Monsignor. At one time I had actually thought of attending Seminary and receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Frank said to me "Matt we're Catholic and I know you're a good man, but you know the church's stance on Freemasonry. Remember, all you need to do is ask for forgiveness".
I attend a non denominal Christian Church now. My lodge is a mix of Methodists, Southern Baptists and Church of Christ, with a couple of us wayward Catholics.
You'll find a place that will welcome you with open arms.
 
E

Elexir

Registered User
frehm said:
It's so sad to hear stories like this. Unfortunately it is true that quite some churches are anti-masonry (including, as far as I know, the whole Catholic church)
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Actully the nordic bishops are sort of open to the Swedish rite just becuse of the fact we are christian only. Of course they wouldnt admit it openly but they dont have a problem with us.
 
jermy Bell

jermy Bell

Registered User
Symthrell said:
I just can't fathom that! I grew up in a Methodist church and remember seeing many of the men with Masonic tie tacs or rings. I also remember a good many Shriner lapel pins. My dad was one of them and he was on the board of the church and signed one of the property bonds that helped pay for the church being built. The entire subject to me seems so off base. Most all the masons I have known in my life were true Christian men.
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If you ask the average person, they have no clue absolutely no clue that you have to be a mason in order to be a Shriner. All they see is Shriner's help children, and have parades, and a circuses. Masons, are evil, and want to take over the world.
 
Rifleman1776

Rifleman1776

Registered User
"you have to be a mason in order to be a Shriner"
No longer universally true. One can be a Shriner in Arkansas without being a MM. I understand other states are considering making the change also.
 
flameburns623

flameburns623

Registered User
There was an internal debate within the Southern Baptist Convention back in the 1990's over Freemasonry. This was after the "hardliners" had taken power within the SBC and more moderate congregations had been forced out over "liberal theology".

I believe the discussion took place over a few years and was rather heated and divisive. There were (and are) congregations in the SBC with prominent members simultaneously very active in Freemasonry. There are also congregations which exclude Freemasons from holding any position in that congregation, or even exclude them from membershio.

The decision of the SBC was that while membership in a Lodge "is not a salvation issue", certain aspects of Masonic philosophy were of grave concern and members of an SBC church should consider seriously whether they should be members of a Masonic Lodge. Congregations were permitted to maintain whatever policy they chose to concerning Lodge membership.

It's been a few years, but I followed the discussion at that time because I had close family member who were both members of an SBC congregation, and active at all levels in Freemasonry. I can tell the OP that if the Baptist church they were ill-used at is a Southern Baptist church, and if they prefer that denominations--chances are excellent that they will find at least one SBC congregation which is accepting of Freemasonry.
 
MarkR

MarkR

Premium Member
Rifleman1776 said:
Most Lutheran synods, including my own, do not accept Free Masonry but have to restrictions against membership or activity that I know of. Others are highly restrictive.
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I once had a discussion about Masonry with a pastor from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS.) I gave him a tour of the Masonic Temple, and answered his questions. What he told me was that he didn't think Masons were bad men or Masonry was a bad thing. It was just the stand of WELS that their members could not "fellowship" outside of the church, and since we have prayers and read Bible verses as part of our meetings, that was considered "fellowship."
 
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