What are the Freemasons???

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Catholic Pages Forum : One Thread

OK. I've heard everything from "they are witches and warlocks working for the devil in sulphurous dark caverns at midnight" to "they are just a group of professionals and tradesmen who perfer more privacy than most". So, where on that spectrum do they lie? Or are they something totally different from that??? And is membership limited to males only?

-- Anonymous, June 18, 1998

Answers

THis is a complicated answer. There are different degrees of freemasonry. Within the first three degreees, which most people belong to, are the majority of masons who are oblivious to the upper workings os their sect. Thesse first three levels are called the blues lodge. Firste degree- "entered Apprentice", secons "fellow Craft" amd third "Master Mason." Many Masons stop at the third degree. After the third degree there are 33 degree more degrees. With different names according to whether or not they are in the york or Scottish Rite. Many Masons admit that the blue lodge teachings are purposely deceptive. "Masonry, like all the Religions, all the Mysteries, all the Hermeticism and Alchemy, conceals its secret from all except the Adepts and Sages, or Elect ( the worthy), and uses false explainations and misinterpretations of its symbols to mislead...to conceal the Truth, which it calls Light, from them, and to draw them away from it. Truth is not for those who are unworthy." ALBERT PIKES ( "MORALS AND DOGMA") THey have a religious front claiming not to interfere with the religious beliefs of the members, this is false. Within the upper levels one can find a good degree of Satanism, wisely protected from their other members from their secrecy. Women have there own groups, a popular one is calles the Order of the East Star. THere is a really good book out that I would recommend if you are still interested, whcch gives a fair account using many pieces of litereature from the Masons. It is called "The Secret Teachings of the Masonic Lodge" by John Ackerberg and John Weldon.

-- Anonymous, June 18, 1998

I believe that many members of the Scottish Rite and York Rite are just as 'in the dark' about the true nature of freemasonry as are the members of the Blue Lodges. I know a member who is a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason (and a Shriner) who I cannot believe truly understands the Luciferian doctrine within freemasonry. Perhaps the leaders of the 'inner circle' of masonry are now very far removed from even the Scottish Rite; and they are now more involved in more secret societies which controlt only the elders of these Rites. Regardless, it is a disturbing group of organizations.

-- Anonymous, June 19, 1998

I was distressed to see quotes from the ilk of Ankerberg and Weldon. These are classical blow dried big dollar protestant preachers who have built an empire on hate and bigotry. These folks will also tell you catholics believe in salvation by works,worship statues, and so on. Im sure you have heard all the lies beore. They include the story of DeMolay when before the inquisition. People were tortured into confessing most anything. DeMolay drew the picture of the Baphomet as the god of masonry. This was to satisfy his tormenters and was not truth. See Catholic encyclopedia under Knights Templar.The God of Masonry is the creator God,God the Father.

Masonry takes the tools of the building trades to draw moral teachings from them. All of us would know what being square means. The first thing a man must have is faith in God. Non-believers are not accepted. The rituals are filled with teachiings of and referances to the Bible from the 1st-32nd degree. Men from all walks of life and denomonational afilliations fellowship and work to better the lot of those in need. The accusations of accult or satanic activities are blatantly false. Just check out the sources for these accusations. The same folks that hate masons and tell lies are anti Catholic,Mormon,Jehovas Witness, ect on and on.

I enjoy catholic broadcasting and material on the net because it has little of the sensationalism and hate containes in so much of what pases for "christian" material today. As a "cradel"Mormon and former Catholic School student it distresses me to see Catholics stoop to the tactics of the bashers.

-- Anonymous, June 23, 1998


Is it really a harmless organization?

William,

I don't know anything about the book you have suspicions about, and I must admit, I don't know that much about the Masons. They don't seem to be as strong here in Australia as in Europe and the US.

But, the fact remains that it is forbidden for any Catholic to be a Freemason. There must, then, be something absolutely fundamental about the Lodge that is anti-Catholic or gravely immoral.

Do you really know what is taught at every level of the Masons? From what I've heard, there are supposedly secrets that people cannot learn until they have progressed to that level.

God bless, Paul McLachlan

-- Anonymous, June 23, 1998


William- I am sorry if a quote from Ankerburg and Weldon offended you. The reason I recommended the book is because I have read it. As a Catholic I did not find anything they said offensive. In fact I thought they did an excellent job at presenting Masonry, and it's false beliefs in a "Creator God" which they attempt to pass off as Christian. I do not know of Ankerburg and Weldon and their beliefs on Catholicism. However, this is not of a concern to me in their presentation of Christianity vs. Masonry. Unfortunately their are many individuals who will not accept the truths of the Catholic Church. THis does not make them ignorant on other matters. The fact remains that masonry is not compatiable with Christianity - Protestant or Catholic. Masonry teaches that Jesus Christ was merely a man. In fact they admit that He was a great man but certainly not Divine, and definitely not the only way to salvation. If you are so opposed to Ankerburg and Weldon may I suggest looking up the topic of Masonry by other Christian or even Catholic authors. In my in depth research I have found many who agree with Ankerburg and Weldon.

-- Anonymous, June 23, 1998


What are Free Masons? See my "full" explanation under Jourard Daep's question, "Is it O.K. to fraternize with Free Masons?"

-- Anonymous, June 25, 1998

I have known many Masons. My beloved grandfather was a 32nd degree Mason ( noncatholic....I am the family's only catholic) and I knew him and his friends as fine men. I never heard them talk of being anti Catholic or anti-Pope. In fact, to tell you the truth, the men I have known as masons were simply men who gathered together in fraternal fellowship not in any form of conspiracy and bigotry. A game of pool or poker after a lodge meeting...a Pancake Breakfast to raise money for the childrens hospital was about it for hightimes in the Masons. The Masons do have a checkered past...but today, today they are viewed mostly as a dinosauer type group. Masonic lodges are closing all over the place as their members die off. So what is all this fuss about now? Why would anyone want to be a mason today???

-- Anonymous, June 26, 1998

Connie has it about right. Masonry is not a religion. It is a group of men who believe in God and practice relief of those in need. The "secrets" are the ways by which we identify each other or examin each other to determin if a visitor is a Mason. And yes many masons 32nd deg do not know what masonry stands for but not as the hate preachers would suppose. Many masons do not know what masonry stands for just as many Catholics, Mormons, or Jews do not know what there religion teaches. Sitting in a pew or in a chair at the lodge and doing nothing else.Most do not study and strive and seek to put into their daily lives the teachings of Christ. Masons are given a Bible when raised to the third degeree and commanded to "dilligently study therein" to attain the light we seek and walk it that light.

I recall being a Mormon in catholic high school. A friends saintly mother answered my question Why do they speak in Latin at Mass, y that is the only language the devil doesn't understand. I think all of us has an element somewhere within us wherin our understanding is an answer like this.

Love yall

-- Anonymous, June 28, 1998


Freemasonry is subtle and deceptive. Most members of freemasonry do not fully understand the true purpose of the organization. For Catholics, there is ample warning to avoid any association with freemasonry. The Church has denounced freemasonry on many occasions, from the authority of the popes themselves.

In addition, the many Catholics devoted to recent Marian apparitions are aware of the warnings from the Blessed Virgin Mary about freemasonry.

-- Anonymous, June 29, 1998


Well, don't tease us, man, what DID Mary say about Freemasons?

tmckenzie, to which Marian apparitions are you referring, and what is it that Our Lady has said with regards to Freemasonry - don't tease us with assumptions of what we know, sir, tell us what YOU know!

-- Anonymous, June 29, 1998


Dana - I was referring to the inner locutions of Fr. Gobbi in Italy. I should have been more clear, forgive me. Our Lady has warned father Gobbi about two (2) distinct forms of freemasonry in the modern world. (1) Political Freemasonry, and (2) Ecclesiastical Freemasonry.

I don't want to provide a quote of the messages to Fr. Gobbi because I haven't memorized them, however, they are published and well documented. Please bear in mind that the Church has not yet ruled on the 'authenticity' of Fr. Gobbi's messages. As you probably know, this type of investiagtion by the Church takes time.

To summarize, Our Lady warns Fr. Gobbi that freemasonry is a very real and powerful modern enemy of the Church.

I'd like to add that for Catholics who wish to adhere strictly to the teachings of the Magisterium and avoid accepting personal revelations until they are formally recognized by the Magisterium, a good authority is 'Humanum Genus', the Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII on Freemasonry.

Pope Leo XIII is very clear in his warning of the dangers to Christ's Church contained within the influence of masonic institutions.

-- Anonymous, June 29, 1998


Response to what are the freemasons

Thank you tmckenzie, this is very interesting. Would you happen to know where on the web this information re Fr. Gobbi might be found? Thanks DanaMac

-- Anonymous, June 29, 1998

Dana - the messages are published in a book titled "To the Priests, Our Lady's Beloved Sons". The Marian Movement of Priests has a web site where the book may be ordered, it is 'www.mmp-usa.net/'.

-- Anonymous, June 29, 1998

WHY THE CHURCH OBJECTS TO FREEMASONRY

Any questions as to the Church's position on freemasonry should be directed to "In Eminenti" by Pope Clement XII in which masonic societies are condemned and forbidden. Also see "Prividas" in which Pope Benedict XIV stated that membership in masonry "would lead to evil and perversion". Also, Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a statement in 1983, approved by Pope John Paul II, in which he states that membership in masonry automatically prohibits one from receiving Holy Communion.

Why is the Church so opposed to masonry? To begin with, its members are sworn to secrecy. Moreover Freemasons swear that if they reveal any secret they will willing submit to having their bodies mutilated. (I asked a 3rd degree Master Mason about this and he admitted it) As you rise higher in the Masonic ranks the masons' opposition to the Church becomes apparent: in the 30th degree initiation ceremony, a candidate must stab a skull with a papal tiara, saying "Down with imposture! Down with crime!" Later all present trample on the papal tiara.

In the initiation ceremony for the 31st degree the candidate states that the Masonic ideal of justice "is more lofty than the actualities of God" and in the 32nd degree, "Masonry will eventually rule the world".

See also Pope Leo XIII's condemnation of masonic sects in his encyclical "Humanum Genus", and the Mar/Apr 1998 issue of Soul magazine.

-- Anonymous, July 03, 1998


i HAVE HAD THE OPPERTUNIYTY TO MEET WITH A THIRTY-THIRD DEGREE MASON WHO LEFT THE CRAFT BECAUSE IT WAS AGAINST HIS CHRISTIAN BELIEFS. HE STATED THAT ONCE A PERSON BECOMES A 33 DEGREE MASON THEY ARE TOLD THAT SATAN IS THE GRAND ARCHITECT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WORSHIPPING.

SEMPER FIDELIS.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 1998



Moderation questions? read the FAQ