Is Freemasonry compatible with Christianity? (Jesus Christ, salvation, soul, grace)

[Holly]

Hello. Is Freemasonry compatible with Christianity? Please explain and backup your answers. Also, if you are a Freemason, please say so.

[lousyskater]

yes it is. i spent 6 1/2 years living in a group home sponsored by them and of all of the masons i've ever met, not one of them wasn't christin. i've even attended their meetings and they start each one off with a prayer from the bible. they practically forced the religion on the kids that lived there, including me. should have seen the looks on their faces when i told them i was an atheist, but of course, that was on my last day. they would have kicked me out if i said it any earlier. the next option after that was a foster home.

[Holly]

Originally Posted by lousyskater

yes it is. i spent 6 1/2 years living in a group home sponsored by them and of all of the masons i've ever met, not one of them wasn't christin. i've even attended their meetings and they start each one off with a prayer from the bible. they practically forced the religion on the kids that lived there, including me. should have seen the looks on their faces when i told them i was an atheist, but of course, that was on my last day. they would have kicked me out if i said it any earlier. the next option after that was a foster home.

That's very interesting. Why are some Christians so opposed to Freemasonry?

[lousyskater]

Originally Posted by Holly

That's very interesting. Why are some Christians so opposed to Freemasonry?

i have no clue. i'm guessing its a "either you love it or hate it" kind of thing.

[Bondi]

Originally Posted by Holly

That's very interesting. Why are some Christians so opposed to Freemasonry?

Generally mis-information, belief in rumour and fear of the unknown. When trying to help people understand the fraternity it is somewhat

[Scott1]

Originally Posted by Holly

Is Freemasonry compatible with Christianity?

Absolutely not.

Freemasonry has a very formal religious system which includes a belief in God as the Grand Architect of the Universe, the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body. Masonry also believes that man can achieve salvation by his good works, independent of God's gift of grace. Notwithstanding its belief in God, resurrection of the body, and salvation by works, Masonry does not require its members to believe in Jesus Christ or His Church.

Freemasonry also reverences all religious writings and places these writings on par with God’s written Word found in the Bible. Thus, Masonry places all religious writings on its altar (Book of Mormon, the Vedas, Zend Avesta, the Sohar, the Kabalah, the Bhagavad-Gita, the Upanishads or any other religious writing). This is because, unlike Christianity, Freemasonry does not believe that the Bible is the revealed written Word of God. Instead, Freemasonry views all religions as equally plausible attempts to explain the truth about God which, in the end, cannot be known.

[No*s]

I can't speak on the internal workings of the Lodge...but I can say that the Church condemns it without question. While I don't know the reasoning, I will trust it.

[Bondi]

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

Freemasonry has a very formal religious system which includes a belief in God as the Grand Architect of the Universe, the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body.

For one Freemasonry has no religous system other than you have to have a belief in a supreme being. because Freemasonry is a philisophical learning it negates a preference to religion, but does require a belief as mentioned. The use of the term Great Architect is a generic term so not to discriminate any person's religion. Due to the fact they do not study, teach or preach religous doctrine, they have endeavoured to remove all wording and phrasing bespoke to a particular faith. Where a prayer is spoken, so not to cause offence, they use a generic term that all faiths can apply it to their "god".

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

Masonry also believes that man can achieve salvation by his good works, independent of God's gift of grace. Notwithstanding its belief in God, resurrection of the body, and salvation by works, Masonry does not require its members to believe in Jesus Christ or His Church.

Freemasonry teaches no such thing, there is no referance to salvation or resurrection in a religous concept. I feel you are reading non-religous articles and writings and applying religous concept to them.

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

Freemasonry also reverences all religious writings and places these writings on par with God’s written Word found in the Bible. Thus, Masonry places all religious writings on its altar (Book of Mormon, the Vedas, Zend Avesta, the Sohar, the Kabalah, the Bhagavad-Gita, the Upanishads or any other religious writing).

Freemasonry allows each member to put their own book of faith at the top of the pile. It does not dictate which is right or wrong.

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

This is because, unlike Christianity, Freemasonry does not believe that the Bible is the revealed written Word of God. Instead, Freemasonry views all religions as equally plausible attempts to explain the truth about God which, in the end, cannot be known.

Close but no cigar, Freemasonry allows every man to choose his own faith, it is not a religous organisation and the reason you cannot come to terms with it is because you interpret as if it is. Freemasonry is open to all faiths because it does not teach religion.

[Bondi]

Originally Posted by No*s

I can't speak on the internal workings of the Lodge...but I can say that the Church condemns it without question. While I don't know the reasoning, I will trust it.

I wonder if you could post a source to the official documentation of the church stating this view point, seeing as my church was obviously missed of the memo list, I feel it is my duty to take them a copy.

[No*s]

Originally Posted by Bondi

I wonder if you could post a source to the official documentation of the church stating this view point, seeing as my church was obviously missed of the memo list, I feel it is my duty to take them a copy.

I'll look, but Orthodoxy doesn't exactly have a place where I can go and get an official document like you're wanting. It's rather decentralized, so no matter what I get, it only holds jurisdiction for that bishop. Since there hasn't been an Ecumenical Council on the subject, I won't find anything on an ecumenical level. I say Orthodoxy condemns it without question, simply because whenever I've seen the question, I've just seen a fast, solid "no."

What I'll look for are the statements of a bishop. If I find something agreed to by a joint group of bishops, that'd be better.