One of my Bible study buddies must have been peeking at this Blog and seen a recent post. He sent me a couple Websites regarding Masonry and religion and asked be to comment on them.
Bloody oaths: In this article (which is dead on and that's one of the reasons I frequently recommend that Website to people) when you see the word allegorical you can also assume the word symbolic applies. Any penalties mentioned in Masonic ritual are symbolic in nature. They take on qualities of the Masonic mythology that the fraternity dates to the time of King Solomon (there is little concrete proof that it does) and thus represent penalties that might have been in force at that time to illustrate how seriously a Freemason is about the bond they are forming.
Many of our forefathers had problems with swearing oaths (think Quakers) much as people in current times (Richard Nixon was a Quaker) and simply promised or affirmed rather than swearing to do something. During initiation and advancement to other degrees the candidate simply promises to do something related to fraternal loyalty and binds themselves by a symbolic penalty. Since a man must be of good character recommended by other men of good character this simply amounts to one man taking another's word. Much as the U.S. dollar is backed by the full faith and credit of the government (not gold as some still believe), a Mason's word is backed by his character and promise of fidelity, not some foolish notion that blood will be spilled. As the article mentions, the only true penalties are suspension, expulsion, or reprimand.
Listening to the penalties as I was taking my obligations I thought they sounded a little silly. A few years later when I was administering an obligation the candidate chuckled a bit. Later he admitted it sounded funny but he agreed that in context it well illustrated the gravity of the promise. With that out of the way there is still the issue of oaths before God. To be a Freemason you must believe in a supreme being. ONE supreme being. That means you can be Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. And in each of these faiths, as the descendants of Abraham who was blessed by the One True God, a broken Masonic promise is rewarded with penalties worse than mere symbolic ones because both the 3rd Commandment (misusing God's name) and the 9th Commandment (bearing false witness) are broken.
http://contenderministries.org/freemason/theology.php
After reading this Website I found that the views expressed were classic strawman arguments - there was no substance, merely interpretation by the less well-informed.
"All non-Masons are in spiritual darkness and can arrive at the light of truth only through Masonry." For a Freemason light is truth, just as in the Bible (the Koran and the Talmud, too). A non-Mason is not familiar with the workings of Freemasonry and therefore is in darkness. When a man receives the 1st Degree he is brought from darkness to true Masonic light and made a brother of the Craft where he can then learn about the truths of Freemasonry. And to be honest, the only real truth is that the ritual illustrates the character and commitment a Mason possesses. The goal of Freemasonry is to take a good man and make him better by fellowship with other men of high and ennobling character.
"Light is obtainable only through Masonry because Masonry is of divine origin and, as such, is the true religion." No, Freemasonry is not a religion. To cite the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania's position on religion:
"Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. It requires of its members belief in God as part of the obligation of every responsible adult, but advocates no sectarian faith or practice. Masonic ceremonies include prayers, both traditional and extempore, to reaffirm each individual's dependence on God and to seek divine guidance. Freemasonry is open to men of any faith, but religion may not be discussed at Masonic meetings."Similar statements are expressed by Lodges around the world, such as the Grand Lodge of England and those in Israel. As to the source (Liturgy of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States) quoted by Contender Ministries stating that Freemasonry is a religion, I'd have to see it in context, but I sincerely believe that it is wrong. I do know that the author of Liturgy, Albert Pike, is seen by many Masons as being completely atypical. His books were little published and not at all accepted by Freemasons. For the most part, anti-Masons pay more attention to Pike than do Masons.
"The Bible is affirmed, and even revered, by Masons, but not as the infallible and inerrant Holy Word of God. Scripture is nothing more than a symbol of the will of God. It is no more divine or inspired than any other 'holy' book of other religions." Freemasons come from many different religious, economic, social, and cultural backgrounds. That is why a lodge may use whichever "bible" best suits it's members. Masons don't gather for religious reasons and it is not a religion. The material that Contender cites is equivocal. Their interpretation shows that if research is done with a goal in mind or an unconscious bias then the results will be skewed. As a Mason I know that the Bible is that inimitable gift from God to man, a rule of our faith and a guide to our actions.
"The Bible is not to be taken literally. Its contents are not divine." The source cited to back this statement is an older text that cannot be taken as a primary source. And though it is already an interpretation of primary sources, it is rather scholarly and respected. But what is really states is that one does not need to be a Christian to be a Mason. Remember the rule: A candidate for Freemasonry must be monotheistic.
"The degrees of Masonry are a new birth, bringing man from darkness into light. The Mason is reborn into divine truth through rituals, ceremonies and words." Let me again remind you that Masonic ritual is allegorical. Stories are used to relate concepts. This is a common teaching method and is far more efficient than using the Socratic Method or other approaches. At one point the allegory does have to do rebirth.
"Jesus is just one of many." Once more Contender quotes Pike and sets up another strawman argument because the source is of poor repute. Freemasons don't talk about religion and the fraternity is open to members of all monotheistic faiths. The fact that my Lodge has a Jewish member doesn't make Freemasonry anti-Christian. Just because Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet and no more doesn't make Freemasonry anti-Christian because a Muslim can be a Mason. In fact, there is no single group more anti-Masonic than Muslims in general.
"Jesus was not God. Belief in Jesus as God is a manmade doctrine" and "The 'Christ' is not a title reserved for Jesus. 'Christ' is a higher consciousness that resides in all men. It can be achieved through Masonry" and "Salvation is obtained apart from Christ through good works alone." Again, Contender tends to interpret a source in a pre-disposed fashion. The source quoted is looking at the history of Christianity, not the history of Freemasonry. Just as in Bible study we look at Bible verses in context for clearer understanding, any research material needs to be placed in context. Much like the soundbite has shaped American politics, selective research can be used to justify any position.
"Part of the Masonic plan of salvation includes the ultimate realization that we are not only basically good, but divine." The first source Contender cites is again taken out of context and the second source is trying to explain Pike's work, not justify it.
"Masonry promises its members that if they pursue obedience to the Lodge and good works, they will dwell with the B.A.O.T.U. for eternity." I will have to ask around, but neither my experience nor my research shows what or who a B.A.O.T.U. is. The goal of Freemasonry is to make a good man a better man not to promise any sort of eternal life.
"It has been asserted that Freemasonry is racist in that blacks are not allowed to join. Because those of African descent are barred from Freemasonry, such persons have established their own Lodges, known as Prince Hall Masonry. Many white Masons do not recognize black Masonry as legitimate." Blacks are allowed to join any Masonic lodge. That many Lodge members are older and prefer blacks not to join is a separate issue. The African-American Freemasons I've met have a preference for the Prince Hall Lodge because of the community work that it's members perform. There was a time when blacks were not allowed to join a lodge but that was at a time when men debated whether blacks were human or not. The Prince Hall Lodges were setup at the time and sheer inertia has kept the segregation alive. The issue I contend with is that former slaves cannot be members. One must be freeborn, of mature age, and under the tongue of good Masonic report. This rules out one of my roommates at college. He's old enough, certainly. And his character is exemplary. But he was born a slave in Uganda before coming to the United States.
