“Boy, am I perplexed!” said the young Brother as he sat down on the bench outside of the lodge building. Ferris Thompson, a Past Master who spent most of his time mentoring his younger Brethren was sitting on the bench contently puffing his bent bulldog pipe.
“What has you confused? Not that I’m promising that I can help, but I sure can listen.”
“Well, I just get so frustrated with some of the folks from my church, they really believe all of that stuff about how Freemasonry is evil. It just frustrates me so much because I’m certain that our fraternity has made me a better man.”
“So why are you so upset? If you are happy with Masonry, then damn those who mock it,” Ferris gave a little grin as he took a draw from his pipe. Something about swearing while he gave Masonic advice seemed humorous to him.
“Its just that I know it isn’t evil and I can’t stand them mocking the organization that I love. I tried to show them that we weren’t anything to be worried about, heck I even showed them what idiots those anti-Masonry folks on the Internet are. They just told me that I needed to repent or I’d be condemned.”
“Is that really such a bad option?” Ferris chuckled.
“How can you find this so humorous! This is serious stuff we’re talking about!” The Brother said incredulously. He was quite unnerved and beginning to perspire in the sultry summer evening.
“I apologize for upsetting you, my Brother,” Ferris turned toward his protege and removed his pipe from his mouth in order to initiate a more serious conversation. “Let’s get to the heart of the matter then. Just what did they specifically say to you that makes you so upset?”
“Well, they said that we are not a Christian organization.”
“And we’re not.”
“But, they said we commune with non-believers!”
“Which we do.”
“But…well…they said that we allowed men of other faiths to have their book open upon the altar!”
“And we do.”
“Well…geeze Ferris…are you trying to make me feel better or not?!” The young Brother proceed to mop his forehead with his handkerchief and paced back in forth of Ferris who resumed smoking his pipe.
“Perhaps the real question is whether you believe that Freemasonry is compatible with Christianity or not. I believe it is. I have been a Freemason a long time and a Christian longer. I have never found any reason to believe that Masonry is in conflict with my religion and I enjoy the company of my Brethren from other faiths. When some Christians make statements like those which you have just specified, I think of the story of the four chaplains in World War II. To me, Freemasonry is an organization built upon the very spirit of that story. But it isn’t about what I think, the question is do you believe that your Masonic involvement is compatible with your religion or are you just trying to prove to yourself that it is by arguing with the other members of your congregation?”
The young Brother was silent and sat down on the bench with his hands in his pockets. He stared at the cracks in the concrete. “I guess I don’t know.”
“Well, only you can answer the question which I have just proposed. I might suggest that you forgo attending this evening’s meeting and do a little personal reflection. Perhaps you should meet with your preacher as well. It’s unfortunate that you must deal with this after becoming a Mason, it is best to deal with this problem during the petitioning process, but your personal faith needs to come before the fraternity.”
The young Brother nodded his head. “Goodnight, Ferris. I think that I do need to go home and think a bit.”
Ferris smiled. No matter what decision the young man came to, the fraternity would benefit.
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It’s all the more humorous when you realize that both Freemasonry and Christianity have the same source: Astrotheology and solar worship.
— W.S.
I find this non-humorous, and humorous at the same time. Being no-christian and having had my holy book open on the alter for my EA/FC/MM and having had or heard the same talks in my Lodge during those times … and hearing from Lodge members that I am not a TRUE Mason due the fact that I am not a mason.
The mixture of funny and not abound, thanks for the article.
Thank you for this piece. I’ve been contemplating petitioning to receive the degrees of Masonry for about two years now. The question that the young brother contemplates is the same as my own. In my research, I’ve found that what the Widow’s Son said is true. However, what each organization is today is vastly different from its respective origin. I often wonder why the two developed so differently. It is my sincere desire for truth and light that draws me to your fraternity. Please keep up the good work as it makes my deliberations easier.
Every argument theologically against Freemasonry is stopped dead in its tracks as soon as you remove Freemasonry from the roles of being a religion. And Freemasonry is truly not a religion even though and if some Brethren use it as a church substitute.
When you can convince Freemasonry’s detractors that Freemasonry is only a club or society, then the rules change. No longer is it open to theological argument.
What is so hard for the deeply committed to understand is that any organization could allow closely bonded fraternization among those who hold widely diverse beliefs.
Freemasonry takes no stand on religion. It leaves all the determination of what the true worship of the Creator should be up to the conscience of the individual Brother. Unfortunately, for some, that means that if you aren’t for us, you are against us.
But the declaration of neutrality and the refusal to make any judgments, rulings or decisions about sectarian faith does not mean that Freemasonry endorses all religions or even denominations as being equal nor does it mean that Freemasonry is for or against any particular faith. FREEMASONRY MAKES NO RULINGS ABOUT RELIGION.
Freemasonry as a body, as a society makes no ruling or determination on the subject. It is neutral and leaves all the decision making in the hands of each individual. As an organization Freemasonry does not take sides, endorse or discourage any particular faith.
If one would criticize Freemasonry theologically it would be wrong because Freemasonry is not a religion nor does it have anything to say or take any stance on any religion. It is mum, mute. All thinking and judgment is made by each individual MasonS who come together leaving their differences outside the Masonic Temple’s door.
This is one of the best peices of work I’ve read on here !!! I love this section and this website.
Thanks Scoot and I am sure Terence does too!
I don’t meant to repeat myself but this is a really important point, so I want to make sure I got what I meant to say across.
Those who have religious objections to Freemasonry criticize it because it is in their minds a competing religion. If Freemasonry is not a religion then they really have no religious argument against it.
So the very first step in refuting those that would take the Craft to task over its religious dogma is to refute the charge that Freemasonry is a religion. Don’t go on to any of the specific objections that the detractors are making. All their argument rests on the assumption that Freemasonry is a religion.
Stick to your guns and insist that Freemasonry is not a religion. It has no sacraments, no Priests and offers no path to salvation. Freemasonry does not have its own God. No matter what point is made against Freemasonry just keep insisting, keep reiterating that Freemasonry is not a religion its just a club. Make them prove it is a religion, especially since Freemasonry declares it isn’t.
I have been this road. And I have refused to refute any religious argument against Freemasonry until I beat my detractors into submission on the point that Freemasonry is not a religion. If I can get them to admit that, then I just tell them that we have no further differences because Freemasonry is not operating on the same plane.
By the way I am a very committed Christian. But church is church and societies and clubs…………well they are just societies and clubs and not subject to the same criterion.
I have found this site an oasis of great consolation after the stress I am going through at church. Recently my new pastor discovered I am a Mason, and is doing everything to kick me out of the Church leadership team if I do not quit the society. He insists Freemasonry is not compatible with Christianity even if it is not a relgion. He is challenging me with the Churches policy which was never mentioned by our previous pastor although he was fully aware I a Mason. Well, I am contemplating legal action against him. I believe he is about to violate my rights of association.