I debated about putting this in the Education forum but thought the General Board the best place for this as I encourage conversation.
At a non-masonic religious forum, a role call was announced for any masons. As you might have experienced, the conversation turned anti-mason rather quickly. A Catholic, of all people, pointed out the injustices Freemasons reportedly have hand their hands in. I know, right, talk about teapot and kettle.
One specific topic that was brought up by the Catholic was the Mexican Cristero War. Apparently, there was a degree of separation of church in state manifested in a 1917 Constitution which was primarily aimed at the Catholic Church. Regardless of the original intent, the laws turned more into persecution a few years down the road as the anti-cleric laws were expanded and punishments more brutally laid out.
A Catholic led rebellion broke out which led to an all out war. A truce was eventually found though the Federals brutally continued killing Priests that were involved in the war.
Now, as stated before, all this was started by the adoption of the 1917 Constitution which the Mexican President at the time, Carranza, supported. However, his congress was of a more radical nature than what he expected. A new President, Calles, was voted in and was of this more radical mindset. He was an alleged Mason and has been referred to by the recent Mexican President, Vicente Fox, as part of a group of anit-Clerical Masons who tried to invoke the spirit of anti-Catholic laws. Armed with the new constitution and a supported congress, punishment was rolled out severe enough to cause war.
As I have thought before, we as Freemasons, should be educated about our true history, and of the more popular not-so-true history. I think it important to intelligently be able to address issues both spiritual and historical.
I have some follow ups on this story but I would like to get conversations rolling first.
At a non-masonic religious forum, a role call was announced for any masons. As you might have experienced, the conversation turned anti-mason rather quickly. A Catholic, of all people, pointed out the injustices Freemasons reportedly have hand their hands in. I know, right, talk about teapot and kettle.
One specific topic that was brought up by the Catholic was the Mexican Cristero War. Apparently, there was a degree of separation of church in state manifested in a 1917 Constitution which was primarily aimed at the Catholic Church. Regardless of the original intent, the laws turned more into persecution a few years down the road as the anti-cleric laws were expanded and punishments more brutally laid out.
A Catholic led rebellion broke out which led to an all out war. A truce was eventually found though the Federals brutally continued killing Priests that were involved in the war.
Now, as stated before, all this was started by the adoption of the 1917 Constitution which the Mexican President at the time, Carranza, supported. However, his congress was of a more radical nature than what he expected. A new President, Calles, was voted in and was of this more radical mindset. He was an alleged Mason and has been referred to by the recent Mexican President, Vicente Fox, as part of a group of anit-Clerical Masons who tried to invoke the spirit of anti-Catholic laws. Armed with the new constitution and a supported congress, punishment was rolled out severe enough to cause war.
As I have thought before, we as Freemasons, should be educated about our true history, and of the more popular not-so-true history. I think it important to intelligently be able to address issues both spiritual and historical.
I have some follow ups on this story but I would like to get conversations rolling first.