Hi, Postvieww.
Hi Albion, thanks for your response. We will just have to disagree. I am all too aware that many Christian are involved in this organization. It is my opinion most do not even know the facts about the organization or they would leave it.
Well, what have you experienced as a Mason yourself? No matter what you may have gleaned from conversations with some friends, you are not qualified to make the kinds of judgments you have made here without personal knowledge, without having been able to verify the lurid accusations that delight the conspiracy theorists. And I have most likely done much more research into their claims than you have.
I personally know masons and have had detailed discussions about its history and practices. I also own a copy of “ Morales and Dogma” which is very enlightening and most definitely non Christian.
...and does not speak for anyone except the author.
I do not make the charges in my post lightly or without research. There is no scriptural support for involvement in any organization of secrecy or the swearing of oaths.
Now,
that is a
bona fide concern, unlike all the silly talk about Satanism and Occult practices. If a person belongs to a fringe Christian denomination that holds that giving one's oath is wrong under all circumstances (which, I would hope, would apply also to giving it in court, when becoming a naturalized citizen, upon joining the military, etc.) then that should cause such a person to choose against membership in a lodge. My church is one that
doesn't hold that view, so this does not represent a failing in Masonry or a policy that it at odds with Christianity. It's rather an honest disagreement among the churches.
I will also mention a similar issue--praying with members of other Christian churches (other than one's own, that is). There are some denominations that take this point very much to heart and oppose prayer with other Christians--so long as there is not a formal agreement among them on every point of doctrine (which is almost always lacking). Consequently, they oppose membership in the Boy Scouts or being present when an invocation is offered prior to the opening of a City Commission meeting or if prayer is offered before some banquet, etc.
Needless to say, that is not the view taken by the great majority of Christian churches, but if an individual belongs to one that does, he might do well not to seek membership in the Masons. However, it's not at all a matter of Masonry being at odds with Christianity.