-----Original Message-----
From: Emrys~tonks.lane.nz <monk@...>
To: [celt] <celt@...>
Date: Wednesday, 20 January 1999 15:00
Subject: [celt] Masonry and Christianity


>Dear Frank, A little about Masonry and why it is incompatible with being
a
>Christian. Each section starts with quotes from Masonic authorities, and
is
>concluded by quotes from Christian Scripture. When you put them side by
>side like this, the two are clearly seen as incompatible. Father
Ambrose
>--------------------------------
>
>JESUS CHRIST
>Masonry: "In his private petitions a man may petition God or
>Jehovah, Allah or Buddha, Mohammed or Jesus; he may call upon the God of
>Israel or the First Great Cause. In the Masonic Lodge he hears petition to
>the Great Architect of the Universe, finding his own deity under that name.
>A hundred paths may wind upward around a mountain; at the top they meet."
>(Carl H. Claudy, "Introduction to Freemasonry." p. 38)
>
>Christianity: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
>Life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me. (Jn.14:6) Neither is there
>salvation in any other: for there is none other name {but Jesus} under
>heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
>
>---------------------------
>
>GOD
>Masonry: "...Since every man's conception of God must be
proportioned
>to his mental cultivation, and intellectual powers, and moral excellence.
>God is, as man conceives Him, the reflected image of man himself. (Albert
>Pike, "Morals and Dogma," 14th Degree, p. 234) "The only personal God
>Freemasonry accepts is humanity in toto...Humanity therefore is the only
>personal God that there is." (J.D. Buck, "Mystic Masonry," p. 216) "The
>Absolute is Reason. Reason IS, by means of itself. It IS because IT IS...If
>God IS, HE IS by Reason." (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma," 28th Degree. p.
>737)
>
>Christianity: In the Beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
>(Gen. 1:1) For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the
>Word {Jesus}, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (I Jn. 5:7) God
>said undo Moses, I AM THAT I AM... (Ex. 3:14)
>
>------------------------------
>
>THE HOLY BIBLe
>Masonry: "...the literal meaning (of the Bible) is for the
vulgar
>only." (Albert Pike, "Digest of Morals and Dogma," p. 166) "Masonry makes
no
>profession of Christianity...but looks forward to the time when the labor
of
>our ancient brethren shall be symbolized by the erection of a spiritual
>temple...in which there shall be but one alter and one worship; one common
>altar of
>Masonry on which the Veda, Shastra, Sade, Zend-Avesta, Koran and Holy Bible
>shall lie...and at whose shrine the Hindoo, the Persian, the Assyrian, the
>Chaldean, the Egyptian, the Chinese, the Mohammedan, the Jew and the
>Christian may kneel..." ("The Kentucky Monitor." Fellowcraft Degree, p. 95)
>The removal of the name of Jesus and references to Him in Bible verses used
>in the ritual are "slight but necessary modifications." (Albert Mackey,
>"Masonic Ritualist." p. 272)
>
>Christianity: The Words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried
>in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (Psa. 12:6) All Scripture is
>given by inspiration of God... (II Tim. 3:16) ...if they speak not
according
>to this Word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isa. 8:20)
>
>------------------------------
>
>REDEMPTION
>Masonry: "These three degrees (1st, 2nd, 3rd) thus form a
perfect
>an harmonious whole, nor can it be conceived that anything can be suggested
>more, which the soul of man requires." (Daniel Sickles, "Ahimon Rezon or
>Freemason's Guide." p. 196) "If we with suitable true devotion maintain our
>Masonic profession, our faith will become a beam of light an bring us to
>those
>blessed mansions where we shall be eternally happy with God, the Great
>Architect of the Universe." (Daniel Sickles, "Ahimon Rezon or Freemason's
>Guide." p. 79) "...salvation by faith and the vicarious atonement were not
>taught as now interpreted, by Jesus, nor are these doctrines taught in the
>esoteric scriptures. They are later and ignorant perversions of the
original
>doctrines." (J.D. Buck, "Mystic Masonry." p. 57)
>
>Christianity: As it is written. There is none righteous no not one:
>(Rom. 3:10) For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Rom.
>3:23) For He hath made Him {Jesus} to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that
>we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (II Cor. 5:21) For by
>grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift
>of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)
>
>---------------------------------------
>
>SATAN
>Masonry: "The conviction of all men that God is good led to a belief
>in a devil..." (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma." 19th Degree, p. 324)
>"...there is no rebellious demon of Evil, or Principle of Darkness
>coexistent and in eternal controversy with God, or the Principle of
>Light..." (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma," 32nd Degree, p.859)
>
>Christianity: Ye are of your father, the devil...he is a liar, and
>the father of it. (Jn. 8:44) Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
>(Jas. 4:7) Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand
>against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
>but against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
>against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph. 6:11-12) ...your
>adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
>devour. (I Pet. 5:8)
>
>--------------------------------------
>
>TRUTHFULNESS
>Masonry: The Mason Doctrine teaches that it right to lie, if
>necessary to protect the secrets of the Lodge, or to protect brother Masons
>by concealing his wrongdoing. It can even be right to deliberately deceive
>sincere Masons seeking to learn the lessons and secrets of Masonry.
>
>"The Blue Degrees are but the portico (porch) of the Temple. Part of the
>symbols are displayed there to the initiate, but he is intentionally misled
>by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them;
>but it is intended that he shall imagine that he understands them...their
>true ecplication (explanation / understanding) is reserved for the Adepts,
>the Princes of Masonry." (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma," 30th Degree, p.
>189) "You must conceal all crimes of your brother Masons...and should you
be
>summoned as a witness against a brother Mason be always sure to shield
>him...It may be perjury to do this, it is true, but you're keeping your
>obligations." (Ronayne, "Handbook of Masonry." p. 183) "Furthermore do I
>promise and swear that a Master Mason's secrets, given to me in charge as
>such, and I knowing them to be such, shall remain as secure and inviolable
>in my breast as in his own, when communicated to me, murder and treason
>excepted; and they left to my own election." (Master Mason's / 3rd Degree
>Oath of Obligation)
>
>Christianity: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor.
>(Ex. 20:16) Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to
>another. (Lev. 19:11) ...lie not to one another. (Col. 3:9) ...all liars,
>shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone;
>which is the second death.
>(Rev 21:8)
>-----------------------------------
>
>
>SECRECY & BLOOD OATHS
>Masonry: Secrecy is indispensable in a Mason of whatever degree."
>(Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma," 4th Degree, p. 109) I...do hereon most
>solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will always hail, ever
>conceal and never reveal any of the arts, parts or points of the secret
arts
>any mysteries of ancient Freemasonry which I have received, am about to
>receive, or may
>hereafter be instructed in..." (Oath of Obligation, Entered Apprentice/1st
>Degree, and include in all subsequent degrees, always on penalty of mayhem
>and violent death) "...binding myself under no less a penalty that that of
>having my body severed in twain, my bowels taken out and burned to ashes,
>the ashes scattered to the four winds of heaven..." (from the Oath of
>Obligation, Master Mason/Third Degree) "...In willful violation whereof may
>I incur the fearful penalty of having my eyeballs pierced to the center
with
>a three-edged blade, my feet flayed and I be forced to walk the hot sands
>upon sterile shores of the Red Sea until the flaming Sun shall strike me
>with a livid plague, and may Allah, the god of Arab, Moslem and Mohammedan,
>the god of our fathers, support me to the entire fulfillment of the same."
>(from the Oath of Obligation, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic
>Shrine ["Shriners"])
>
>Christianity: I {Jesus} spake openly to the world; I ever taught in
>the synagogue, and in the temple...and in secret have I said nothing. (Jn.
>18:20) Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (Rom. 12:17) Thou
>shalt not kill (murder). (Ex. 20:13) But above all things, my brethren,
>swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other
>oath: but let your yea be yea;
>and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. (Jas. 5:12)
>
>
>
>
>
>----
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