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Freemasonry and The Bible

BWiederhold

Registered User
I am a Christian and I believe in God. When Freemasonry comes up in convo another question asked is "Where does the Church stand with Freemasonry" or "What does the bible day about Freemasonry" or even "How does God feel about it since Freemasonry allows other "gods"". Forgive me for the questions but I'm putting my all into this before I hand in my petition. Thank you


~Open Minded~
 

crono782

Premium Member
As for the first question, it varies with different churches, church leadership's familiarity with the fraternity, as well as religious views. It really does vary. Out of every church I've ever attended (about a dozen over my life span and probably 3-4 since I've been a mason as I've been trying to find one in my area), I've yet to have anybody give me grief over being a mason.
As for the Second question, the bible does not say anything explicitly about freemasonry. Often you will hear that men are putting more time/effort/devotion into freemasonry than into church and thereby makes it anti-church. To that, I say that any hobby or interest can replace church if the man does not place the proper importance upon church in his life. This argument usually is from specific examples from within their church, not as a whole.
Now as for the third question. The bible does specifically say "thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Ex 20:3) This verse it often cited against freemasonry. Freemasonry is NOT a religious institution and is rather *tolerant" of other religions. It does not condone one over the other. This is usually mistaken to mean that it somehow extols all religions to be true/equal/right/whatever. Rather, I prefer to explain it thusly: freemasonry is a fraternity that teaches morality to men by spiritual (not necessarily religious) principals. Since we do not discriminate other religions and believe that we can unite all men together, freemasonry rather tries to find a sort of "spiritual common denominator" that men of varying religions can identify with to, basically, get the point across. You can see how some church sects might take offense that we do not take a stance that THIS or THAT religion is the one true one and that we practice tolerance. I like to think that the argument that the church poo poos on freemasonry because it says all Gods/religions are the same stems from being simply misinformed about the fraternity.

EDIT: I would like to inject one further opinion based on observation and it is likely a controversial one... I firmly believe that if a man is not firm in what his religious beliefs are that he may get confused by freemasonry by the very fact that we practice such tolerance. The topics of theosophy and comparative religion could perhaps lead one to believe that multiple religions or deism is being taught as a dogma rather than getting the man to see a common thread in varying religions and take away from it the moral principle rather than a specific religious ideal. I too am a Christian (Baptist, but attend a non-dom church) and believe in God as well as my specific religious views. In studying the deeper masonic philosophy (well really ANY school of philosophy), you must study appropriately and synthesize the information rather than replace your foundational views with the author's.
 
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BroBook

Premium Member
As for the first question, it varies with different churches, church leadership's familiarity with the fraternity, as well as religious views. It really does vary. Out of every church I've ever attended (about a dozen over my life span and probably 3-4 since I've been a mason as I've been trying to find one in my area), I've yet to have anybody give me grief over being a mason.
As for the Second question, the bible does not say anything explicitly about freemasonry. Often you will hear that men are putting more time/effort/devotion into freemasonry than into church and thereby makes it anti-church. To that, I say that any hobby or interest can replace church if the man does not place the proper importance upon church in his life. This argument usually is from specific examples from within their church, not as a whole.
Now as for the third question. The bible does specifically say "thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Ex 20:3) This verse it often cited against freemasonry. Freemasonry is NOT a religious institution and is rather *tolerant" of other religions. It does not condone one over the other. This is usually mistaken to mean that it somehow extols all religions to be true/equal/right/whatever. Rather, I prefer to explain it thusly: freemasonry is a fraternity that teaches morality to men by spiritual (not necessarily religious) principals. Since we do not discriminate other religions and believe that we can unite all men together, freemasonry rather tries to find a sort of "spiritual common denominator" that men of varying religions can identify with to, basically, get the point across. You can see how some church sects might take offense that we do not take a stance that THIS or THAT religion is the one true one and that we practice tolerance. I like to think that the argument that the church poo poos on freemasonry because it says all Gods/religions are the same stems from being simply misinformed about the fraternity.

EDIT: I would like to inject one further opinion based on observation and it is likely a controversial one... I firmly believe that if a man is not firm in what his religious beliefs are that he may get confused by freemasonry by the very fact that we practice such tolerance. The topics of theosophy and comparative religion could perhaps lead one to believe that multiple religions or deism is being taught as a dogma rather than getting the man to see a common thread in varying religions and take away from it the moral principle rather than a specific religious ideal. I too am a Christian (Baptist, but attend a non-dom church) and believe in God as well as my specific religious views. In studying the deeper masonic philosophy (well really ANY school of philosophy), you must study appropriately and synthesize the information rather than replace your foundational views with the author's.

I would add that masons really understand that all men have the ability to be wrong and at the end of the day it will evident that there is indeed a Supreme Being and it would have served you well to have devoted your life to his service!!!



My Freemasonry HD
 

Mike Martin

Eternal Apprentice
Premium Member
Freemasonry is neither a religion nor a competitor to religion, it requires that its members believe in God that is as far as it goes with regard to the religious beliefs of Freemason.

The setting for our ceremonies, King Solomon's Temple, is not for a religious reason but because our ceremonies are very old and from the 1600s, a time when the Bible was in everything that people did. The allegories of Freemasonry are based on the builder's trade and of course the greatest building ever was King Solomon's Temple.

To find out why particular religious leaders take the stance they do about Freemasonry is a question for them not us but I will point out that it says far more about them than it does us.
 

Milos-33

Registered User
Dear Mike and All ***

In your opinion,

How can someone understand Solomon's Temple in Masonic view? Seperate from Religious View? (as 3 major religions are debating for it)


Milos-33
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Masonically, we are only interested in the building of the First Temple, not who claims the rock today. At that time, only one of the three major religions existed.
 

Milos-33

Registered User
Indeed and thank you for your reply

Solomon's Temple with All Its Symbolism, was it Built by Spiritual devotion or for the Alike of Architecture?




Milos-33
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
The Church?
I suppose you mean the religious sects. I suspect they ALL feel the same way about Freemasonry as they do about each other. Not so good.

The Bible?
I've found that you can get most any answer you desire out of the Bible, or Quran, or Torah, or Vedas, or ...
On its face, nothing other than the verses we pull from and the mention of the Good Samaritan.

The Master?
He looks past our petty piques and quarrels and realizes that all religion faiths point to one supreme creator.
Still, the GAOTU is inestimateable, beyond our wildest imaginations, and not one of us can presume to say what he/she/it thinks.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
I would add that masons really understand that all men have the ability to be wrong and at the end of the day it will evident that there is indeed a Supreme Being and it would have served you well to have devoted your life to his service!!!



My Freemasonry HD
Very well said brother. This is they way that I try to live. I sometimes fail but I keep trying.
 

montkun

Registered User
A Past Master tasked me with reading the book Ruth to help reinforce some tenets of Masonry, it was a good read and very enlightening in my opinion.
 
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