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Anti-Masonic Sentiment in the Church??

JohnnyFlotsam

Premium Member
I do agree to this as well.

So you're down to one critical consideration. Will this guy's views on Freemasonry interfere with you receiving from the church (and it's community) what you are seeking or will they interfere with you being able to give to that community what you may feel you need to contribute? I'd put that one straight to the pastor. Maybe he's unaware that such attitudes exist amongst the leaders in his flock. Maybe he's the one propagating them. His answers, and maybe his insight, will probably make your decisions a lot easier.
 

Beathard

Premium Member
My personal belief is you need to be right with God and yourself. That relationship us what is important on judgement day. If a church helps with that relationship it is a great place to be. If it causes a conflict, there are many other churches that would love to have a religious pillar of the community.
 

Bro. Bennett

Premium Member
Bretheren, I would like to share a story about the Church I grew up in; This particular church in San Antonio had very strong anti-Masonic beliefs. My mother dragged us there while growing up, and we had many doctinal statements shoved down our throats while attending there.
I witnessed a fine San Antonio Police officer demit after the leaders of this church counsel him against masonry. He had been a 25 year Brother. I heard my mother condemn her own brother, my uncle for his affiliation with his lodge in California. He at that time had just received a special lodge award, was a 32 Scottish Rite, York Rite Knight, Shriner, 33 year retired Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement officer, helicopter pilot for the CA BNE, and much more. This condemnation drove a wedge in their relationship, and caused years of hurt on his part.
I heard my mother condemn a neighbor for his role in giving of his time to raise thousands upon thousands of dollars to help the Shriners Hospital help one little boy who received burns to over 90 percent of his body, to have medical treatments to allow himm to walk again.

I would have loved to have a mother that believed in our fraternity, and would have proudly petitioned years earlier had she been willing to listen to the truth. Sadly, I waited to petition until after her death in 2009, but only to keep peace with her and the family.
To close this story, i'd like to say that there will always be naysayers, but what is in your heart, like mine will be the guide for you on your daily journey toward Light. I have no regrets about petitioning and have grown in my walk with my God each day since. So no matter what the churches may say, or the man or woman on the street, I know I will forever know the truth as I have interpreted it to be a devine message from the Almighty...
 

Brent Heilman

Premium Member
i'd like to say that there will always be naysayers, but what is in your heart, like mine will be the guide for you on your daily journey toward Light. I have no regrets about petitioning and have grown in my walk with my God each day since. So no matter what the churches may say, or the man or woman on the street, I know I will forever know the truth as I have interpreted it to be a devine message from the Almighty...

Truer words could not be spoken. I am lucky with my family and church family that they are all accepting of the Fraternity. I have never heard one negative thing spoken about Masonry. I think that many times we encounter people who are close-minded about certain things. They have heard or read somewhere about something being bad or against God so instead of forming their own opinion through their own investigation they just take other people's opinions and make them their own.

My Church is full of people that have been attending there since I was a toddler and hence are somewhat stuck in their ways. Recently I brought up the topic of giving our Church more of a modern appearance and increase our use of the internet. I was met with a mixed response for starting to design a web page. Many people thought that this was a bad thing because, as we all know, the internet is full of vile and filth. It was a battle between me (the younger generation) and the others (the older generation). In the end we came to an accord and that allowed me to proceed on with my page. I think that the same is true with many churches and Masonry. They only know what they read or heard and so contrary to the reality of truth they choose to believe in the fallacy that is portrayed on TV and books.

You give sound advice in follow your heart. If your heart is true then you will follow a true path. All of us here found something we truly love and believe in not because of what we read. We weren't brainwashed into thinking that the Craft is of noble purpose to only find out that it is devil worship and too late couldn't escape it's terrible grasp. I, like everyone else here, are rational, morally sound people and I think that many people who bash Masonry would stop if they only took the time to look at it in a calm, rational manner. Any group of people that does the amount of good for their communities and the world around them cannot be a bad group. It is like saying that Jerry's Kids is demonic and that the MD foundation is just a front. No one in their right mind will ever believe it.

I for one will not let someone else's opinion sway me. I found something that I never knew I needed until I found it. I will proudly say to anyone the I am a Mason and my deeds will reflect that so that others may truly know what it is we stand for and believe in. As Matthew 5:14-16 says " You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven." These are words that I take to heart and as much as they can be applied to our Christian lives they can be applied much in the same way in our Masonic lives.
 

Michaelstedman81

Premium Member
Today, I talked with another guy from the church that is in charge of the fellowship. I voiced my concern to him that I really felt like the topic of my Masonic affiliation will come up from the other guy and that I was not looking forward to being shunned by the church or they all turn their backs on me. I also did ask him if he knew of any church standing as a whole in regards to Freemasonry and he told me that he didn't really know of one, but he didn't know too much about Masonry either. Although, in his voice you could here that it was something negative.

I figure what I am going to do is get a hold of the original guy and head it off. I am going to tell him that I really felt like he had a strong concern for my Masonic activities and that I know that there is a widespread view in churches that is against Masonry. I am going to ask him is there an official stance from the church on the subject. I am also going to tell him that I came to the church seeking spiritual guidance on getting back on track with walking a more Godly line and having God in my life more. I will tell him that whether or not I am a Mason, I am a man that is wanting to walk closer with God and hopefully just because of a ring I wear or an organization that I am a member of, they will not turn thier backs to me and "judge" me as that is not what Christ would have his followers do. Especially since they obviously do not know what the organization is about and has involved in it.

I think that I am going to tell him that we can have our "talk" that is part of the program that I agreed to take part in for my internal healing, but I do not want to discuss the Freemasonry with him at all unless he actually has questions about it. I will ask him and the Pastor of the church if I will be allowed to worship there if I continue being an active Mason, and if not, then I will simply not go back due to the ignorance. I think in the mean time, I will be still be looking for another church anyhow as I don't think the men at this one will help me take the path closer to God, or at least they might not have the same drive to do so. One Brother mentioned talking to some Brothers a lodge in the area and talk to them about where they go to church and maybe they can point me to a church that is a good fit.

If all else fails, I can find a new one and not even mention anything about my being a Freemason. I guess I won't be wearing my ring to it and will need to get a new Bible cause the only one I got has the Square and Compasses on it...lol
 

Stephen

Registered User
Michaelstedman81 said:
If all else fails, I can find a new one and not even mention anything about my being a Freemason. I guess I won't be wearing my ring to it and will need to get a new Bible cause the only one I got has the Square and Compasses on it...lol

That is certainly a valid option, but I have chosen not to hide my affiliation to the fraternity. Naysayers, including people I may worship with, have to accept me in full. You should be proud of the light you have received.
 

Benton

Premium Member
Sounds like a very sound course of action. Let us know how things turn out. I know that many people I know are automatically suspicious of Freemasonry, even though they couldn't tell you why. Because something you don't understand is automatically bad, right? :p

Anyway, it sounds like you have a solid rational approach to the situation. I hope it turns out for the best, a positive situation, and not something ugly. Good luck.
 

tomasball

Premium Member
I guess that's why I feel more comfortable in a "mainstream" church. The doctrines and policies are well-known and agreed upon, and individuals don't get to inject their personal prejudices or "ideas" into the life of the congregation. I do not believe that anti-masonry is really widespread in the churches out there, although I'm not aware if anyone has really put out a thorough study of the matter. I wouldn't recommend settling in to any church family where you felt you had to conceal your masonic memebership. I would no more belong to a church where the people frowned on masonry than I would belong to one that frowned on music.
 

Beathard

Premium Member
Remember that their are only two entities that you must make happy: your god and that man in the mirror.
 

Ol Kev

Registered User
Remember that their are only two entities that you must make happy: your god and that man in the mirror.

THIS! . . . but don't forget your better half either . . . :37: :thumbup1:
Everybody here is pulling for you in your decision.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
Today, I talked with another guy from the church that is in charge of the fellowship. I voiced my concern to him that I really felt like the topic of my Masonic affiliation will come up from the other guy and that I was not looking forward to being shunned by the church or they all turn their backs on me. I also did ask him if he knew of any church standing as a whole in regards to Freemasonry and he told me that he didn't really know of one, but he didn't know too much about Masonry either. Although, in his voice you could here that it was something negative.

I figure what I am going to do is get a hold of the original guy and head it off. I am going to tell him that I really felt like he had a strong concern for my Masonic activities and that I know that there is a widespread view in churches that is against Masonry. I am going to ask him is there an official stance from the church on the subject. I am also going to tell him that I came to the church seeking spiritual guidance on getting back on track with walking a more Godly line and having God in my life more. I will tell him that whether or not I am a Mason, I am a man that is wanting to walk closer with God and hopefully just because of a ring I wear or an organization that I am a member of, they will not turn thier backs to me and "judge" me as that is not what Christ would have his followers do. Especially since they obviously do not know what the organization is about and has involved in it.

I think that I am going to tell him that we can have our "talk" that is part of the program that I agreed to take part in for my internal healing, but I do not want to discuss the Freemasonry with him at all unless he actually has questions about it. I will ask him and the Pastor of the church if I will be allowed to worship there if I continue being an active Mason, and if not, then I will simply not go back due to the ignorance. I think in the mean time, I will be still be looking for another church anyhow as I don't think the men at this one will help me take the path closer to God, or at least they might not have the same drive to do so. One Brother mentioned talking to some Brothers a lodge in the area and talk to them about where they go to church and maybe they can point me to a church that is a good fit.

If all else fails, I can find a new one and not even mention anything about my being a Freemason. I guess I won't be wearing my ring to it and will need to get a new Bible cause the only one I got has the Square and Compasses on it...lol
Brother,

From all that I see in your post, God IS working in your life. He is guiding your abilities to pick up on what is most important. He is connecting you to insights. He is showing you other options. He is revealing to you VERY early on what you need to know and do to direct yourself accordingly.

If this is only the beginning of your journey, BRACE YOURSELF! God IS already working miracles all around you.

F&S,

Bro. Coach N
 
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jwhoff

Premium Member
Never hide yourself brother. Your thoughts and opinions are as valid as any man's. Know thyself. Follow the light as you best see it.
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
A final thought ... hopefully.

Churches are like masonic lodges ... they have much more important business than masonry and politics. Ah, just swap religion for masonry and it should start to become clear what our job is.
 

Michaelstedman81

Premium Member
Thanks a lot, guys. There were a LOT of wise words here. Ya'll have helped to open my eyes and understand a few things that I didn't before hand. So, thank you to everyone that posted on here. Hopefully, I will get all this straightened out in the very near future. Again, thanks everyone.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
Thanks a lot, guys. There were a LOT of wise words here. Ya'll have helped to open my eyes and understand a few things that I didn't before hand. So, thank you to everyone that posted on here. Hopefully, I will get all this straightened out in the very near future. Again, thanks everyone.
(pppst! does this mean drinks are on Brother Stedman?)
 
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