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Scientology

nixxon2000

Premium Member
Can someone who practices Scientology become a mason?

I have a friend that was inquiring about it.


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jvarnell

Premium Member
I don't know if scientology has a belieff in a SAOTU. But sure aslong as they do that and he ask the lodge to use his sacred book for the obligation.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Simply put the question about any religion has the same answer - Masonry does not and will not have any approved or disapproved list of religions. It's not about that. There is no exception so this is no exception. The answer is the same for any religion. Also with any religion there's the question of whether the candidate would survive the ballot were his religion known. That's why it's inappropriate to have the question of which religion on the petition form or be asked by the investigation committee.

I don't know if scientology has a belieff in a SAOTU.

Buddhism doesn't address the issue of deity and there are plenty of Buddhist brothers. They are the ones who have decided the matter of deity independently. My surface understanding of Scientology is it teaches a mechanism of reincarnation and that it does not dictate a member's choice to believe in the existence of a supreme being or not. As such the parallel with Buddhism applies. As with Buddhism not all Scientologists will be able to answer the crucial question with a "yes" but some will and they will be welcome to join our assemblies.

But sure as long as they do that and he ask the lodge to use his sacred book for the obligation.

If he's a man of his word it doesn't matter what book is present. Having his own book is an optional nicety that does not change that. If he's a member of a non-JCI religion he needs to have come to a point of security in his faith that he does not mind acting out stories from someone else's religion for our degrees to be acceptable to him. That further tends to come with a point of security in his faith that he does not mind interacting with the VSL from someone else's religion. So far none of the non-JCI brothers I have encountered have had an issue with swearing an oath on a Bible.
 

jjjjjggggg

Premium Member
Didn't L. Ron Hubbard sanction lying, cheating, and stealing to his followers against the enemies of Scientology?

Would a follower of Scientology be considered to have the necessary moral character to be a mason?


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Pscyclepath

Premium Member
He would need to satisfactorily answer this question: :Do you believe in the one true and living God, and in the immortality of the soul? It's on the petition, and checked again by the Senior Deacon in the prep room.

Faith is an individual thing. Masonry doesn't list or blacklist any particular religion, but relies on the way an individual candidate comes to grips with the above question. The necessary answer is in the affirmative for both questions, however the fellow answers.
 

nixxon2000

Premium Member
I'd be interested to hear if we already have any who are already masons.

I think the point mentioned about if he believes in a supreme being is a great question.

However I know that my IC asked me what religion I was during the interview. I guess that might have been his concern.

I'll have to talk to him when I see him.


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Brother_Steve

Premium Member
However I know that my IC asked me what religion I was during the interview. I guess that might have been his concern.

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You are not allowed to ask that question in my jurisdiction. Is that allowed in your Jurisdiction? That makes me feel uncomfortable.

It's like handing the bullets to your firing squad if the men do not like your answer or they found out you lied to garner favor.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
You are not allowed to ask that question in my jurisdiction. Is that allowed in your Jurisdiction? That makes me feel uncomfortable.

Should and actually-is don't always match. It also makes me uncomfortable. As with the landmark against discussing sectarian religion in opened tiled lodge meetings it gives too much room for personal pique to give the fraternity a reputation for not living by our claimed principles of religious freedom.

The vast majority of anti-Masons are lunatics. What we do NOT want is quality guys who bad mouth us the rest of their lives because they saw us claim freedom of religion out of one side of our mouths then saw us reject men over religion out of the other side of our mouths.
 

CuAllaidh

Registered User
Didn't L. Ron Hubbard sanction lying, cheating, and stealing to his followers against the enemies of Scientology?

Would a follower of Scientology be considered to have the necessary moral character to be a mason?


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And the Bible sanctions all sorts of nasty acts towards non-believers.... but that's exactly why we don't discuss religion in lodge and why we don't restrict certain religions. Messages taken out of context could mean anything. I don't recall ever seeing L. Ron Hubbard making such sanctions, not saying he didn't, but regardless even if I had, without knowing a heck of a lot more I would not necessarily trust that because the founder of the religion made such a statement that it necessarily meant the followers believe that.

In the end it should come down to does the man believe in some form of deity, and is he a worthy man. His specific religion is not really important, he could believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all I care, as long as he is sincere in that belief.
 

CuAllaidh

Registered User
You are not allowed to ask that question in my jurisdiction. Is that allowed in your Jurisdiction? That makes me feel uncomfortable.

It's like handing the bullets to your firing squad if the men do not like your answer or they found out you lied to garner favor.

The question of what religion I was was outright on my petition. Is that right? Well I wasn't rejected due to my religion so... hard to say. Could it be used to reject others based on their religion, potentially.
 

nixxon2000

Premium Member
And the Bible sanctions all sorts of nasty acts towards non-believers.... but that's exactly why we don't discuss religion in lodge and why we don't restrict certain religions. Messages taken out of context could mean anything. I don't recall ever seeing L. Ron Hubbard making such sanctions, not saying he didn't, but regardless even if I had, without knowing a heck of a lot more I would not necessarily trust that because the founder of the religion made such a statement that it necessarily meant the followers believe that.

In the end it should come down to does the man believe in some form of deity, and is he a worthy man. His specific religion is not really important, he could believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all I care, as long as he is sincere in that belief.

I'm sorry but "Flying Spaghetti Monster" is super funny.

So more info from my friend. He does believe in a god like person. He's more concerned about the question of religion in the interview.

As I said I was asked and it was discussed for a short while.


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CuAllaidh

Registered User
The mention of FSM was meant to amuse, so no need to apologize for finding it funny, you're not Canadian are you ;)

As for your friend, I am assuming (and I could be way off base) that you are already a member at a lodge, and that he is considering petitioning that same lodge, you could always bring up the question with your brethren to sound them out on the issue if you think it might possibly be a problem.
 

nixxon2000

Premium Member
Nope not from Canada although we keep getting their weather!

That's what I was thinking of doing. However from what I gather the questions asked are required by the GL.

I just don't want to taint the water before they even meet him. He is a good guy but I don't know much about him outside of work.




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JohnnyFlotsam

Premium Member
As a member of a sect like scientology, would you be considered a free man?
"As a member of a sect like <insert religion here>, would you be considered a free man?"

If we are free to choose anything, it is our choice in what to believe that can not be compromised. Scientology is no exception. No, not even given the allegedly heavy-handed tactics they use against those who "defect".
 

jjjjjggggg

Premium Member
In the end it should come down to does the man believe in some form of deity, and is he a worthy man. His specific religion is not really important, he could believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all I care, as long as he is sincere in that belief.


And that is the heart of it... well said.

That was the intention with my line of questions, not so much his religion, but whether or not he is a worthy man. I could care less if he called himself a Satanist... but if he believes his religion tells him to kill children and drink their blood, then I have a big issue! I don't care that he is a Scientologist, but it is a matter of record L. Ron Hubbard was a lying thieving con-man who told his follower to even subvert and infiltrate government institutions to bring down the detractors of Scientology. Hubbard was not a man worthy to enter.
 
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